ANDREW NORELIUS
 One of the highly respected citizens of Crawford county is Andrew Norelius who in the evening of a life of great usefulness as a preacher, lawyer and business man, is now living retired in Stockholm township.  He was born in Sweden, July 1, 1830, a son of A. P. and Elizabeth Norelius, both of whom were natives of Sweden.  They came to America in 1853 and located in Minnesota, where they continued during the remainder of their lives, the mother passing away in 1864, while the father departed this life in 1888.  There were eight children in their family: Peter and John, deceased; Andrew, the subject of this review; Erick, now a minister of Vassar, Minnesota; Olof, Louis and Carrie, deceased; and Julia, wife of Ben Bong, of Minnesota.
 Andrew Norelius was reared in his native land and educated in the common schools, later receiving advantages of higher education in this country.  At twenty years of age he came to America, and being attracted to the great west, spent fourteen months in Knox county, Illinois, and then went to Moline, that state where he worked at the carpenter's trade until 1855.  After his marriage, which took place in Illinois, he went to Burlington, Iowa, where he attended college for one year, having decided to become a minister of the gospel.  He took up his residence in Jefferson county, Iowa, and for seventeen years officiated in the pulpit of the Baptist church.  However, in 1864, in response to an urgent call for soldiers, believing that his adopted country needed his services, he enlisted in Company D, Third Minnesota Regiment, and continued in the ranks until the close of the Rebellion.  After receiving his, honorable discharge at Jacksonville, Arkansas, he went to Minnesota, where he engaged in preaching for four years.  In 1869 he came to Crawford county and purchased a farm of one hundred and forty acres, upon which he has since resided.  Since 1873 he has not participated prominently in business although he still continues as secretary of the Kiron Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, having occupied  this office to the entire satisfaction of the members of the company for the past twenty-five years.
 In 1855 Mr. Norelius was united in marriage to Miss Chris-tina Peterson, who was born in Sweden in 1832, a daughter of Samuel and Margaret Peterson, both of whom passed their entire lives in the old country.  Nine children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Norelius, five of whom are now living, namely: Adolph, now a resident of South Dakota; Hilma, the wife of Erb Stolt, of North Dakota; Francis, who is living on the old home-stead; Elizabeth and G. A., of Kiron.
 Mr. Norelius has made a careful study of politics and as a result gives his support to the Populist party, as he believes that organization best adapted to preserve the liberties of the republic.  He has never sought the emoluments and honors of office, but served for eighteen years as postmaster at old Kiron and has filled all of the offices in the township with an abil-ity and fidelity that greatly pleased the people.  Fraternally, he is a valued member of the Masonic order and also of Post No 58, G. A. R., at Denison.  By an upright and unselfish Christian life he has gained the esteem of a host of friends and acquain-tances who have complete confidence in his word, as he is a man who has always endeavored to speak the truth and also in all relations of life to perform his duty.  He clearly deserves a place among the honored citizens of Crawford county.

The following biography was published in the 1912 "History of Crawford County Volume II":

Son: GEORGE A.NORELIUS
 Among the native sons of Iowa who have assisted very mate-rially in the advancement of the locality in which their lot has been cast is George A. Norelius, a prominent citizen of Kiron.  He was born in Hamilton county, Iowa, December 5, 1868, son of A. and Christina Norelius, who are now living in Crawford county.
 Mr. Norelius of this review received his early education in the district schools and later entered the Western Normal Col-lege of Shenandoah, Iowa, from which he was graduated in 1888.  He began his business career as a teacher and continued for five terms, but being attracted to commercial life he entered general mercantile business at old Kiron on March 1, 1892, and continued at that place for seven years, when he moved his store building to new Kiron and resumed the same line of business.  He served for four years as postmaster, discharging his duties with the same fidelity that he evinces in his own affairs and meeting with the hearty approval of the people.  He is prominently identified with various enterprises, being director of the Kiron State Bank and also of the Farmers & Merchants Bank at Cheyenne, North Dakota.  As a farmer he has been very successful and owns one hundred and ten acres of land on section 19, Stockholm township, and three hundred and twenty acres in Dickey county, North Dakota, also one hundred and twenty acres in Perkins county, South Dakota, and has a one-half interest in the opera house at Kiron.  He and his family occupy a fine residence in Kiron, which is provided with all modern conveniences.
 On the 21st of December 1890, Mr. Norelius was united in marriage to Miss Emma Hanson, a native of Sweden and daughter of N. A. and Christina Hanson, both of whom were born in Sweden.  They came to America about 1870, and the mother died in this country in 1888.  The father is still living and resides at Kiron.  There were ten children in their family.  Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Norelius, namely: Neva C., who is now a student in college at Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Elsie R. and Jessie P., also student at college; Irma E., and Everett A.
 Politically Mr. Norelius gives his support to the Demo-cratic party, of which he is a stanch adherent. He has served as justice of the peace and president of the school board and is now mayor of the village of Kiron, which office he has filled with marked ability for several terms.  Fraternally, he holds membership in Wheeler Lodge, No. 398, A. F. & A. M., and he is an earnest believer in the beneficent principles of this order.  He is a representative business man and by his acknowledged ability and high character has attracted many friends and is justly held in high regard by all who claim the honor of his acquaintance.