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 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: 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.