My Two Grandpas...

 This is my Grandpa Gunerius Melby.    He was in his 20's when this picture was taken.   

He died before my Mom & Dad were married.  

This is my Grandpa Dahlager (Mom's Dad) - Isn't he handsome?  

 He was about 20 years old on this picture. 

My Grandpa Melby immigrated to Minnesota from Norway in 1880.

Grandpa Dahlager was born in Iowa; his parents came from Norway in 1865.

Grandpa Melby was a strict disciplinarian;
When his children misbehaved,
He would take the child behind the woodshed,
and they would get a good "wallopping."

Grandpa Dahlager would punish his children
when they did something wrong;
but then he would take them in his arms
and comfort them as they cried following the punishment.

Grandpa Melby (& Grandma) loved music.
They, along with all of their children
sang in the church choir.
Some of their relatives were extremely gifted musically.

Grandpa Dahlager was probably not as "good" a musician.
But. . .
He would play the Jewish harp and sing songs to his children.

There was always a piano or organ in both households.

Both my Grandpas loved their families.
Both worked hard to provide for them.
They both lost children -
Grandpa Melby's first son died at the age of 3.
Grandpa Dahlager's daughter died at the age of 31.

It was important for both Grandpas to raise their family
in a Christian home.
Grandpa Melby's son became a minister.
Grandpa Dahlager's brother and brother-in-law were ministers,

I started out thinking I would compare the two
because they were so different,
But I couldn't come up with as many differences as I thought I would.
I supposes their main difference was their personality,
but it seems like they had a more in common than the marriage of my Mom & Dad.