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



As a contractor Gustav E. Gilbertson of St. James, Watonwan county, is making a pronounced success, partly because he is industrious and persistent and partly because he is honest and reliable. He was born in Norway, October 8, 1863, and is a son of Engebret and Gurina Gilbertson, both natives of Norway, both born in the year 1830. There they grew to maturity, married and made their home until 1866 when they immigrated to the United States, locating at Red Wing, Goodhue county, Minnesota, where they spent one year, then moved to Pierce county, Wisconsin, bought a farm which he operated successfully until retiring from active life and locating again in Red Wing, where his death occurred in September, 1914, his wife having preceded him to the grave in 1908. They were the parents of the following children: Anna is the wife of W. D. Bishop, of Montrose, South Dakota; Gusta, who married Andrew Ulvin, is now deceased; Julius C, who was a practicing physician at Luvem, Minnesota, is now deceased; Gustav E., the subject of this sketch; Dina is the wife of Hans Norheim of Red Wing, Minnesota; Emma is the wife of Otto A. Ulvin, a banker, living in Red Wing; Christian lives in North Dakota.

Gustav E. Gilbertson was reared in Pierce county, Wisconsin, and was educated in the public schools. He remained on the home farm until 1886, when he came to Watonwan county, Minnesota; then he bought a farm of four hundred and forty acres in Brown county, where he engaged in general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale until 1908, when he moved to St. James and took up drainage contracting which he has since engaged in successfully. He has a large and pleasant home here. He has also been an auctioneer for twenty-five years and has cried scores of sales over this country with much success, his services having been in demand in a number of counties in this part of the state.

Mr. Gilbertson was married, December 19, 1886, to Thora Sunde, who was born in Norway, October 16, 1865. When she was three years old her parents, Torkel and Ragnel Sunde, brought her to Brown county, Minnesota, in 1868, taking up a homestead on which the parents spent the rest of their lives, both being now deceased. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gilbertson, namely: George R., Elmer B., Arthur T., Roy A., Edith G., Julius C, and Gerald T. They are all living.

Politically, Mr. Gilbertson is a Republican. While living in Brown county he was a member of the school board for a number of years. Fraternally, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Gilbertson's contracting business takes him all over this state.



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