Eminent Farmer
County: Minnehaha
O. S. Thompson, Baltic, South Dakota, has lived all of his life on the same farm where he was born on February 18, 1875. His parents came from Norway and settled first in Wisconsin, and later, in 1866 in what is now Minnehaha County, South Dakota.
When he was 13 years old, he helped his father plant the seedlings which today are the huge walnut trees occupying two and a quarter acres about the house, giving the farm the name “Walnut Grove Farm.”
In 1898, Mr. Thompson married Soline Gilseth, and to them was born one child, who is now Mrs. J. L. Endahl. His son-in-law is a partner with Mr. Thompson. The first Mrs. Thompson passed away in 1904, and in 1909 Mr. Thompson married Julia Vollen. There are no children to this latter marriage.
Most of the corn, barley and oats raised on the farm is marketed through livestock. Mr. Thompson has been a patron of the Sioux Falls market since its first year.
Purebred Shorthorn cattle, Duroc Jersey hogs and the new breed of Hampshire chickens are the livestock grown.
Mr. Thompson is president of the Farmers’ Insurance Company. He was for several years chairman of the Minnehaha County allotment committee of the Agricultural Conservation Service. In 1937 he accompanied the Conservation Good Will Tour to Southern states.
Mr. Thompson has been a life long member of the Lutheran Nidaros Church near his home. He was a trustee of the congregation for 18 years.
Mr. Thompson has been a member of the Executive committee of the State Farm Bureau for 17 years. He is chairman of the taxation committee of the Minnehaha unit. In 1931, he received the Distinguished Service medal from the state organization. He helped organize the Sioux Falls Production Credit Association.
He assisted in the organization of cooperative lumber yards in Baltic, Crooks, Renner and Sioux Falls, the Baltic Telephone company, the Minnehaha County Burial Association, and was vice-president of the Baltic State Bank.
From 1913 to 1915 he was a member of the state legislature.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson retired from active farming in 1940.