HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



on the railroad. After that he spent two years in Vermont, also doing railroad
work. In 1875 he went to Montreal, Canada, spent some time there and then
shipped as a sailor on an English boat, during his stay on which he touched
at some
important English ports, including Newcastle, Shields and Hull. In 1876 Mr.
Worland left England and made the short trip across the North Sea to Sweden,
where he rejoined his family. There he remained for seven years and a half,
working as an edger in sawmills and also at his trades of cabinet-making
and paint-
ing. On his first trip to America he had made no great amount of money, but
he
now resolved to try his fortune a second time, and in 1883 he again arrived
in this
country. This time he came directly to Grand Rapids, Wood County, from which
city he went on to Vesper, where he worked for a short time in a sawmill.
His
next stopping-place was Pittsville, this county, and after that, Dexterville,
where
he took a contract to clear and grade the right of way for the Hiles railway
between
Pittsville and Dexterville. His wife and two children, Simon and John, joined
him in 1884. After completing his grading contract Mr. Worlund began his
career
as a farmer, buying 80 acres of wild land in Section 3, Sigel Township, his
tract
being situated half a mile from the nearest road. This made it necessary
for him
to cut a road to it. The property had cost him $300 and included some standing
timber. Later he'bought 280 acres more, and also another 80-acre homestead
in
Section 4, Sigel Township, of which he finally disposed. His first work in
improv-
ing his property was to build a pioneer log house, and he soon began cutting
some
of his timber and transforming it into logs and lumber. For the first nine
years
he had to carry his supplies on his back from Grand Rapids, ten miles distant.
After making some progress and accumulating a few household goods, he lost
them
all by fire, which also destroyed his log house and he had to rebuild and
refurnish
his residence. Disastrous as the fire was, it marked an advanced step in
his career,
for his second house was a brick structure of 12 rooms, one of the best residences
in the community. He also put up a good set of outbuildings that were in
keeping
with the residence. In 1893 he got his first team of oxen, but afterwards
raised
his own, and later on was able to buy horses. He and his family suffered
many
hardships at first, but they worked hard and made gradual progress, and by
1913,
when he sold out, he had one of the finest farms in Wood County. He had also
become well and favorably known, not only in his own immediate neighborhood
but throughout the county. For two years he was supervisor of Sigel Township,
and was a good worker for all local improvements, especially for schools.
After
selling his original farm in 1913, Mr. Worlund bought a tract of 80 acres
of wild
land in Section 34, Sherry Township, paying for it $2,000, but instead of
making
his home there he took up his residence in Grand Rapids (now Wisconsin Rapids).
He drove out to his new farm each day, however, and within a few years had
made
a good farm of it, which he sold in 1919. Since then he has been retired
from
active work. In 1921 he erected his present residence, a modern, seven-room,
magnestone bungalow, 28 by 36 feet, at No. 106 South Eighth Street. Mr. Wor-
lund is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church and has been a very active
church
worker for many years. He has helped to build three different churches of
his
denomination, two in the country and the present edifice in Wisconsin Rapids,
donating the bell to the latter. He helped to support them, for many years
served
as Sunday school superintendent, and has represented the Superior Conference
of
the Swedish Augustana Lutheran Synod at different times at their conventions,
the last of which was held at Jamestown, N. Y. Mr. Worlund was married in
Finland, Feb. 23, 1870, to Elizabeth Kronholm, who was born in that country,
'Sept. 16, 1849, daughter of Emanuel and Margaret (Krooce) Kronholm, and
who
has been a faithful wife, companion and helpmate and a good mother. They
have
been the parents of a large family of 15 children, of whom only five are
now living,
namely: John A., now living in Wisconsin Rapids; Emma, who is a music teacher
in this city and lives with her parents; Amelia, now Mrs. William Muth of
Grand
Rapids, Mich.; Ida, wife of Charles Jasperson of Minneapolis; and Victor.
Nine
of the children died in infancy, one at the age of four years, and Simon
in 1912.



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