Mons Brynell Peterson (1859-1960)

Portrait from the South Dakota Legislative Manual, 1915-16.

  Featured on the Strangest Names In American Political History's Facebook page back in July 2018, Mons Brynell Peterson was Norwegian native, who, following resettlement in South Dakota in the 1880s, began a long career as a farmer in the Day and Clark County areas. Elected to two terms in the South Dakota House of Representatives (these terms being spaced twenty-two years apart), Peterson is only the second political figure profiled here who attained centenarian status, dying several months after his 100th birthday in 1960. 

 Born on November 15, 1859, near Bergen, Norway, Mons Brynell Peterson's early schooling was obtained in the country of his birth and at age seven removed to the United States with his family. Settling in Mower County, Minnesota, Peterson would later attend the State Normal School in the neighboring county of Winona. In 1885 Peterson traveled to Highland Township, Minnesota, and, after purchasing a land claim, settled into establishing a homestead. In April of that year, he married Elena (Olena) Dahl (1863-1956), to whom he was wed for nearly seventy-two years. The couple's seven-decade union saw the births of eight children, Inga (1886-1966), Melvin (1889-1986), Arthur (1891-1968), Henry (1892-1974), Mayble Georgine (1895-1957), Edward (1898-1985), Clarence (1900-1977), and William (1903-1935).

  Following their resettlement in South Dakota in 1887, Peterson and his family resided in Day County on a farm, and in 1892 he was elected to his first term in the South Dakota state legislature. Serving during the 1893-95 session, Peterson sat on the committees on Insurance and Rules. After two decades of residence in Day County, the Peterson family resettled in Clark County, and in 1914 was elected his second legislative term. Serving during the 1915-17 session, Peterson also held the post of president of the Wallace Farmer's Telephone Company during his term. At the conclusion of this legislative session Peterson returned to farming and from 1919-1926 was a cattle buyer "for shipping associations." 

   A resident of Wallace, South Dakota beginning in 1919, Peterson continued to reside in that town until 1953, when he and his wife entered a retirement home in Madison, Minnesota. The couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in April 1955 and less than a year later Peterson suffered the death of his wife at age 92. Mons Brynell Peterson celebrated his 100th birthday in November 1959 and died several months later on May 18, 1960, at the retirement home where he resided. He and his wife were interred at the Webster Cemetery in Webster, South Dakota following their deaths.

Nelius Moonat Nelson (1870-1930), Nelius Gunnarsen Eggen (1853 - ?)

From the South Dakota Legislative Manual, 1915.

   A one-term member of the South Dakota State House of Representatives from McCook County, Nelius Moonat Nelson's birth occurred in Bellsville Township, Iowa on May 4, 1870. One of five children born to Swedish immigrants Swan (born 1843) and Celia Nelson, Nelius Nelson's birth in Pocahontas County is notable as he was the "first male child born in the county." He attended schools local to the Pocahontas County area and would go on to study at both the Fremont and Highland Park colleges. 

   Nelius M. Nelson left his Iowa home in 1892 and moved to South Dakota, eventually settling in McCook County. He would reside here for the remainder of his life and following his removal became "engaged in the abstracting business." He married on January 8, 1908, in Salem, South Dakota to Swedish native Alma Sundstrom (1881-1972). The couple would have at least three children, Howard (died in infancy in 1911), Virginia Isabel, and Cecilia M.

   Nelson became active in local politics in Salem during the early 1900s, serving for eight years as clerk of the Salem school board and for six years as Salem city auditor. In November 1914 he was elected as McCook County's representative to the South Dakota legislature and took his seat at the start of the January 1915 session. Interestingly enough Nelson served in the same legislative session as that of Olymphious Sigurinius Thompson (1875-1968), profiled here back in July 2011!

  Following his term in the state legislature, little else could be found on the life of Nelius M. Nelson. He died on October 18, 1930, at age 60 and was survived by his wife Alma. Both were interred at the Wildwood Cemetery in Salem, South Dakota.

Portrait from the Minneapolis Journal, February 15, 1905.

   Another "Nelius" who made his name known politically was Nelius Gunnarsen Eggen of Fargo, North Dakota. A one-term member of the North Dakota State House of Representatives, Eggen was a native of Norway, being born in Levanger on either September 7 or September 19, 1853. His middle name is recorded as "Gunnarsen" (this via an ancestry.com listing) and is believed to have immigrated to the United States in 1882. 

   Settling in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Eggen resided here for several years and later was a resident of Minnesota. Nelius Eggen married in Winneshiek County, Iowa in 1887 to Ms. Antoinette "Nettie" Olson (birth date unknown), with whom he would have two daughters, Mable and Ethel. He would migrate to North Dakota sometime later and for many years afterward was a resident of Fargo. 

  In the late 19th century Nelius and his brother Marius would establish Eggen Bros., a business specializing in the sale of pianos and organs. Their company is recorded as "having received many good pianos and organs that are in many Norwegian homes and churches in the Northwest." The Eggen brother's firm would later add lines of clothing to their business, including fur coats, cloaks, jackets, and capes. 

  In November 1904 Nelius Eggen was elected as one of Cass County's representatives to the North Dakota state legislature, garnering 1,460 votes on election day. During his two-year term, Eggen sat on the house committees on Apportionment, Engrossed Bills, Corporations Other Than Municipal, and Women's Suffrage. 

  Eggen's term in the house concluded in 1907 and his post-government career saw him serve as treasurer of the Scandinavian-American Bank of Fargo. Several ancestry.com mentions denote Eggen's later removal to California, where it is presumed that he died; his death date and burial location being unknown at the time of this writing. 

Havillah Carlos Judson (1853-1928), Havilah Burritt Hinman (1851-1908)

From the 1917 South Dakota Blue Book.

    South Dakota has had a number of oddly named political figures and judges pop up here on the site over the past two and half years, the most recent being Cando resident Fountain Land Thompson, who represented South Dakota in the U.S. Senate for a short time. With the following write-up on Havillah Carlos Judson, a state representative from Meade County, the amount of strangely named South Dakotans grows ever larger, and the name "Havilah" is known to have had biblical origins, being described as both a given name, as well as the name of an ancient region mentioned in the book of Genesis.

   Havillah C. Judson was born in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin on September 23, 1853, one of three children born to David Wells and Mary Catherine Reed Judson. His family later removed to Winnebago County in that state where he received his early schooling. The Judson family relocated to Minnesota in the mid-1860s, where young Havillah worked at farming and attended school. The early 1870s saw him move to Vermillion, South Dakota along with his brother Lucius, and during this period was employed at a sawmill, and later took on a position managing freight between the cities of Rapid City and Deadwood.

   The History of South Dakota, Volume III notes that Judson eventually accumulated enough income to form his own freighting business, and around 1886 purchased a ranch in the Elk Creek region. He would leave the freighting industry around this same time and over the succeeding years engaged in stock raising and farming. Judson married Lois Oliver on January 19, 1886, and later had three children: Mabel Catherine (1899-1978), Alcena Judson (1887-1950) and Shirley Oliver (born 1909).  

  Havilah Judson continued to farm on his Elk Creek property until 1901 when it was destroyed by fire. Following this fire Judson resided on another ranch near Elk Creek "which he managed for an Eastern company", and due to his success in the cattle industry earned the recognition as one "of the progressive and representative men of this section of the state." Judson is later recorded as residing in Viewfield in Meade County, and in 1916 was elected as one of that county's two representatives to the South Dakota State Legislature. 

  Judson's term in the state legislature extended from 1917-1919 and little else is known of his life following his service, with the exception being his death at age 75 in Rapid City on March 14, 1928. His wife Lois survived him by nearly 30 years, dying at age 91 in 1956. Judson was later interred at the New Underwood Cemetery in Pennington County, South Dakota.

From the Genealogical and Family History of New Hampshire, Volume 4, 1908.

   Another "Havillah" who made his name known in public life was Havilah Burritt Hinman of Coos County, New Hampshire. This obscure gentleman represented the aforementioned county in the New Hampshire State House of Representatives in 1879 and had earlier occupied numerous local offices in Stratford, including that of tax collector and town selectman.

   Born on February 19, 1851, in Essex County, Vermont, Havilah Hinman was the son of Harvey and Harriet Hugh Hinman. He moved with his family to Stratford, New Hampshire shortly after his birth and would go on to attend the public schools of that town. After completing his schooling he became employed as a clerk for the Grand Trunk Railroad Co., serving in this capacity for four years. Following the resignation from his clerkship, Hinman began branching out on his own, becoming a farmer and stable owner in Stratford, as well as operating a hotel. Havilah Hinman married in 1873 to Kate May Barrett (1855-1911) and later had several children, including John Holmes Hinman (1885-1981), one of the founders of the International Paper Co. 

   During his short life, Havilah B. Hinman served as Stratford, New Hampshire town auditor and tax collector, and was a town selectman for nearly two decades. Hinman was also the deputy sheriff of Coos County for nearly a decade. He is also noted as being a dealer in lumber and real estate in Coos County, and was active in several fraternal and civic organizations, being a past master of the Coos County Grange, a past chancellor of the Stratford Knights of Pythias Lodge, and was a member of the Island Pond Lodge #44 of Free and Accepted Masons in Island Pond, Vermont.

  Havilah Hinman won election to the New Hampshire State House of Representatives in November 1878 and during the 1879 term held a seat on the house committee on Fisheries and Game. In 1903 he was Stratford's delegate to the New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention being held in Concord. Hinman died five years later of a cerebral hemorrhage on January 10, 1908, shortly before his 57th birthday. His wife Kate survived him by three years and following her death was interred alongside her husband at the Fairview Cemetery in North Stratford, New Hampshire.

Olymphious Sigurinius Thompson (1875-1968)

From the South Dakota Historical Collections Vol. 8, published in 1916.

   The political figure profiled today has a truly fascinating name, and like many of the previous people profiled on the site here, his life and accomplishments are shrouded in obscurity. That man is Olymphious Sigurinius Thompson, and he served as a South Dakota state representative for two terms during the early part of the twentieth century. Born of Norwegian stock in Sverdrup Township, South Dakota on February 18, 1875, Olymphious Thompson was the son of John and Kristi (Syverson) Thompson, who had immigrated from Norway some years previously. Their reasons for giving their son the name "Olymphious Sigurinius" have been lost to the pages of history, but it is interesting to contemplate the reasons that may have precipitated it! 

   Thompson attended local schools and for the majority of his life actively engaged in farming pursuits. In 1898 he married fellow Minnehaha County native Salina (Soline) Olsdaughter Gilseth (1875-1905), with whom he had one daughter, Cora Agnes. In 1904 he officially took over the ownership of his family's 503-acre farming complex in Sverdrup township. This large farm is listed as being home to  "purebred Shorthorn cattle and grade hogs." In addition to raising livestock, Thompson also grew "160 acres of corn, 80 acres of alfalfa, and 60 acres of sweet clover."
   Tragedy struck Olymphious Thompson in 1905 when his wife Soline died at the age of 30. Four years following her untimely death he remarried to Ms. Julia Vollen (1892-1970), also a resident of Sverdrup township. The couple is recorded as being childless through the entirety of their marriage and were wed for nearly sixty years until Olymphious's death in 1968.
   O.S. Thompson, as most sources record him, was also affiliated with several business concerns local to Minnehaha County, holding the following posts: the presidency of the Farmers Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance Company, director of the Cooperative Lumber Company of Baltic, a founder of the Baltic Cooperative Telephone Company, vice president of the Dakota State Bank at Baltic and was director of the Dell Rapids Hospital Association. Thompson was also a prime mover in the establishment of the Sioux Falls Production Credit Association.

    Olymphious Thompson made his foray into the political arena in November 1912, when he was elected to the South Dakota State House of Representatives as a Republican. He won re-election to that body in 1914 and served another two-year term. Three years after leaving the legislature Thompson was named as an alternate delegate from South Dakota to the 1920 Republican National Convention in Chicago. He later received a Distinguished Service medal from the South Dakota State Farm Bureau Federation in 1931 and also served as the chairman of the Minnehaha County Agricultural Conservation Committee. 

O.S. Thompson (and his misspelled name), from the South Dakota State University website.

   In 1937 Thompson was named "Eminent Farmer" of the year in the Dell Rapids Tribune, which notes that Thompson had a portrait of himself unveiled in the "Hall of Agricultural Fame" at the State College. In addition to his agricultural activities, Thompson was a longtime parishioner at the Lutheran Nidaros Church and a congregation trustee for nearly two decades. Thompson died four days short of his 93rd birthday on February 14, 1968, at a nursing facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and was interred in the Nidaros Pioneer Cemetery in Baltic. His wife Julia survived him by two years, dying in 1970, and was laid to rest alongside her husband.
   Needless to say, I was overjoyed when I found that a portrait of Mr. Thompson was available online, but, as with most good research, digging had to be done to find the "gold", so to speak! After an hour or so of furtive scouring on Google Books, the picture above was located--in two separate books. The first of these finds was in Volume 8 of the South Dakota Historical Collections, published in 1916. In this work, O.S. Thompson wrote an article (accompanied by his portrait) on some reminisces of his father, under the title "John Thompson's Nerve". A short while after discovering that photograph, the same one was discovered in a 1913 edition of the South Dakota Legislative Manual, again listed under the initials "O.S."