To record the personal career of men who have reaised themselves from humble circumstances to positions of responsibility and trust in a community, is indeed a pleasure. Self-made men, men who have achieved success by reason of their personal qualities and who have impressed hteir individuality upon the business development and agricultural life of their community, have an important influence upon such institutions as have come within the sphere of their usefulness. Of such was the late Peder Tweet, a prosperous farmer of Erhards Grove township, Otter Tail county Minnesota.
Peder Tweet was born March 2, 1844, at Oifjord, Hardanger, Norway, son of Johan and Sarah Tweet, who were farmers in Norway and never came to America. Mr Tweet came to America in the spring of 1869 on a sailing vessel, which took several weeks to cross the ocean. His destination was Baldwin, St. Croix county, Wisconsin, where he stayed and worked for six years. In the spring of 1875 he decided to go west and get a home of his own, therefore, took the train as far as Breckenridge, Minnesota, then intended to walk to the northwest part of Otter Tail county, where he expected to find land; but the flats east of Breckenridge were underwater, so he had to hire a livery rig to take him as far as to where Rothsay is and walked from there to where he bought the homestead rights to 80 acres of land in section 30, Erhards Grove township. There was a samll log house and also a stable on this land, so it was a home to move into.
After he had made this deal for the 80 acres, he took the train back to Wisconsin, and there made preparation for the journey west to Otter Tail county with his family. Several families rigged out covered wagons drawn by oxen, and started for Otter Tail county in company. Mr. Tweet had two cows along, and one calf was born on the way. It took them three weeks to make the trip from Wisconsin. When they came to Fergus Falls they let their cattle on grass in the slough were [sic] the Grand Hotel was afterwards built. A family by name Ed. Roiso lived in a building about where Lee & Nelson's Drug Store is no located. Mr. Roiso was in the machine business and lived upstairs over a small store at that time. Him being acquainted with some of their party, made them all feel right at home.
In the spring of 1872 Peder Tweet was married to Martha Sebbe, who was born March 27, 1847, at Oifjord Bergenstift, Hardanger, Norway, daughter of Torger and Aasilda (Roiso) Sebbe. She came to America in 1869 on the same boat as her future husband did and also settled at Baldwin, St. Croix county, Wisconsin, where she worked at house work at different places. Her oldest brother Elling Sebbe had left for Otter Tail county in 1873, settling in the same neighborhood where they located in 1875.
A few years after they settled in Erhards Grove township, Mr. Tweet bought 80 acres of railroad land in section 19 and 40 acres in section 29, making a nice farm of 200 acres, which farm still belongs to the Tweet family and is rented. In 1913 Mr. and Mrs. Peder Tweet bought a house in Erhards [sic], Minnesota and moved there.
The following children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Peder Tweet: John, is single and stays at home and looks after his mother; Sarah, married James Feely and live [sic] at Kenyon, Minn.; Elling, is married and live [sic] at Velva, N. Dak.; Anna, married Ed. Christopherson and live [sic] at Fingel, N. Dak.; David, is single and live [sic] at Lunds Vally, N. Dak.; Theodore, is married and live [sic] at Larson, N. Dak.; Peder, married and live [sic] at Larson, N. Dak.; Martin, deceased, he was killed in an automobile accident by Elizabeth, Minnesota in the fall of 1936; Manda, married John Erickson, and live [sic] at Sparta, Wis.; Andrew, is married and live [sic] at Argyle, Minn.; Christine, married Christ Erickson, and live [sic] at Sparta, Wis.;. Two of the children were born while they lived in Wisconsin and the other nine were born in Erhards Grove township.
Mrs. Tweet recalls seeing quite a number of Indians passing through that part of Otter Tail county the first years they were there. There was a lake close by their place, where they could see the Indians have dances once in a while, and could be heard for miles when they got started.
In the early days the pioneers had plenty of good times, and all seemed to enjoy themselves. They also had some hardships, but usually forgot all about them when they got together for good times.
Every fall and spring they would see prairie fires to the west and northwest; the sky would be all lit up it seemed like.
Mr. Tweet was no office seeker and never wanted to hold any office unless he absolutely had to. He died on February 19, 1916.
Mrs. Tweet is now past 92 years of age and is about with her house work every day and feels fine. She is of a happy disposition and enjoys her old age.
Mr. and Mrs. Tweet have been members of Bagstevold Lutheran Church of Erhard for a long time. It is not 64 years ago since Mrs. Tweet came to Erhards Grove township.
Interviewed: Mrs. Peder Tweet.
Dated: April 14, 1939.
By: B.C.B.