Early Settlers in Fossum Township

1-A man by the name of Gunder Gunderson took land in Section 30, dug a cellar and lived there for a while but went down and never came back. It cannot be discovered, either where he came from or where he went to. It was the first land filed upon in Fossum. The land is now owned and built on by O. G. Bentley.
2-Hans P. Aamoth born in Lands Prestegjeld in Norway on the 5th of November 1820 but living most of his youth in Faaberg. In the spring of 1871 he emigrated with his family which consisted of his wife, and his 4 youngest children, as the 3 oldest had gone to America before and stayed for a while in in Rock County in Wisconsin where they had family and acquaintances and where their son Lars also was. In the spring of 1872 he moved with his family west to Zumbrota, Goodhue County in Minnesota, where their daughter Agnethe who was married to Johannes P. Lien.
Johannes P. Lien, his old father, together with Mrs. Lars H. Aamoth joined them and went west to find a home. They travelled by land west to Audubon, Becker Co., Minn. where they met their eldest sons Peter and Lars. They then travelled further together with their sons to the town of Fossum, where their sons Peter and Lars had earlier in the spring taken land.They came here the 3rd July, '72. Hans Aamoth bought some railroad land where he lived some years. Later he took a 1/4 section on homestead, where he lived until his wife died. She was born the 28th November 1820 and died the 24th July 1889 and is buried at St. Olaf Cemetery at Faith. After his wife's death he lived a bit with each of his sons until he died the 11th April 1895 at his son Ingvald's home in the City of Twin Valley. He was buried by his wife's side in St. Olaf Parish Cemetery. They have had 7 children, of whom 6 live, all in the Town of Fossum while the youngest son, Ingvald lives in Twin Valley. They are:
2.a-Peter H. Aamoth. He left Lillehammer, Norway in the spring of 1870 and came to Rock Prairie, Wisconsin where he remained with relatives for a year. Then he travelled west in the spring of 1871 to Minnesota and stopped in Becker County where he also took land. In the Spring of 1872 he sold his Improvement there and with his brother Lars he went to Wild Rice and took land in Fossum Township, where he still lives. In the Winter of 1878 he married Miss Lila Olson, daughter of Peter Olson Skægrud. They have 7 born and all are living.
2.b-Lars H. Aamoth was born at the Aamoth Farm on the 10th of March 1850 in Lands Prestegjeld, Norway. Eight years old he moved with his parents to Faaberg, where his father had bought the farm Lien Nordre, 1 Mil from Lillehammer ( 1 Norwegian Mil is 10.000 meter = 6 miles á 1682 meter) In the Spring of 1868 he travelled with his sister Agnethe, who was married to Johannes P. Lien, to America. They went with a sailing vessel, and the trip lasted 10 weeks before they arrived in America. They came to Rock Prairie, Wisconsin, in August of that year and stayed there with relatives, who had been there for several years. He stayed there until the fall 1871, then he went to Zumbrota, Goodhue Co., Minnesota, where his sister and brother had gone earlier. In the beginning of April 1872 he went by the railroad westwards to find a home of his own. He first made a stop at Oak Lake, Becker Co., Minnesota, where his brother Peter the year before took land. After a while he went with his brother Peter, who had sold his Improvement by this time, and Andrew Hanson and Jens Urdahl, to Wild Rice River, Norman Co., (at that time Polk Co.,) The three first mentioned took each one 1/4 Section land in Fossum Township, and Jens Urdahl took land in Flom Township. On this land, which he took in 1872, he has been living all the time since. On September 24th, 1872 he was married in Zumbrota Church by Pastor Nils Ulvisaker with the maid Ingeborg Christoffersdatter from Rock Prairie, Wisonsin. They had 10 children together, of which 2 are dead while they were little. Their two oldest daughters Clara and Thilda are married to the brothers Heregaard and are living near Orfordville, Rock Co., Wis. Most of the other children are at home.
2.c-Hans H. Aamoth came with his family over from Norway and bought land in Section 27 of Fossum Township in Minnesota, where he still lives. He is married to the daughter of Erik Ovaldson, Mina, in the Fall of 1891 and has 2 children born, whereof 1 has died.
2.d-Nils H. Aamoth came too with his parents to this place, and stayed with his father until he in 1885 bought a General Store in Faith from H.W. Hermand, together with A. Hanson. After some years they also bought the mill, so he operated both the store and the mill. In 1894 he sold his part of the store and the mill and moved to his father’s farm, which he had owned in some years, and where he still lives. He was married to Lina, daughter of Hans Ovaldson from Goodhue Co., Minn., in 1890 and at the present has two children.
2-E-Ingvald H. Aamoth lived in Twin Valley in the Township of Wild Rice.
2-F-Hans’ daughter Agnethe was married to Johannes P. Lien and lived in Fossum.
2-G-Hans’ daughter Oline was married to Andrew Hanson and lived at Faith.
3-John Jenson Grønøen was born the 28th of September 1849 on the Grønøen farm in Drangedal parish, lower Telemark, Norway. As a 21 year old boy he left Norway with his brother Jens in the spring of 1870 and went to America to find himself a home. Their brother Jørgen had gone ahead the year before. They met their brother in Leland Minn., and remained there until the next summer, when they went west to Rice Co. Minn. In the spring of 1872 they went further west in the company of Hakon Benson and wife. They were each equipped with a pair of oxen and went west by land. In three weeks time and many troubles they arrived at Norman
Co., where they all took land in the Town of Fossum. On the 28th of September 1872 John Grønøen was married to the Miss Amalia Larson, who the spring previously had come to the settlement together withher parents. They had 8 children, of whom one is dead. The others are at home and help their parents in operating the large farm. John Grønøen and Amalia Larson were the first to be married here in the settlement. The marriage was conducted in the Grønøen’s own house by Pastor K. Bjørgo, who at the same time held services here. At this service were the first children baptized in the congregation, namely Henry L. Aamoth, Karen Hanson and Nils J. Nelson.
4-Jens J. Mørland left Drangedal parish, Norway in the company of his brother John Grønøen. He also came to the settlement with his brother and took 1/4 section on homestead, which he has had as his home ever since. He lived alone on his farm right until the spring of 1884 when on the 27th of March, he married the Miss Elise Dalbu. They had 5 children but one died when it was little.
5-Hakon Benson was born the 15th August 1844 at Fossum Ironworks at østre Bærum, Norway. As a 20 year old boy he left Norway in the spring of 1864 and came to Chatfield, Fillmore Co., Minn. After he had stayed there for a while, he went to Faribault, Rice Co., Minn., where he worked until the fall of ’65, then he went to Olmsted Co. where he remained for 1* years. In March ’67 he went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he stayed for a short time, and after went to Wisconsin and worked in the woods, also on the Mississippi River right until the fall of 1871. He then went to Faribault again. On the 14th of February 1872 he was married to the Miss Oliana Sander. The same year they prepared to travel west to find their own home. On the 22nd of May they left Faribault with a pair of oxen and a cow.
After 3 weeks on the way they came here to the settlement on the 14th of June 1872, and in the Town of Fossum they took 80 acres of land on homestead. A year later he bought the rights from his neighbour, Jørgen Grønøen, to 80 acres that he then put to a homestead with the first. This has been his home ever since. They had 12 children of which 2 died when they were small. Their first daughter, Mina Gustave, that was born the 30th of may 1875, died in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the 26th of January 1891. She had gone there for work but became sick and died without her parents knowing about it until she was already dead. Their oldest child Bernt Otto was born the 20th of December 1872, the first white child born in Fossum, perhaps the settlement.
6-Andrew J. Hanson. He left Modum, Norway, the 10th of August 1869 and came to Rice Co., Wis. Where he remained for only a short time, then went to Brown Co., Wis. In the spring of 1871 he came to Beder Co., Minn. where he took a 1/4 section land near the City of Audubon. After a short time he sold it to the railroad company. In the spring of 1872 he accompanied, as previously mentioned, Lars and Peter Aamoth and went to Wild Rice and took 1/4 section of land in the Town of Fossum. Here he erected a little shanty and ran a little grocery store until the spring of ’73. This was the first store in the settlement. Later in the spring of ’73 he moved to the Town of Flom, where he again took land and ran the same business for several years. In the spring of 1883 he moved back to Fossum, where he bought a 1/4 section of land, which he still owns. But he does not live on the farm, since he several years ago moved to Faith where, with L. Bjerknæs and O. Fredrikson, he runs a general store, grist mill and recently a saw mill.
7-Johannes Pederson Lien left Faaberg, Norway in 1868. As was usual at that time he went by sailing ship and it took a full 16 weeks before he came to his destination, Rock Prairie, Wisconsin. Here he stayed until the fall of that year, when he went to Zumbrota, Goodhue Co., where they had relatives. Here they lived until the spring of 1872 when they went west, as previously told, and came here to the town of Fossum the 3rd of July 1872. He lived the first year with his parents-in-law, Hans P. Aamoth, since he was married to his eldest daughter. Later he took a 1/4 section of land nearby, where they have since lived and still have their home. They have had 9 children, 3 girls and 6 boys. In 1889 the Lord sent them a heavy trial when he took from them 3 of their grown children, namely: Ingeborg Augusta, born 27th September 1871 and died 3rd November 1889, Johan Albert, born 9th October 1876 and died 22nd August 1889 and Anne Marie, born 23rd November 1873 and died 1st February 1890. The other children are at home except the eldest son, Peter, who was been married and for several years has worked on Ingvald H. Aamoth’s farm, which was old Hans Aamoth’s first home here.
8-Ole Ingebrigtson Quit. He was born in the fall of 1832 in Aurland parish, Sogn, Norway. In the spring of 1869 he left his home to go to America. He settled at Bonnet Prairie, Wisconsin. In the spring of 1870 he was married to the Miss Ragnilde Ingebrigtsdatter. They then moved to Black Hammer, Houston Co., Minnesota, where they stayed for 3 years. In the spring of 1873 they went west, came here and took a 1/4 section of land in Fossum, where they have lived ever since. They had 3 children but one died when it was little.
9-Ole Nilson Kragerø. He left lower Telemark, Norway, in the spring of 1866 and came to Winneshiek Co., Iowa, where he lived for 6 years. Afterwards he went to Jackson Co., Iowa, where he remained for about 4 years. In the summer of 1877 he left Iowa and came here, where he took a 1/4 section of land in the town of Fossum, where he still lives. His first wife was Ingeborg Melaas. She died December 1886 and is buried at Wild Rice Cemetery. In the summer or fall of 1867 he remarried to the widow Mrs. Anne Kaardahl, who a few years before had moved here to the settlement from Dakota. With his first wife he had 6 children, 4 boys and 2 girls, who
are all at home. With his second wife he has one child.
10-Peter P. Qual. He left Faaberg, Norway for America in the spring of 1871 and came to Rock Prairie, Wisconsin, where he worked through the summer. Later that fall he came to Zumbrota, Goodhue Co., Minn. He remained there until the spring of 1879 when he moved west and came here to the Town of Fossum, where he bought a 1/4 section of land and where he and his family still live.
11-Louis P. Qual was born in Faaberg, Norway in the year 1852. In the spring of 1870 he left his home and came here to America. He came first to Zumbrota, Goodhue Co., Minnesota where he had a brother, Kristian. He stayed here for a while and then in the woods in Wisconsin until he, with his brother Peter came here in the summer of 1878. A couple of years later he married Miss Martha Urdahl, who had a 1/4 section of land in Home Lake where he lived several years. He then sold the farm and bought 80 acres in Fossum, where he continues to live. Together they had 6 children, of which one died in a young age.
12- Olaus Norby. He left Norway in 1871 and came to Fillmore County in Minnesota. After some years he moved to Goodhue County in Minnesota, where he lived till the spring of 1879, when he together with Hans Tokerud went to vesten to find himself a home. He came here to Town of Fossum on March 8th and took 1/4 section of land on homestead close by Wild Rice River. On this land of his he had a good waterfall for a mill, which he some years latersold to a german, Mr. Sohler. He constructed by this waterfall a grinding mill and saw-mill. This was named Faith Millafter the Post Office which was established there shortly afterwards, and that was to large benefits for the people in the settlement, while earlier the mill was far away. Some years later he sold the rest of the farm to a german, Mr. Ohms, who in 4 years brought the post between Ada and Faith. At the same time he bought another farm a bit more to the south, where he still lives. He was married in Goodhue Co., Minn., to the maid Maren Ovaldson, before they came here, and together they have had 7 children.
13-Ole M. Dalby. He left Faaberg by Lillehammer, Norway, with his parents in 1879, and came to Black Earth, Wisconsin, where he the first year stayed with an uncle. In the spring of 1880 they went westwards to Audubon, Becker County in Minnesota, where his brother lived. After a week by his brother, he and his father went to town of Fossum, where his father took a 1/4 section Land on homestead in the vicinity of Johannes P. Lien. On this land he has been living all the time.His mother died years ago and is buried cemetary of Wild Rice congregation. His old father, Mikel, still lives and is hale and healthy although he is more than 70 years old. Ole Dalby was married in this settlement in the 1880's and has 3 children.
14-Anton Johnson Enger came as young boy from Toten, Norway, to Goodhue Co., Minnesota, where he for many years worked as clerk in a store on Wastedo. Later he established his own store in Dell, Olmsted County in Minnesota. Then he sold the store and went back to Norway again. In the spring of 1879 he came back to America, and came to this settlement where he in the fall of 1879 established a general store business in a small log house owned by Knut Larson, and erected on the land now owned by Sjur Stundahl in Town of Flom. On this place he carried on to the summer 1880 when he established a store in section 30 of Fossum, where Fossum Post Office came. Here he run a large and profitable business until 1890, when he sold to L. J. Morland, who still runs the business. Mr. Anton Johnson later went back to Norway, came back to America in 189l or 1892, but at present is home in Norway again.
15-Ole S. Bentley is born in Næs, Hallingdal, Norway, on February 2nd 1850. With his parents he left Norway in the spring of 1885. Arrived at Winneshiek Co., Iowa the same year where his parents had bought land. He remained with his parents until 1867, when he went to Decorah, Iowa and where he attended high school until the spring of 1868. He then took a position as a salesclerk with the firm, Olson and Thompson. He was with that firm until the fall of ’71. On the 26th of March that year he married Miss Anne Bergite
Bergerson. When in the fall of ’71 he quit the firm of Olson and Thompson, he got a position with the firm of Dusjin and Gaston. He was with them until the spring of 1874 when he moved to Northwood, Iowa, where he served as a clerk for 3 years and Deputy Postmaster for about 2 1/2 years. In the spring of ’79 he got a month’s holiday from the Post Office and made a trip to Wild Rice, Norman Co., Minnesota to visit his in-laws. On this trip he came to the conclusion he should take advantage of his homestead right and took land. In October of that year he sent his family to Wild Rice while he himself remained another three months with the Post Office in Northwood. Between Christmas and New Year’s he went west and came to Ada, Minn. On the morning of January 1st, 1880 he went on foot and arrived in the evening at Søren Bergerson’s in Wild Rice, where his family was. He took a 1/4 section of land in the spring of that year in the Town of Fossum, on Section 30, where he still lives. Almost all the time since he came here to Fossum he has held one or another public office in the Town such as Judge, Justice of the Peace; he has also been Clerk of School District 41 since it was organized in ’83. His children number 10, 5 boys and 5 girls. Of them, 2 were born in Decorah, 2 in Northwood and 6 in Fossum.
16-Martin Qual left Faaberg, Norway accompanied by his aged mother in the spring of 1872 to go to America and find his people who had left before and lived in Zumbrota, Goodhue Co., Minnesota, where they also went. They lived here until the spring of ’80 when they went west to find a home. He came here to the Town of Fossum where he bought an Improvement on a homestead. Later he bought a 1/4 section of railroad land, where he now lives with his aged mother.
17-T. Iverson. He left Telemark, Norway in the spring of 1861 and came to Koshkonong, Wisconsin, and stayed there for a couple of years after which he went to Waseca Co., Minnesota, in ’63. He stayed here all the time until the spring of ’80 when, with his family and brothers, Ole, Lars and Nils Amundson, they moved west to find homes for themselves. They came then to the Town of Fossum, where he took a 1/4 section of forest land in the Town of Fossum, near Faith, where he still lives with his family. In addition to
running his farm, he has been a teacher and chorister with St. Olaf Parish at faith, served by Pastor A. Lien of the Norwegian Synod. \par 18-Ole O. Jenssveen left Faaberg in Norway in the spring of 1855 to try his luck in America. He arrived at Rock Prairie, Wisc., the 3rd of July 1855. Here he stayed as a farm worker for the farmers until the fall of 1861, when he left Wisconsin and went to Zumbrota, Minn. His sister lived here and with her he had his home when he was not away for work. Here he was married to the maid Elise and he took on a farm on shares, which they worked for some years. In the spring of 1880, he moved with his family to the west and arrived on the 15th of May in the Town of Fossum. Here he bought first a 1/4 section of land in Section 33, later he also got his
father’s homestead which lay right next to his land. And here he has lived since. They have 6 children, 2 are married and the others are at home.
19-Aadne K. Fjeld was born in Telemarken, Norway. In the spring of 1852 he came to America and stoped first at Freeborn Co., Minnesota. When the war broke out between the North and the South, he went immediately into the field and remained until the end of the war. Later he returned to Freeborn Co., Minn., where he lived until the spring of 1880 when with his family, he moved west and came here to the settlement where he took land in the Town of Fossum and where he has lived since. His 2 sons, Knud and John are married and with their families live on land near their father, not far from Faith.
20-R. Grutle was born in Finaas Parish in Bergen Diocese, 1st July 1854.In the fall of 1870 he entered Kopervig Teacher’s Seminary from which he graduated in the fall of 1872. Right after, on the 8th of December, he began at a school in Jælse (Jelsa), 40 km out of Stavanger, where he remained for 4 years. On the 28th of May 1875 at Jælse, he married Miss Martha Ellingsdatter. In the beginning of October 1876 they left Jælse and drew to American after he had been hired by Pastor Nils Hvisaker as a teacher and choirmaster for the Minnesota Congregation, Goodhue County, Minnesota. On the 31st October they came to Lands Parish near Zumbrota and in a week’s time he began his duties for Minnesota Congregation. Here he remained for 4 years but since land was so expensive here that there was no opportunity to get his own home, they decided to move west to find a home. Through contact with Mr. Even Narum
he began to exchange letters with Pastor Sagen, who then was the minister for Wild Rice Parish and the result was that he was called by Wild Rice Parish to be teacher and choirmaster, which call he accepted. In the fall of 1880 he moved west and on the 8th of November he came to Mr. Ole Kallerud. Soon after he came here he began his duties in the parish, which duties he still continues. At the same time he has also served Twin Valley Parish as choirmaster, right from its foundation. The first winter they lived with Mr. Ole
Sannan and in the spring of 1881, they moved to their land in Section 31, Town of Fossum, where they still live. They have only one child, a son, born in Norway.
21-Ole K. Johnson was born in the fall of 1842 in Ramsey Co., Minn., where he lived with his parents until he was 24. He then left home to seek his own fortune and he went to Jackson Co., Minnesota, 1866, where he took a 1/4 section land on homestaed.. But he remained here just a year's time, after which he sold his rights and went to Freeborn Co., Minnesota. Here bought a farm and worked for about 10 years, after which he sold again and then went west. In the fall of 1881 he came to Ada, Minn., and in a short time he bought 160 acres in the Town of Fossum, where he still lives with his family.
22-Peter P. Kinseth. He left Trondhjem (Stjørdalen?) in the spring of 1871 and went to Goodhue Co., Minn., where he had family and friends. Here he stayed until the spring of 1881 when he came here to Norman Co. The 28th April the same year he took land on homestead in the Town of Fossum, where he still lives, not far from Faith.
23-Kristian P. Qual. He emigrated from Faaberg, Norway, 1867, to Goodhue Co., Minnesota. He remained there until 1882, when he went from Goodhue to Norman Co. to get a home for his family. He went to the Town of Fossum where he had previously bought a 1/4 section of land. He later sold this to his brothers, while he himself bought 80 acres of State land nearby, which is now his home.
24-Oluf Pederson. He was born in Sweden but came as a little boy to Kristiania, Norway. He left Kristiania on the 13th April 1882 and came to Ada, Norman Co., Minnesota, one day in May the same year, after which he went to Faith, where he got work with P. Sohler on the mill until it was finished. Later he bought 80 acres of land from Lars Norby – right by the mill, on which land he and his family live. He also drives the mail from Twin Valley and Faith.
25-Kristian Oleson left Norway in 1861 and on arrival in New York, he enlisted in the war and served there a full 4 years. When the war was over, he returned to New York but stayed there only a few weeks when he moved to Chicago, Ill., where he lived for 17 years. In 1882 he left Chicago to go west and find land. He took some land on homestead in the Town of Fossum, where he still lives with his family.
26-Amund G. Otternæs was born in Aurland Parish, Sogn, Norway in the year 1836. He emigrated from his home 1868 and came to Columbia Co., Wis., where he stayed for 3 years, After that he went to Goodhue Co., Minn., where he lived for about 4 years. He left Goodhue Co.., and came here to Norman Co. where he took a homestead in Section 34, Town of Fossum, where he still lives. In 1881 or 1882 hus wife died, with whom he had two children, a son and a daughter. The daughter several years ago married Arnt Thompson and lives in the Town of Flom. The son is sometimes home, sometimes with his sister. In 1883 he married again to Miss Ingeborg Lien, with whom he has 4 children.
27-Mons L. Stene. He was born the 8th of May 1869 in Aurlands parish, Sogn, Norway. He went to America the 2nd April 1882 and came to the Town of Flom the same year. He later bought 80 acres of land in the Town of Fossum, Section 35, where he still lives. In 1893 he married Mis Sønneva Prestegaard. They have two children of which one died young.
28-Peter Rindahl. He was born the 20th March 1847 on the Rindahl farm in Engan parish, Norway. As a 14-year old he left Norway with his parents and came to Madison, Wis.,1861. Here they remained for just a short time whereupon they went to Columbia Co. Wis., where they remained for 3 years. Froere they went to Goodhue Co., Minn. Here he was married in 1873. They lived here until 1876, then they moved to Dakota Co., Minn. where they lived until 1882, then in the spring they went northwest to find a new home. He then came to Norman Co., the Town of Fossum, where he had already bought a 1/4 section of land in Section 33, where he still lives. They have had 9 children all of whom are living home with their parents.
29-Carl S. Wroolie left Telemark, Norway in 1850 and came to faribault Co., Minn. Here he lived for about 32 years and came here to Norman Co., Minn. in 1882 and have remained mainly in the Town of Fossum and now the last years in Faith.
30-Elling R. Skilbred. He was born 22nd January 1852 in Bratsberg County, Norway. A little over 20 years old he married Else Marie, born on the Grønøen farm, 1856 (a sister to John Grønøen and Jens Morland) After their marriage they lived on the Juklum farm for a year. The 11th July 1882 they left Norway and emigrated to America.. On the 4th August they came to Norman Co., Minn., to their family, with whom they lived at first. In the spring of 1883, he bought 210 acres in the Town of Fossum, in Section 29. On the grounds of adversity and misfortune, partly with harvests and partly with livestock, he has twice sold off 80 acres. The first 80 acres now belongs to John Widme and the second 80 acres is now owned by L. Aamoth. They have had 8 children of which one doed in Norway.
31-Alenius Presteng emigrated from Trondhjem in 1866 and settled as a smith in Goodhue Co., Minn. He stayed there until 1878 when he moved up to Hawley, Minn. He lived here for just a year when he moved in1879 to the Town of Fossum where he bought a claim and took a 1/4 section of land om homestead in Section 31, where he bgan at his old trade as a smith. He was married in 1868 in Bang Church by Pastor B.J. Muus to Miss Hanna Gjervan. They have had 6 children of which 1 was born here. Alenius died in 1882 and is buried at Wild Rice Cemetery.
32-Gunhild Olson Ellingstuen emigrated from Nordre Froen, Norway in the summer of 1881 and came directly to the settlement. Right after she arrived she took 80 acres of land on homestead in Section 26 in the Town of Flom. She lived in recent years with her son, Peder, where she died on the 8th of November 1894 and is buried in St. Olaf Parish Cemetery at faith.
33-Ole Ellingstuen came here to the settlement with his mother in 1881 from Nordre Froen and settled on he land he now has in Section 36, Town of Fossum. He was married in 1887 and has 2 children.
34-Peder Ellingstuen, Ole’s brother came here N. Froen, Norway in 1880. Soon after he purchased land in Section 36, Town of Fossum, where he still lives. He lives alone since he is not married. Their sister is married to Elling H. Flom in the Town of Flom.
36-Knut Kleven was born the 16th February 1836 in Vaage Parish, Gudbrandsdalen, Norway. The 28th February 1863 he was married to Miss Rønoug Pedersdatter, who was born the 14th July 1841. In the year 1866 they emigrated to America and came to Coon Valley, La Crosse Co., Wis. the same year. Here they lived until the fall of 1883 when they left Wisconsin for the west to find a new home. They decided in the end to settle in the Town of Fossum where they bought land in Section 35 and where they still live. Together they have had 7 children, of which 1 is dead. The 6 who live are 4 girls and 2 boys. The eldest daughter is married to Gilbert
Goodrich, the next eldest is also married and lives with her husband on one of Dakota’s big farms where her husband is foreman. The 2 unmarried daughters are at home. Their two sons, Peter and Melvin operate a store – General Merchandise- 6 miles in the Town of Flom.
37-Ole Løken left Sundal, Norway in 1863 and came here to Norman Co. the same year and settled in the Town of Fossum, where he worked about for other farmers at first. In 1889 he took land on homestead in the same Town, where he now lives.
38-Thore Løken from Sundal, Norway, came to America in 1884. He came here and took land in nearby his brother Ole in 1888, where he now lives.
39-G. Vigerson emigrated from Norway in 1861 an arrived in Iowa the same spring. Here he lived for 8 years, whereafter he went to Yellow Medicine Co., Minnesota, in 1869, where they stayed for 2 years and in 1871 they moved to Swift Co., Minnesota, where they lived for 10 years. In 1883 he moved to Norman Co., Minnesota, and took land in Town of Fossum.
40-Tollef Henrikson is born in Orfordville, Rock Co., Wis., where he lived until he was more than 20 years old. Then he left Wisconsin and went to Burlon, North Dakota, where his brother Henrik lived. Here he stayed for a while, wherupon he moved to Norman Co. Minnesota, - to Town of Fossum - in the fall of 1884. Here he lived on different places , depending on his work. Some years later he was married to the Maid Helene Goodrich, who had taken 1/4 section land on homestead and bought 40 acres close by Wild Rice River, where they by now have their home. They have no children.
41-Nils S. Aamoth. He left Nummedal in Norway in the year 1871 and arrived in Goodhue Co., Minnesota, where he lived about 4 years. He then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he lived some years. In the year of 1885 he came to Norman Co., Minn., and bought land on section 35 in Town of Fossum, where he still lives. He was married in Minneapolis to Miss Dahl, and they have had 6 children.
42-Lars Bjærknæs emigrated from Norway to South Dakota, where he stopped for a short time. He came here to Town of Fossum in 1885. In 1893 he bought Mr. Hosø who operated a store in Faith with N. Aamoth and A. Hanson.
43-Nicolai Hanson emigrated from Eidsvold, Norway, with his parents in 1882 and arrived to Sabin, Clay Co., Minnesota, where they lived for two years. In 1885 he came to Town of Fossum, where he homesteaded and lives here.
44-Ole D. Pederson left lower Sogndal, as child with his parents in 1861 and came to Columbia Co., Wisconsin. Here they lived until 1864 when they moved to Goodhue Co., Minnesota. Here he lived with his parents in 23 years. In 1887 he left Goodhue Co. and came here to Town of Fossum, where he got 80 acres land after his deceased brother and lives there with his family.
45-Edvard Pederson was born in Boston, Wisconsin, in 1861. His parents moved from Wisconsin, when he was 1 year old, and settled in Goodhue Co., Minn. Here they lived in 28 years but then they moved to Norman Co. and arrived in Town of Fossum April 23rd 1891 where he bought land and by now lives with his wife. They have no children.
46-John A. Widme left Sogndal, Norway, in the year 1875 and came to Goodhue Co., Minnesota, where he lived for 7 years. Then he moved to Pembina Co., North Dakota, where he took land and lived for 9 years. In 1890 he left Dakota and arrived her in Norman Co., Minn. Here he at first worked as a renter of a farm in Town of Wild Rice. In 1894 he bought 80 acres land on section 20 in Town of Fossum, where he and his family now are living.
47-Andreas Pedersen Grande was born in The Ytterøen parish, Trondhjem County, Norway in 1837. He emigrated from Trondhjem the 3rd of May 1865 and came to La Crosse, Wis. Here he stayed for some weeks, and then he went to Bostwick Valley, Wisconsin, where he also stayed for a short time, wherafter he went to La Crosse. Here he was employed by an old german by the name Graham. The work consisted in travelling with a freighter up and down the Root River, transporting firewood, wheat and whatsoever down to La Crosse or other cities by the Mississippi. The life on this journeys was ups and downs, sun and rain; some times food more than needed, but also times when there was little to eat, and that was forgiven. While Mr. Graham was a very kind Man, he liked very much to stay with him. But it was Grahams bankruptcy in the fall of 1865 which made him leave the service. In the spring of '66 he was married by pastor Frich in La Crosse, from where he with his young wife went to Houston Co., Minnesota, where he bought 40 acres land. Here they lived until 1879 when he sold the land and moved to Fillmore Co., Minn. Here they stayed for one year only, and moved in 1871 to Lake Park, Minn., where he took 1/4 section land on pre-emption a few miles from the town. Here they lived some years and moved then up here to Town of Fossum, where he took land on Homestead on section 20. At the same time he also bought 1/4 section railway land on section 31, where he still lives. They have had 6 children together, 5 boys and 1 girl. At home now is only the youngest boy, the other boys are in Dakota, and the daughter at present is south by Lake Park
48-Faith. A german by the name H. Sohler builded the flour- and sawmill in the summer of 1882, about 2 miles west of the White Earth Indian Reservation. A bit later that summer came another german, H. W. Harman, and builded a little store and started to deal with General Merchandise, which he continued until 1885, when he sold to Nils Aamoth and Andrew Hanson. The miller H. Sohler operated the mill for about 4 years, whereupon he sold the mill and other things to two other germans, Ohm & Hoss. They operated the mill about 4 years, whereafter Ohm sold his part to Aamoth & Hanson. During the winter '93 Hoss sold his part to Lars Bjærknæs. The company then was called Aamoth, Hanson & Bjærknæs. They made great changes with the mill, when they installed complete Roller- Machinery. But during the winter the whole mill with all its content of machinery, wheat and flour. Because there was no insurance neither of the mill nor the equipment, the company sustained heavy losses. Soon after the Mill burned down, N. Aamoth sold his part of the business to Ole Fredriksen from Ada, Minnesota. The company now was called A. J. Hanson & Co. The last year they have increased the business not a little by purchasing pine logs from the Reservation and convert it to main lumber of all kinds. The flour mill was reopened in the summer '93, and that in much better conditions than before.
49-Gilbert Goodrich was born in Town of Rushford, Fillmore Co., Minn., October 31st 1856. Here he lived with his parents to 1869 when he moved to Lake Park, Minnesota, and lived there for a while. In 1877 he left Lake Park and went to Norman Co., Minn., where he took Homestead land on Section 24, where he still lives. November 27th 1887 he was married to the maid Mathea Kleven. Mr Goodrich has 3 children. He operates the farm and does carpenting as handicraft.
50-Iver R. Braget was born 29th Dec. 1850 in North Froen, the Gudbrandsdalen valley, Norway. Here he in 1876 was married to the maid Guri Østensdatter. They left Norway in the spring '84 and went to America to find a better home. At first they came to Lake Park, but soon they went to Norman Co., Minn., but because all the land was occupied, he had to work as common worker untill he was able to buy a little piece of land. On the section 36 in Town of Fossum he now has made a nice home where he lives with wife and some children.

Translated by Håkon Skaugvoll and Olaf Kringhaug.
From the book "Nogle Optegnelser om Settling m.m. indenfor de fire Towns Fossum, Wild Rice, Home Lake og Flom i Norman County, Minn".
Collected by R. Grutle, Lars Aamoth, John Narum, O.S. Bently and John Hommelvig.
Permission needed to publish.