Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2025 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of Buffalo & Pepin Counties, Wisconsin - Vol. 1 pub. H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., Winona, MN - 1919 [page 173-174] The Espen Brothers, OLE O., SR. and OLE O., JR. and their sister, BERTHA, who are operating a double farm in sections 29 and 31, Canton township, Buffalo county, are the children of OTTO OLSON ESPEN, who established the farm here in 1870. The family belongs to the hardy Norwegian race, and the father OTTO was married in Norway to ANNA PAULSON. Of this union nine children were born: OLE O., Sr., ANNA, BETSEY, BERTHA (first), PAUL, OTTO, ANDREW, OLE, JR., and BERTHA (second). ANNA was married to JOHN M. JOHNSON, who died in 1908. She has four children who are married, and live in the neighborhood of the old home. BETSEY, who is the widow of IVER LARSON, resides with her sister and brothers. BERTHA, the first of the name, died in infancy. PAUL died in Dunn county in 1904, leaving a wife and seven children. OTTO mar- ried twice. His first wife died in 1889, leaving him with two children, who are married and have families. ANDREW died in 1893. The son, OLE, SR., was one of the first mem- bers of the family to emigrate to the United States, coming in 1866. Landing in this country after a voyage of five weeks in a sailing vessel, he made his way to Stoughton, Wis., where he found employment and saved all he could so as to pay the expenses of the others to America. His sister ANNA came in 1867, and two years later the rest of the family joined them. In 1870 they came to Buffalo county, the father starting the home in Canton township with forty acres of land. All helped to develop it, the father, mother and each son and daughter doing his or her part. Later OTTO O. ESPEN bought eightly acres more, thus making a farm of 120 acres, which he and the children diligently cultivated and improved. Here he died at the venerable age of 92 years and six months in 1909, his wife having passed away in 1895 at the age of 77. The farm has since been divided. OLE ESPEN, SR., and his sister BERTHA, being the owners of the eighty-acre tract, while OLE, JR., who was born in Norway, Jan. 25, 1859, has the original tract of forty acres, on which stands the log dwelling erected by the father and his sons. In this they all made their home, the sister BERTHA, who was born in Nor- way, Nov. 13, 1861, presiding over the household. They are doing a prosperous farming business and raising good stock. Both brothers have served in public office, OLE, SR., hav- ing been town supervisor for three years, and the younger brother having served over twenty years on the district school board as treasurer and clerk. The latter is a share- holder in the telephone company. All are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church, to which their parents also be- longed, and of which OLE O. ESPEN, JR., has been secretary and treasurer for seventeen years. Neither of the two bro- thers nor the sister BERTHA have ever married. ===========================================================================