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.