Andrew Bergsten was born in Floda, Sweden, on April 3, 1851. He took sick on March 1 and died after an illness of ten days with pneumonia at the age of sixty-five years, eleven months and seven days, at his home in Garfield.
He was married in Sweden in 1870 to Miss Annie Johnson of Floda, Socken, and came to America the same year and settled at Crooked Lake, Douglas County, Minn. He began his business career at Osakis, Minn., in 1872 as shoemaker and remained at that place for seven years. From Osakis he moved to Nelson, Minn, where he went into partnership with Erickson Bros. in the general merchandise business, continuing business at that place seven years. From there he moved to Alexandria, where he again went into the shoe business for five years. In the year of 1892, May 11, he bought out the general merchandise business then owned by S. D. Johnson at Garfield, which he conducted very successfully until the time of his death.
The funeral was held from the home of the deceased on last Thursday at one o'clock and at three o'clock at the Swedish Lutheran church.
He was a loving father, a devoted church member, a highly esteemed and trustworthy business man and also a much respected citizen. He leaves to mourn his untimely death an aged widow, two sons and six daughters, namely: C. G. Bergsten of Garfield, Minn., Alfred Bergsten of Wildrose, N. D., Mrs. C. J. Johnson, Mrs. A. M. Olson, and Miss Tillie Bergsten of Garfield, Mrs. J. W. Barrie, St. Paul, Minn, Mrs. A. Christiansen, Owatonna, Minn., and Mrs. K. J. Knutson, Garfield, Minn. All were present at the funeral. He leaves also nine grandchildren, a large circle of friends and business associated to mourn his loss. The floral contribution was very large. The honorary pall bearers were: Andrew Windstorm, John Linnard, John Erickson, Ole Myrin, T. Knutson and Emil Peterson. The active pall bearers were A. R. Johnson, C. G. Olson, P. A. Peterson, Ferd Swenson, Charles Christopherson and J. A. Nelson.
(Alexandria Citizen, March 15 1917)