Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Changes, Changes, Changes!

Here are just a few of the pictures I have from
Dalton's past.   I am starting to collect quite a few 
and will put them into a little book.  If you have
any photos to share, let me know as I will scan them
and give them right back to you.
Click on the photo to enlarge and view slide show.
 Here is an early photo of Dalton, likely taken 
from the bridge, looking east.
 A view of the depot, complete with trains.
Notice the 2 elevators in the background.
This photo is from around 1950.
Main Street looking west.

Another view of Main Street early 1900's.

The corner gas station - around 1930.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Tending cattle

This is the Gjerde home in Norway where I visited
some years ago.  It is located in the beautiful
Geiranger region of Norway.
Although not the same home or barn, this farm is the very
farm my grandmother, Elsie Gjerde Dahlager
was born in 1872.

When my grandmother was young, she tended the cattle
in the mountains behind the Gjerde home.
During the summer months, the cattle were brought up to
the mountains, where there was plenty of food for 
them to graze on.
Elsie would stay in the very building pictured
above for extended periods of time.
You can imagine the time must have gone by
quite slowly for Elsie - she was all by
herself (except for the cattle).
Elsie perfected her knitting skills while spending
time in the cabin, and continued to knit
her entire life. 

When I visited the Gjerde home, We (regretfully)
did not take the time to walk up to the little cabin - 
this photo was taken by my
aunt Esther when she was in Norway.
My relatives told me the little building was
still there, in the same spot as when grandma
tended cattle. 
What I don't understand:  I was
told that the cabin was about 1 kilometer up the mountain,
which is not ridiculously far.   How come Elsie 
had to stay there with the cattle the whole time?
Any suggestions from you readers?
.....


Monday, March 12, 2012

Our Bud, Buddy Holly!

Last year, Amy, Scott and I attended
the Shadows Band, featuring
Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison.
  It was a great concert.

This year, I went  with Dodie & John
and enjoyed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens,
The Big Bopper, Roy Orbison, Bobby Vee 
and the Everly Brothers.

I look forward to going to another concert sometime!
If you have a chance to go and see them, you should do it!

Monday, March 5, 2012

So Long Ago!!


This is me! - I am probably 3  months old
 I was born in April and the photo was obviously taken
in the summer.  This is the earliest picture of me that I have.
I had a lot of thick, red hair!  My Mom told me
she put a ribbon in it when we came home from the hospital.

Sister Dodie is holding me -  I am a little
older than on the first picture, but it was
 taken that same summer.

 I am about 1 year old on the next 2 pictures - we were
still living on the farm at this time.



We moved from the farm shortly after
this picture was taken. 

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Inger Maria Melby Olson

This is Inger Maria (Melby) Olson.
She was my Dad's aunt,
so I guess that would make her my 
Great Aunt.

Inger Maria was born on Sept. 11, 1860 in Norway.
Friends & family called her "Marie."
She was baptized on November 25, 1860
and confirmed on October 6, 1876
at Stiklestad Church, Verdal, Norway.

Inger had a rather interesting life
and more than likely caused a scandal
back in those days.
She lived in Sweden for a time and
hooked up with Magnus Larsen Dvarset,
from Rodon, Sweden.
On June 7, 1888 Inger gave birth
to Johan Magnus in Sweden. 
Inger & Magnus were not married.

 Maria returned to Norway with
her little boy
in January, 1891.
What happened to Magnus?
Why didn't they get married?
Was he already married?
Did he die?
Did he disappear?
Was he just a "louse?"
(I do not presume it was only his fault)
Or was there some other reason?

Sometime after 1895 Inger returned to Sweden.
Here she met Hans Olson and they were married.

In 1903, Inger Maria, Hans and Johan Magnus
immigrated to the United States,
 moving to Fergus Falls.
Hans and Inger had no children together
and in America, Johan went by the name
"John Olson"

[With a name like John Olson, it was
very hard to find any information. But I did
find the obituary]

Hans was a bricklayer and he worked on the
original  portion of the Federal Building (Post Office)
in Fergus Falls and he also did the brick work
on the City Hall in Fergus Falls.

In October, 1933, Hans fell, injuring his back. 
 Never recovering from the fall, 
he died on October 23, 1933.

In November, 1933 Inger Maria fell and broke her hip.
She developed pneumonia and died on December 14, 1933.

John (Magnus) Olson was a ditch digger, who never married.
He lived with his mother and Hans until their deaths.
He then relocated to Beltrami County and died at
the age of 57 on March 18, 1955.  
(I don't think he died as a result of a fall)

Note:  I don't know how much of this information was known by my Dad and 
his brothers & sisters.     This information was obtained with some help 
from Stein & Lora in Norway while I was
working on family history some years ago.