#1 of 2 items:
Biographical Sketch of
Martin N. Clausen
Martin N. Clausen, county surveyor, was born in Rock County, Illinois. His
father was well known in that locality as a Lutheran minister who moved his family to Mitchell county Iowa in 1853, where he purchased and platted the land on which St. Ansgar now stands. He also became well known as a Lutheran minister in the Cedar Valley, founding many congregations in this vicinity.
Martin grew to manhood in St. Ansgar, taking a course of study at Osage Academy. He studied civil engineering at the Polytechnic Institute at Copenhagen, Denmark, returning to America in 1879. He was county surveyor of Mitchell county Iowa about nine years, resigning the office at the time he came to Austin in 1889. Mr. Clausen was city surveyor of Austin three years during which time he did some efficient, though difficult work in connection with the original plats and surveys of the city.
He was elected county surveyor in 1892, and his proficiency as an official received just recognition two years later by being re-elected without opposition.
Source: "The Queen of Southern Minnesota", Austin Daily Register
Submitted to MnGenWeb by Kathy Pike, Oct. 2006
#2 of 2 items:
Biographical Sketch of
Martin N. Clausen
M.N. Clausen, city engineer of Austin, was born in Rock County Wisconsin, the oldest son of Rev. C.L. Clausen and Martha Rasmussen, his wife, natives of Denmark. His early education was received in the public schools, in Decorah College at Decorah, Iowa, and in the Cedar Valley Seminary at Osage, Iowa. He was at the latter institution in 1867 when his father decided to visit the old country. M.N. accompanied his father across the water and entered a theological school in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he studied three years, twice translating the New Testament from the Greek to the Danish language. At the end of this period he entered the Polytechnic school in the same city and there studied civil engineering.
Then for two years he taught language. In 1878 the steamship line Copenhagen selected four men to come to America and look over the southern states, especially Texas, with a view to locating Danish colonies. Mr. Clausen was made chairman of the delegation. After completing his tasks he went to New York City and then visited his parents in Virginia. He remained in the latter state three months.
Then he took a trip with his mother to Washington, D.C., and subsequently returned to his childhood home. At the end of this trip he had a call from Osage, Mitchell County, Iowa to become county surveyor of that county. This he accepted and held the position nine years. In 1889 he moved to Austin, purchased two lots on the corner of Baldwin and Third streets, and there erected a home. He was made city surveyor of Austin and has at intervals since served in that office, occupying the position at present. He has also served as county surveyor.
In 1892 he sold his property here and purchased a tract of timber land on Puget Sound, which he still owns. On May 20, 1911, the Austin Humane Society was organized through his efforts and he was made its president.
In politics he is a strong advocate of prohibition. He is a member of St. Olaf church and was choirmaster of that congregation for many years. Mr. Clausen was married in 1886 by his father at St. Ansgar, Iowa to Minnie Matheson, who died February 1, 1890, leaving one son, Clarence L., who is now in the office of his uncle C.W. Clausen at Olympia, Wash. Mr. Clausen has recently been made a member of the National Geographical Society.
Transcribed from "History of Mower County, 1911"
Submitted to MnGenWeb by Kathy Pike, Oct. 2006