Name/Title
Figenskau family: Knud and Anna (Thomassen) Figenskau of Polk County, MN, friends of Ostina (Halvorson) Hovet of Hillsboro, NDEntry/Object ID
2025.8.1Description
This Figenskau family history folder contains a number of photographs from the Hovet Collection for Knud and Anna (Thomassen) Figenskau, whose children were friends of Ostina (Halvorson) Hovet of Hillsboro, ND (see Catalogit entries 2025.7.1 and 2025.9.1). The Halvorson and Figenskau families were close farming neighbors by Colfax, Wisconsin. The Hovet collection was donated to the TCHS by George Olson, husband of Thelma (Hovet) Olson, who was Ostina's only daughter.
As shown in their family tree (below), Knud and Anna were born, raised, married and had their first two children, Sina and Martha, in Norway. They migrated to the USA in 1862 [US Census info].
By 1873, Knut and Anna Figenskau had obtained a claim of 80 acres of farmland in the north-half of the NE Qtr. of Sect. 22 in Grant Township in Dunn County [US Land Office, Eau Claire District of Lands, Wisconsin]. Their last four children, Tina, Jens, Clara and Tom Figenskau were born and raised on this farm [1875 MN Census]. The Halvorson farm was nearby and both families attended the Holden Lutheran Church by Colfax, WI.
By 1880, Knut and Anna Figenskau had left Wisconsin and settled on a farm with their five younger children, Martha, Tina, Jens, Clara and Tom, in Riddervold Township in Polk County, MN [1880 US Census].
On 14 September 1895, Anna (Thomassen) Figenskau passed away, age 56, in Polk County, MN, and was interred in the Esther Pioneer Cemetery in Polk County [US FaG grave-marker, below].
By 1910, at age 75, widower Knut G. Figenskau was farming Shotly Township in Beltrami County, MN [1910 US Census]. Then, ten years later, at age 85, Knut had fully retired and resided with his daughter, Clara (Mrs. Henry Thompson) in the village of Twin Valley in Norman County, MN [1920 US Census], where Henry was a "Merchant" in a "General store".
Knut Gamst Figenskau lived to the age of 88, passing away on 24 September 1922, and was interred next to his wife Anna in the Esther Pioneer Cemetery in Polk County [US FaG grave-marker, below].Acquisition
Accession
2025.8Source or Donor
George Olson, Hovet CollectionLocation
* Untyped Location
Resource RoomBuilding
Plummer House
