OLE G. GIGSTAD.
Ole G. Gigstad, farmer and stockman, Lancaster township, was born in Norway, October 25, 1856. He is a son of Gulick and Anna (Grannan) Gigstad. He was one of seven children, one of whom is now dead. Four sons and one daughter are now living in the United States. A brother, Knud G. Gigstad, is also a farmer and stockman in Lancaster township. The father was a native of Norway and spent his life there. Ole Gigstad left Norway in May, 1883, and came to Atchison county, Kansas, where he worked a year for his brother, Knud. Then for three years he rented a farm from his uncle in Brown county, Kansas, and in 1887 bought the farm in Lancaster township. It is an eighty acre farm and Mr. Gigstad has made improvements to the extent of $5,000, including a fine house and barn. He now owns 320 acres of well improved land, 160 acres of which are being farmed by his oldest son, Gustave, and it has a comfortable residence.
Ole Gigstad attended school in Norway, but when he sailed for America he could not speak the English language, and when he arrived here he was in debt to the extent of fifty dollars, which was an additional handicap. But his industry has brought him to the front rank of Atchison county farmers. He owns a fine herd of graded stock and is a successful farmer and stockman. He rented eighty acres additional in 1915 and he had 100 acres in corn last year.
Mr. Gigstad was married in 1888 to Severine Knudson, who was born in Norway, September 23, 1866. She left her native land in the spring of 1883 and settled at Everest, Kan., where her brothers were living at the time. In 1884 she removed to St. Joseph, Mo., where she worked four years. Her parents were Knud and Inger Sofie (Berntson) Knudson, natives of Norway. Her father was born in 1814, and immigrated to America in 1891, coming to Atchison county, Kansas, where he lived with his children until his death, in 1894. The mother was born in 1827, and died in her native country in 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Gigstad have eight children: Gustave A., farming the 160 acres west of his father’s farm; Ida, Charles, Albert, Emma, Edna, Alice, Benjamin, all living at home. Mr. Gigstad is a member of the Lutheran church and is a Republican.