•~i9balsl~j~~ja•VOL XIII NO 2 MA Y, 1993

Serving Norwegian-Americans of Sigda! - Eggeda! & KrfJdsherad Ancestry

Stevne Offers Immigrant Experiences

Come to North Dakota State College of Science,Wahpeton, NO, this July 8, 9 and 10! TwoWest Coast registrations came in April!

Pre-registered members may pick up name tagsThursday morning at 9:45 am before thegenealogy "bonanza" opens at 10 am in theStudent Center.

Genealogy arrangements are a big factor forreturning to the NDSCS campus for the secondconsecutive year. The seminar schedule is onpage 3, and for those interested in otherNorwegian subjects, videos will be offeredFriday morning.

Registration and housing forms are printed onpage 11. (Photocopy if you file SAGAs). Mealsat the Student Center are reasonable. By wayof reminder, banquet tickets are sold in advanceon a first come basis. It is recommended thatarrangements for· picking them up (at the SigdalRoom) be made by noon Saturday. Twoentrees are included in the banquet menu for$13 per person. It replaces the cafeteria mealand will be served at 5:30 pm Saturday. Wearyour bunad!

PASSAGE TO THE PRAIRIE, the theme urgingsettlement of the Midwest, offered hardshipsalong with promises more than 100 years agofor our immigrant ancestors.

Continuing the well-received dramaticpresentation of last year, E. Palmer Rockswoldhas adapted more of his book for the stage.PER, Act II will be presented Friday eveningunder the direction of Charles Sorum, PelicanRapids, MN, in the Cultural Center Auditorium(where the Friday afternoon sessions takesplace).

In Per, Act I last year, the decision to leavefamily and friends in Norway was made. Act IIwill deal with the voyage and the ups anddowns newcomers face in a new country.

Expect to hear some great music of EdvardGrieg. It is the 150th anniversary of his birth.Saturday evening will feature a musical programusing talent in the immediate area. Guests andWahpeton residents may purchase tickets at thedoor at $3 per person for either eveningprogram.

All public rooms are air conditioned, but thedorms are not. Motel info is on page 2.

College housing reservations are sent directly toNDSCS. Rates are $8.50 per night in a singleroom and $14 per night for a double room.Please note the July 1 deadline for acceptingreservations or for refunds.

Registration is $12 for everyone. This appliesfor one day or all three days. This fee coversrooms and auditorium rental, custodial fees,transporting special equipment--especiallymicrofilm readers--for genealogy research, andentertainment costs. Each lag registers its ownmembers. You may also send Muriel Hoff dues(please identify it as such) so you continue toreceive the SAGA.

Stevne sales displays operate all day Friday andSaturday from about 8: 15 am to 5: 15 pm.Most exhibitors offer hand-crafted Norwegianitems near registration. (Exhibitors/visitors maypick up badges at the Sigdal registration)

Sigdal Lag's business meeting and individualprogram begins Saturday morning at 8:45 am,continuing to approximately 4 pm. Author CoraLesteberg will be with us, and others may wishto share talent. Call a board member!

If you can offer a ride to Wahpeton to MildredRued, 420-8th St S.#18, Fargo, NO 58103, ORto Mrs. Glen Kessler, 413 River Rd, Black RiverFalls, WI 54615, please write them withparticulars-- your name, phone number & lag.Let them know which day you'll be in theirarea, so they can make plans and call you back.

Gifts & Memorialsreceived since March, 1993

$04.50

$06.95$05.$16.95$10.00$10.20$10.$08.50

Leonard E. Larson memorialgiven by Bill Larson Bekkestadbook order - Evelyn Evensongift - Doris Galstadbook order/gift - Verna Hainesbook order - Theresse LundbyNorge bk order - Marion Matsongift - Nancy Nelsonbook order - Pauline Nelson

Here are maps for July 8-9-10

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MARILYN SOMDAHL, Pres/Editor612-831-4409

10129 Goodrich CircleBloomington, MN 55437

DON SKADELAND, 1st VP402-331-5906

10642 "0" Street011Ulha, NB 68127

CORRINE L JOHNSON, 2nd VP612-831-8637

4575 - 80th St Circle #202Bloomington, MN 55437

LEE ROKKE, VP/Genealogist612-432-9767

13465 Garden View DriveApple Valley, MN 55124

NANCY NELSON, Secretary612-430-3134

6120 Oxboro Avenue N #309Stillwater, MN 55082

MURIEL HOFF, Treasurer612-777-7395

3512 White Bear AvenueWhite Bear Lake, MN 55110

STEVNE MOTELSmap

Comfort Inn - Wahpeton(A)209 13th St S(701-642-1115)

Starlite - Wahpeton (B)Hwy 127 & S 11th St(701-642-6627)

Super 8 - 210 Bypass (C)995 21st Av N, Wahpeton(701-642-8731 OR1-800-800-8000)

Scotwood-Breckenridge (D)US Hwy 75 & MN 210(218- 643-9201 OR1-800-341-8000)

Cbabiokapa Park offerslimited camping - 701-642-2811(The city owns & operates afine zoo for its size, too)

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,,"V 08th Ave N.

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Register at #12(6th St N)

College CampusNarlh Ookota State School of ScienceWahpeton

& ViewsGenealogy News

Two special guests will attend the "Passage tothe Prairie" stevne. Ranveig Bakke, agenealogist from Tinn, Telemark, and GaryPayton, an American born journalist fromTelemark's largest newspaper, Varden.

The large genealogy room will be arranged withequipment and resources Wednesday eveningfrom 6-8 pm by the 7 Lag genealogists andtheir helpers. It is accessible at street level.

Stevne genealogy hours at the Student Centerare 10 am to 10 pm Thursday. Friday hours are8 am to noon.

Sigdal Lag has collected sizeable lag resourcesover time along with those of othergenealogists. Family histories, maps, andNorwegian materials, such as Under Norefjellwill be available. This augments the Norwegianbygdebeker, loaned microfilm of Norwegianparishes, indexes and government documents.Microfilm and fiche readers are moved from theNDSCS library and several others are rented.

Thursday Seminars - July 8

Beginning Genealogy 10 . 11 am

Gothic Script 11:15· 12:15 pm

Reading Norway's Church Books ..1:30-2:30 pm

Genealogy & 1801 Norw. Census 3 - 4 pm

Photographs & Genealogy 4:30 . 5:30 pm

Family History Centers 7 - 8 pm

Friday Seminar • July 9

Researching between Stevner 9 • 10 am

Let me know if you are willing to assist withgenealogy. Volunteers are needed to translate,to help with machines, and to check films inand out.

Large packets of translated material from thebook, Sigdalslaget, 1914, have been receivedwith thanks from Sam Haugland & Sig Bergrud.The next project is to get it processed into ausable format so that it can be used by all ofour members. Rosella Goettelmann has beentranslating Sigdalslaget, 1949. Keep up thegood work!

Paul D. Larson has sent several clippings ofobituaries from Decorah Posten that havehelped me identify people who were not on myindex of immigrants. The index has beenupdated so much that a new hard copy willhave to be made before the stevne genealogysessions. Many of you have been very goodabout sending me information, and each weeksomething new is added to our data base.

People from Fossum in Soknadal, Norway aresearching for descendants of:1. Ole Olsen Fossum, born 1853 in Soknadal,emigrated 1876 to Menominee, WI. MarriedJuly 21, 1886 to Kari Jensdtr Dolpen, born1866. In 1900 they lived in Rice Lake, BarronCo. WI.

Known children: Oscar J. (b Dec 1887);Emma M. (b Jan 1890); Magna E. (b Mar1892); Olga K. (b Feb 1895); Gena E. (b Jan1897); Elin O. (male b Jul 1899).

2. Ole Olsen Fossum, born 1858 in Soknadal.Emigrated 1883 to Menomonie, WI. MarriedDec 1884 to Marit Gunhild Olsdtr 0verby fromSigda I. He was a painter. He died in 1889 andis buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Menominee.

Please contact Lee Rokke, 612-432-9767, ifyou can help.

JOIN US BEFORE STEVNE;GET FALL SA GA FREE!

1994 Sigdal Lag Dues include 3 issues of the SAGA.Labels bear the paid year following the name. SAGAis sent 1st Class to one address to 1 or 2 adults &includes minor children at $8 annually or 3 yr/$20 inUS & Canada. US currency, please. SEND TO

MURIEL HOFF, Treas, 3512 White Bear Ave, WhiteBear Lake, MN 55110. Checks payable to SigdalLag. Total enclosed $____ (Use separatesheet for gift subscriptions)

Name/s

St/RFD _

City ISt zi p _

OLE BJt:JRNSEN'S LIFE IN SASKA TCHEWAN(Sent to SAGA by Garth Ulrich, Spalding, SK,Canada; it was written by Conrad Roli andpublished in a local history there).

Ole BjrMnsen was born in Sigdal, Norway in1864. In 1886 he emigrated to the UnitedStates of America. He lived in northernMinnesota where he spent most of the winterstrapping. In the summer he worked at variousjobs.

In 1903 he came to Canada. The first winterhe was trapping in the Naicam and Spaldingarea. There were no settlers here at that time.On June 2, 1904, he filed on a homestead, theNE 22-39-18-W2nd. It is believed that he wasthe first one to file on a homestead in this area.He spent the summers on the homestead wherehe built a small shack. He did theimprovements required by homestead law and,on June 10, 1908, he got title to hishomestead. He sold his homestead in 1911 andwent back to Norway for a visit. He spent thewinter in Norway. In April, 1912, he left forCanada again, together with three others of hisfriends from Norway. They had bookedpassage on the Titanic, but they arrived inLondon too late. The Titanic had left beforethey got there.

Ole spent many winters trapping in northernManitoba. He had a trap-line near ThicketPortage. That is close to where Thompson,Manitoba is now. The summers he spentmostly around Naicam. He worked on farmscutting brush, picking rocks, stacking (hay) andthreshing. He was a good worker and had notrouble finding work.

In the early fall of 1936 Ole and a friend of hisdecided to go north of Meadow Lake to trap.They bought all their supplies in Meadow Lakeand started out. They had all their suppliesloaded in a canoe and were going north. Theyhad gone about 90 miles when they got intorapids. The canoe upset and they lost all theirsupplies. They managed to get to shore. Theystarted walking back through the wilderness.They had no money or food. Ole got back toNaicam. He never said much about how hemanaged to get back but his friends believed hehad walked most of the way. He was over 70years old at the time.

Ole spent a short while in a senior citizen homein Indian Head. He didn't like it there so hereturned to Naicam. Life wasn't easy for Oleafter that. He was getting old and had nomoney. He lived alone in a small shack for awhile. On a very cold night in the winter, the

shack burned down. He managed to get out.He walked to the nearest neighbor, Carl andMargaret Anderson. They took him in and hestayed with them and they took good care ofhim until he passed away in 1944. This is buta small part of the life story of one of the· earlypioneers.

Note: Men named Ole Bjernsen lived at thefollowing farms: Bergerud, 1847; Beeie,181211842 gm Gunhild Ellingsdtr Beeie;Ekeneie, 1852/1853-S; Korsgarden, 1872t1 893-S; Krossgarden, 1860-S settled in Texas;Langerud, 1877-S; Moen, ?11879-K; Sundseie,186611888-S settled in Argyle, MN; Tunet(Noreeiel, 1839/1883-K gm Johanna RasmusdtrTunet; Aasland 1857/1 859-S settled inDecorah, IA.

Lag Thanks Evelyn FelskeFor Family History Book

Sigdalslag has received a gift book from authorEvelyn Felske of Saskatoon, SKi Canada.Land of Beyond: Leknes Family History andGenealogy (1989) is not only well organized,but it is also interestingly written and wellillustrated.

It is easy to see from her descriptions of thefarms in Norway that she is well acquaintedwith them. Her main family is from Leknesin Fla, along with related people from Gandrud,Sensteby, Gulsvik and Trommald.

There are several farm names from Kredsherad& Eggedal in her genealogy, too. Amongthem are Skadeland, Gren, Veikaaker,Sorteberg, Sortebergplassen, Aby, 0rgenviken,Golberg, Rodningen, Hovden, Skinnes, Bjertnesand 0rpen.

Edward Sorteberg, Halvor 0rpen, Mr. and Mrs.Christ 0rpen, Gutorm Sorteberg, and G. Vinnaare listed among the early settlers in the areaof Canada where the Leknes family live today.The provisions of the Canadian HomesteadAct drew families there from the upperMidwest and Norway.

Many of you will want to use this hardcoverbook at Wahpeton. We congratulate Evelynfor her beautiful book, and thank her for hergift to Sigdalslag.

Helen AaseDonald & Barbara AndersonArlyn & Verna Anfinrud+ Telford AnstenMerrill C AustinAvis & Morris BaasenBill Larson BekkestadHenry A BergDonald & Elaine BerganLorain BerganJames A & Sylvia BergerudOlga BerglundSigmund BergrudElvera BisbeeLillian & Norman BorsethGrace A BorudKay BuckinghamGloria & Don BurrisDoris CampbellCarl CashHelen ChristenAlvina & Ed ChristiansonDoris Enger ClarkMarilyn & Don CresapHelmer DahlenRon & Joyce DahlenDoreen & Harry DeLong, JrJohn & Gert DonlanDorothy & Eugene EckhoffDuane & Dorothy Ellingson+ Keith EngerVivian & Clarence ErbesOren & Orlene EricksonEvelyn Evenson*Evelyn FelskeGudrun J FossOle & Hazel FossEunice & Mirl FosterDoris GalstadMarjorie & Bill GanzelOrlando & Joan GjesdalEllen & Clark GloodRosella & Virgil GoettelmanIngvald & Tora GranumPhyllis & Sam GreerDee A GrimsrudEddie & Alice GronsethHalvor GronsethAI F & Ellen GronvoldRuby & Doug GroveLaural GundersonWayne & Shirley GundersonVerna HainesIrene & Blanche HansenRev James HansonLeva & Sam HauglandEdel & John HeadingtonEunice HelgesonSandra & Tom HendricksonSylvia & Craig HertsgaardMuriel HoffInga Honrud*L1oyd JellumCorrine Lesteberg JohnsonLoren C JohnsonDiane & Paul JonesEvelyn & Ken JonesJames JonesJennifer JonesHarald & Ruth Kastelle*Janet & Allan KeupDiane Enger KirstRuth Kjome

1993 Member HouseholdsMNNONOIATXMNMNORIAMNMNMNMNMNIAMNKYWAMNVAWIMNMTORNONOCAMNMNSOCAMNWAMNSaskCAMNSOSOWINOSOIA

NORWAYNOWITXB.C.FLNOMNMNILMNSOMNIAMNMNMNMNMNWAMNMNWAMNMNMNCAILWAMN

Carol KlevenAnne LarsonIrene LarsonPaul 0 LarsonRuth & Bob LawLinda & Oswald LeichtAlvina & Charles LemonRuth & Russell LillemoenKevin LundeBeverly & James LundeenPhyllis MarquardtMarion & John MatsonPhilip MatsonJune C & William J MattkeCarol MeadeHelen & Deane MellumAlice & Fred MensingKay L MensingMarion MobraatenMarilyn & Cliff MoenLaverne MurchIrene & Harry NavarreClara & Ed NegaardChristian NeggenMelia & Edward NelsonNancy C Nelson*Pauline NelsonOrlin NessLawrence/Catherine NielsonSig/Sonja Somdahl NordlandFredrikke OksendahlGrace Livdahl OlsonInez OlsonIvonne & Marian Olson*Jim & Nancy OlsonRosalie & Don OlsonNorma Nerdalen PaaschArland & Thelma PaulsonAudrey & Rodney PletanDr Sidney A & Lois RandDeb & Larry ReedEnid & John RingdahlRalph & Hazel RisbrudtMargaret RohmanLee & David RokkeGeorgia Rosendahl*Glen RudeVirgil RudeMildred RuedArchie Ruglarid*Walter S RuglandColleen RustadO'Dell & Mildred RuudOrville & Milda RuudShirley & R N SampsonElaine SchulstadEleanor SchultzPatricia & Craig ShaverJean & Everett Shogren*Deborah ShortinoDonald & Lynn SkadelandHazel & Oscar SkaimArlene & Howard SkjervemCarmen & Carlene SkjervemJulie SolumLawrence & Gloria SolumLorentz SolumMarilyn & Narvel Somdahlo B & Hildier StovernLoretta & Dennis SumstadRussell & Gladys Sund*Carrol & Dorris SundahlEsther ThompsonRachel ThompsonRichard TiedemanLen Tweten

MNCAMNIAIASaskWAMNNOCOMNMNMNMNMNORMNMNMNMNNONMMNCAMNMNCAMN10TXNOMNMNNOMNCAMNNOMNMNMNMNMNNOMNMNNONONOIACTMNMNMNMNAZIAMNCAMNNBIANOWYMNMNWIMNMNMNMNVANONOMNAlta

Mildred & Sheldon Tyberg MNEsther Bergerud Ugstad AZGarth Ulrich SaskDonnalee & Howard Van Zante IA*Donna & Harris Viker MNGlen Waller NOAnita M Welsh WASherman Welstad NOBette & Dale Wheeler CA+ Donna Lee & Charles Wheeler NYEarl & Barbara Will FLAddie & Ted Williams MNTora Woodman MNCarol & Art Zielinski MN

As of May 15, 1993:163 family memberships(Memberships Jan 1 to Dee 31)

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Var kj::ere, strevsommemor og svigermor, v<lrsnille bestemor, olde-mor og tippoldemor,min s0ster, v<lrsviger-

inne og tanteHelga Granum

f¢dt Finnerud 25/8 1889sovnet stille inn i dag.

Kr0deren, 6. mars 1993.Paul Gunhild·Anders GunvorIngvald ToraRagne Konrad

IngerKristiMargitHelge AnnaEinar LoviseGunvor Hans

Barnebarn,oldebarn,tippoldebarn

Alma Bl'llten (s0ster)0vrige familie

Begraves fra Glesnekapell tirsdag 16. mars

kl. 13.00.

NEWSBITSSigdalslag extends its sympathy to the family of Helga F. Granum whodied March 6 at the age of 103 years, 7 months old. Nine children, onesister, and many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-greatgrandchildren survive. INGVALD GRANUM, a life member of the lag, is aformer mayor of Kn~dsherad and Villa Fridheim's chairperson. The SAGAthanks Ragne Eken and also Daniel Lie of Hokksund, Norway, for supplyinginformation. .

In June, 1893, when she was almost four years old, Helga remembers herAunt Ingeborg leaving for America. SAGA carries both the original writingabout her girlhood in Norwegian dialect and an English version, eventhough the storytelling flavor is lost in English. The editor met hercharming first-cousin-once-removed in 1978 and again in 1986. Helga's"faster" Ingeborg (b Finnerud; identified as Hunstadhagen--her sister'shome-- in exit papers) later became the North Dakota grandmother of four,including members RON DAHLEN & MARILYN SOMDAHL.

Thanking for Sigdalslaget Album, Daniel Lie also photocopied 1986newspaper accounts of the stevne in Norway that year. Mange Takk! Liewas born in Bingen (Eiker) where he spent the first 22 years of his life.He hosted the late Rolf H. Erickson while he researched his Bingen-Sigdalroots. Books given previously by Lie are available for use at the stevne.

Family reunions are big this year. New members DONNA & HARRISVIKER will have attended one for his relatives by stevne time, but theENGER CLAN gathers Sunday (July 11) at Kindred, ND, after the stevne.

Belated Birthday Wishes to OLGA BERGLUND! One of her gifts was anIBM computer which she puts to use daily--she is writing a book! She

takes time to tutor a Ukrainian family learning English, and is still making kransekake and invitingfriends to share meals and conversation. Reports come from members attending the mid-AprilGrieg Symposium at St. Olaf College.

Who is familiar with the geography of Norway & willing to work a couple of hours at theNorwegian Bygdelag booth at HJEMKOMST FESTIVAL? It's June 24-25 in Fargo-Moorhead.Contact June Adele Dolva, 218-483-4461. You can share your enthusiasm for being a memberof a lag and recruit prospective members for all 30 groups affiliated with Bygdelagenes Fellesraad.

Modeling bunader at the April 24 Nordic Brunch at the Minneapolis Marriott were EUNICEHELGESON in the Romerike bunad and CORRINE JOHNSON in the Kr0dsherad bunad. Amongthose watching them were EVELYN JONES and two daughters-in-law, HARRY & IRENE NAVARRE,EVELYN EVENSON, RUTH KJOME, MARION MATSON, PHYLLIS MARQUARDT, LEE ROKKE, andthe editor. The event benefits Vesterheim Museum, Decorah, IA.

GARTH ULRICH and LOREN JOHNSON, Minneapolis, are exchanging/sharing genealogy researchtime. Garth is a sophomore at the University of Saskatchewan at Saskatoon.

Both DR. SIDNEY & LOIS RAND will be in Minneapolis following graduation exercises atAugustana College late this month. Dr. Rand has been the interim president there for a secondtime. Nothing beats experience!

GRACE L1VDAHL OLSON got a letter from DOLORES STARKWEATHER, Billings, MT, who notedcommon Sylling ancestry. Grace says the Sigdalslaget Album is doing its work splendidly! Threebook corrections are included in this issue to fit over the original line of type.

All, ESPECIALLY NEW MEMBERS, are invited to share their family ties & relationship to our areasof Norway at Wahpeton.

Grandma was often at Hunstadhagen where she hadrelatives. We usually took the Hoffar - Kroken road,and after that the "old path". We walked aboutalone too.

In the summertime we hoofed it from Hovlandseterroad to the Hunstad corner. The road by Hoffarsetrawas the winter route. The Hoffar farm wasEmbretsfinnerud that Gunnar and Alma (FinnerudBrMhen) have now. Here in the wintertime waswhere one departed, with horse and sleigh, forcommunity (functions). I was delivered from .troubleone time there-- I'd lost my mitten, but got It backbecause mother had sewn a capital H on it.

Although mother was good at sewing, it wa~. reallydad's sister, Aunt Ingeborg, who had the position ofseamstress in the neighborhood. I remember onceshe sat down the hill at Embretsfinnerud-- in the oldroom there --sewing. It was cold outdoors S? it wasgood to sit inside. I was there, t,?o, as a tinY tot--playing and "into things". When tired, .1 fell. asleep,but my aunt must have covered me with pieces ofwool fabric or garments. I was alone when I wokeup and then I was a bit scared or bewildered. That'show I remember 'ho faster Ingeborg' who wentabroad to America. That time grandma led the wayto the Rl2lmmestein on Hovlandseter road to saygoodbye just before Ingeborg (*) would leave withothers from Sigdal (in June, 1893).

Compared with lower Sigdal, we had a lot fewerschool days. We had school every. day for a week ortwo with lengthy delays between times. Perhaps wedidn't need so much school either. I went to schoolfor Mr. Vestby. He lived down in Sigdal, but for thedays he was in the forest, he lived .in. theschoolroom. One time it happened that the minister--Lampe was his name --should listen to see what wewere learning. Walking outside to grandma's privy,he met her and wondered if she didn't know him.Yes, of course! She'd seen him at church, but sheremarked what a plain name he had.

I "read for the minister" in Sigdal. Then we walkednear Reistad and Skarom and Asen. We met everyspring day. There were so many young people .takinginstruction, so we began almost too early In th,espring with the meetings--it happened there was stiliice on the water as I walked there mornings. Therewere many meetings throughout the summer.

Mostly we traded in 'Kross'hera' with Kallager. Aftershopping was done we proudly got hard candy drops.We went on foot down by Glesne and Liabraten.

One time it was really dark. We'd been shopping,and I carried kerosene for the barn lanterns. I couldhave slept over at my uncle's place, but I wasdetermined to get home to mother; she'd need lightto do morning chores in the barn. As long as I hadVersasen on the right side of the road, I was certainto find my way. I wasn't afraid, but there weremany who were afraid to walk in the forest and theynever went alone; they always took someone alonQ'I remember Dad used to say we could borrow hisjacket. Then there would be no fear of the dark!

We learned to drop twigs as markers in the walkingpath to help find our way back and that worke~ well.It was worst when we heard angry cat~le In theforest; then we weren't quite so brave walking alone.

It happened there came peddlers up to the forest--"skreppekremerar" we called them. One wa.s calledKrok. It was such fun when he opened his case."Bendler og band" (buttons and ribbons), heannounced. We youngsters remember best. that hehad pencils, mouth organs, horns and such things.

I had to be out earning right away after I ~asconfirmed. First I went to Moru at Sanrom, Justbarely 15 years old. I was "j~mna~t". inside,watching the children, but I helped with mllkln~, too.When I wanted a trip home, I went over the river atEivl2lla. I stayed a half year; then I worked at Glesne(Kofsegarden) and stayed there til I married.

From Finnerudskogen

We didn't own horses at Finnerud; so we had to getsomeone to help us with the horses' eyes. As ayoung girl, I was fearful of horses-- this was longbefore we had any. We had cows and sheep. Oncewe had a ram who led the cows during the day inthe forest. Neither did we own chickens--they onlystrut around and act cocky.

We dried the hay mostly where it was cut, but wealso took bark off wood to be used for drying racks.We put the grass high on the pole, but we wereafraid of wire in the hay. It was risky to use "tra"(wire or fiber thread) in haymaking as the cows couldingest it. We knew after we gave the cattle water todrink if they had swallowed some foreign materialother than hay. Mother seemed to know if there wasa problem before she walked to the barn. We cutgrass with the scythe. It didn't work to .use amowing machine; it left too much (grass) standing.

When we brought in the fodder, it was showy to usethe "bl2lrsvl2llk". We used this also when we only hada little bit we could have just as well carried in thearms. It was made of willow--(a basket type ofconveyance worn on a person's back, c!'lrried by twostraps). The willow whips were placed In the swampMymlla to make them soft and pliable enough tobend. We cut some seterwillows from Hoffarseterand Hovlandseter. We had many marshes. Therewas Gamlestugul2llla which lay near the ~cho~1 .andalongside stood "gamlestugua", the old main bUilding.Mymlla lay north from the forest. Here byHoffarsetra lay Snamlla. There we could ta~e up ice-cold spring water in the warmest summertime. Thespring was always empty if there was a dry spell.

Published in Under Norefjell No 2, 1986, pp 27-29,with translation by MDS. Readers are reminded thatNorwegian dictionaries do not include dialect words;it is a separate, distinctive spoken language.

* Marilyn D Somdahl is Ingeborg Endresdtr'sgranddaughter. Ingeborg attended dressmaki!lg schoolin Drammen at age 17; at age 21 she emigrated toTracy, Lyon Co, MN, to her brother Helge E.Finnerud.

SMAJENTE pA FINNERUDSKOGENHo bestemor va' ofte te Hunsta'hagan der '0hadde skyldf0lk. Vi jikk oftast veien o~ .~offarell'Kroken, og sa gamleveien utetter. VI jlkk au'Iinna' utover.

Sommarstia jikk vi au beint Hovlandset,er~eien t~'Hunsta'roa. Veien om Hoffarsetra va vmtervel.Hoffar bruka Embretsfinneru', de' Finneru' somn'Gunnar og '0 Alma har na, og d0m ,hent.afor d~rvintersti' me' hest og slea, de'ffer va re vmtervelgte'bygda. Je' va' enda me' a tro forlass, je' mistaeine votten min eingong, men je' fekk'n att, fm '0mor hadde sydd ein stor H pa votten. Ho va' endago' te' a sy, men '0 faster Ingeborg va' sYdam~~ho sydde fm f0lk. Je' huksar eingong hosatt ne I

Embretsfinneru' a sydde, i gamlestua der. De' va'kallt og godt a sitta ne'i der. Je' va' lita smajenteog sa va' je'der au og leika me' noko. M~n ~asovna je' ho faster Ingeborg bredde over mel no nplagg, d~ je' vakna, va' je' aleine, da va: je' 'kjeh0g i hatten. De' e' det je' kan hukse om 0 fasterIngeborg. Ho reiste te' Amerika, da f.0rte '0 mo~'0 te' R0mmestein ve' Hovlandsetervelen, ho skureise sammen me' no'n fra Sigdael.

Vi hadde mindre skule vi enn d0m ne'i bygda, vihadde skule hver dag ei viku ell' to, men sa va'relangt Opph0ld, vi trengte kanskje ikke sa mykjiskule hell'. Vestby hette laerer'n je' jikk fm. Hanbudde ne'i Sigdael, men de dagane han va' paskaugen budde 'n i skulestua.

De' hente at presten kom a sku' hme pa ussongane. Eingong kom der' ein som hette Lampe,han va' uti kammerse' te' '0 bestemor. Han lurtepa om '0 bestemor kjente 'n? Jo -- ho bestemorgjorde da de', ho hadde 'ra sett 'n i kj0rka -- mende' e' simpelt namn du har-- sa '0 bestemor.

Je' jikk a Ie f0r presten i Sigdael, .dajikk vi ne' omReista' og om Skarom og Asen. VI m0tte hver varedagar, de' va'sa mykji lesarungar. Vi b'ynte tili'me' lesarm0tune om var' n, reint f0r tiT, de' hentede' va' is pa 10ken da je'sku ne' over om maran,de' vart mange learm0tur utover sommar'n.

Vi handla mest i Kr0ss'hera', hos Kallager, derfekk vi St0tt ei dropsestrylle attpa handel'n. Vi jikkbeint over a kom ne'att ve'Glesne, ja, vi kunne gaenda beinare au og komma ne've' Liabraten.

De va'eingong de'va'dugeli' m0rt, je' hadde v0rii bygda og hand la, je' hadde me' parafin te'fj0slykta: Je' kunne fatt liggi over ho:, '~farbro',men je'ville heimat te '0 mor sku I fj0Se' o~mara'n. Sa lenge je' hadde Versasen pa h0gre slaa' veien, va' je' sikker pa a finne fram. Je'va'kj~redd men de'va' mange som va'redde f0r a ga Iskau~n, d0m jikk aller aleine, men ?estandi' if0ljeme' no'n. Je'huksar han far sa at VI kunne fa lanejakka hass, den va'kje m0rkeredd den.

Vi laerte uss te' a legge merker i veien sa vi sku'finne heimat, je' la barkvistar i veien, da jikk de'bra. De' va' verst nar vi h0rte at de' va'sinna

kmtter i skauen, da' va; vi utrgge nar vi jikk aleine.

De' hente de'kom kremerar oppa skauen,skreppekremerar kalla vi 'mm. Ein ta'r0m hetteKrok, de'va; sa moro nar'n slo opp kofferten, --bendler og band --sa 'no Vi ongane huksa best at'n hadde blyantar, munnspell, trompetar og slekknoko.

Je' matte ut a tjene straks je' va' kon'fermert.Fyst va je' pa Moru' pa Sanrom, je' va' barefemten ar da. Je' va' jamnast inne og passaongane, men je'va;au ~e' i fj~se', je'ku~n,e 'ramj0lke. Nar je' skulle em tur helmat, vart je settover elva ve'Eiv0Ia. Je vart der bare et hallt arsti'. Sea fekk je teneste pa Glesne, pa Kofsegar'n,der vart je'te'je'jifta meL

Vi hadde ikkje hest i Finneru'. Vi matte fa nokonte' a hj01pe oss me'hest i 0nnine. Je'va' reddhestar de'va'vel f0r at vi ikkje hadde hest daje'va' ~majente. Vi hadde kuir ?g s~uar, vi haddeein sau eingong som f0rte kUlne I skaugen omdagen. H0nur hadde vi ikkje, d0m gikk bare ogsparka i aile akrar.

Slatten t0rka vi mest ne'pa men vi hadde auslekke staurar me'knottar pa, te'hesjing. Vi hesjah0yet pa staurar, staltra' va' vi redd. l?e' va'fa'l!a bruke tra', kuine kunne fa gvasst I se~. V!kjente etter i byttune om det va' no' gvasst I da VIga'mm drekke. Ho mor kjente sa vael etter om 0'hadde noko gvasst pa sei f0r '0 jikk te fj0se'. Vislo enga me'lja. De' jikk ikkje an a brukeslamaskin, de'vart alt f0r lang Ijastubb ettermaskin.

Nar vi sku'ha inn foret, va're stas a brukeb0rsv0lken. Vi bruka au b0rsv01ken om vi barehadde ein liten dott vi godt kunne tatt underarmen. Bmsv01ken va' laga a'vier, vi la 'rom boliMymlla f0r a h011e'mm mjuke. Vi slo au nokonseterv011ar vi slo Hoffarseter- v011en ogHovlandseterv011en. Vi hadde fleire 0l1er,de'va'Gamlestugu0I1a, den ligg neom sjole' dernepasto gamlestugua. Myr011aligg nordi skauen, a~sava're ei 011eoppme' berje'. Hitom Hoffarset~a IIggSnamlla de' hente vi va'boli der og henta Iskalltoppkom~evann varmaste sommar'n, den va' allertom om de'va' t0rke.

Begge stykker av Helga Granum som sovnet stilleog rolig inn 6. mars 1993 --103 ars og 7 maned~rgammel. Written as the dialect was spoken mKmdsherad. Try to read it aloud. Taken fromUnder Norefjell No 2, 1986, pp 27-29.

Eggedal's Face Before and Today - Part IIAmerican born Eva Aasand (1909-1978) wrote many articles and poetry in Sigdalslaget, 1949. From age two, shewas raised in Norway by her aunt Gunhild Teige and her husband Truls. (SAGA - Feb, 1987) Rosella Goettelmanhas translated the yearbook article, "Eggedals Ansigt for og idag", concluding with pp 24-27.

A majority of the people got the idea that theyshould tear down the old pretty tar-coveredstave church which stood so handsome atHovland Prestegaard. It wasn't pretty enoughany longer. And so it was. They tore it downand some of the big strong beams were used tobuild horse stalls near the new church. The restwere sold at auction. Part of the interior, therare, skillfully done altar table, pulpit, andbaptismal font were, fortunately, preserved. Itwas more desirable to get a plain white paintedchurch lower down in the valley with a lessartistic interior. The new church wasconsecrated in 1878. But there was a lot ofdispute about the church and, fortunately, notmany years later, the interior was rebuilt withthe old things. In later years the church hasbeen restored inside to make it as much like theold as possible, which was rare, pretty andartistic. Color advisor and headmaster of theArt and Industry School in Oslo, Karsten Lienfrom Sigdal, has managed the restoration andhas, along with architect Knut Hoffart, done avery grand and artistic work. And now thepainting and ceiling decorations are back again.

Bank cashier Knut G. Berg, who died in 1943,gave 10,000 kroner for a chapel, for whichthere was a great need in the community. It isnow nearly finished and put in use. HeadmasterLien has also done a lot of work which isn'tfinished yet. Among other things he is doing,there is a Biblical ceiling painting. It can also bementioned that Karsten Lien has boughtRuglandshagen and has built himself a summerhome according to the old style.

In the last half of 1890 the people caughtAmerica fever in earnest. Cottagers with a wifeand children tore themselves loose from theplace. Young people from poor homes andprosperous homes went in flocks out of thecommunity to that large, enticing golden landfar away in the west in search of prosperity andluck. Cottagers' places became deserted, fallinginto disrepair afterwards. Most were taken forfields. Only some small placename gaveevidence that it once was a home place. Someplaces are kept in good order, but they areeither rented out or sold away from the farm toprivate owners. It is certain that the promisedland gave the emigrant great possibilities. Theyseldom or never came back to the old country.And if they came, it was just for a short visit.The people of the community today are happythat the cottagers' boys and girls and all theothers went out and became farmers, office

workers, jurists, and professors, which theyotherwise never would have had the opportunityto become in the small, poor circumstances oftheir homeland. We are proud that they had thecourage to go to the big unknown with emptyhands. One might say that everyone in thecommunity has one or another distant relative inAmerica.

Yes, so much has changed since then, and onecan safely say that in the last 50 years thedevelopment has happened at a quick tempo.The cottage places were rented out. The titheto the minister was discontinued long ago. Theroads were redone and widened. Stores, oillamps, and separators were put in use. Therewere shops and a postoffice and the firsttelephones were put in. In 1919 Eggedal gotits own "central" with telephones over thewhole community. The first taxi, the••Eggedalen", rolled up through the communityand brought wares to the people. The severaldays' trip by horse to the market grounds nowwere over.

The community got its first business companyand rented a house at Hamre in 1901. But in1921 the company built its own store near thechurch and now have about 100 stockholders.But now there are plans to build a bigger, moremodern store with hairdressing, a laundry, and awaiting room for travelers. But many areagainst it because they are afraid that it wouldcost too much. So it may be many yearsbefore the plan goes through.

The old brook mills now are only a saga andhad to give way to a common mill. The oldschool also had the same fate long ago. Thecommunity is now divided into six schooldistricts: Nedre Eggedal, Kopseng, Aasand,Vestbyda, Nordbygda, and Hovland. Each hasits own more or less good school house. Plansfor a central school have been up fordiscussion, but the majority is against such anarrangement. But the young are lookingforward with hope and expectation to the daythat the plan will be a reality.

The first organizations we had in the communitywere the Young Peoples' Society, AthleticSociety, and Red Cross. But in later years awhole lot of organizations have blossomed:Abstension Society, Home Missions, Seamen'sMission, Women's Society, Farm Women'sSocity and Blind and Crippled Society. Sincethe young peoples' building, "Unghall" is

Aasand/Goettelman - "Eggedal's Face ... " Part II

beginning to decay and the road to it is bothsteep and long, the Young Peoples' Society ismaking plans about building a new, modernyouth hall at the athletic field below the church.Here there will also be a bathroom. Already itseems sure that the homes will be empty. Formany years there were oil lamps to light up thehouse, but thanks to the support from Eggedalemigrants, electric lights and power were put inmost of the homes in 1940.

It was good that the community doesn't have atrain and that the road from Nordbygda overHaglebu and Flenten to Bromma in Hallingdalwasn't ready yet when the war came. A fewGerman cars rumbled themselves forward as faras it went. But, long in the face, they had toturn back and take another road. And soEggedal was without the soldiers and theirbarracks; it lay as a free little paradise in themiddle of the horror, way to the close of thewar in the spring of 1945. Then here also, onewas touched with a little of the war's horrorand destruction.

That winter there were Military Organizationboys from all of Buskerud gathered at Jupsjeenand Haglebu for weapon training. But outtowards spring the Germans came sniffingaround to see what mysterious things weretaking place in our little shut-off mountaincommunity. And it resulted in a hideous raid.The men who were then on weapons trainingmet up with the Germans and their "stormtroopers". Many, especially of the enemy, paidwith their lives. A monolith now stands at thatplace over the fallen Mil. Org. men. Haglebuhas now become even more of a touristattraction.

It is rather strange to think about, when townand community lay dark during the war, itcouldn't darken spirit and wit. There weremany amusing stories and songs in those days.Here I render a verse of a song which was oftensung at the time:We have darkened our panes. All we get issubstitute. But if you were born in a horses'sbelly you can die as crisis food. Yes, we gumwood pulp and we chew on plane shavings.There are many shavings in the land. Just eat.

When the Nore power plant (Nore 1 and 2 onthe other side of Eggedal's mountain) was builtup, a high tension power line was built acrossEggedal near Bele, Seland, Moen, Rausettroaover to Kredsherad and on to Oslo. At the timeit was northern Euope's largest water powerplant with a capacity of 225,000 kilowatts anda voltage of 132,000 watts. Eggedal didn't getany power from those lines because it was tooexpensive to convert it down from those highlines.

The tourist traffic in the community hasincreased greatly in the last years. Colorfultourists from in and out of the land, especiallyat Easter, stream over the area and mountainand occupy the seters and cabins and everyconceivable house it is possible to live in. Theymake their impression on the people andcommunity idioms, and on original morals andcustoms. Many have built their cabins here,where they go several times in the year. Thereare now two private boarding houses besidestown halls, which are also boarding houses.Even though the road through is not finished,the tourists find their way anyway. Busses,cars and vans are always to be seen on theroads. Tractors, also, have been put to workon the larger farms.

There is now a radio in each home. It was anexperience when the broadcasting car visitedthe valley and the oldest seter woman in thecommunity and several others heard their voiceson the radio in the program, "An Expedition tothe Seters in Eggedal."

By the way, the seter drover has been doneaway with lately, because no one, neitheryoung nor old, bothers with tending the herdany longer. The young have so many irons inthe. fire and readily go out to town and toschools far away. Now there are, at one timeor another, many kinds of courses, both in foodpreparation, sewing, weaving, language and firstaid.

There was a big enterprise when Sigdal andEggedal went together on a museum, and therewill also be a hospital soon. The plans andproblems are many and large and may be hardto manage economically. It is not strange thatthe Eggedeler are taking a long time to considerit. But even if the community is in a backwaterin several ways, it shall come, even if notsuddenly.

The people of SigdaI Prestegjeld and especiallywe Eggedeler send warm greetings to theSigdalslag and especially those who descendfrom Eggedal. We will also hereby say ourheartfelt thanks for all the America letters andpackages we have received after peace came.(May 8, 1945)

REGISTRATION FEE (Thurs/Fri/Sat) $12 per person x = $*Meeting Rooms *Genealogy *Entertainment/Program *Exhibits - --

________________ - phone _(all first & last names for badges)

IF WILLING, circle volunteer job/time: lag registration, genealogy helper, song leader,pianist/organist or ) (Th am, Th pm, Fri am, Sat am)?

ESTIMATE HOW MANY MEALS WILL BE TAKEN AT THE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER.SEND NO MONEY. PRICESare reasonable as in previous years.

BreakfastLunchDinner

ThursThursThurs

Fri SatFri SatFri Banquet

TO BE RECEIVEDBY June 24, 1993 by:Muriel Hoff, Sigdal Treasurer3512 White Bear Lake AveWhite Bear Lake, MN 55110

(College provides linens, pillow, blanket, shower facilities & ELEVATOR. There is no airconditioning, but you may bring a fan (and perhaps a washcloth).

Rates are $8.50 per night single room or $14 per night double room.

Send this form and a check for payment in the full amount due with checks payable toNO State College of Science. It should be RECEIVEDTHERE BY JULY 1 --which is also thelast date to request refunds. (Dorm keys, campus maps & parking information will beavailable at the Student Center). MAIL TO

Chet larson, Director of Personnel ServicesHaverty Hall, NDSCSWahpeton, NO 58075

"PASSAGE TO THE PRAIRIE" Comes July 8-9-10for 7 Norwegian Lag--Hadeland, Land, Numedal, Ringerike-Modum-Eiker, Sigdal, Telelag & Toten

How many can you identify from 1992? Solveig Bilstad & Corrine Johnson wear bunader fromKrodsherad (right center).

About Gifts, Memorials & Book OrdersGifts of $3 or more as well as book sales will be acknowledged inthe next SAGA. Funds help rebuild the Publishing Fund.Additional books of the Sigdalslaget Album, 1991-1992 areavailable for orders. Prices include postage & envelopes.Members: $6.95 each postpaid Norwat: $10.20/each PP

Non-members: $8.50/ea PP (to US &\Canada) Please statehow many with a complete name and addres~ for each. Youmay enclose a small gift card with your QJcier,"ifdes.ired.Send a check payable to SIGDAL LAG i",US funds toMuriel Hoff, 3512 White Bear Ave";. White Bear lake, MN55110 ..