Olmsted County MINNESOTA Biographies.....Ole P. Evjen November 30 1858 - 
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File contributed for Minnesota Biographies Project by:
Mike Oiseth MOISETH@mn.rr.com March 10, 2005, 10:45 am

Author: Joseph Leonard, History of Olmsted County, Minnesota

OLE P. EVJEN. - The life of Ole P. Evjen, one of the most progressive
and up-to-date farmers and stock-raisers of Olmsted county, is an
example of how young men of foreign birth, coming to this country under
adverse circumstances, alone, penniless and friendless, can, by hard and
conscientious work, arise to a position of honor and respect among their
fellow men. This Mr. Evjen has done. He was born in Norway, November 30,
1858, and when twenty-five years old left his native country and
immigrated to America. He came immediately to Olmsted county and his
first employment here was the grubbing of a piece of land, for which he
was to receive $5. His employer thought that the work could be done in
about five days, and great indeed was his surprise when Mr. Evjen
completed it easily in one day. He was no stranger to grubbing and other
hard work, and his first day's labor in this community still stands as a
record. He was a firm believer in the old adage, "Never put off until
to-morrow what you can do to-day," and this spirit has lifted him over
many trials and hardships and carried him to his present success.
Shortly after the above work, he went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and for
eleven years worked for Smith & Richardson, lumber merchants. The
summers and winters of the first seven years were spent in the mill and
the lumbering camps, respectively, and the last four years were passed
in iron and foundry work. Mr. Evjen carefully saved his money and in
1891 returned to Olmsted county and bought 135 acres of wild timber land
in section 19, Salem township, and thirty acres of timber in Dodge
county. Thereon he erected a fine home and has made all needed
improvements, amounting to about $6,000, and at present his farm is
regarded as one of the best and most productive in the community. The
year following his return to this county he married Miss Carrie Evjen,
whose parents were pioneer farmers of Dodge county, and the following
children have been born to them: Peter O., March 3, 1894; Tilla,
November 14, 1895; Cora, April 19, 1897; Maria, October 8, 1899;
Osellie, March 6, 1902; George, October 4, 1904; Howard, August 12,
1907; and Matilda, February 9, 1909. Aside from his farming and
stock-raising interests, Mr. Evjen is a stockholder and director in the
Zumbro Creamery at Rock Dell, the Farmers' Lumber Company at Hayfield,
Minnesota, and the Farmer's Telephone Company. In politics he is a
Republican, now serving as township supervisor, and he and family are
communicants of Hauger's Lutheran Church [South Zumbro]. Mr. Evjen is a big,
good-natured man, proud of his nativity and achievements, and one of
Olmsted county's most public-spirited citizens.

Additional Comments:
Joseph Leonard, History of Olmsted County, Minnesota: together with sketches of many
of its pioneers, 
citizens, families, and institutions. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association,
1910.

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