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.

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.

Julia (Dalager) Solverud-Knutson: More letters from Julia to Julia

The following fragment of a letter was written in 1904.  You will observe that she has already met her future husband.  She is now 25 years old.

Willmar, Minn. 

Feb. 18, 1904

My dear Cousin Julia and family,

I presume you have just about decided that I fell by the way side in going back to Minnesota but I got here safe and sound.  When I got to the post office I got a large pack of letters and among them two from Mr. Solverud, you know who I mean.  He was pretty much worried but things are lovely now.  He went through here a week ago….

(2 pages missing, it is assumed that the following pages are from the same letter because in both cases the writing appears the same and is on thin onion skin paper.)

…is the baby I have missed him so since I came away.  I presume he has grown a lot since I saw him.  Give him a lot of kisses from me.  He will surely enjoy them.  Does he still hold on to his sweetheart?  He was such a dear little baby.  I wrote Jennie you had the dearest baby I ever saw.

I have been well ever since I came back.  I have finished that piece of hardanger and two small pieces.  And now I am not doing a bit of fancy work.  Tell Mr. Chilson I am not doing a stitch of it.  Also tell him I have not had any of that good (blod polse).  (I presume I got that spelled wrong.)  Since I left I just long for it too. 

Well, I must stop my foolishness now else you will get tired.  I had such a cozy time with you that I think of you real often.  Would like to hear when you find time to send me a few words.  With best love to you all. I am

Your Loving Cousin

Julia Dalager

This is the first mention of Tollef Solverud who Julia must have met when she taught school in Hayfield, Mn.  In the following two letters we see her concern for her young brother Karl and her love for babies.

Willmar, Minn  Feb. 27, 1905

My dear cousin Julia,

I received your letter some time ago.  Thank you very much for same.  I was so glad to hear from you.  I presume Karl has told you all about things here so I shall not write much concerning the affairs.  I am real well and have a lovely position this year.  When I heard from the folks last they were all well.  Well, I presume you were surprised to see Karl.  He is quite a man now.  He was kind of tired out and wanted very much to go and see you folks so I let him go.  He wrote me the second day he was there.  He was so delighted with the place.  If he is not a good boy you must go for him.  He has not been away alone before.  Karl wrote me about your beautiful home.  I was so glad to hear you are so comfortably settled now.  I presume it is real pleasant.

I was very much surprised when I received Andrew’s invitation.  He surely did not wait very long.  Well, dear, I shall try to pay you a visit.  I have no idea how soon I will be able to do it, but rest assured I shall do so soon.

Give my love to the folks up there, also Karl.  Ask him to let me hear again from him.  You would do me a great favor if you would look after him.  I have no idea how he will care for himself out among strangers.  I was so glad when he decided to go west as I do not care to have him around home.  The young people there are not the nicest kind as so many of the boys drink and I am very anxious to keep Karl away from such society.  Let me hear from you soon; if you will kindly favor me with a few words.  With love and best wishes, I am,

Your loving cousin,  Julia Dalager

P.S. I have mislaid your letter and I can not think of your name so will you kindly pardon me for sending it in your maiden name.

The Andrew mentioned is Julia’s cousin Andrew Dalager from Webster who was married February 8, 1905.  It is also interesting to note that Julia had lost her cousins letter and could not remember her cousin’s new husband’s name.  In this respect, Julia is much like the rest of the world. 

Julia (Dalager) Solverud-Knutson: Last days in Dakota, the move to Minnesota, and Tollef’s passing

Deering Herald News

Jan 7, 1911 Mr. and Mrs. Tollef Solverud departed Monday for an extended visit with relatives in southern Minnesota.

June 3, 1911 The first section of an article by Julia Solverud comparing the US government with that of Great Britian appeared.

July 8, 1911 On Friday evening, June 30, the Deering Birthday Club held their regular social gathering in Koch’s hall, the guests of honor being Mrs. Tollef Solverud, Mrs. F. L. Allen and Mrs. Fred Long. Mrs. Solverud, president of the club, had just returned from an extended trip east and was happily surprised by being presented with a beautiful bouquet of American Beauty roses. The tables were tastefully decorated with ferns, rose leaves and wild flowers, and the banquet served in its usual happy style and thoroughly enjoyed by all present. Mrs. Long being absent was remembered by each lady present, with a post card reminding her of the happy event. The out of town guests were Mrs. G. M. Wedge of Plainview, Minn, Miss Dora Schram of Long Prairie, Minn and Miss Anna Solverud of Hayfield, Minn.

July 11, 1911 Miss Anna Solverud arrived last Saturday from Hayfield, Minnesota. She will spend the summer here with her brother Tollef Solverud and family and will assist Mr. Solverud in the store.

August 5, 1911 Misses Anna Solverud and Ida Franze and K. T. Dalager were among those from Deering who took in the circus at Granville Wednesday.

September 16, 1911 On Wednesday evening, September 13, the Deering Birthday Club held their regular business meeting at the home of Mrs. Solverud, twelve ladies were present. It was decided to give the last birthday entertainment on Monday evening, September 18. The yearly reports were read and approved. It was then decided by the ladies to discontinue the coming year.

November 25, 1911 Tollef Solverud arrived Thursday morning from Des Moines, Iowa and will spend time here looking after business interests.

February 3, 1912 Tollef Solverud visits friends at Sherewood between trains last Tuesday.

February 10, 1912 Tollef Solverud went to Minot Thursday evening to look after business matters for a few days.

On September 9, 1912 Julia Solverud, sister of the groom, was Matron of Honor in the wedding of Ida Franze and Karl T. Dalager on the Franze farm near Battle Lake, Minnesota.

It was about this time when Tollef and Julia left Deering, N. D. and moved to Kirksville, Missouri to study Chiropractic Medicine. Following this they moved to Mankato, Minnesota where they set up a Chiropractic Clinic. It was during this time that they adopted Truman. Truman was born February 11, 1911 and was perhaps about 3 years old.

On November 29, 1915, shortly after they had adopted Truman, Tollef Solverud died and Julia was left alone with a young child to raise.

Following Tollef’s death, Julia went back to teaching and taught at Lowry, Minnesota the 1916-1917 school year.

Karl and Ida: Karl’s early years and bachelorhood

Karl Theodore Dalager was born on October 31, 1885 in Barsness Township, Pope County, Glenwood, Minnesota. He was the son of Hans Sylfestsen Dalager and Ingeborg (Isabelle) Knudsen Dalager. Karl’s mother died January 5, 1887 of childbirth when Karl was a little over 14 months old. Marthine, the child that was born at that time also died.

This left Karl in the care of his 5 older capable sisters, the oldest being Jenny who was 15 years old. Hans married Amilia Bentrud on April 7, 1888 and Karl soon had a half-sister, Tillie. Not much is known of Karl’s childhood other than that he attended country school and was often in his sisters’ homes as they moved away to their own home. At the age of 14 years Karl left home and moved in with his sister Sophie (Mrs. Theodore Ogdahl).

One of the best sources of information about family is found in family letter and newspaper articles. They also give a time frame and give a picture of community activities. The following letter written by Karl’s sister Julia to a cousin in Webster, S.D. mentions Karl and shows Julia’s concern for Karl. Karl was 19 at the time.

Willmar, Minn. Feb. 27, 1905

My dear cousin Julia:

I received your letter sometime ago. Thank you very much for same. I was so glad to hear from you. I presume Karl has told you all about things here so I shall not write much concerning the affairs. I am real well and have a lovely position this year. When I heard from the folks last they were well. Well, I presume you were surprised to see Karl. He is quite a man now. He was kind of tired out and wanted very much to go and see you folks so I let him go. He wrote me the second day he was there. He was so delighted with the place. If he is not a good boy you must go for him. He has not been away alone before. Karl wrote me about your beautiful home. I was so glad to hear you are so comfortably settled now. I presume it is real pleasant.

I was very much surprised when I received Andrew’s invitation. (Andrew Dalager of Webster, S.D. was married Feb. 8, 1905.) He surely did not wait very long. Well, dear, I shall try to pay you a visit. I have no idea how soon I will be able to do it, but rest assured I shall do so soon.

Give my love to the folks up there, also Karl. Ask him to let me hear again from him. You would do me a great favor if you would look after him. I have no idea how he will care for himself out among strangers. I was so glad when he decided to go west as I do not care to have him around home. The young people there are not the nicest kind as so many of the boys drink and I am very anxious to keep Karl away from such society. Let me hear from you soon, if you will kindly favor me with a few words. With love and best wishes, I am,

Your loving, Julia Dalager

PS. I have mislaid your letter and I cannot think of your name so will you kindly pardon me for sending it in your maiden name.

Over the next few years Karl worked at different jobs in the Glenwood area and also in North Dakota, Montana, and Canada. When his father died on March 23, 1910, Karl was working in Inverness, Montana. Karl worked in this area of eastern Montana and western Dakota so he would be close to his sister Julia who was living in Sherwood, N.D. Julia’s husband, Tollef Solverud, had a drug store in Sherwood, North Dakota.

To follow Karl’s activities as a young man I will use newspaper news and letters.

The Sherwood Tribune & Journal, Sherwood, ND

April 16, 1908 Karl Dalager went to Mohall Monday to accept a position as clerk in the Sherwood Hotel at that place. Mr. Dalager has had experience in the hotel business and will most likely give value received in his services at Mohall.

June 4, 1908, page 2 Karl Dalager took Rev. J. P. Davis to Antler this morning to catch the early morning train.

June 18, 1908, page 5 Karl Dalager and R. M. Ripley drove to Kenmore Tuesday.

August 13, 1908, Page 3 Karl Dalager came over from Kenmore Saturday to visit his sister, Mrs. Solverud and friends. Karl has a good position at Kenmore and he returned there Monday.

April 22, 1909 Karl Dalager came up from his home in Minnesota Tuesday. He expects to go to work for the Northern Telephone Co. soon.

May 6, 1909, page 2 Karl Dalager left Monday for Russel where he is working for the Northern Telephone Co.

The letter below was written shortly before Hans passed away March 23, 1910.

Glenwood, Nov. 1909

Dear Son Karrel (sic),

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 wants. 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 S. Dalager

The land described by Hans in Big Wood township of Marshall county was very good land and well suited for raising wheat, potatoes, or sugar beets. However it is near the Red River of the North which is prone to spring flooding. When visited by the writer, it was interesting to note that the township roads were much higher than the surrounding land.

Karl and Ida: Courtship and Wedding

Ida Maria Franze was born on January 31, 1887 at Battle Lake, Minnesota. She was the oldest child of John J. Franze and Emma Louise Jensen Franze. Ida attended school through the 8th grade and helped at home with her younger brothers and sisters. She was known as a good seamstress. Not much is known of her young adulthood until we read the following in the Deering Herald when she was 24 years old.

Deering Herald News Deering, N. D.

May 6, 1911 Mrs. and Mrs. Fred L. Allen and children autoed to Granville Wednesday evening to meet Mrs. Allen’s cousin, Miss Ida Franze of Battle Lake, Minnesota, who will soon take up her duties as saleslady in Mr. Allen’s store.

(Mrs. Allen, Clara Holo Allen, is the daughter of grandma Emma Franze’s sister Anna Christine who married Michael Holo.)

Karl wasn’t far away.

July 30, 1911 E. E. Booth and Karl Dalager were given the initiatory degree in I.O.O.F. lodge at the regular meeting of that organization Tuesday evening.

Karl’s sister Julia was now living in Deering because her husband Tollef had bought a drug store there. Therefore, Karl visited Deering quite often. The story goes that he gave the Allen store a lot of business after Ida Franze started working there. From there, things progressed quickly.

August 5, 1911 Misses Anna Solverud and Ida Franze and K.T. Dalager were among those from Deering who took in the circus at Granville Wednesday.

September 2, 1911 E.E. Booth, G.S. Burtch and K.T. Dalager were given the second and third degree work in the I.O.O.F. at the regular meeting of the lodge Tuesday evening.

September 16, 1911 K.T. Dalager departed Monday for Fargo. He has accepted a position on the road and will make Fargo his headquarters.

December 31, 1911 Mrs. Fred Allen entertained a few friends Wednesday evening, in honor of Miss Franze, who leaves for her home in Minnesota on Friday.

Fergus Falls Daily Journal

August 31, 1912 Saturday “Marriage License: Karl T. Dalager of McHenry County, N.D. and Ida M. Franze.”

September 11, 1912 (page 4) DALAGER – FRANZE: Pretty wedding takes place at bride’s home south of Battle Lake, Minnesota.

Battle Lake, Sept. 9. A very pretty wedding was solemnized at the home of Mr. & Mrs. John J. Franze, residing about 6 miles south of Battle Lake on Sunday afternoon, September 1, at 4 o’clock, when their daughter, Miss Ida was united in marriage to Mr. Karl T. Dalager of Glenburn, N. D., in the presence of about 150 invited guests. The ceremony took place under an evergreen and sweet pea arch outside in the yard, Rev. Lerohl of Dalton officiating. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a beautiful gown of cream messaline silk and wore a long veil and carried a bride’s rose. She was attended by Mrs. Julia Solverud, sister of the groom, who acted as Matron of Honor and wore lavender and white and carried pink roses, and also misses Julia and Louise Franze, sisters of the bride and Miss Cora Dalager, sister of the groom, who wore white and pink and carried pink roses.

His brother, William Dalager, a nephew, Arthur Ogdahl, and Otto Franze, brother of the bride, who acted as best man, attended the groom. Miss Anna Evanson played the wedding march. After the ceremony and congratulations a bounteous wedding supper was served and the evening was spent in a social way, with a speech by Rev. Rendahl of Fergus Falls. The couple left Tuesday for Glenburn, N.D. where they will go to set up housekeeping at once.

The out of town guests were the Dalagers and Ogdahls from Glenwood, MN, Houstons from Herman, MN and the Solveruds from the southern part of the state.

Glenwood Herald

September 6, 1912 Karl T. Dalager and Ida M. Franze were married last Sunday near Battle Lake. A wedding reception was given in the afternoon at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Franze, about five miles southwest of Battle Lake to about 200 guests. The groom is a son of Mr. Hans Dalager. He is an energetic, clean-cut young man and we are told that he has won an excellent wife. Bride and groom leave this week for Glenburn, North Dakota where Mr. Dalager is engaged as a grain buyer. Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Grove and son Rolland, Mrs. Theo. Ogdahl, Arthur Ogdahl, Mrs. Anton Ogdahl and Cora and William Dalager rode up to Battle Lake Sunday morning to be present at the ceremony.

James Franze, Ida’s brother, remembered Karl and Ida’s wedding well. For decoration they had Chinese lanterns with candles in them hanging from the trees around the yard. He had never seen these before. Karl also had a box of cigars and was walking around treating the men folks. James had never seen these before, either. He also remembered his dad standing on the front porch making a little congratulation speech after the wedding.

Glenburn Advance

Sept. 5, 1912 Mr. K.T. Dalager, who is here this fall as assistant manager of the Imperial Lumber Co., was married Sunday to Miss Ida M. Franze, at her home at Battle Lake, Minnesota. They arrived here Wednesday evening and have secured rooms for the fall in the Jerry Butts residence. The Advance extends congratulations to the young couple and hope they will make Glenburn their permanent home.

Karl and Ida: Starting out in North Dakota

Deering Herald

October 5, 1912 Mr. and Mrs. K.T. Dalager were over Sunday visitors in Deering, guests at the Fred L. Allen home. They returned to their home at Glenburn Sunday evening in the company with Mr. and Mrs. Allen in their auto.

October 25, 1912 Mrs. K.T. Dalager of Glenburn visited friends in Deering between trains on Wednesday.

Karl and Ida Dalager’s first child, Horace Joel, was born August 31, 1913. His place of birth is unknown. He was baptized at Hope Lutheran Church in Makoti, ND on October 5, 1913. The pastor was N. H. Holen and the sponsors were Mrs. Henry Staflien, Rognhild Nilsen and Otto Franze. Otto was Ida’s brother who was working in a bank in Ryder, N.D. at the time. Ryder was not far from Makoti. Makoti is on the Soo Line railroad about 30 miles southwest of Minot, N.D.

James Franze remembered that Karl and Ida stayed with grandma Emma one winter when Horace was a baby. He said that Horace was a pretty big baby. Since Horace was born August 31, 1913, this must have been the winter of 1913-14. At that time the Franzes were working at clearing the three-acre piece of woods just east of the farm building. Karl would help with cutting the trees. James said Karl was pretty good with the ax. Since there were a lot of oak trees there were also a lot of squirrels. Karl shot some and prepared a meal from them. It was the first time James had seen a squirrel skinned. There seemed to be a second skin or film that had to be removed. Then Karl prepared a dish he called chicken pie but James didn’t care too much for it because he knew it was squirrel.

Karl and Ida farmed near Herman, Minnesota after they left grandma Emma’s farm. James was a kid at the time and was tickled to visit Karl and Ida. He remembered once when they went to visit Karl and Ida at Herman. It was a stormy cloudy day and he was turned around in his directions. When he saw the place he asked Karl why the windows on the chicken house were on the north side facing the winter storms. The windows were not on the north side: he had become mixed up in his directions because of the storm and clouds.

Karl and Ida: The move to St. Hilaire

In 1916 Karl, Ida & Horace moved to St. Hilaire, Minnesota. Following are some news items included to show social activities and are also of historical interest.

St Hilaire Spectator

March 23, 1916 More Settlers. Four carloads of immigrant effects were unloaded here last week. John Dwire of Lend, Minnesota had two loads and K. T. Dalager of Herman, Minnesota, had the other two. The first named will move on a farm east of town and the latter will occupy the Ness farm in River Falls township. Both these gentlemen come well supplied with farm machinery and stock and are prepared to farm on a large scale.

Because roads were poor, moving cattle, furniture, and machinery was by train. Because cattle needed care, it meant that the family moved right with them on the train. When Karl and Ida arrived in St. Hilaire, they moved onto the farm that had previously been farmed by A. Gunnar Ness, a bachelor.

James Franze remembered that his dad, John J. Franze, went up to St. Hilaire to visit his daughter and family in the fall of 1917. John said they had so much sowthistle that it really hurt the crops.

Feb. 1, 1917 A son was born to Mr. & Mrs. K.T. Dalager. (This was Karl Vincent Franze Dalager.)

Most children were born with the assistance of a mid-wife rather than a doctor. Grandma Peterson delivered my brother Vincent on Feb. 1, 1917 and two months later she delivered a neighbor’s son, Harold Walseth. Grandma Peterson’s maiden name was Anna Stena Broberg. She was one of two survivors of the Munson Lake Indian massacre near Willmar, Minnesota. Mrs. August Swenson was a daughter of Grandma Peterson. :Arlys Konickson, Mrs Jerry Konickson, would be Grandma Peterson’s great granddaughter.

Hilda Johnson remembered the Easter about a year after my parents had moved in. She and Otto were living on the Martin Hanson place where Nathan & Darcie Dalager live now. The road to town followed closer to the river than it does now. The Dalagers were driving a lumber wagon to church. The roads were so bad that they would have to get out and clean mud out of the wheels so the wheels would turn. They had two boys with them on the spring seat of the wagon.

Thorstein Walseth, a neighbor, remembered one time when Karl got caught in a rainstorm on the way to or from St. Hilaire and stopped at their place to get out of the rain. This was when Thorstein’s parents were living on the place that Ken Schroeder lives on now. Thorstein remembered helping unhook the horses and getting them in the barn so they would have some protection and have a chance to calm down. This happened before 1919 when Thorstein was 14. In those days farmers had most everything on the farm they needed on a day-to-day basis and they went to town to get items such as lumber, coffee, kerosene, sugar, and salt. Each fall farmers would take their own wheat to the Terrebonne mill that was about 20 miles south of the farm and have the wheat ground into flour.

The nearest neighbors to the south of their farm were the Gabe Petersons. Mrs. Peterson’s name was Josie, short for Josephine. Joe, Gladys, Melford, and Dale were children of Gabe and Josie Peterson. When the land was homesteaded, the land between the Dalager place and the Gabe Peterson place and north of the creek was all oak timber. Gabe had a sawmill and made good use of the oak. Joe said that the Dalagers would get their mail at the Petersons for many years. The Dalager’s mail was placed in the Peterson mailbox. The Petersons would bring the mail to their house and one of the Dalagers would come to get it. It was this way for many years. When the creek was high, either the Dalagers came on horseback or the mail was put in a bread pan and floated across the creek.

The following news articles are used to picture life on the Dalager farm for the next years.

St. Hilaire Spectator

May 24, 1917 Louise Franze of Battle Lake, Minn., is visiting with her sister Mrs. Dalager.

October 25, 1917 John Franze of Battle Lake, Minn., is a guest at the home of his daughter, Mrs. K. Dalager.

In the summer of 1918 Karl built a large barn measuring 68×36 feet. The head carpenter was Bill Gilbertson. During the building a carpenter named Leonard Erickson fell from the roof but was not hurt. A silo was added in 1919. Karl also sold many silos in the area.

Nov. 28, 1918 K.T. Dalager recently purchased a couple of extra fine pure bread Duroc-Jersey hogs. Mr. Dalager is going in for this class of stock exclusively & has a fine start.

Nov. 28, 1918 I have some acres of wood stumpage for sale. Some of the timber is dry and some green. Will sell in any size tracts to suit purchaser. Brush to be cut and piled ready for burning. K. T. Dalager, Route 2, St. Hilaire.

Dec. 26, 1918 Pure Bred Boar: I have for public service a pure bread Duroc-Jersey boar. Terms are $2.00 for grade and $5.00 for pure-bred hogs, cash at time of service. K. T. Dalager RFD No 2, St. Hilaire.

Feb. 13.1919 Mr. K.T. Dalager and son Horace were Sunday visitors at the T. M .Breviks who lived on the farm where Neil Peterson lives now.

Adelaide was born February 27, 1919.

Mar. 13, 1919 Miss Anna Franze from Battle Lake, Minn. is visiting her sister Mrs. K.T. Dalager.

April 10, 1919 Ad For purebred Leghorn setting eggs call or write to K.T. Dalager, Route 2, St. Hilaire.

April 24, 1919 Mr. & Mrs. E. H. Stephens & Mrs. K.T. Dalager & baby motored to Thief River Falls Thursday. (The baby was Adelaide)

July 24, 1919 K.T. Dalager purchased a new Ford car last week. K.T. Dalager is putting the finishing touches on a new barn out on his farm.

Aug. 14, 1919 Miss Louise Franze of Battle Lake, Minn. is visiting her sister Mrs. K.T. Dalager.

Nov. 20, 1919 K.T. Dalager has bought a complete set of steel stanchions, stalls and drinking fountains from St. Hilaire Retail Lumber Co. for installation in his new stock barn now under construction.

May 6, 1920 Ad Silo Solos were new and Karl had been the local salesman for a silo company.

May 13, 1920 K.T. Dalager has purchased a trailer for his Ford car.

Nov. 18, 1920 Mr. & Mrs. K.T. Dalager & family, Mr. & Mrs. Hans Hanson & family and George Stephens were Sunday guests at the Herman Jepson home. This is the farm where Kenny Noreen lives now.

Aug. 25, 1921 James, Fritz & Ruth Franze and Mrs. Clarence Larson autoed here last Sunday from Battle Lake for a visit at the home of their sister, Mrs. K.T. Dalager. Miss Louise Franze, who has visited in Dakota and arrived last week at the Dalager home, went back with them. (Louise was visiting brother Otto and family at Washborn, ND)

Kathrine was born January 14, 1924. The Pennington County courthouse spells her name Cathryne Isabella Dalager.

DEC 1, 1927 Mr. & Mrs. K.T. Dalager and family and Mr. & Mrs. N.E. Beebe spent Friday evening at the E. H. Stephens home.

Karl and Ida: Horace, Vincent, and Adelaide at Eastside School

Horace, Vincent and Adelaide attended Eastside country school that was located about 2 miles Southeast of their home.  The Walseths, Stephens, Gabe and Miller Petersons all had children about the same age and they would take turns hauling kids to school during wet weather or during the cold winter.  The children usually walked home.  Gladys Peterson, the daughter of Gabe Peterson,  recalled an incident that occurred when she was walking home with Adelaide.  It was a cloudy spring day and she had said, “I sure wish the sun would shine.”  Adelaide replied, “It is shining.  If it wasn’t, it would be dark.”  Gladys said that Adelaide was smart in school. 

Evelyn Peterson Hegrenes, the daughter of Miller Peterson, remembered those who attended East Side with her.  They were Ivanette Thyren, Ernest and Victor Erickson, Clarence and Mabel Konickson, Joe, Gladys and Melford Peterson, Horace and Vincent Dalager, Annie and Harold Walseth, and Mary and Henry Rohr. 

Among the things Evelyn remembered from country school were the syrup pail lunch buckets with syrup sandwiches.  When the weather was cold, their apples would freeze.  At school they always played ball and a game called pick-up-sticks.  They also played in the water in the big county ditch across the road from the school especialy in the spring.  The teacher would let them take turns ringing the school bell.  One day a boy tied their teacher, Bertilda Peterson, up with a rope.  Another student helped her get free.

Gladys Peterson and my brother Horace started high school in St. Hilaire in 1928.  Gladys and Horace went to grade school and high school together graduating in 1932.  Prices were really poor and Gladys’ dad, Gabe Peterson, sold a whole load of wheat to buy her class ring that cost $13.00.  Some of the teachers Gladys and Horace had at East-Side were Effie Fredrickson, Nannie Erickson, Miss Votava, Gaberial DeCathelineau, Hazel Dann, Lily Baum, Oscar Brevik, Bertilda Peterson, Ellen Nelson, and Evelyn Peterson.  Oscar Brevik was the son of Tarbjorn & Magnilda Brevik who lived on the farm west and south of the Dalager farm.  Oscar’s siblings were Bernt, Martin, Adolph, John, Mary, Margit, Tilda, Cornelia, and Helen.  The children were good singers and would walk to St. Hilaire to church choir practice, a distance of about 6 miles one way.   Others who lived on the Brevik place were the Brent Walseths, Frank Bothmans, Dan Johnsons, Harry Uttermarks, and Pete Hansons.  The Art Petersons moved to the Brevik place when I was in high school.  Art Peterson’s grandson Neil lives on the place now.

Students at the East-side school that Gladys remembered were Thyrenes, Ericksons, Petersons, Hudelson, Weckworth, Walton, Hogquist, Stephen, Palmquist, Hesse, Durheim, Konickson, Walseth, and Dalager.  There were up to 40 students at the East-side school during the 1920’s.  In a situation like this the older kids had to help the younger one because the teacher couldn’t find enough time to help all of them.  This was really the forerunner of our present day mentor system.  Schoolhouses were not well insulated and Joe Peterson thought that the winters were colder and had more snow in those days.  Gladys Peterson and Helen Hess Simpson remembered hearing wolves howling as they walked to school.  Joe Peterson remembered hunting wolves on horse back and on skis.  Games Gladys and Joe remember playing were fox & geese, drop the handkerchief, ring around the rosy, farmer in the dell, kitten ball and others.  Kids had a good time.  School was the main time that kids got to see others of their age.

Delford Stephens was a real cut-up in school.  Once he pretended he was going to hang himself.  He had tied a rope or wire to the ceiling and was standing on a box or desk with the wire around his neck.  Bertilda Peterson was the teacher at that time.  She really got excited but Delford was only fooling.  When he jumped off the desk he dropped the rope.  He would bring frogs and snakes to school, tease the Thyren girls by sitting by them, etc.  Gladys Peterson said that Gerald Stephens and Thorstein Walseth were the best looking young men in the area.  They were also good friends.  Once when Gladys was swinging, Delford started pushing her.  She would have fallen off but Delford’s brother Bob, who was on the next swing, jumped off his swing and caught her before she fell.  Bob was kind and considerate.

My brother Vincent remembers his first day of school very clearly.  He had dark curly hair which mother had let grow which was not the style at the time.  When he went to school he was teased a lot and it was the last day that he went to school with long hair.  Vincent also told about Delford’s prank with the rope tied to the ceiling but he thought Delford wanted to hang the teacher.  Another time Vince tried to roll a pencil across the isle to his neighbor and the teacher came down the isle with a ruler and hit him on the hand.  Vince said he out foxed her because he hollered real loud so she didn’t keep on too long.  It really didn’t hurt very much.  He thought this teacher was Ellen Nelson who later married Andrew Mortenson.

Members of Vincent’s class at the East side school were Floyd Hesse, Donald Thyren, Cyrus Peterson, Joyce Stephens, Bulah Rinkenberger & Harold Walseth.

One of the tricks they would do in school was to place a 22 cartridge on the stove.  Later on it would go off with a big bang causing a disturbance.  They would also ‘accidentally’ drop a celluloid ring from a horse collar on the stove.  This would smell up the school so badly that it would almost be necessary to close school for the day.

When Vincent was old enough to ride horseback he always rode one of the farm ponies to school.  By this time there was a barn at the school for the horses.

When the weather was nice enough, the East-Side students would play softball or kitten ball all the time.  At that time, Pennington County had a softball tournament in the spring when all the rural schools got together to play softball.  They usually had about 5 boys on the team and the rest were girls.  One year they were playing a team from up north made up of all big guys and they were tromping the Eastside team.  The boys from East Side didn’t like this very well so the 4 boys decided to challenge the other team all by themselves.  There were so few on their team that as soon as they got home it was their turn to bat again.  They only had a pitcher, a catcher, a first baseman and one fielder.  However, with only 4 players they were able to beat the other team.  This county sports event also included races, broad jump, pole vaults etc.

Vincent couldn’t remember his 7^th grade teacher’s name but she let them do anything they wanted to do.  If it were a nice day, they would jump out the window and go for a ride on their horses.  She had a model A Ford car.  In the spring when it was muddy, the boys would ride their horses in front of her car when she was driving to school on the wet road and plaster her car with mud.  Vince said that he and his friends were the meanest guys you ever saw.