Mower County transcript., 1891-06-24

Ole 0. Finhart.
The town ship of Frankford was settled
early in the history of Mower county.
Lying on the east side of the county.
settlers came in from the Chatfeld land
Office and looked for land TO be preempted
from Uncle Sam. Lewis Patchin was the
first settler of the town but Mr.. Finhart
soon followed in company with other
hardy and industrious pioneers who have
made Frankfort one of the prosperous
towns of the county.
Mr.. Finhart was born about 120 miles
from Christiana, Norway, on farm in
the parish of Valders, January Z, 1924.
This was small settlement among the
mountains. There were no villages near
and Chrstiana was their seaport town.
The principal settlements were in the
valleys as the higher portions were too
children. The family had small income
and were obliged to live very economi-
cally, the children working out part of
| the time When he was about "a years
old he heard of the wonderful
new world to which so many from Europe
We're flocking. A man from Christlana
had been over here prospecting through
Texas and the Northwest and when he
returned to Norway he wrote a book
which was widely circulated and which
Finhart read He had also friends who
had come to America and wrote enthusi
asticallv Of this land of promise. He
started out alone, taking a sailing vessel
from Bergen to New York, and came
right to Dane County, Wis, six miles
east of Madison. He worked around
most of the time for several years.
IND July, 1885,, he set outafors this county
with Is others, heads of families, to
search for land. They all took land in
the northwestern part of Frankford and
vicinity, MIR. Finhart settling on Section
T. He was in the extreme southwest part
of the settlement and was at the time
the farthest settler to the west until
|
accompanied him to Frankford were
Hans Anderson, the Hovda families. Ole
Juleson, Nels Severson, and Ammon
johnson Lndellen. Frankford village
had few settlers who came in the spring
before, among whom were Lewis Patchln
and G. Fryer. Two years later the
places further west Of Flnharts, now
occupied by Ole Loe and Arthur McNallv,
were settled. His claim was in the edge
of the grove, partly timber and partly
prairie. Here he built himself log house
out of his own timber He was at that
time unmarried but in 1856 he was
married to Miss Carrie Hovda, most
efficient helper.
The following experiences of Mr..
Flnhart gives most vivid idea Of the
early hardships and exposure to which
many of the pioneers were subject. 1t
was first printed in the Grand Meadow
Record in 1888. During the spring Of
1856, in March, Mr.. Lyons. the father
in-law of Sylvester Smith, was trying to
get from Chatfield to Austin to visit his
relatives here. He had found some one
to bring him as far as Frankford village
but could get no one to bring him further.
The furthest they would bring him was to
Mr. Finhart's, on the very frontier of the
East side. They were afraid to 60
further. Arriving at Finhart's he
entreated HIM to pilot him to Austin,
offering to pay him three dollars and hotel
fare. He claimed to be nearly out OF
money There was no track of any kind
to Austin. There had been heavy snow
during the winter and at this time it nae
begun to melt and was getting soft
Every morning there was a thin crust on
the snow that would bear up during tht
forenoon. Finhart did not know the way
as he had never been to Austin. There
was no occasion for going to Austir
much. Finhart finally, after much en-
treaty, consented to go out Of compassion
for the man. They started on that colo
March morning, Mr.. Finhart carrying Mr.
Lyons carpet bag as the latter was to'
feeble to carry it. To travel with team
was impossible. to walk was very danger
Gus as they must perish if they lost thei
way. There were no fences, trees, o
hills to guide them. Only the sun was
guide while shining. Both of them pu
on snowshoes and started. They pushe'
on with fair success until noon when th
snow became soft and it was difficult t
proceed. They reached the Tone tree
and rested there. Finhart discovered
hole which had been torn in Mr.. Lyon: