Dalaker, Norway

The following material on the Dalaker farm is a composite of material written by Rudolph L. Dalager, son of Nels Dalager, describing his trip to the Dalaker farm and the Sogndal area in Norway in the early 1930’s, and my trip with Phyllis to this same area in 1991. Rudolph and my father, Karl Dalager, were first cousins.

As we cross the Sognefjord we see the beautiful pine covered mountains and the many small hay meadows (click to see map). All tillable land is utilized. We land at Kaupanger which is on the north shore of the Sognefjord. As we take the road to Sogndal, it is not long before we see the old Kaupanger Church where Anfin, Hans, Nils, Brita and Lasse, the children of Guri & Sylfaest Dalager were baptized and confirmed. In the graveyard next to the church can be found the grave markers for Lasse, the brother who stayed in Norway and his son Andreas. In some unmarked grave lies the body of Solfest, the father and husband who died before Brita and Guri left for America.

As we traveled along the good black topped road on our way to Sogndal, we saw a sign pointing off to the right with the word ‘Dalaker’ (dal-valley, aker-cultivated fields). This would indicate that the tract of land was quite level and that the family was comfortably situated.

With the modern automobile, it did not take long for us to reach Dalaker. Rudolph described his path to Dalaker as a strenuous up-hill walk. The farm is located very high up and from it we have a magnificent view of the Sognefjord and the surrounding mountain peaks. The Dalaker farm is set amidst the beautiful Kaupang Forest.

When Rudolph visited the Dalaker farm in the 1930’s he found that the house was like the pictures he had seen with some modernization. It was not a large house but was strongly built. Rudolph was told that the doors and some of the furniture and inside conveniences dated back to his father Nils’ time. He could reflect that his grandparents, Solfest and Guri–whose maiden name was Hostager—had lived here and that all the children were born here except Lasse. Lasse, the one who remained in Norway, was born at Amla, which is closer to Kaupanger. It was Lasse’s children Guri and Olav who accompanied Rudolph to Dalaker and who he later visited in Olso.

When Phyllis and I visited in 1991 there were no Dalakers living at Dalaker; however, the buildings were in very good condition. We enjoyed a light lunch with the new owners and were able to experience the view that our ancestors were a part of every day of their lives. The Dalaker setti, which was located further up the mountains where the milkmaid stayed at night during the summer, is now a part of the area museum. The three pictures of the buildings on the Dalaker farm which accompany this piece were provided by Aasmund Dalaker, a grandson of Lasse Dalaker.

When Rudolph and his party returned to Kaupanger, they walked the road that our grandparents must have walked hundreds of times. Along the road they saw farms like Hostager (Guri’s maiden name), Olstad, Bjork, Holten. The father of Henry Holten of Glenwood, Minnesota, came from that farm. Henry Holten and Hans Dalager were 1st cousins. This was also the berry season and the walkers in Rudolph’s party enjoyed berries such as lingonberry as they walked. The walk to Kaupanger took about one hour.

In historic Norway, the eldest son would inherit the farm. Therefore, Sylfaest Lassesen must have been the oldest son of Lasse Bottolfsen Hagen. Sylfaest was born March 4, 1797 and baptized February 26, 1800. Sylfaest married Guri Anfindsdatter Hostager, baptized November 15, 1806, the daughter of Anfind Anfindson Hostager on March 19, 1833 . To this marriage five children were born: Anfin, born May 15, 1834; Lasse, born April 3, 1837; Hans Solfest, born November 5, 1842; Nils, born December 11, 1846; Brita, who became known as Betsy, born August 7, 1851. Solfest is the Americanized form of Sylfaest. However, records attach the name Dalaker to Guri’s family indicating that Guri may have inherited Dalaker farm where she and Sylfaest lived..

According to tradition, Anfin should have inherited the Dalaker farm. However, he decided to come to America to seek his fortune. Therefore the farm went to Lasse, the second oldest son. Anfin and Hans were the first from this family to come to America crossing the ocean in a sailing vessel in 1861.

After arriving at Quebec, Hans and Anfin made their way by river boat and wagon to Wisconsin

Hans Dalager: A brief history by Lavilla, his daughter

by Lavilla Dalager Peterson

My father was born in Bergenstift, Indre, Sogn, Norway on November 5, 1842. He was the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Solfest Dalager. His brothers were Anfin, Lasse, and Nils. He had one sister Brita. Anfin, who was the oldest, came to America when Hans did in 1858. Anfin was so sold on becoming an American that he looked at America as his homeland and even gave up his birthright in Norway. When these two boys, 21 & 16 years old stopped in Wisconsin they went to a meeting where they were asking for volunteers for service against the Indians. Anfin volunteered. He became ill shortly after and spent the rest of his life (maybe two years) with a couple who cared for him.

Dad went on to Goodhue County, Minnesota where he worked for an aunt and uncle-in-law. He worked here for several years. He was paid a few pounds of wool for this work. Another cousin of his made him a pair of stockings from the wool. During the winters he worked in the pine forests near St. Cloud and Little Falls. After the Indian scare was over he filed a claim for a homestead in Pope County in 1866. His homestead was issued by President U. S. Grant October 1, 1873. His homestead is where Herman Dalager now lives.

Hans was married to Ingeborg Knutson in 1871. The following children were born to them. Jenny Grove, Christine Houston, Julia Solverud Knutson, Hannah Johnson, and Karl Dalager. Fifteen years later, in 1886, Ingeborg died.

Hans Dalager’s brother Nils, his sister Brita and his mother who was widowed came to Pope County from Norway. Brita lost her husband by accident and she and grandma Guri Dalager, Mrs. Solfest Dalager, later moved to Webster, South Dakota. Here Hans’ mother, Guri, lost her life in a prairie fire. She had gone to the barn to same the animals and was overcome by fumes. This was in 1886. Brita was saved by jumping into a shallow well but she was so badly burned she was in a wheel chair the rest of her life.

Brita had three children: Andrew, Julia and Sophia.

Nils Dalager settled in Pope County. He has passed on. He left many boys who carry his name, son at Benton Harbor, Mich. and in California.

In 1888 Hans married Amelia Bentrud. To them were given 10 children: Tillie, Cora, William, Selmer, Alice, Herman, Lavilla, Lucille, Helen and Alma who died in 1908 at the age of 8 years.

Hans died at his home in Chippewa Falls Township of cancer. He was 68 years old at the time. He was buried at the Barsness Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Hans Dalager: Leaving Norway with Anfin and early homesteading

Hans Sylfestsen Dalager was born November 5, 1842 in Sogndal, Norway and baptized in the Sogndal Lutheran Church, Sogn og Fjordan County, Norway. His parents were Solfest Lassesen and Guri Anfindsdatter Hostager. Solfest and Guri owned or worked on a tract of land known as ‘Dalaker.’ Hans had three brothers, Anfin, Lasse, and Nels and one sister, Brita.

If the Dalager ancestors had followed the Norwegian naming tradition when they came to America, Hans and Anfin would have been Solfestsen. However, they took the name of the farm, Dalaker, and changed it to Dalager. The Dalagers we know in Norway such as Aasmund and Molfrid still are known as Dalaker.

The Sogndal church records showing those leaving the parish in the year 1861 lists Hans Solfestsen, born November 5, 1842. No listing was found for Anfin but family tradition says that they traveled together by sailing ship. Prof. Gerhard B. Naeseth, genealogist for the Vesterheim Genealogical Library in Madison, Wisconsin, who did this research, felt that in 1861 Hans and Anfin most likely would have travaeled up the St. Lawrence River, through Quebec. Prof. Naeseth could not check the ship passenger list because lists were not retained in Quebec until 1865. The 1861 sailing date for Hans disagrees with the date found in some writing by some of the family but Prof. Naeseth sent a copy of the record confirming the 1861 date.

Passengers on sailing ships in 1861 had to provide their own provisions and almost all the passengers exhausted their food supplies before reaching America. According to Julia Dalager Chilson, Anfind and Hans had a chest of Lefsa and flatbrod on the ship which they shared with the rest of the passengers.

After arriving at Quebec, Hans and Anfin made their way by river boat and wagon to Wisconsin. Here they went to a meeting where they were asking for volunteers for service against the Indians. Anfin was so sold on becoming an American that he looked at America as his homeland and even gave up his birthright in Norway. Here was a chance for him to serve his new country so he volunteered.

Private Anfin Dalaker
From Wanamingo, Minnesota<
Goodhue County
Enlisted August 22, 1862 at Fort Snelling, MN
Mustered into Company D, 10th Regiment of Minnesota
Infantry Volunteers Oct 9, 1862
Honorably discharged for disability Sept 14, 1863 at Fort Goodhue, MN

Anfin was involved in the Indian wars and was stationed at Fort Sisseton in the Dakota Territory. Due to lack of proper clothing and frozen feet, Anfin contracted tuberculosis and was discharged. He spent the rest of his life with a couple and died March 17, 1864, leaving Hans alone in the U.S. at the age of 22. Anfin had been a very thrifty soldier and after all the expenses of his illness, death and burial were cared for, he left an estate of about $200.00 to his younger brother Hans.

Hans stayed with his uncle and aunt, the Hostagers, in Goodhue County of south eastern Minnesota for about two years, working for his keep. He was paid a few pounds of wool for his work

Another cousin made his stockings from the wool which Hans needed when he worked in the pinery woods and lumber camps in the St. Cloud and Little Falls area of Minnesota during the winters.

Between 1866 & 1868, after the Indian scare was over, using the money he had inherited from Anfin plus his savings from the lumber camp work, Hans fulfilled his dream when he filed a claim for 160 acres of land under the Homestead Act. This land was the NE 1/4 of section 12 in Barsness township, about six and a half miles south of the present sight of Glenwood, Minnesota. Ulysses S. Grant was President. Hans’ patent, homestead papers signed by President Grant, were issued Oct 1, 1873, five years after the original homestead. This is the farm that was farmed by Herman Dalager and later by Orville Feigum.

Hans broke some land and built a log house and a stable. Leaving the farm in the care of a neighbor, Hans went back to Goodhue County for a visit. While he was gone his house, stable and two mules were burned by a prairie fire. He became rather discouraged and left for a lumber camp near St. Cloud for the winter. However, when spring came, he returned to his homestead, rebuilt his building and started over again.

Hans and one of his neighbors would help each other break new land. This neighbor said Hans had the speediest oxen he had ever seen. He also said the mosquitoes were so bad he could not sleep, but Hans did not mind them at all and he would sleep all night. During this time in the late 1860’s, the nearest town was St. Cloud, about 70 miles away. Sometimes Hans would walk to town and return carrying flour and other necessary things on his back. Sometimes he would use oxen but they were very slow. A trip to St. Cloud would take four or five days. One time when Hans and a neighbor were returning from St. Cloud, it started to rain. They stopped, removed the produce from the box, turned the wagon box upside down and sat under it until the rain was over and arrived home without getting wet. It is unclear whether they had oxen pulling a wagon or they were pushing a two wheeled cart with a box on it.

About 1870, the town of Benson was established. It was now possible to shop and haul grain to the railroad there. It was 25 miles away and the trip could be made in two days. Hans was one of the first to buy horses and to build a barn with a hayloft. People came from miles around to see his barn.

Hans Dalager and Ingeborg: Ingeborg’s early days, courtship, and the first family

Ingeborg Knudson, also known as Isabelle, was born August 8, 1848. In the Nord-Aurdal records she is listed as the daughter of Knud Lagesen Gjeldemarken and Ingeborg Syversdatter. In the Sor-Aurdal records, Ingeborg Syversdatter was born October 6, 1823 and her wedding to Knud Lagesen Gjeldemarken took place on June 17, 1847. The death record of Knud, found in the Nord-Aurdal records, recorded his death on April 24, 1853, at the age of 34 years. Ingeborg would have been less than 5 years old at the time. She had no known brothers or sisters. From family records it is known that Ingeborg came to the St. Cloud area when she was 12 years old, about the year 1860. It is uncertain who she traveled with or how long she lived in the St. Cloud area. However, Hans and Ingeborg may have first met in this area.

The 1870 federal census for Barsness township, Pope County, lists family #10 as Lars Larson (age 45), Ingeborg (age 47) and Isabelle (age 21). Hans Dalager was listed as family #12 in this same census report. The age for Ingeborg (47) would be right for Ingeborg Syversdatter who had been married ot Knud Lageson Gjellemaken and the age for Isabelle (21) would be right for Ingeborg Isabelle Knudson, if the census was taken in the spring before her 22 birthday on Aug. 8, 1870. This indicates that Lars Larson was most likely Ingeborg’s step father and his wife, Ingeborg, was her mother. To further support this the Nord-Aurdal records record the marriage, on Dec 29, 1853, of Lars Larson Anmarken, age 27, son of Lars Knudsen, to Ingeborg Syversdatter, age 30, the mother of Ingeborg Isabelle.

Lars Larson’s homestead document lists his quarter of land as the SE 1/4 of section 12 of Barsness township and Hans Dalager’s homestead document lists his quarter of land as the NE 1/4 of section 12 of Barsness township. Therefore Lars’ and Hans’ homestead quarters adjoined each other.

On July 7, 1871 Hans married Ingeborg (Isabelle) Knudson Larson. Following their marriage, Hans & Ingeborg settled on the groom’s homestead. The following children were born to them: Jennie (Mrs. J. O. Grove), Sophia (Mrs. Theodore Ogdahl), Christine (Mrs. George Houston), Solfest (who died at the age of 2 years of convulsions while teething), Julia (Mrs. Solverud Knutson), Henry (who died as a baby), Hannah (Mrs. P. O. C. Johnson), Louise (who died as a baby), Karl Theodore, and Martin (who died at the age of two months of blood poison contracted from his mother). Ingeborg, the mother of the above children died of blood poisoning six days after the birth of Martin. She was 38 years old when she died January 5, 1887.

Some of the characteristics of the Dalager children, as described by Julia would be physical stamina. This is illustrated by the long lives of those who lived through infancy. Their mother, on her death bed, requested that her children be given a chance for an education. Four of the girls in the family followed the role of teachers. The following Bible verse, written in Norwegian, is recorded on Ingeborg’s gravestone in the Barsness Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Luke 18:16 Let the little children come to me and forbid them not,
for the kingdom of God belongs to such.

Hans Dalager and Amelia: Amelia’s early days

After Ingeborg’s passing, Hans married Amelia Bentrud. Click here to read about her early life.

Note: The spelling of Amelia/Amilia is unclear, so you will see it both ways as she appears in various entries.

Hans Dalager and Amelia: First and second families, buttermilk, fire, and a surrey

On April 7, 1888 Amelia Bentrud married Hans Dalager, a widower. The wedding took place on the Bentrud farm. Hans’ first wife, Ingeborg, had died in child birth in 1886. Ameila did not turn 20 until June 20, 1888. Amelia stepped into a home where there were 6 children, 5 girls and 1 boy. The oldest girl was 16 years old and the baby boy was 3 years old. The following children were born to Hans and Amelia: Tillie (Mrs. Anton Ogdahl), William (Willie), Cora (Mrs. Adolph Anderson), Selmer, Alice (Mrs. Torwald Disrud), Herman, Lavilla (Mrs. John Peterson), Lucille (Mrs. Arnold Selness), Helen (Mrs. Charles Thomas), and Alma (who died in April 1908 at the age of six).

The farm Amelia moved to was a large farm at the time consisting of about 2000 acres. There were sometimes as many as 7 hired men and 2 hired girls during the summer What would the bread making task be at this house? The women also did the milking and other chores during the summer months.

As the family of Hans and Amelia grew, the children of Hans and Ingeborg were growing up also. Sophia was married to Theodore Ogdahl in 1890, just two years after Hans married Amelia. Her oldest son, Henry, was born in 1892. Sophia and Theodore were living on the place that Ralph Peterson now owns and where his son Mark lives. Jenny taught country school after completing her training at St. Cloud Normal School. Country school at that time was usually held during the fall and spring. As a teacher, Jenny was on her own and did not live at home. Christine also trained as a teacher and taught in school district 78. During this time she made her home with Sophie.

Hannah, Karl and Julia lived at home with Hans and Amelia during the years following their marriage. Julia was a great story teller. One of her jobs was to watch the children which she was very successful at because of her interest in story telling. She went on to study at St. Cloud Normal School were she became interested in stars. Julia would tell the children stories about the stars. She also taught them English and would tell Bible stories.

Everyone was home at Christmas. This included the hired help which were usually two hired men and a hired girl in the winter. The Christmas tree was always important. The tree was usually a boxelder. Each branch was wound with green tissue paper. Then flowers were made and attached and small candles were tied on. There were gifts under the tree. There were pocket knives for the boys and dolls for the girls. A pie was made over a big dishpan with oats. In each one was a gift for each child of apples, popcorn etc.

Hans Dalager usually wore a beard and was a very loving and affectionate person. He usually brought Amelia gifts on special occasions. He was witty, cheerful and very good with children. He did not like to listen to gossip, always spoke Norwegian, and did not drink alcohol. Hans drank butter milk instead of whiskey. He might smoke once in while for the fun of it with friends. He would punish children if needed, loved family parties, especially at Christmas time, and would serve wine at the beginning of parties. Hans liked to sing when he drove along. The neighbors said they could hear him singing, mostly hymns in Norwegian.

Every day Willie was expected to bring in the wood for the next day. One time when he failed to do this and was expecting a whipping he hid all day by crawling under his bed so no one could find him.

In 1901 the Gilbertson school house burned. There was rejoicing that morning when the announcement was made–no school because the school had burned down. Bridget Olson, the teacher, was saving ashes in a wooden box at the school for Mrs. Gilbertson to use in making lutefisk and this caused the fire. The school board asked to have school at the Dalager place. There was no happiness for the Dalager youngsters now as school was soon in session again. The school was set up in the new addition to the house that was used as a summer kitchen. All the neighborhood children came to school at the Dalager place. There were over 20 students. Most of the children walked to school. Lunch usually consisted of slices of bread with molasses, molasses cake and once in a while an apple. To have apples they would be bought by the barrel.

Once when Cora was walking to the Gilbertson school she met a wolf. She had a tin pail to hold her lunch. She banged on the pail and the wolf ran off. It is not known if this was before or after the school was rebuilt.

One year a prairie fire took all the crops and a pair of oxen.

Once when Carrie Scokerstaff, who lived near Terrace, was to come over to help with house work, a big winter storm hit. Hans, who had gone to Terrace to pick up Carrie, and Carrie were caught in the storm and had to wait out the storm under the tipped over wagon box.

In 1888, when Tillie was a baby, Hans bought a team of horses in Goodhue County where he had relatives. On the way home from Goodhue County the horses became frightened and ran away. This happened near Willmar. The wagon tipped over and Hans broke his leg. Hans was hospitalized at Willmar. Because the leg was not set properly he always walked with a limp and had to have a heel built on his shoe.

Amelia Dalager went to church every time there was church service. Children and hired help also went. They usually loaded a wagon in the summer and a sleigh in the winter.

Hans served on the church building committee in 1883 when the first church was built in Barsness township.

He built an elegant brick house on the homestead place in about 1899.

Hans Dalager was always a hard worker and by persistent effort he became one of the richest farmers in the county. At the time of his death he owned nearly 2 sections of land.

Hans’ daughter Alice remembered when Hans brought home a new surrey around 1903-05. A surrey was a two-seated buggy pulled by two horses and had plenty of room for the kids. He had gone into town by himself that day. She did not know where he bought the surrey, whether in St. Cloud where he did most of his shopping, Alexandria or some place else. He came home while it was still light. The roads were not very good at that time but she didn’t think it was muddy. Alice didn’t think Hans would have taken them out in the mud. First they ate supper. The kids didn’t know any thing about the surrey as yet. After supper Hans said he had something to show and they were all surprised and excited. Hans loaded as many kids as would fit in the surrey and took them for a mile and a half ride to school district 78 as he wanted to look at some land that was for sale near by. Alice thought he bought the land later on because this land later went to the Groves as a part of Jennie’s share of Han’s estate.

According Lloyd Vindedahl of Glenwood—a distant relative of the Dalagers—Hans was a good operator. Lloyd had worked for a man who had worked for Hans Dalager many years before. This man had been hired to plow for Hans and his was one of eleven walking plows that Hans had working in his fields. A walking plow had only one moldboard. The pay was fifty cents a day plus food and lodging which was not bad at that time.

Hans Dalager: Education of the Dalager Children

The children of Hans and Amelia all attended the local country school through the 8th grade.

Even in the first family, nearly all of the children went on to post-secondary education. In a letter written on February 16, 1896 from the State Normal School at St. Cloud, Minnesota Julia states that she, Jennie and Christine were all attending school at St. Cloud. They rented two rooms where they boarded themselves and kept house. Julia would have been seventeen on her birthday in June. Jennie was 24 and Christine was 20. Jennie and Christine had taught rural schools and were back at school to get more education. Hannah also attended the Normal School at St. Cloud and taught school near Glenwood. There is no record of Karl attending the Normal School.

From the second family, Tillie attended two years at the Glenwood Academy. Cora attended the academy and the School of Agriculture, a high school in St. Paul, graduating in 1914. Willie attended Augsberg College, Minneapolis. He married Esther Lee and farmed for a while. Feeling a call to serve the church, he returned to school attending the seminary in St. Paul. Following graduation from the seminary, he received a call to serve a parish in northern Minnesota. He did not feel that this was for him and he returned to the farm in 1932 where they raised a large family. Selmer attended the School of Agriculture, graduating in 1916. Alice attended the School of Agriculture graduating in 1917. She then took normal training at Glenwood. She later attended La Crosse Teachers College, receiving her life teaching certificate. Herman attended the School of Agriculture in St. Paul for two years. Lavilla graduated from the School of Agriculture in 1921. She then attended LaCrosse Teachers College earning a degree in Phy Ed. Next she secured her teaching certificate through St. Cloud Teachers College and taught school for 5 years in Pope County and other places. Lucille attended Glenwood High School. After graduating from the School of Agriculture, Helen took nursing at Swedish Hospital earning her R.N. degree.

Hans Dalager: Land Holdings

Hans made a number of land deals through the years, some of which are detailed below.

Glenwood Herald

July 5, 1901. Hans Dalager and Theodore Ogdahl returned Saturday morning from a trip to the Red River valley where Hans Dalager purchased 380 acres from W. J. Carmen. Mr. Ogdahl brought with him and left at the Herald office a sample of the wheat now standing and growing on this farm. The straw is about 4 feet long with heads 4 inches in length. Judging from the sample of grain and the location of the property, Mr. Dalager has struck a snap without a doubt. (Comment: This may be the land he bought in Bigwood township, Marshall county near Oslo, Mn)

March 20, 1903. Hans Dalager of Barsness township has leased his big farm to his son-in-law Theo Ogdahl for a term of six years at an annual rental of $1,100.00. Mr. Dalager will most likely move into town and occupy the residence property he purchased some time ago from Martin Rigg. He feels that he has performed his share of hard labor on the farm and is therefore entitled to a few years of retirement and rest.

Posters and an ad in another part of this issue proclaim an auction sale that he will have on March 25th at which he will dispose of his livestock, farm machinery etc. This was in preparation to leaving the farm upon which he accumulated sufficient income to keep him in comfort during his remaining years.

Hans Dalager Auction Sale
Section 12 of Barsness Township
About 7 miles south of Glenwood
March 25, 1903 at 10 A.M.

62 head of cattle
feed mill
2 McCormick Binders
4 harrows
2 seeders
Fairbanks scale
1 drill
Cutter
2 wagons
grind stone<
1 Buggy
2 mowers
1 corn cultivator
2 Hay rakes
sets of harness
4 pigs
5 sheep
bob sleigh
fanning mill
farm tools
household goods
other articles

Terms of the sale: all sums of $5.00 and under cash. Larger sums 9 months time on approved note at 8% interest. 3% discount for cash on sums over $5.00

Hans was still interested in land. In November of 1903 he made an extensive trip into Manitoba. He reported rich soil well adapted for grain and stock raising. He especially liked the city of Winnipeg.

In a letter to his son Karl, Hans describes land he had purchased in Marshall county.

Glenwood, Nov. 1909

Dear Son Karrel,

I will now lend you a few words and let you know that your letter was welcome and I thank you for it. I am now much better than the time you were here but as yet I am not able to work. I am happy that you have begun a steady occupation as lumber work is a good job. I would think it is very good if you would follow after what Tollef want. Be honest in your dealings and pray to the Lord that he will help you in every instance. Seek first the kingdom of God and then everything will be added unto you. Be steady in the work you now have. I believe it is good and I am glad. I am happy that you have quit the telephone business.

How much land I have near the Red River you shall now know–it is 378 and 1/2 acres located in Marshall County Minnesota in sections 4 & 5, township N 156, range 50 and my price is $28.00 per acre and I give you one dollar per acre for you to sell the $30.00 per acre.

If you wish to go there to see the land you go to Oslo, Minnesota and then it is 9 miles to the farm. The name of the township is Big Wood and there is a store and an elevator 5 miles from my place and three miles north there is a church and now a store. At the elevator with a bank near by– one can sell all that one has to sell. You and Tollef take a trip there and see both the farm and woods which are beautiful. Ask at the Lars Klakkig for information where it is located.

I will now close my writing with friendly greeting both to you and Tollef Solverud from all of us and I hope to hear from you soon.

Cordially, Hans L. Dalager

Hans Dalager: Obituary

Glenwood Gopher Press
Vol XIII, No 30
Thursday March 24, 1910

Hans Dalager passed away yesterday morning, Wednesday March 23, 1910 a victim of cancer of the stomach. During the past three years Hans Dalager, who had previously scarcely known what sickness meant for himself, suffered considerably with his stomach, and about a year ago was so seriously ill that his life was despoiled of for a time. He got up again however, and last fall felt much better for many months. Shortly before Christmas he began to fail gradually and grew worse till the end came March 23rd. Cancer of the stomach was given as his trouble by attending physician.

Hans Dalager was born in Norway 67 years ago the fifth of November and came to America when 17 years of age living first in Goodhue county. He came to Pope County 40 years ago and took a homestead in Barsness township. In 1871 he married Ingeborg Knutson by whom he had six children: Mrs. J. O. Grove & Mrs. Theodore Ogdahl of Glenwood, Mrs. George Houston of Herman, Mrs. Tollef Solverud of Deering, N. Dakota, Mrs. P.O.C. Johnson of Ardock, N. Dakota, and Carl Dalager of Inverness, Montana. His first wife died 25 years ago and two years later he married Amelia Bentrud Dalager who survives him with 9 children, the youngest a little over a year old.

The deceased is also survived by one brother Nils of Barsness township and a sister Brita of Webster, S. Dakota.

Hans Dalager was a man of industrious and steady habits. He was careful and farseeing in a business way, and despite the expense of an unusually large family was able to acquire considerable property. He was honored by his neighbors with official positions in the township and school districts and was known as one of the most substantial and successful farmers of the county. The grief of the family is shared by a large circle of friends and neighbors.

Funeral services will be held from the home on Tuesday next at 12:30 and at the Barsness church at 2 O’clock.

Pastor J.(Jens) E. Bale in late 1896 moved into a large new furnished home built by Hans Dalager. It was used as a parsonage until September 1903 when the new church parsonage was ready. At this time Hans and his family moved into this home. A picture of the home can be found in the Barsness Lutheran Church. centennial book.

Julia (Dalager) Solverud-Knutson: A History

Karl Dalager’s older sister, Julia Dalager was born June 7, 1879, was a daughter of Hans and Ingeborg Dalager, pioneers of Barsness township.  She attended country school and later attended St. Cloud Normal school. 

Following are several letters written by Julia from Normal School to her cousin of the same name, Julia Dalager, who lived in Webster, South Dakota.  Guri Julia Dalager of Webster married Chil Chilson in 1904.  Their son Herman was born Sept. 27, 1905

Sunday Feb. 16, 1896

Dear Cousin Julia,

Today I started to think of you and I thought it was a shamed to think we do not write to each other.  Therefore I sit down and write a few words.

The first thing that will be interesting to hear is where we are. Jennie, Christine and I are going to school in St. Cloud.  We board ourselves, have rented two rooms and keep house in one way.  We have been down here since last September.  We had two weeks at Christmas and then we went home.  It seemed a very short vacation to us.

At home we had a very nice time, one day we went out to uncle Nil’s.  They had been sick, this is the little boys but then they were all well again.  I suppose you know that there was born a little girl last summer.  She was very small and pretty, the prettiest baby I ever saw. 

Last year when I went down here, as you know, I was put into the middle school, but have now passed into the high school.  I like it very well although I get homesick and think the lessons are hard.

I suppose you remember when we went out to Helge Rime when you were visiting at our place.  A few weeks before Christmas Karen died.  A little baby boy was born to her and when she was getting better again and walking around she sat down into the rocking chair and suddenly died.  She had been sick all the time since we were there.  The little baby that was born is living and growing very fast.  Karen’s husband’s brother that lived near them took the little girl, and he himself has the two boys.  He has a hired girl.  The old people went to stay with Helena.

When I came home last spring I was very surprised to hear that your sister was dead.  It seems so funny to think that you should happen to come and see us and shortly afterwards she died.  Christine was very sorry that she did not come home from Minneapolis so she could see and talk with Anna and you.  But I hope we can meet her in a better and happier place than at home.

This is all I can think of to write about this time.  I think Jennie and Christine will write too.

Remember you cousin,

Julia Dalager, State Normal School

St. Cloud, Minn.

Write back soon and write a long letter too.  We send our best regards to you all.

I think I must tell you that Willie has remembered you all the time since you left.  Even at Christmas he asked me when you were coming back.

At the time Julia wrote this letter she was 16 years old.  This letter doesn’t tell much about her school life but it tells us something about her family and pioneer life.  The sister who had died was Anna Dalager of the Webster Dalagers, a cousin of Julia’s, who died May 5, 1895 at the age of 19 years.