"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"



Hans P. Smestad, well-known blacksmith at Windom, is a native of Norway, but has been a resident of Minnesota since 1881 and a resident of Windom since 1881, being now the oldest blacksmith in continuous service in that city. He was born in February, 1862, son of Evan and Helen Smestad, both natives of Norway, who spent all their lives in their native land, the latter dying in 1911, at the age of eighty-two years and the former in 1915, at the age of eighty. Evan Smestad's parents, Hans and Johanna Smestad, came to America years ago, proceeding to Minnesota and settling at Lakefield, Jackson county, where they spent their last days, the latter dying in 1893, at the age of ninety-one years, and the former in 1898, at the age of ninety-three years.

When he was nineteen years old, in 1881, Hans P. Smestad came to the United States and proceeded at once to this state. He spent a couple of weeks with his grandparents at Lakefield and then located at Albert Lea, where he spent five years working at his trade as a blacksmith and where he married. In 1886, the year after his marriage, he moved to Windom, where he opened a blacksmith shop and where he has been engaged in that business ever since. Mr. Smestad has done very well at his trade and is the owner of his shop and a good residence in Windora. No other smith in town has been engaged in business there so long as he and he has long been regarded as one of the substantial residents of the town. Mr. Smestad is a Republican. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in the affairs of all these organizations takes a warm interest.

It was in 1885, at Albert Lea, that Hans P. Smestad was united in marriage to Johanna Arveson, who was born in Norway, daughter of John and Martha Arveson, who later located at Windom, where both died, and to this union four children have been horn, Inger, Emor, Mattie and Palma, all of whom are living.