YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY MINNESOTA ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted to the Minnesota Biographies Project by: Name: LaNaye Hennen Email: henfarms@clarkfield.ruralink.com Date: 29 June 2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A History of Yellow Medicine County" by Arthur P. Rose,published in 1914 M. O. VIK (1880) M. O. Vik. One of the big land owners and farmers of Yellow Medicine county is M. O. Vik, who owns 487 acres in Lisbon township. His holdings include 160 acres on section 32, 160 acres on section 31, and 167 acres on section 29. Mr. Vik is a son of Mons A. and Olena (Nelson) Vik and was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, October 15, 1872. His father was a native of Norway, coming to the United States a short time before the birth of his son. He died at the home of M. O. Vik in Yellow Medicine county, where the mother still makes her home. In 1880 the family drove through from Winneshiek county, Iowa, to Yellow Medicine county and located on section 31, Lisbon township. The father built a combination frame, sod and dug-out house on land belonging to the Hastings & Dakota Railway Company, which he later bought. About 1883 the father bought the homestead right to the quarter section of land on section 32, where M. O. Vik now lives, and he moved to that place. When they moved, a little land had been broken, and there was a sod claim shanty on it. They tore down the house on section 31, moved it over, and put up a little 14 x 16 foot house, with a lean-to. During the first winter they burned hay. M. O. Vik lived at home and worked for his father until 1892, and he was educated in the district school. In 1892 he bought land from his father and started farming for himself. In 1910 the house burned down, and he erected the present home--one of the fine ones of the precinct. He has a well improved farm and good buildings, including a silo. He raises Holstein cattle and farms his whole 487 acres. For the past twenty years he has been engaged in the threshing business. Mr. Vik has been a local officer ever since becoming of age. He was on the township board about twelve years, as chairman part of the time. He has been on the board of school district No. 33 fifteen years--nine years as clerk and in recent years as treasurer. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Clarkfield. In Lisbon township, on March 30, 1892, Mr. Vik was married to Catherine Hanson a daughter of Rasmus Hanson, of Friendship township. She was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, July 18, 1871. They have the following children. Melvin, born November 11, 1896; Ruth, born June 21, 1898; Theodore, born January 21, 1900; Reuben, born September 22, 1903; Olivia, born July 22, 1905; Henrick, born February 17, 1911.