(From HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1883, Page 765)

Simon Larson was born in Norway, May 1, 1849, where he lived until fourteen years of age, and then emigrated with his father to Chicago, Ill., where they worked a coopering. They remained there three years. The family came over the next year after the father came, and the mother died at Chicago, Sept. 1, 1864. Six children are living; the subject of this sketch is the fourth. After remaining three years, the father went to Marshall Co., Iowa, and worked at the carpenter trade. He was again married in 1867, coming to Worth county in 1876. He lived in this and in Winnebago counties until the spring of 1883, when he moved to Dakota, where he still resides. He has two children by his second wife. Simon received common school education, and in the fall of 1868 went to Lake Mills, Winnebago Co., Iowa, where he worked at coopering two years, after which he worked at carpenter work, when he followed until the spring of 1876. He then bought and removed to this present home on seciton 8, where he still resides. His farm contains 160 acres. Politically Mr. Larson is a republican, and has held township offices. He was married Feb. 19, 1868 to Lena Thompson, born in Norway, Oct., 26, 1848. Five children have been given them, three of whom are now living - Emma L., Augusta and Grace. Mr. Larson was the contractor and builder of the Worth county court house at Northwood.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, Sept. 12, 2005