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



The rugged country of Norway has produced a sterling race. Her people are courageous and never permit obstacles to down them. Being fighters by nature they necessarily succeed when given even half a chance, so it is no wonder they soon become comfortably situated after taking up their residence in such a locality as Watonwan, Minnesota. Among those who have come here and made good, Even 0. Holte, now living in retirement in St. James, should be mentioned.

Mr. Holte was born in Norway, July 8, 1852, and is a son of Ole and Esther Holte, both natives of Norway, where they grew up and were married and there the father spent his life, dying in 1876, at the age of fifty-four years. In 1878 the mother, came to Mower county, Minnesota, and to Watonwan county in 1879 and lived most of the time with her son, Even O., until her death in 1905, at the age of eighty years.

Mr. Holte spent his boyhood in Norway and there attended the public schools. In 1873 he came to Mower county, Minnesota, where he remained until 1879, when he located in Watonwan county, buying forty acres. Prospering through close application and good management, he added to this place until he owned four hundred acres of valuable land in Long Lake and South Branch townships, and for years carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. He finally sold part of his land, and in 1911 came to St. James, bought a commodious home and is now living retired from the active duties of life.

Mr. Holte has been one of the influential men of his community, is a loyal Republican, and he was chairman of the township board in Long Lake township for several years, also served on the Republican central committee, also served on the local school board. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran Church.

Even O. Holte was married, in 1876, to Martha Anderson Ovaley, who was born in Mower county, this state, in 1855. She was a daughter of Knut and Annie Ovaley, pioneers of Mower county, where the father died, but the mother is living in St. James, being now eighty-one years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Holte eleven children have been born, namely: Lena, Knute, Alma, Ida (deceased), Hilda, Otto, Elmer, Amanda, Arthur, Anne and Victor.

Return to Watonwan Co. AHGP

� 2005 Watonwan County Minnesota AHGP