Jens Torstad

• 1865 FT for Torstadhagen, Sogndal, SFJ: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/census/person/pf01038256002806
• 1875 FT for Torstad: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/census/person/pf01052303003435

GEDCOM Note

Jens Thorstad was born in Sogndal, Norway on December 26, 1857, exactly 12 years after his older half sister. After arriving in Wisconsin, he married Betsy Holtan, the daughter of Norwegian immigrants, in 1885. Together they realized his dream of land ownership when they bought 100 acres of land outside of Deerfield. Jens was not only a farmer. He was the postmaster at Nora and served on the Dane County Board of Supervisors for several years. Jens lived on the farm he built until his death in 1948 at the age of 90.

Jens left Sogndal on April 19, 1877 to meet his older sister in America. [Vamartveit.FTW]

See History of Dane County 1906. Arrived 1877. Sister Anna married Ole Kaupanger. In 1906 lived in Deerfield & Jens was postmaster at Nora.

From Wisconsin State Journal February 5, 1902:

Blooded Swine Near Deerfield

Jens Thorstad shipped four thoroughbred registered sows to a Viola, Richland county party last Tuesday. Mr. Thorstad is becoming known all over the state as a successful breeder. Without advertising except in the local paper he always has demand for more stock than he can furnish. This season he has sold 13 registered boars, and had demand for as many more. He has also sold all the sows he could spare. Mr. Thorstad deserves the good demand he has. He has studied the business and is honest with his patrons. He is careful not to sell any of his customers an inbred animal. This season he has spent $500 to renew his stock. A short time ago he received two sows which cost him a big sum of money. One was bred to a $2,000 boar and one to a $1,000 boar. Science and honesty are necessary to the success of this business. - Deerfield News.

From Wisconsin State Journal March 8, 1911:

THORSTAD HOME BURNS

Little Saved in Farmhouse and Occupants Flee in Nighttime

Stoughton, Wis., March 8 (Special) Information reached Stoughton today that the new farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Jens Thorstad, two miles southwest of Deerfield and about thirteen miles north of this city, burned to the ground Monday night. The son, Nels, returning form a neighbor's saw flames jumping out of the roof and ran to warn his parents, who were asleep. Exhausted from the long run, he was soon overcome by the smoke and in [illegible] over him the fire was let [illegible]. A piano and a few other articles were all that was saved. Clothes [illegible] several hundred dollars in paper money were burned. The loss is partly covered by insurance.

From Racine Daily Journal March 9, 1911:

OVERCOME FIGHTING FIRE

STOUGHTON, Wis., March 9 - Sparks from the chimney started a fire that entirely destroyed the new farm home of Jens Thorstad near Deerfield. The acetylene gas system exploded and the fumes overpowered Jens Thorstad Jr.

From The Cambridge News April 6, 1917:

Liberty Prairie

Harlow and Emil Thorstad and Alfred Olstad were Madison visitors last Saturday.

Harlow Klinefelter, Loy Krostu and Sigwal Gunvordahl attended the horse sale at Edgerton on Saturday.

Jens Thorstad spent Sunday with Carl Fell at Old Deerfield.

Mrs. Grevstad and daughter Dagmar were Sunday visitors at the P. Lee home.

Irene, Alice and Lloyd Gangstad were Sunday visitors at South Nora.

Selma Thorstad spent last week with Mrs. Neal Smithback.

Under the Heading "Stoughton News" in the Capital Times March 29, 1921:

Jens Thorstad and son, Harlow, were over from Deerfield the first of the week.

Under the Heading "Stoughton News" in the Capital Times September 12, 1921:

"Jens Thorstad was over from Deerfield Saturday calling on Stoughton friends." Does that sound like news?

According to the Capital Times March 21, 1922, Jens ran for town Assessor in Deerfield. Emil ran for Constible and Caucus Committee.

Under the Heading "Stoughton Department" in the Capital Times October 9, 1922:

Jens Thorstad and son of Deerfield bought a Holstein cow at the home for the aged on Saturday, to be added to their dairy farm. The home for the aged sells only registered stock.

In 1923, Jens Thorstad was named to the Resources and indebtedness committee and poor accounts committee while serving on the county board.

Stoughton Department of Capital Times April 19, 1923:

Jens Thorstad of Deerfield was a visitor yesterday with Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Halverson. [Betsy's sister, Helen] Gilman Kaupanger is recovering from an attack of rheumatism.

Stoughton Department of Capital Times September 4, 1923:

Jens Thorstad and son of Deerfield were entertained Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Halverson, North Fifth St.

Jens was nominated for Chairman of the town of Deerfield in March of 1928.

From The Capital Times June 19, 1928 Kalnes Says column:

"Do you think Hoover will be elected?

Jens Thorstad, Deerfield township's member of the county board, former merchant at Nora and now a prominent farmer, is nearly 71 years old. I went to him for information about the Vossings of his neighborhood. To be sure I knew very well that Mr. Thorstad is a Sogning, but as the town's supervisor it should be his business to know all about the Vossings as well. and Vossalaget meets at Madison next Friday, Saturday and Sunday. What's more, Saturday afternoon is to be spent at Liberty church.

But talk about the Vossings as much as I pleased, Mr. Thorstad would every once in a while come back to his question. "What about Hoover?" So, in self defense, I turned the tables. "How do you feel about it?"

"Well, I don't feel very good about it. You see, I was for Lowden," said Mr. Thorstad. "Of course Al Smith is in bad shape, too. He is a New Yorker, you know, and undoubtedly he is satisfactory to the big money interest of the East, too. But I don't think Al Smith would be so stubborn as to veto the McNary-Haugen bill twice after it had passed congress by such big majorities. And I believe Hoover would be just the same as Coolidge on that."

"Of course, you never can tell how a law will work," Mr. Thorstad philosophized. "We thought prohibition would mean a sober nation but it hasn't been the success that we hoped, although I wouldn't like to see the saloon come back."

"I do believe the McNary-Haugen bill, if allowed to become law, would have increased farm values." Mr. Thorstad continued, "If the Democrats at Houston do not say something about prohibition that will scare off the drys, and if they come out flat footed for the McNary-Haugen bill and its equalization feature, I believe Al Smith will be the next president."

But I noticed that during all his conversation, Mr. Thorstad never once gave a hit as to how he would vote personally, and I followed suit, so on that point, we may declare our little sparring match a draw.

Emil Thorstad, a son of Jens, is building a new dwelling house. The lumber and other material were on the place and a start has been made in building.

From Capital Times September 29, 1929:

Used Lumber for Barn From Trees He Planted

Thorstad Probably Has Only Home Grown Barn in State

DEERFIELD - Lumber farmers are scarce in Wisconsin. The system has been to cut lumber out of the trees Nature planted. Then Nature is left without much help in growing a new forest.

But Deerfield township has a farmer who planted trees, watched them grow, sawed them into lumber and built a barn out of the trees planted.

Jens Thorstad planted two rows of South Carolina poplars on the two sides of the road leading from his farmstead to the highway. That wasn't so long ago, in 1906.

The poplars grew and grew. They took so much moisture from the ground that it affected the adjoining fields three rods back on both sides.

Took Moisture

"I lost 3,000 on my tobacco crop one year because of those trees." Mr. Thorstad admits. "The tobacco nearest the trees was nothing at all. From there on, the size stepped up gradually back into the field far enough so that the trees roots couldn't reach and steal the moisture.

"One year, we dumped our stable manure in piles on those fields before spreading. We later found that the roots of the poplars had grown up into the piles during the short time the manure was piled. The poplars seemd to know where to go for nourishment."

That is one side of the story. And because of the ravenous thirst and hunger of the poplars, Mr. Thorstad decided to cut them down. They were large trees then, in 1924, some being two feet in diameter, all running well over 12 inches.

At that time, Thorstad's son, Emil, who helped plant the treees when he was 12 years old, had reached the age of 30. He was starting a home of his own on land bought from his father. He needed a barn. So the poplars were sawed into lumber and the barn was built - probably the only barn in Wisconsin grown on the farm by the people who use it. The barn crop with lumber left over, for the loss on the the tobacco crop.

"When we started to cut that lumber, I was told that I was a fool," said Emil, "because the poplars were not straight. But I cut all the logs off at the bends. That made shorter pieces of 12 inch boards, and of varying lengths, but each board was perfect."

Learned From Norway

Jens Thorstad was born in Norway. Reforestation was preached there in his childhood, but people didn't warm up to the subject because waiting a generation for a crop isn't very alluring.

About the time Thorstad emigrated, some of the first plantings in his native Sogn had reached about 12 feet. Good prices were received for telephone poles. That changed the prevailing attitude. Everybody began to plant a little each year.

Thorstad brought the idea with him here. He has some interest in forestry projects on his farm now. Norway pine and other evergreens are grown on hillsides that wouldn't produce much grain or hay anyhow.

Thorstad's uncle was a forester. He studied in Pomerania, Germany, where reforestation is practiced in its best form. Each year, new trees are planted. The oldest trees are harvested each year. No tree is cut unless a new tree has been planted to take its place. In Norway and Germany, the tree plots are the most valuable parts of the farms now.

From Wisconsin State Journal June 25, 1933:

DEERFIELD IRED BY FORECLOSURE 'RAID'

Deputies Drive Cattle From Thorstad Farm

by I. M. Kalnes

DEERFIELD - Foreclosure of a chattel mortgage at the Jens Thorstad farm last Tuesday has created bad feelings in the Deerfield neighborhood, and a large crowd is expected at the sale of the confiscated property, the date of which has not been set.

On Tuesday deputy sheriffs went to the Thorstad farm and drove off 27 cattle, 12 grown hogs, 19 spring pigs, two horses and took all the farm implements and machinery. A tobacco planter, owned jointly by Thorstad and his son, Emil, also was taken.

Mr. Thorstad served on the Dane county board for a generation, and neighbors resent what they consider a "mortgage raid."

From the Wisconsin State Journal July 9, 1933:

BANK OFFICAL TELLS OF FARM FORECLOSURE

Necessary Step for Depositors, Klein Says

Taking of personal property from the farm of Jens Thorstad, near Nora, by the Bank of Deerfield, was not the cold-blooded procedure against a farmer as represented in some newspaper accounts, but was a necessary step taken by the bank to protect its depositors with the certainty that if the bank had not taken over the property it would have been taken by the county with three years of delinquent taxes already charged up, according to H. F. Klen, liquidating agent for the trustees of the Bank of Deerfield.

The bank had loaned Mr. Thorstad about $1,000 in 1919. Since that time Mr. Thorstad made a number of smaller loans which together with unpaid interest gave the bank a claim of $2,500 against the personal proberty on the Thorstad farm, Mr. Klein said.

Depositors in Difficulty Some of the depositors whose money is tied up in the bank are in financial difficulties themselves and the bank, in an effort to do what it could to help them, tried to realize all it could on its claim against Thorstad, Mr. Klein said. It is estimated that on foreclosure the property taken from the Thorstad fram will realize about $1,000 for the bank depositors.

"The Bank of Deerfield is common with numerous other banks throughout the state was compelled to go on a moratorium about a year ago," Mr. Klein said. "At that time arrangements were made whereby depositors would be assured of a recovery of 40 per cent of their deposits, 60 per cent being placed in a so-called trust fund for depositors. This trust fund is under the jurisdiction of three trustees, consisting of two farms and the cashier.

Loan in 1919 The assets of the trust fund consist of certain secured and unsecured loans, also bonds, the value of which is questionable. One of the assets of the trust fund is a loan made by Jens Thorstad.

This loan originated in 1919, at which time it was approximately $1,000. It has been increased through small additional loans and payment of interest through notes. This loan was secured by chattel mortgage in livestock and machinery."

Policy of Consideration Because of his acquaintance in this territory and with most of the debtors of the trust fund, the trustees deemed it advisable to employ Mr. Klein to handle some of the more difficult cases.

"It has been the policy of the trustees to show every consideration and as much leniency as possible to those indebted to the bank," Mr. Klein said. "However, the trustees have also necessarily kept in mind their duty and obligation to the 701 depositors whose interests they are expected to conserve. The depositors include some people who are at present in financial difficulty because of their funds being tied up in the bank.

"During the early part of February I called on Mr. Thorstad for the purpose of endeavoring to make some arrangement whereby Thorstad might be pursuaded to make at least some small payment on the delinquent interest which had accrued on his indebtedness.

Refused Arrangement "A proposition was made to Mr. Thorstad that he assign a portion of his milk checks, an arrangement he ultimately refused the bank or its agent possession of the property and it was found necessary to resort to a replevin action in order to obtain possession.

"Another angle of the situation which made it necessary to take steps toward protecting the interest of the depositors in this loan was the fact that three years of delinquent taxes had accumulted on the personal propberty covered by the mortgage.

"There appears to be no further possiblility of the depositors ever recovering more on this indebtedness of Mr. Thorstad than the amount which will be received for the mortgaged property on foreclosure sale which is estimated to be approximately $1,000.

From Wisconsin State Journal July 11, 1933:

U.S. LOAN SAVES THORSTAD FROM FORECLOSURE SALE

(Special to The State Journal)

DEERFIELD - Last minute efforts which resulted in a federal loan of $1,000 late Monday night avoided the foreclosure sale against Jens Thorstad, pioneer town of Deerfield farmer, which was to be held at 2 p.m. today.

The sale was to be held by the Bank of Deerfield to which Thorstad owed $2,500.

Satisfactory to Bank "The arrangements to obtain a loan of $1,000 on Mr. Thorstad's personal property are satisfactory to the bank," H. F. Klein, liquidating agent for the trustees of the bank said today.

Thorstad was to come to Deerfield today to recover livestock and farm machinery which was taken over by the bank about three weeks ago and kept at the stockyards here. The property which is being held includes 29 cows, 12 hogs, nine spring pigs, a team of hrses, grain binder, corn cultivator, manure spreader, corn binder, and several smaller farm tools.

Thorstad made application through bank officials here Monday for a federal loan to recover his personal property. The application was wired to the Regional Agricultural Credit corp., Minn., and two men were dispatched here from Marshfield late Monday. The loan of $1,000 was approved Monday night.

'Barnyard Loan' It is termed a "barnyard loan," being the name given for loans to recover personal property such as livestock and farm machinery.

Reports of impending trouble and efforts by sympathizers to forcibly stop the sale brought a number of curiosity seekers to this community this morning, who had not been apprised that the case had been settled.

While Mr. Thorstad was moving his personal proberty back to his farm, bank officials announced that "as far as the bank is concerned, the case is closed."

Originated in 1919 The loan to Mr. Thorstad originated in 1919, at which time it was about $1,000. Since that time it has been increased by additional loans and payment of interest through notes. When the bank was compelled to go on a moratorium about a year ago, Thorstad's indebtedness stood at $2,500, secured by chattel mortgages on livestock and farm machinery.

According to Klein, who was hired by the bank trustees to liquidate the assets of the bnak, Thorstad refused overtures to make settlement on the loan.

"A proposition was made to Mr. Thorstad that he assign a portion of his milk checks to the bank, which he refused to do. He also refused the bank possession of the property and it was found necessary to resort to a replevin action in order to obtain possession of the property," Klein explained.

Mr. Thorstad operates a farm of 102 acres on highway 12, where he has made his home for 35 years. He was former county supervisor, and chairman of the town of Deerfield for seven years.

From The Oshkosh Daily Northwestern July 12, 1933

SALE IS ADVERTISED

Deerfield, Wis. - A foreclosure sale against the farm property of Jens Thorstad, which sympathizers who gathered here yesterday had threatehed to halt forcibly, was averty by a $1,000 loan from the federal government. The sale resulting from a $2,500 debt to the bank of Deerfield was scheduled yesterday. Last minute efforts brought a $1,000 loan from the federal government and others said the [illegible] adjusted [illegible] worth.

According to a story in the Sheboygan Journal from August, 1933, Jens Thorstad was granted an extension on his mortgage, but many circuit court judges were ignoring the rulings and new legislation and allowed bank officials to take his horses off his tobacco planter along with 24 head of cattle because of a foreclosure on his chattel mortgage. Based on everything I've read about him, I don't think that went too well for the government.

From Wisconsin State Journal "Little Visits" by Iver M. Kalnes:

Jens Thorstad is an orchardist as well as farmer. He has one of the finest apple orchards in the Deerfield vicinity. Prof. Mael is very fond of apple pie and I like good eating apples. Jens furnished us a bushel basket full of varieties to suit both our tastes.

His Wolf River apples, the kind he recommends for pies, are of mammoth size. Then there were Wealthies, good for both eating and cooking.

But the kind I prefer eating are harvest apples, especially when they are just ripe enough to be turning mealy.

Jens is deeply intereted in politics. He hasn't much use for people who have made money during the depression by taking unnecessary judgments just to collect fees to fatten their own purses at the expense of debtors who have a hard enough time under the friendliest treatment.

From Wisconsin State Journal December 23, 1942:

Thorstad to Observe 86th Anniversary DEERFIELD - Jens Thorstad, Deerfield, will observe his 86th birthday anniversary Saturday.

From Wisconsin State Journal September 20, 1948:

Jens Thorstad

DEERFIELD - Jens Thorstad, 90, died suddenly Sunday at his farm home, town of Deerfield.

Survivors are three sons, Harlow, Emil and Lucius, and two daughters, Selma and Katinka, all of Deerfield.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Thorstad home and at 2 p.m. in the Deerfield Lutheran church with the Rev. E. J. Tetlie officiating. Burial will be in Deerfield Lutheran cemetery.

Friends may call at the Stultz funeral home here after 7 tonight.

At the time of Jens's death, his estate was valued at $28,000 with $4,000 in debts.

Wisconsin State Journal April 25, 1965:

80-Year Gathering Place

Nora Country Store Closes Era

By JERRY OFFORD (State Journal Correspondent)

DEERFIELD - Nora Store, Inc., a gathering place and shopping center for area farmers for over 80 years, is going out of business.

"The move to discontinue the sale of groceries, clothing, shoes, household and farm supplies, and an endless list 'of just about everything you could want' will make for converting the present store into a tavern and restaurant and a dealter auto auction service," said Roger Olson, member of the corporation and present operator.

The service station, also operated by Olson, will continue with the business, but Lennie Dahl, who has worked at the store for the past 15 years in the electrical and refrigeration department, will leave the store and continue on his own on a small scale.

Located on Highway 12-18 12 miles east of Madison, the modern cement block building housing the present store, was build in 1958 to replace a frame building across the highway which had been built at the turn of the century by the Steele Brothers, farmers in the Deerfield-Cambridge area.

A fire in 1900 destroyed that store and it was rebuilt land sold to Irvin Olson.

Matt Olson bought it from his brother in 1921, remodeled and enlarged it in 1928 and turned it over to his son Roger for a partnership operation in 1947. That building was destroyed by fire in February 1960.

Nora Store dates back to 1880 when George Kelley established the country store. Successive owners in those early days were Ole Olman, Jens Thorstad, Martin Jargo, Andrew Tweelen, Tweelen Brothers, Willie Felland, and the Steele Brothers.

In those days, Nora was a bustling rural center with a blacksmith shop, creamery, a Presbyterian Church, the store and postoffice and a one room school. The creamery building still stands and now houses a tire recapping firm. The school house, built in 1881, was closed in 1961 when the majority of the district joined the Stoughton school district. The little brick schoolhouse has since been converted to a family dwelling.

The area known as Nora dates back to 1860 when a postoffice, discontinued in 1861, was re-established at the farm home of Andrew Prescott and the name changed from Liberty Prairie to Nora.

Selma Thorstad, daughter of one of the early owners of Nora Store, believes it was named for a woman who distributed the mail at a farm home. Miss Thorstad lives on a farm near Nora with her sister Katinka.

She recalls the Nora of other days as a social center and the store a gathering place on the three days each week when mail was brought in. Rural routes were established in August, 1902, and patrons receive their mail from the Deerfield post office.

Back in 1890, the mail route started in Madison, went on to Cottage Grove, then to Door Creek (at Buckeye), Nora, Old Deerfield, Kroghville, and ended at Lake Mills. The carrier returned to madison over the same route the next day.

Perry Whaling, who lived on the farm now owned by the Thorstad sisters, took this route in 1880 for a yearly salary of $800. However he found the work hard and not enough money in it since he had to stay one night in Madison and the other in Lake Mills. As a result, he sold out to a man from Madison who could stay home every other night.

Some recall the story of 1881 when one of the worst snow storms hit the state. The new mail carrier had made only a few trips when the snow storms began.

On his return trip from Lake Mills he reached Nora where he was snowbound for a week. Farmers got together to open the road, but the carier managed to get only a half mile apst Nora and was snowbound for another two weeks.

However, he kept the route until 1882 when the train came through Deerfield and the mail was hauled to Nora from there.

Closing Nora Store, the last of the old Nora, marks the end of an era. The church, school, blacksmith shop, creamery and post office are only memories to some. The Olson name, associated with Nora Store for 55 years, will continue in the new business of tavern-restaurant and the dealer auto auction service and the service station.

Roger Olson, his wife Mary Lou and their children, Clyde, 16, and Candi, 13, live in the spacious white frame house across the highway from the store. Olson's other interests include a mink farm, two dairy farms and a nursery sod farm.

Memories from Dan Thorstad: Story of the Mistaken Buggy

Jens and the family were at an evening gathering at the church, probably St Pauls Liberty Lutheran. It was in the winter and snowing when they left the church. The horse seemed reluctant to go the way Jens wanted him to go but after a little coaxing he got the horse moving. Something still seemed unusual and when they pulled the blanket over them to keep them warm they realized that not only did they have the wrong blanket but the wrong horse and buggy. So they quickly turned around and got back to the church where to their relief their horse and buggy were still there.

The Hired Hand

Since Jens was a recent immigrant from Norway he would help out a fellow immigrant when possible. He hired one such immigrant who lived with the family while working for Jens. Eventually the hired hand met a woman and got married. Their first night together as newlyweds was going to be in the Thorstad house. Grandpa Emil and his brothers (Selma and Tinka did not mention the other culprits by name) thought it would be a good prank to sprinkle thistle seed in the honeymooners bed. Not surprisingly the newlyweds did not think much of the prank and neither did Jens. From what Selma and Tinka told us the young Thorstad men got something on their britches and it wasnt thistle seed.

History of Dane County: biographical and genealogical, Volume 1 By Western Historical Association:

Jens Thorstad, a well-known stock raiser of the town of Deerfield, was born in Sogendal, Norway, December 26, 1858. He is the son of Nels and Susan (Quam) Thorstad, natives of Norway, and he and a sister, Anna, now Mrs. Ole Kaupanger, were the only children. His education consisted of the Norwegian public school course and two years in a Norwegian academy in the old country. In 1877 he came directly to Dane county from his native land. For a couple of years he worked as a farm hand and form 1880 to 1883 he worked tobacco land on shares. In the latter year with his brother-inplaw he purchased eighty acres of land on Wheeler Prairie. The same fall he lsold his interest to his brother-in-law and bought another eighty in the town of Cottage Grove, where he lived until 1898, when he moved to his present location in the town of Deerfield. Two years previous to his moving he had begun breeding Poland China hogs, and so great has his success in this line been that he is now shipping all over this and adjoining states. In 1900 he began to breed Holstein cattle and his success in this line has also been very marked. Mr. Thorstad is very fond of books and has a very fine library with many valuable Norwegian histories. His mother, who is eighty-five years old and in good health, makes her home with him. Politically a Republican, he has served as such as postmaster at Nora, thirteen years on the town board of Deerfield, and is at present on the board of directors. For about three years he has been a trustee of the Dane County agricultural society. His church affiliations are with the Norwegian Lutheran church. On February 2, 1885, he married Betsey Olene, daughter of Halvor and Engiborg (Grytebek) Holton, of Albion, Dane County. Mrs. Thorstad was born September 11, 1858. To Jens and Betsy Thorstad seven children have been born, - Nels Holberg, November 24, 1885; Harlow Severen, September 18, 1887; Selina Enora, December 2, 1889; Emmil Gerhard, December 5, 1891; Kathinca Josephine, February 14, 1894; Lucius Berline, April 20, 1898; and another child born in 1901, who died in infancy.