Around 1917, Oscar Nyborg (aka Nyberg) converted the Gunder general store on the corner to a garage and implement shop. He did repair work and sold gas, oil farm supplies, machinery and equipment, including New Idea spreaders, Perfection milking machines, corn elevators and Kalo silos. Oscar's brothers, Melvin and Henry Nyberg, assisted him in the business. Ben Mork (aka Morch) was a sub-agent. Alfred Jenson and Frank D. Rounds also worked for Oscar. Clarence Read did repair work in the garage. Oscar had a home power plant in his garage that produced electricity for the shop and his home. In December of 1921, he shared his electricity with the Marion Lutheran Church, supplying the lights for their Christmas service. he strung the wires across the road to the church, fastening them to telephone poles. In 1930, when the road through Gunder was being graded, Oscar’s wife, Selina, spread out the dining room table in their home and fed the road crew. With the help of Nyborg’s 11-year-old daughter, Dolores, she prepared and served mashed potatoes, meat, pie and all the trimmings. A fire started in the garage, the evening of May 9, 1926, and the building and its entire contents were lost. Only a gasoline stove, which stood near the door, was saved. The loss included four automobiles, some machinery, parts and supplies. After the fire, Oscar established an office in his home (17435 Gunder Road, presently owned by Charles W. Moser) an carried on his sales business, selling silos, windmills and corncribs. Oscar's daughter, Dolores (Nyberg) Troy, remembers her father letting her ride with him while he drove around the Iowa countryside selling to people. Oscar and Selina moved to Postville in the 1940s, and he opened a farm supply business, Nyberg's Farm and Home supply, which is still a landmark in Postville.
Postville Herald January 29, 1925 (Add with picture of silo on left with Kalo Silos)
Our Vitrified Salt Glazed Silo Block are perfectly curved by our special designed machine, and have thick, heavy walls, thus producing an air-tight Silo and perfect ensilage. These fine Block are thoroughly Vitrified, which means they are burned so hard that they will absorb practically no moisture. They are salt glazed, and therefore shine like a crock in your kitchen. The run to a deep chocolate color, and when the top of the silo is trimmed with the white Block as shown on the picture, a most beautiful Silo is Produced. Continuous door-frame, is simple in design, easy to erect, and is without question the strongest, most durable and tightest fitting frame built. It is never necessary to mud-up the doors nor use the bothersome felt pads with or door-frame. We can make you a very good price on this silo, because we buy in large quantities and have contracted for entire factory output alloted to this territory. We can compete with any other silo of the like make and in many instances can sell you one much lower.
At the bottom centered….
OSCAR NYBORG
GUNDER, IOWA
Or call on BEN MORK, sub-agent for
Postville Territory
Oscar Nyberg – b.7/27/1887.Gunder, IA; d.10/15/1970; Postville, IA.
Selina (Jenson) Nyberg – b.2/9/1892 Gunder, IA; d.12/12/1986 Postville, IA
Oscar and Selina were married 1/22/1915, Lutheran Parsonage, St. Olaf, IA by Rev. Arveson.
They are buried in Marion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Clayton County R06,S2,P076, L1&L2. Their infant children are buried in Marion Cemetery R05,S3,P064,L1,L2,L3&L4
Offspring:
Elmer Nyberg – b.1915; d.1915 Gunder IA
Ethelyn Nyberg – b.1916; d.1916 Gunder IA
Ollard (aka Allard) Sylvester Nyberg – b.3/22/1917; d.2/24/1982 – m.Jackie Lane 4/24/1940 and had four children. Divorced and Married Jaunata Rielly 12/1958. Allard is buried Postville Cemetery, Area E
OffSpring:
Cheryl Nyberg – b.12/8/1940 Postville, IA; m Gary Ash
Offspring:
Jamey Ash – b.12/9/1958 Postville IA
Melissa Lynn Ash – b.10/8/1960 Postville IA
Cary David Ash – b.111/4/1962 Postville IA
Allan Oscar Nyberg – b.10/20/1944 Postville IA
Kathy Ann Nyberg – b.4/30/1949 Postville IA
David Wayne Nyberg – b.5/17/1954 Postville IA
Dolores Lane (Nyberg) Troy – b.1/13/1919 Gunder, IA; m.5/15/1943 Harland Eugene Troy b.2/23/1919
Offspring:
Vicky Sue (Troy) Harris – b.2/23/1944 Postville, IA
OffSpring:
Robert John Harris – b.8/15/1962 Great Neck, NY
OffSpring:
Christopher Harris – 7/6/1993 Fuerth, Germany
Robin Harris – Fuerth, Germany
Stephanie Lynn Harris – b.2/10/1969 Great Neck, NY
Sandra Jane (Troy) Shores – b.5/23/1947 Minneapolis, Mn– m.David Pratt 1964, m.Bobby Shores 1972
OffSpring:
Kenneth Eugene Stanley Pratt – b.7/31/1965 Jacksonville, NC
OffSpring:
Sarah Alexis Pratt – b.12/13/1992 Jacksonville, NC
Nancy Lane (Troy) Schneider – b.9/1/1953 Camp LeJeune, NC; m.Barry Schneider
OffSpring:
Caitlin Schneider – b.8/10/1989
Blake Lee Troy – b.5/6/1957 29 Palms, CA; m.Linda
OffSpring:
Jordan Troy – b.11/17/1990 Missouri
Barbara Jo (Troy) Clausen – b.5/6/1957 29 Palms, CA; m.Mike Clausen
OffSpring:
Kelly Clausen – b.7/12/1979 Missouri
Darcy Clausen – b.4/15/1981 Missouri
Dane Clausen – b.7/10/1984 Missouri
Haley Rose Clausen – b.12/21/1988 Missouri
Audrey Clausen – b.1/13/1990 Missouri
Curtis Clausen – b.6/26/1991 Missouri
Archie – b.12/21/1921; d.3/13/1924 Gunder IA
Allison – b.1925; d.1925 Gunder IA
Parents of Oscar Nyberg:
Andrew (aka Anders) Nyborg – b.8/4/1854 Nordenhau Prestegjed, Norway; d 6/31/1939
Julia (aka Guro) (Jacobson) Nyborg – b.7/27/1865 Hallingdal, Norway; d.1/20/1935
Andrew and Julia were married 10/18/1886. They are buried in Marion Lutheran Church Cemetery R05,S3,P045, L1&L2.
Offspring:
Oscar – b.7/27/1887 d.10/15/1970
Henry – b.5/21/1892 d.10/2/1974
Melvin b.1896 d.12/23/1930
Gena (Mrs. Gilman Knutson) b.1889
Alma (Mrs. Elmer Osmundson) b.1900
Anders O. Nyborg emigrated from Norway, where he learned the blacksmithing trade at an early age. In the late 1890’s Andrew had a blacksmith shop across the road from his farm, located at the top of what became known as the "“Reierson Hill"” (13746 Agate Rd., Sec. 10, Marion Twp). Later, Kenneth and Selma Kjosa owned this farm for many years. Present owners are Michael and Shirleen (Larson) Reinhardt. In 1889, Mr Nyborg built a new blacksmith shop in Gunder on the north side of Main Street. It was east of the service station. Andrew was highly skilled at blacksmithing, wagon making and shoeing horses. He expanded his business over the years and offered a wide variety of merchandise for sale ranging from light hardware to farm machinery. The two-story building was taken down in the 1950s. Andrew walked one and a half miles across the fields to his shop in Gunder ever working day for many ears. Hans Amundson’s first job was working for Andrew Nyborg. He helped make wagon wheels. Andrew Nyborg was a well known Blacksmith. Local legend tells when a road crew was working in the area, some of the fellows, hearing about his talent and thinking they could stump him, challenged his skill b asking him to build them a “sky hook.:”. Mr. Nyborg’s response was, “you draw me the patten and I will make it!”. The fellows never came back with a pattern. Andrew showed a great deal of wit in handling the situation. Andrew’s motto was “O.V.B” – We do our very best.
Postville Herald October 11, 1928
Andrew Nyborg Still Shoeing Horses
Record of Eighty-Two in One Day
Seventy-four years old and still shoeing horses is the record of A.O. Nyborg of Gunder. Mr. Nyborg started to learn the trade of blacksmith when 13 years old and while still in Norway. When 19 years of age he came to America and settled at Postville. For a while he worked at his trade in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, and Illinois. For the last thirty years, he has lived at Gunder. He still works daily at his anvil and forge. In 1882, while at Postville, and when he was young and unusually active, he made a record of setting eighty-two shoes between 7 o’clock in the morning and 8 o’clock in the evening.
August 1934- Postville Herald
Gunder Blacksmith Has Eightieth Birthday
Andrew Nyborg, the Gunder blacksmith, celebrated his eightieth birthday Saturday, August 4, and he celebrated in an unusual manner for an eighty-year-old. He walked a mile and a half to his shop in the morning, worked steadily there all day, and again walked to his home in the evening, the same as he has been doing every working day throughout the year. Mr. Nyborg’s vitality and pep are remarkable as he caries his eighty years without seeming effort. In fact he goes about his work like a man half his age and his neighbors wonder how he can do it. It is sixty-one years since Mr. Nyborg started working as a blacksmith and wagonmaker, and thirty-five of these years he has spent at Gunder. He came to this country at the age of nineteen and it may be said that he saw very few idle days since. (Reprinted form the Elgin Echo)
Pioneer Gunder Smithy Passes on Wednesday
Anders Nyberg, 84, follows same trade for More than 70 Years
Anders Nyberg, pioneer Gunder blacksmith, passed away last Wednesday aged 84 years. Funeral services were held Sunday at 10:00am in the Marion Lutheran Church at Gunder with Rev. S.J. Strandjord officiating, and interment was made in the cemetery nearby. Mr. Nyberg was born in Norway August 4, 1854, the son of Ole and Inger Hanson Nyberg, and at the age of fifteen years he began his career as a blacksmith by entering a blacksmith school from which he graduated at the age of 19. He came to the United States upon completion of his schooling and worked at wagon making and blacksmithing in Calmar, Postville and various places near Gunder. He was married to Guro Knutson on October 18, 1886 and they moved to a farm south of Gunder. Five children were born to Mr. And Mrs. Nyberg: a son, Melvin passing away in 1930, and Mrs Nyberg in 1935. Those surviving him are two daughters, Mrs. Gilman Knutson (Gena) or Renner, So. Dak, and Mrs Elmer Osmundson (Alma) of Clermont; also two sons. Oscar and Henry Nyberg both of Gunder. Two sisters in Norway and six grandchildren also survive him.
Parents of Selina Jenson:
Jens Jenson – b.9/10/1852; d.1942 Gunder, IA
Oleah (Olson) Jenson – b.5/4/1873; d7/20/1916 Gunder IA
They are buried in Marion Lutheran Church Cemetery R04,S2,P045,L2&L3
OffSpring:
Selina (Mrs. O.J.Nyberg) - b.2/9/1892; d.12/12/1986
Alfred – b.2/20/1894; m.Kathryn Flanagan
Josie – b.3/21/896 never married
Irene (Mrs. Alfred Cook) – b.12/30/1897
Florence (Mrs Victor Casten) – b.12/24/1900
Velgie (Mrs. Joseph Lind) – b.10/16/1902
Elvina (Mrs Alfred Gisleson -> Mrs. Ed Brackin) – b.1904
Alvin – b.5/3/1908 never married