K.E. Nelson homesteaded the home quarter, the NE 1/4 of Sect 9-149-71, August 2, 1893.  His first home was a sod shanty while he batched on the place, and a few years later he built a one-room shanty. In later years he rebuilt the house, adding rooms and additions twice, to bring it to the modern size structure seen above on the picture.  He added land as the occasion and need arose until he built the farm up to its present size.  His other holdings were in West Norway Township, which land he sold in 1946.

 

The barn was built in 1915 and other buildings added including the granaries, machine shed, blacksmith shop, chicken house and garage; last additions to the house were made in 1926.

 

K. E. Nelson was born in Norway, March 20, 1871 and settled in America in 1891, settling first at Yankton, SD, where he took up farm work.  He went to Northwood in May 1892, and came to the Manfred community in August of 1893 where he took up this homestead.  He was also a carpenter, and during the early years he rented his land and worked on construction projects in the central part of the state.

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He made two extended trips to Norway, one in 1901-1902; and the second from 1909 - 1911. When he returned from the second trip in July 1911, he married Norwegian born Randi Ulberg. The wedding took place at Boston, Massachusetts. They returned to the farm at Manfred, which continued to be their home until he died in July 1947.  In 1954 Randi moved to Harvey and lived there until her death in 1972.

 

They were the parents of three children: Anna, who died in infancy; Eilert, who took over the home farm ; and Ida, who died in 1938. Eilert was associated with his father in the farming enterprise since he was big enough to help out, and he took over full operations after his father's death in 1947. 

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