Title
THE TOLLEFSON FAMILY
Creator
Lamoin Rader Huschka
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 139N RANGE 96W
Text
THE TOLLEFSON FAMILY
One of the prominent pioneer families in Stark Co. was the Tollefson family. Mr. and Mrs. Siver Tollefson came to America from Loudokken, Norway, in 1850, and settled in Dane County, Wisconsin. Another family who arrived there at the same time was the Gullickson family.
There were eight children in the Tollefson family. The third son, Ole, was born in Dane County June 16, 1855. One of his schoolmates was Robert LaFollette, who later became a leading statesman, governor and senator.
In 1875 the Tollefson family moved to Nebraska, along with other relatives and friends. They traveled by covered wagons and oxen for six weeks and settled in Hamilton County, Nebraska.
Belle Gullickson, one of ten children, also left Wisconsin at this time for Nebraska to live with a married sister, and she and Ole Tollefson were married there March 20, 1880. They farmed on a government claim there for five years but dry years and the fascination of frontier life prompted them to seek a new home farther north.
Ole and a brother-in-law brought a carload of farm machinery, household goods, a team of horses and a cow by railroad in an immigrant car to Hebron, Morton Co., Dakota Territory, April 1886. His wife, Belle, five-year-old son Arthur and three-year-old daughter Dora, came to Hebron by train July 4, 1886. Ole homesteaded near Hebron and built a two-room house, the lower half of sod and the top part lumber. Other relatives and friends were arriving about that time.
In 1888 Ole Tollefson got a job in Hebron buying wheat for the elevator and moved his family to town. Arthur was then old enough for school which was held three months in the Fall and three months in the Spring. Both Dora and Arthur learned to speak German fluently in the confirmation classes at the German Lutheran Church. In 1894 a baby sister, Edna, was added to the family.
Ole was appointed postmaster at Hebron and in 1890 he was supervisor of the census for Morton Co. 1896 he moved his family to Dickinson where he opened a meat market. This was a larger town with good schools for the children. Mr. Tollefson took an active part in school and civic affairs and in 1910 he was elected to the state legislature and for many years was on the Dickinson police force.
During all the hardships of those early pioneer years, Mrs. Tollefson was a devoted and hard-working member of her family and community. She was skillful at nursing and was often called upon to deliver the babies of neighbors when no doctor was available. She raised gardens and chickens and did a lot of canning and always baked a lovely angelfood cake when there was a birthday to celebrate.
Their son, Thomas Arthur, finished school in Dickinson and for a time worked at the Crowl store. In 1904 he married Florence Klinefelter, whose parents were also pioneers in Dickinson. In 1906 Arthur became a bookkeeper in the First National Bank and was later cashier and vice president, retiring shortly before his death in 1963 at the age of 81. He was one of Dickinson's most respected and prominent citizens and loved for his many kindnesses and his dedication to the best interests of the city. He held many civic posts and was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Shrine.
Mrs. Tollefson was also very active in church and charitable affairs and continued these interests until shortly before her death in 1976. The three children in their family are Mrs. Carl Wickum (Margery) of Bismarck, Mrs. Malcolm McQueen (Gladys) of Seattle, and son Norman of Casper, Wyo.
In 1900 Dora Tollefson got her teacher's certificate and started teaching at a country school near Taylor. It was at this time that she met her future husband, Lloyd Rader, who was superintendent of the Taylor schools. They were married in 1902 and lived in Taylor until two years later when Mr. Rader was elected County Superintendent of Schools and they moved to Dickinson. Their daughter Lamoin was born in Taylor and son Lynden was born in Dickinson.
After serving several terms as County Superintendent of Schools, the Rader family moved to Bismarck where Mr. Rader was assistant commissioner of agriculture. When World War I began, they had to return to Dickinson as a farm he owned and the dairy there needed his personal attention. Labor was scarce with many of the young men going to war and Mr. Rader bought the first milking machine in the state to help furnish milk to Dickinson residents — at 5¢ per quart. Dunng the 1918 flu epidemic when all the farm hands became ill, Mr. Rader and his 12-year old son Lynden, worked day and night caring for the 100 cows and providing the delivery of the milk.
Some years later, they moved to Fargo where Mr. Rader was in the real estate business. He died there in 1963 at the age of 87 and his wife, Dora, lived there until her death in 1970. Their son Lynden and his wife, the former Marie McCutchan, live in South Gate, Calif., and daughter Lamoin Huschka lives in Fargo, N.D. Both have families and grandchildren to cherish the memories of their ancestors.
The other Tollefson daughter, Edna, attended school in Dickinson and marned Erwin Muth, who was in the grocery business in Dickinson until his death. They had one son, Duane, who entered the ministry. He married a daughter of Dickinson pioneers, Florence Deiters, and they now live in Switzerland where Reverend Muth is teaching at a Bible College. Their only child, Mrs. Gerry Marsh (Marilyn) lives at Lynnwood, Wash. Edna continued her residence in Dickinson until her death in 1970.
In Summation: — We, whose lives today are better, safer, and easier, because of the hard work, sacrifices and courage of our pioneer ancestors, must bless their memories and never forget our debt to them.
By Lamoin Rader Huschka
One of the prominent pioneer families in Stark Co. was the Tollefson family. Mr. and Mrs. Siver Tollefson came to America from Loudokken, Norway, in 1850, and settled in Dane County, Wisconsin. Another family who arrived there at the same time was the Gullickson family.
There were eight children in the Tollefson family. The third son, Ole, was born in Dane County June 16, 1855. One of his schoolmates was Robert LaFollette, who later became a leading statesman, governor and senator.
In 1875 the Tollefson family moved to Nebraska, along with other relatives and friends. They traveled by covered wagons and oxen for six weeks and settled in Hamilton County, Nebraska.
Belle Gullickson, one of ten children, also left Wisconsin at this time for Nebraska to live with a married sister, and she and Ole Tollefson were married there March 20, 1880. They farmed on a government claim there for five years but dry years and the fascination of frontier life prompted them to seek a new home farther north.
Ole and a brother-in-law brought a carload of farm machinery, household goods, a team of horses and a cow by railroad in an immigrant car to Hebron, Morton Co., Dakota Territory, April 1886. His wife, Belle, five-year-old son Arthur and three-year-old daughter Dora, came to Hebron by train July 4, 1886. Ole homesteaded near Hebron and built a two-room house, the lower half of sod and the top part lumber. Other relatives and friends were arriving about that time.
In 1888 Ole Tollefson got a job in Hebron buying wheat for the elevator and moved his family to town. Arthur was then old enough for school which was held three months in the Fall and three months in the Spring. Both Dora and Arthur learned to speak German fluently in the confirmation classes at the German Lutheran Church. In 1894 a baby sister, Edna, was added to the family.
Ole was appointed postmaster at Hebron and in 1890 he was supervisor of the census for Morton Co. 1896 he moved his family to Dickinson where he opened a meat market. This was a larger town with good schools for the children. Mr. Tollefson took an active part in school and civic affairs and in 1910 he was elected to the state legislature and for many years was on the Dickinson police force.
During all the hardships of those early pioneer years, Mrs. Tollefson was a devoted and hard-working member of her family and community. She was skillful at nursing and was often called upon to deliver the babies of neighbors when no doctor was available. She raised gardens and chickens and did a lot of canning and always baked a lovely angelfood cake when there was a birthday to celebrate.
Their son, Thomas Arthur, finished school in Dickinson and for a time worked at the Crowl store. In 1904 he married Florence Klinefelter, whose parents were also pioneers in Dickinson. In 1906 Arthur became a bookkeeper in the First National Bank and was later cashier and vice president, retiring shortly before his death in 1963 at the age of 81. He was one of Dickinson's most respected and prominent citizens and loved for his many kindnesses and his dedication to the best interests of the city. He held many civic posts and was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Shrine.
Mrs. Tollefson was also very active in church and charitable affairs and continued these interests until shortly before her death in 1976. The three children in their family are Mrs. Carl Wickum (Margery) of Bismarck, Mrs. Malcolm McQueen (Gladys) of Seattle, and son Norman of Casper, Wyo.
In 1900 Dora Tollefson got her teacher's certificate and started teaching at a country school near Taylor. It was at this time that she met her future husband, Lloyd Rader, who was superintendent of the Taylor schools. They were married in 1902 and lived in Taylor until two years later when Mr. Rader was elected County Superintendent of Schools and they moved to Dickinson. Their daughter Lamoin was born in Taylor and son Lynden was born in Dickinson.
After serving several terms as County Superintendent of Schools, the Rader family moved to Bismarck where Mr. Rader was assistant commissioner of agriculture. When World War I began, they had to return to Dickinson as a farm he owned and the dairy there needed his personal attention. Labor was scarce with many of the young men going to war and Mr. Rader bought the first milking machine in the state to help furnish milk to Dickinson residents — at 5¢ per quart. Dunng the 1918 flu epidemic when all the farm hands became ill, Mr. Rader and his 12-year old son Lynden, worked day and night caring for the 100 cows and providing the delivery of the milk.
Some years later, they moved to Fargo where Mr. Rader was in the real estate business. He died there in 1963 at the age of 87 and his wife, Dora, lived there until her death in 1970. Their son Lynden and his wife, the former Marie McCutchan, live in South Gate, Calif., and daughter Lamoin Huschka lives in Fargo, N.D. Both have families and grandchildren to cherish the memories of their ancestors.
The other Tollefson daughter, Edna, attended school in Dickinson and marned Erwin Muth, who was in the grocery business in Dickinson until his death. They had one son, Duane, who entered the ministry. He married a daughter of Dickinson pioneers, Florence Deiters, and they now live in Switzerland where Reverend Muth is teaching at a Bible College. Their only child, Mrs. Gerry Marsh (Marilyn) lives at Lynnwood, Wash. Edna continued her residence in Dickinson until her death in 1970.
In Summation: — We, whose lives today are better, safer, and easier, because of the hard work, sacrifices and courage of our pioneer ancestors, must bless their memories and never forget our debt to them.
By Lamoin Rader Huschka