Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1922-05-24
ANDREW LARSON

inent businessman and banker Of the
city, is member of the Col. Hegz Post
Of this city and. has; given the Tribune
representative material sfor&the follow
ing account of his life: II. 81 t :-..=, ss.
Mr.: Larson was born on August 4,
1910, in MEDIUM, Norway With his
parents he came to America in the
year i1848, then at.the age of 8 years.
Settlement was madesin Pierce Coun-.
ty, WiscOnsin.2d He was confirmed; in
the lutheran church Of that county at
the age.of ~ years. He remained on
his fathers farm until, he reached the
age Of 16 years. Then he moved to-
Hudson, Wis, and was employed in
a hotel at that place. After attending
school for few years he returned to
his fathers home in Northern Wiscon-
sin and taught school up to the time
that the war broke out.
i Mr.. Larson enlisted at the age Of
itWenty-one years and, on August q,
1862; was member Of Co. D, Both
Wisconsin Infantry. He went into
training for period Of six weeks at
Hudson, Wis. After carrying the gun
for two weeks he was promoted to End
sergeant in Go. D.: Capt. D. &C. Fulton
was in charge of Co. d: In September,
1862, the regiment was transferred to
/ Madison, Wis, where it was drilled
for sixty days preparatory to cam
paign against the Sioux Indians. At
the camp Sergt. Larson was ordered
|: to take charge of the grounds and
general charge, of the camp. In the
| spring. off, 1868 the company was sent
Ito st. Louis at which place Mr.: Lar
lson was detailed with sixty men to do
Eboat work ont,. the river Supplies
were transported to the troops fight
ing thesredskins. Orders were receiv-
ed in the fall to send the regiment to
join Generals Sherman'sa forces on its
march to the; sea: Before the regi-
fment could reach St. Joe; Mo-, G ener-
|ialS Sherman had already left three
weeks previous. The regiment was
then ordered to. be active in the sta
5tes:z of kentucky and Tennessee in
I=clearing. that country of guerillas.
|.Sergt. Larson with forty men for five
months cpm|bed: the territory and at
1.-The. end Of that period captured thir-
I.teen guerrillas. Nleyen*of these were
1<courtmartialed and hanged. jSergt.
Larson was then promoted to a res
ponsible position. on the staff of Major,
General j: M: Palmer with headquar-
ters 2at Louisville, Ky. Mr.. Larson ser
| we'd in that capacity about one year. ]
! After. the close of the war Mr. Lar
son: entered the mercantile business
at Madison, Wis After two years he
sold out and came: West tokSt. Cloud:
With three young companions he
bought land in: Douglas county from
the governmen Returning to st:
Cloud; Mr: Larson was employed in a
store for three years In 1871 he came
to 'Willmar. He engaged in a mercan-
title business With: M. Spicer which
partnership continued for a. period sof
fourte years until 1885. Mr.. Larson
then purchased Mr.: Spicer's interest
| in the firm and continued in business
alone until 1900. He had become, one
OF the sincorporators OF the Randy obi
County Bank Of which nstitution he
was president for some thirty years,
retiring from actiye business lin the
year II 916. Mr.. Larson is now engag-
ed lin personal loan and real estate
matters in the city i; y n,
|s M1s Larson joined the Col. Heg Post
G. AZ OF this city on Sept. 8, 1916,
and has served as commander for two
years 1871 sands 1918. Upon the death
OF Mr. Manning; he became adjutant,
lsof the post IS sss5 1-zs5z