Austin Sanderson, one of the substantial and wealthy citizens of Leland,
LaSalle county, was born in Norway, August 14, 1836, and was a son of Hely
and Adalaide (Knutson) Sanderson, both natives of that country. They were
the parents of three sons and three daughters: Sander H., who died in 1881;
Lavina, a resident of Leland; Knute, who died in 1899, aged sixty-nine
years; Margaret, who died in 1897, aged sixty-one; Austin, our subject; and
Ellen, of Leland. In 1843 they came to this country with their family,
landing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from which place they went to Muskego, that
state, and from there came to this county, to Earl township, where Mrs.
Sanderson had a brother residing, making the latter part of the journey on
foot. The father entered forty acres of government land in Earl township,
upon which a small, rude house was built and into this the family moved and
made their home. He purchased an adjoining forty and placed it all under
cultivation, living upon it at his death in 1855, at the age of sixty-one
years. His widow continued to make her home on this property until 1887,
when she joined her husband in the better land, after a long and useful life
of eighty-four years.
Austin Sanderson was seven years of age when
the family came to this country, and he was reared to farm work, attending
the common school during the short winter months. He worked with his father
until the death of the latter and two years later he bought the old
homestead, which he still owns, and has added adjoining land until it now
contains one hundred and ninety acres. He has been a most successful farmer
and has continued to add to his possessions until he now owns seven hundred
and seventy acres in Earl and Freedom townships, the Munson farm being one
of the pieces. He has made most of his money by agriculture and kept at that
business until 1891, when he moved to Leland and engaged in the clothing
business for five years, under the firm name of Sanderson & Farley. He then
sold out to his partner and the following year conducted a grocery in
company with Martin Olson. He disposed of this business also and since then
has not been actively engaged in any business.
He is a stanch
Republican and has been on the school board, using his best efforts to
further the cause of education. During 1898-99 he was the president of the
board of trustees. He has been a hard-working man and knows what a day's
work is, never shirking the task before him, and only after years of toil
did he consent to take life easier. He is a member of the Norwegian
Evangelical church and a member of the building committee when their
beautiful house of worship was erected in Leland, and he was one of the most
liberal contributors to the building fund.
Extracted 19 Dec 2018 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 572-573.
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