John J. SKARSTAD
- Born: 3 Feb 1877, Arendahl, Fillmore County, MN 1
- Marriage: Anna Christine THOMPSON on 22 May 1908 in Northfield, Rice County, MN
- Died: 24 Nov 1947, Fillmore County, MN at age 70 2
Another name for John was Johan SKARSTAD.
Noted events in his life were:
• Census: Arendahl, 1885, Fillmore County, MN. line 15
45 Jens N. Peterson 46
Anna N. Peterson 41
Ole J. Peterson 20
Iver J. Peterson 18
Susan J. Peterson 16
Anna J. Peterson 14
Lisa J. Peterson 12
Maria J. Peterson 10
John J. Peterson 8
Karl J. Peterson 5
Julia J. Peterson 2
[page 4 of 13
http://content.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=1058&iid=mnsc_25-0308]
• Census: Arendahl, 1895, Fillmore County, MN. 33 Skarstad Jens 56
Skarstad Anna 51
Skarstad Iver 28
Skarstad John 18
Skarstad Carl 15
Skarstad Mary 20
Skarstad Julia 12
Skarstad Ole 9
Skarstad Alfred 6
[page 20 of 22
http://content.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=1058&iid=MNV290_58-0075]
• Census: Arendahl, 1905, Fillmore County, MN. 7 Skarstad Jens N. 67
" Anna 61
" John 28
" Ole H 19
" Alfred N. 16
" Julia A. 22
" Carl 25
" Helen O 19
[page 3 of 21
http://content.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=1058&iid=mnsc_117-0215]
• Census: Peterson > District 34, 1910, Fillmore County, MN. line 63
54 60 Skarstad John J 33 MN Norway Norway
--- Anna C 31 MN WI WI
--- Floyd J 10/12
Thompson Flora H 29 sister-in-law
[page 6 of 6]
• Census: Trenton > District 171, 1920, Pierce County, WI. line 39
174 177 Skarstad John 42
--- Anna 42
--- Floyd 10
--- Alva 8
--- Ethel 4
--- Ray 1 [1 6/12]
[page 15 of 18]
• Census: Lake > District 15, 1930, Cerro Gordo County, IA. line 83
42 42 Skarstad John J 52
--- Anna C 51
--- Alvah H 18
--- Ethel V 14
--- Ray L 11
[page 4 of 14]
• Cemetery: East Grace Cemetery, 1947, Fillmore County, MN. SKARSTAD, ANNA 1978 - 1961 WIFE OF JOHN, DAU OF FREDERICK and HELGA THOMPSON
SKARSTAD, JOHN 1877 - 1947 HUSBAND OF ANNA, SON OF JENS and ANNA
[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnfillmo/cemetery/eastgrac.htm]
• Reference: History of Fillmore County, 1984, Fillmore County, MN. John J. & Anna Thompson Skarstad
John Skarstad was born to Jens (Heldeskaar) Skarstad and Anna Olsdatter Boyum Skarstad, February 3, 1877, on the farm of his parents in Arendahl Township. He was one of eleven children. John attended the Boyum country school in Aren-dahl, and the School of Business in Austin, Minne-sota . His work through the years consisted of owning and operating meat markets, doing some of his own butchering, a rural mail carrier, and farming.
He married Anna Christine Thompson, born to Frederick E. Thompson and Helga Nayes Thomp-son, August 30, 1878, on May 22, 1908, at her parents' home in Northfield. Before marrying, Anna attended Boyum country school, and also studied music at St. Olaf College in Northfield and St. Teresa's College in Winona. She taught piano for some years. Both of them were conf i rmed at the Arendahl Lutheran Church, and were members of the Grace Lutheran Church in Peterson. John passed away in November, 1947, and Anna passed away in February, 1961. They are buried in East Grace Cemetery, Peterson.
John and Anna had four children: Floyd James, born June 24, 1909 - died April 5, 1922; Alvah Hermae, born June 20,1911 , - died December 20, 1982; Ethel Viola, born January 4, 1916; and Ray Leonard, born July 6,1918 - died March 2,1983. All the children attended Rushford grade schools. Alvah graduated from Spring Valley High in 1932;
and Ray attended Spring Valley High and the University of Minnesota. He worked as an auditor for the State of Iowa for many years.
Ethel is now living in Rushford. She contracted polio when she was two-and-a-half, and didn't walk until she spent a year and a half, all told, at the Shriner's Hospital in Minneapolis, having extensive surgery at the age of 14 to enable her to walk again, with the aid of a brace and crutches. She furthered her education with the help of tutors, and also attended the La Crosse Vocational School.
In 1946, Ethel learned of a camp for the handi-capped near Minneapolis (now called Camp Cour-age) and, with her parents' encouragement, decided to attend. She spent two weeks there that made a great change in her life. She was able to compare her disability with many other campers, often much greater, and saw how fortunate she actually was. It was an inspiration, and made quite a difference in her future life.
She then began a greeting card dealership, did typing and bookkeeping in her home for several people, and, for six years, was the cashier at the Trojan Theater in Rushford for Mildred and Clar-ence Loerch.
In 1959, the then-mayor of Rushford, Art Miller, offered her full-time employment as assistant City Clerk, and she worked there until her retirement in July, 1975. Considering it all, she has felt very fortunate to be an independent working woman all these years.
She is a member of Rushford Lutheran Church and was active in Circles, and in Sunday School as Secretary-Treasurer six years. Submitted by: Ethel Skarstad
John married Anna Christine THOMPSON, daughter of Frederick THOMPSON and Helga Handsatter NAYES, on 22 May 1908 in Northfield, Rice County, MN. (Anna Christine THOMPSON was born on 30 Aug 1878 in Fillmore County, MN 3, baptized in Arendahl and died on 27 Feb 1961 in La Crosse County, WI 4.)
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