Among the most progressive and thoroughly up-to-date agriculturists of Sac county, Iowa, is the immediate subject of this sketch, who is engaged in farming in Wheeler township, where he owns a homestead comprising three hundred and twenty acres of excellent land and in addition to the arduous duties devolving upon him in the proper care and management of his business, Mr. Gunderson finds time to devote to public interests. Besides being secretary of the Co-operative Store Company and a director of the Farmers Savings Bank of Odebolt, he is township clerk of Wheeler township and also president of the school board, and to the duties of these offices he gives conscientious care and attention.
A. E. Gunderson was born on July 29, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of John and Anna May Peterson, both natives of Sweden, where John was born in 1844 and Anna May in 1853. It was about the year 1868 when John emigrated from Sweden, coming directly to Chicago, and Anna May came one year later. They were married in Chicago, where they lived for several years, and in the spring of 1880 came to this county, where, in 1875, they had purchased one hundred and sixty acres, being the northwest quarter of section 7 in Levey township. They were among the earlier pioneer residents of this county, and on this farm they passed the remainder of their lives, John dying in 1893 and the wife passing away on July 10, 1901. When they purchased their homestead it was raw prairie land and through unremitting care and labor they converted it into excellent farming land. They were the parents of eleven children, but five of whom came to mature age and of these, three are now deceased, being Hulda, Gustave and Amil. Besides Anton E., the immediate subject of this sketch, there is still living Esther (Mrs. Roscoe Robinson), who resides in Spencer, Iowa.
When a youth, Mr. [A.E.] Gunderson attended the district schools of their vicinity, supplementing this later with a course at the Odebolt high school and also the Carroll Normal School. In 1890 his father purchased a mercantile business in Odebolt, known previously as the E.W. Lester [Lesher] store, and the firm was known as Gunderson-Larson-Erickson Company, and in this business Mr. Gunderson spent three years, developing the excellent business ability which has characterized his later activities. When he was about eighteen years old, his father died and he consequently assumed charge of the family interests, disposing of the mercantile business and taking charge of the estate. In 1898 Mr. Gunderson moved from the old home place to land which he had purchased in section 2 of Wheeler township, which purchase comprised one hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid forty-nine dollars per acre. The year previous he had purchased the same acreage adjoining at forty dollars per acre. This tract of three hundred and twenty acres he has since made his home. In 1908 he built an elegant residence of eight rooms, thoroughly modern in every sense of the word, possessing every convenience possible. On his ranch he has two barns, one forty-eight by seventy feet and the other forty-eight by sixty feet; he has, in fact, two complete sets of buildings throughout. He has fifty head of Shorthorn cattle, some of pure bred; produces one hundred head of Duroc Jerseys annually and has twelve head of fine Percheron horses. Mrs. Gunderson also has a fine flock of chickens and confines her efforts to one good breed, preferring the White Plymouth Rocks. Mr. Gunderson has resided on this farm for fifteen years, and in that time has made wonderful improvements, bringing it up to a high state of perfection.
On January 18, 1899, Mr. Gunderson was united in marriage with Grace Goreham, daughter of J. P. Goreham, one of the pioneers of this county. To their union have been born seven children, namely: Hazel, born December 30, 1899; Vernon, born August 1, 1901; Pierce, born May 18, 1904; Paul, born July 17, 1906; Cyril, born May 2, 1909; Eva, born February 4, 1910, and John Edward, born December 25, 1912. This interesting family of children are being reared along proper lines, are receiving good educations in the Odebolt public schools and in every way are being trained to take their places in the word as useful and intelligent citizens. The family are attendants at the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Gunderson is a faithful member, and are being raised in strict accordance with the tenets of that faith. Mr. Gunderson's fraternal affiliations are with the Modern Woodmen of America and politically, he gives his support to the Republican party, being decidedly progressive in his views. He is a man of strong personal qualities, who realizes fully his responsibilities in every phase of life and seeks to discharge the duties falling to his lot in a fitting manner. Aside from his business cares and the rearing of his family, he gives his hearty co-operation to every movement having as its object the ultimate benefit of the moral, material or education life of the community.
Also see Gunderson Century Farm
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