Louis Torgerson

   Other names for Louis were Olaus Torgerson ¹⁶¹⁷ and Olavas Torgerson.¹⁵⁹⁶

  Research Notes:

1. Name

- not clear why he changed his name to Louis from Olaus, but changed between 1910-1915

[ 15 Dec 2011 ] - based on the information from Linda Solheim Petcsh database Louis was known as Olavas 3 - since Torger and his first wife had a son named Olaus who died as an infant and then Kjersti had a son named Olaus (2) who also died as an infant; so it is possible that Louis wanted to distingish himself from previous, Olavas (2)


b. Confirmation: Froen Lutheran Church (US Evangelical Church Records, Fosston "North") image 28

26 Mar 1899; name Olaus


2. Plat - 1915, page 84; Farmer's Directory page 83

- PO, Fosston - Lewis, wife Olga, children Orrin and Ester; lived 25 yrs in the county; 169.61 acres

3. 1910 US Census, Queen Twp

- Olaus and wife Olga, married 1 year; farmer
- also listed is Torger and Kirsti, father and mother; Kirsti - 6 children, 5 living

4. 1920 US Census, Queen Twp

- Louis and wife Olga, with Orrin and Esther

5 1930 US Census, Queen Twp

- Louis, Olga, Orrin, Esther

6. 1940 US Census Queen Twp

- Louis age 56 born in MN; grade 8 education; worked 70 hrs the wk of Mar 24 as a Farmer on own Farm; worked 52 wks in 1939; own home with value of $4000 [ or is it the farm ? ]
- Olga, wife, age 49 born in MN; grade 8 education; housework
- Orrin, son, age 29 born in MN; 1 yr of high school; worked 72 hrs the wk of Mar 24 as a Farm Hand; worked 52 wks in 1939
- Ila, daughter-in-law, age 24 born in ND; 4 yrs of high school; housework

- residence on 1 Apr 1935 - rural Polk Co, MN

7. Death

- MN death indicates - death in Clearwater Co ??

8. General

- photo taken from the 100 years in Fosston, book - Thore Grue threshing outfit on Orrin Torgerson's farm

9. brother Arthur's obit of 1954 - lives at Austin, MN, abt 100 kms south of Minneapolis

10. Obit, The Thirteen Towns, 26 Oct 1972

- born at Dalton; came to the Fosston area with his parents in 1893
- the family first came to Olga area [ about 20 kms north of Fosston; Eden Twp ]
- married Olga Solien in 1908
- farmed all his life - grew seed potatoes
- survived by his wife Olga who lives at the Good Samartian in Clearbrook, son Orrin of Fosston, and daughter Esther (Mrs Harold Petsch) of Excelsior, MN [ on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County ]
- predeceased by his parents, 7 brothers and 4 sisters [ including half-brothers and sisters ]

11. Torger Olson Farm History from Linda Solien Petsch database (written by Orrin Torgerson in the Fosston Centennial book, First 100 Years 1883-1983 Fosston, Minnesota, published about 1983)

- became the owner of the farm [ in Queen Twp ] after the death of his father Torger in 1912
- grew certified potatoes and small grains
- the original log house [ Torger Olson's ] was torn down in 1948 - Louis' son Orrin had built a new house on this site
- Louis had built a small retirement house in 1941 on the farmstead
- farm is located on the NW corner of Turtle Lake - an area abundant with fish
- evidence of an Indian Village on the farm area (believed to be the Chippewa tribe); an old Indian trail is visible - ran through the windbreak grove on the farm
- Torger and Kjersti were charter members of the Froen Lutheran Church.

12. for summary of "Esther Torgerson autobiography - see research notes under Esther Torgerson

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Land - 1915, 1915, Queen Twp, Polk Co, Minnesota, United States. ¹⁶¹⁸ Farmer's directory on page 83

2. Residence - 1920, 1 Jan 1920, Queen Twp, Polk Co, Minnesota, United States. ¹⁶¹⁷

3. Residence - 1930, 1 Apr 1930, Queen Twp, Polk Co, Minnesota, United States. ¹⁶¹⁹

4. Residence - 1940, 1 Apr 1940, Queen Twp, Polk County, Minnesota, United States. ¹⁶²⁰ Enumeration on 8 Apr 1940; farm schedule #35

Louis married Olga Solien on 27 Jun 1908 in Minnesota, United States ¹⁶¹².^,1613 (Olga Solien was born on 1 Sep 1890 in Minnesota, United States,^1612,1621 died on 10 Mar 1981 in Polk Co, Minnesota, United States ^1621,1622 and was buried in Froen Lutheran Cemetery, Bransdvold Twp, Polk Co, Minnesota, United States ^1622,1623.)