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: 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.