Bio: Knudtson, Henry M. (1914)

Contact: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Knudtson, Eide, Selmer, Qvale 

----Source: History of Eau Claire County, Wisconsin (1914) pages 761-762 

Henry M. Knudtson, the popular and well known real estate dealer of Eau Claire, was born in this city April 19, 1872. His parents, Hantz and Marie (Eide) Knudtson, were both natives of Norway. At the age of twenty-two years, the father, who was a machinist by trade, came to the United States and located in Eau Claire, where he was employed by the Northwestern Lumber Company, at Porter's Mills, for many years, as a saw filer and machinist. He married in Eau Claire and was a resident here for forty-six years. He died in 1910 at the age of sixty-six, and his wife, mother of our subject, passed away in 1909. They were the parents of four children, as follows: Ole is deceased; Henry M., the subject of this sketch; John is engaged in the fire insurance business in Minneapolis, and Edward is deceased. 

Henry M. was educated in the common and high schools of Eau Claire, and after graduating from the latter, he took a thorough business course in Minneapolis. In 1893 he returned to Eau Claire and engaged in the real estate business, first as a clerk, and in 1897 as a partner. He is now president of the Wisconsin River Land Company, which was incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin in 1885, with a capital of $50,000. He is secretary and treasurer of the Ideal Land & Loan Company, which was incorporated in 1890 with a capital of $100,000. Mr. Knudtson is one of the successful business men of Eau Claire, progressive and influential, and has taken a great interest in the growth and development of the city and county of Eau Claire, in which he has large land interests. In addition to his business interests, he finds time to devote to other matters, and for the past four years has been secretary of the Luther Hospital. He is a member of the Eau Claire Club, the Knights of Pythias, the Young Glen's Christian Association and the Lutheran church. 

Mr. Knudtson married in Eau Claire, Miss Elise Selmer, daughter of Emar and Anna (Qvale) Selmer, and they have two children, Larl S. and Emar Knudtson.