WI BIO - Dane Co - SEVERSON, Sever H.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol I, pp 269-270

Sever H. SEVERSON, of Stoughton, Dane County, Wisconsin, was born in 
Grimsrud, Tillemarken [means Telemark flyke], Norway, 02 November 1840, a son 
of Helge Sigurdson and Birgit Olsdatter [no farm name given here], also 
natives of that country. They came to America in 1842, locating in Racine 
County, Wisconsin, where the father was engaged in farming two years. They 
then went to the settlement of Koshkonong, Dane County, Wisconsin.

Sever H., the eldest of three children, who grew to years of maturity, spent 
his early life on a farm, and attended school about three months in each 
language. At the age of seventeen years he left home and was employed as 
clerk in a Mr. BLACKMAN's store at Stoughton [Dane County, WI]. Two years 
later he engaged in the same business with A. PETERSON, but one year later, 
in 1860, sold his interest to James G. BAKER and went to Pike's Peak, 
Colorado [gold reportedly discovered there]. He was engaged in mining there 
six years, after which, in 1866, he came again to Stoughton, entering the 
lumber business in the spring of 1867, and two years afterward he entered 
into partnership with C. A. Bronson & Company. Mr. [Sever H.] SEVERSON 
subsequently bought his partners' interests and continued the business alone 
for the following nineteen years, having had the largest lumber trade in 
Stoughton. In the spring of 1886 he sold out to Lovejoy & Richards [A. P. 
LOVEJOY and Jeremiah RICHARDS; see the Dane County, WI, biography of Jeremiah 
RICHARDS], and then entered the leaf tobacco business, and was also employed 
in collecting old accounts; in 1890 embarked in the grocery and tobacco 
trade; was later engaged in collecting old accounts; and in the spring of 
1891 opened a sample room in this city. Owing to the village having passed 
an ordinance prohibiting the sale of liquor, he discontinued the business 
after one year. In the spring of 1892 Mr. [Sever H.] SEVERSON engaged in the 
marble business. He is at present publishing a series of articles of his 
experience at Pike's Peak, and his book will be finished in about two months.

On 24 May 1866, Sever H. SEVERSON was united in marriage with Gurine 
PETERSON, and they had four children: Hattie Belle, Henry C., Abraham 
Lincoln, and Theo Benjamin. The mother died 04 November 1884, and on 01 
January 1866, Mr. [Sever H.] SEVERSON married Rai PETERSON. He affiliates 
with the Republican party, [p 270] has held the office of Trustee of 
Stoughton, and has also refused many offices. Religiously he is a member of 
the Lutheran Church.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly