Born: 7 Sep 1853, Lyster, indre Sogn, Norway
Married: 15 Mar 1875, McFarland, Dane Co, WI
Died: 2 Sep 1929, Ben Wade twp, Pope Co, MN
Buried: Trysil-Bethesda cemetery, Holmes City, Douglas Co, MN
Spouse: Ida Hestetun
Newspaper obituary:
Respected Resident of Ben Wade Dead
Jens A Nygaard was born on the 7th day of September, 1853, in the parish of Lyster, Indre Sogn, Norway. His parents were Andres and Gjertrue (nee Anderson) Nygaard. His mother died when he was only five years of age; surviving her were his father and four children. In 1859, his father and four children emigrated to America, first settling at Stoughton, Wisconsin.
When Jens A Nygaard was only nine years of age, he commenced to work for a farmer by the name of Natvig and stayed with this farmer until he was seventeen years of age. After all these years, he was only paid the sum of $10.00.
Jens A Nygaard received a good Christian and common school education. He was confirmed by Rev Preus in Coon Valley congregation in Vernon County, Wisconsin. On the 15th day of March, 1876, he was married to Ida Hestetun at McFarland, Dane county, Wisconsin. In the same year they moved to the town of Ben Wade Pope County, Minn, and made first their home with S O Femrite, and then purchased a farm in section 3 and 4, in the town of Ben Wade, Pope County, Minn.
On this farm so purchased, he made it his home until his death. The golden wedding of Jens A Nygaard and Ida was celebrated a short while before her death as she died a couple of years ago. As pioneers, they were active in improving and building up their farm, which consisted of several hundred acres of land which was conveyed to several of his children some time before his death.
The deceased was a good and successful farmer, a true Christian, and active and good church member of Trysil congregation, and a kind and loving husband and father. He died on Monday evening, the 2nd day of September , 1929, after a lingering illness of several months but death came peacefully in the faith of his Lord and Savior. Funeral services were held and conducted at the home as well as at the Trysil church, in the town of Holmes City, Douglas County, Minn, by Rev Vaage of Farwell, Minn, who delivered a very impressive and appropriate sermon at the church and the church was filled with relatives and friends of the deceased. All the children were present at the funeral. The active pallbearers were: Henry Nygaard, Albert Nygaard, Joseph Nygaard, Eddie Nygaard, Oscar Nygaard and his son-in-law, Enoch Johnson. The honorary pallbearers were: Ed Holmstead, Halvor Loberg, Magnus Johnson, P O Myhr, Peter Omland and Isaac Isaacson.
The deceased left surviving him the following named children: Henry Nygaard on the home farm, Lowry, Minn, Mrs Enoch Johnson, Lowry, Minn, Albert Nygaard, Zahl, ND, Joseph Nygaard, Farwell, Minn, Eddie Nygaard, St Louis Park, Minn, Mrs David Mortenson, Ambrose, ND, Mrs Theodore Wrolson, Appam, ND, and Oscar Nygaard, Farwell, Minn. Also thirty-two grandchildren.