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



Neal C. Sorensen, the well-known manager of the creamery at Butterfield and the owner of a fine farm in the vicinity of that flourishing village, is a native of the kingdom of Denmark, but has been a resident of the state of Minnesota since he was fourteen years of age. He was born on February 1, 1875, son of Christian and Ingeborg Sorensen, natives of Denmark, the former born in 1842 and the latter in 1849, who came to Minnesota in 1889 and settled at Big Lake, in Sherburne county. There Christian Sorensen died in the following spring, the spring of 1890, leaving his widow with nine children. The widow Sorensen kept her family together and continued to make her home at Big Lake until 1895, in which year she moved to Sherburn, in Martin county, later moving to a farm near Walnut Grove, in Murray county, where she spent her last days with her daughter, Mrs. Charles M. Johnson, her death occurring on July 6, 1914.

Of the nine children born to Christian and Ingeborg Sorensen all are still living. The two elder sons, Samuel S. and Christian L. Sorensen, were the first of the family to come to the United States. They took passage on the steamer "Denmark," which was wrecked in the vicinity of the Azores. The passengers and crew were taken off by a cattle-ship and the brothers, after some delay, made their way safely to this country, proceeding almost directly after their landing to Minnesota, from which point they sent back such glowing reports that the rest of the family shortly afterward followed. One child was born after the family came to Minnesota, born at Big Lake, shortly after the death of the father in the spring of 1890; the others all were natives of Denmark. Of these children the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Samuel S., who is now manager of the creamery at Lamberton, this state; Christian L., manager of a creamery at Madelia; Andrew, a farmer, living in the vicinity of Chewelah, in the state of Washington; Anna, who married L. P. Hanson, who for some years was a butter maker at Windom and is now engaged as a contractor at Vanhook, North Dakota; Martin M., a butter maker at Dunnell, this state; Mary E., wife of Charles M. Johnson, of Walnut Grove, this state; David D., now manager of a creamery at Arlington, this state, and Herman C, born at Big Lake, who also grew up in the creamery business and was for some years engaged in that business at Janesville, but is now engaged in farming in the vicinity of Welcome, in Martin county.

Neal C. Sorensen was fourteen years of age when his parents came to this country. He had received careful schooling in his native land, but owing to the death of his father so soon after coming over here, necessitating the work of all hands to keep the family together, was unable to continue his studies in school for very long in this state. His first work here was on farms in the vicinity of Big Lake and on the railroad there and at the age of eighteen he began learning the creamery business and has ever since been engaged in. that line, having come to be one of the best known and most competent creamery men in the state. His first managerial position was at Alson, South Dakota, but after a short stay there was called back to Minnesota to take charge of a creamery plant at St. Michael, in Wright county, where he remained until he was called, February 1, 1896, to take charge of the creamery at Odin, in Watonwan county. There he remained nine years, becoming one of the most influential of the early residents of that village. During his residence in Odin township, Mr. Sorensen also engaged in the mercantile business there and served as postmaster of the townsnip for some time. On September 1, 1904, Mr. Sorensen was made manager of the creamery at Butterfield and has ever since occupied that position, having done there a fine work, the products of the Butterfield creamery being in wide demand wherever introduced. Mr. Sorensen has done well in his business and is recognized as one of the substantial citizens of his part of the county. He formerly owned a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 26 of Butterfield township, but after awhile sold that place and bought a farm of eighty acres in section 52 of the same township, which he now owns. By political persuasion Mr. Sorensen is a Prohibitionist and for years has been one of the most active workers in behalf of the principles of that party and the cause of temperance generally in Watonwan county. In 1906 he was his party's nominee for representative from this district to the state Legislature and has done much to advance the cause of temperance hereabout. For eight or nine years he was a member of the school board at Butterfield and was treasurer of the same at the time the fine new school house was built there. In other ways he has been an active factor in the work of developing the interests of his home town and has long been regarded as one of Butterfield's most useful and influential citizens.

On February 12, 1897, while living in Odin township, Neal C. Sorensen was united in marriage to Frances G. Sorensen, who was born in Denmark on February 29, 1876, daughter of Peter and Maren Sorensen, who came to Minnesota in 1893 and settled at Welcome, later moving to Sherburn and now living with their son, John T. Sorensen, at Okanogan, Washington. To Neal C. and Frances G. (Sorensen) Sorensen four children have been born, namely: Earl Lincoln, bora in 1898, who supplemented his schooling in the public schools of Butterfield by a course in the Business College at Eau Gaire, Wisconsin, and is now a traveling salesman for the Whole-Wheat Milling Company, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Martha Washington, born in 1901, who is adding to her work in the public schools a special course in music; Paul Neal, born on April 15, 1904, and Marian Frances, June 14, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Sorensen are members of the Presbyterian church at Butterfield and take an active interest in church work, as well as in all local good works, Mr. Sorensen having served the local congregation as a member of the board of trustees of the church, treasurer of the same, and was for some years superintendent of the Sunday school.

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