Soren Mikkelson was born on February 14, 1865, in Denmark. He emigrated to America with his parents, Ole and Karen Mikkelson, in 1875, initially settling in Illinois. In 1878, the family moved to South Dakota. Soren became a prominent farmer in Yankton County, owning 120 acres, with 80 acres under cultivation. He focused on dairy farming and raising hogs. In 1890, he married Kitty Stockland from Haugesund, Norway. They had six children: Ole, Jennie, Walter C., Alma, Roy, and Herman. Soren was active in the Lutheran church, the Republican party, and local educational and business affairs, serving as chairman of the school board and holding positions with the Lundquist Mercantile Company and the Irene Creamery.
Soren Mikkelson.— With the agricultural interests of Yankton County, South Dakota, this gentleman has been actively identified since his youth and he is today regarded as one of the most progressive and enterprising farmers of his locality. Like many of the leading citizens of this state, he was born in Denmark, his birth occurring on the 14th of February, 1865. His parents, Ole and Karen Mikkelson, were also natives of that country, whence they emigrated to America in 1875, first locating in Illinois, where the father worked for two years. In 1878 he brought his family to South Dakota and here made his home until two months before his death, when he returned to Denmark, dying there in July, 1902. His wife had departed this life the year previous.
Amid frontier scenes Soren Mikkelson grew to manhood, early acquiring an excellent knowledge of farm work in all its various departments. He is now the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of good land, eighty acres of which is under cultivation, and for the past seven years he has devoted his attention to dairy farming. He feeds all that his farm produces to his stock and raises from seventy to one hundred head of hogs per year.
In 1890 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Mikkelson and Miss Kitty Stockland, who is a native of Haugesund, Norway, born in 1871, and to them have been born six children: Ole, Jennie, Walter C., Alma, Roy, and Herman. The family have a pleasant home erected in 1900, and the barn upon the farm was built in 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Mikkelson hold membership in the Lutheran church and he is a supporter of the Republican party and its principles. He takes a deep interest in educational affairs and at present is capably serving as chairman of the school board in his district. He is at present chairman of the school board, vice-president of the Lundquist Mercantile Company, which was established in 1893 and incorporated in 1903, and he is also a director of the Irene Creamery, and is supervisor of Turkey Valley township. To all enterprises which he believes calculated to prove of public benefit he gives an earnest support and he is accounted one of the most progressive and public-spirited citizens of his community.
Mrs. Mikkelson’s father, C. C. Stockland, was for thirty years a prominent business man in Haugesund, Norway, and in 1887 brought his wife and six children to America. He died in 1895, while his widow passed away in 1902, their farm passing into the possession of their only son, C. Stockland.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.