Title
MR. AND MRS. WALTER M. GUSTAFSON
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 140N RANGE 95W
Text
MR. AND MRS. WALTER M. GUSTAFSON
Walter M. Gustafson was born Feb. 21, 1892, at Sibley, Minn, to Carl Henry Gustafson, born July 9, 1867, and Anna Kristine Gustafson born Dec. 1, 1869 in Sweden. His grandparents were: Andres Johanson Gustafson, born May 19, 1819, at Eling, Sweden and Inga Cajsa Hanson, born June 27, 1822. His great-grandparents were: Johannas Gustafson, born Dec. 1791, at Karlasgard, Sweden, and Ingrid Anderson, Dec. 22, 1789. His great-great-grandparents were Gustaf Johanson Gustafson, born Jan. 26, 1762 and Kjirstin Anderson, born Oct. 12, 1768.
When he was about 17 years old, his parents moved from Minnesota to Reeder, N.D. with the family which included Walter, Ike, Paul and daughters Ellen, Olive, Julia and Mabel. His sisters went to school at the then, State Normal School, Dickinson, N.D. and some of them taught school in the Versippi area. The Carl Henry Gustafsons then moved to Oregon where they lived out their lives.
On March 21, 1916, at Dickinson, N.D., Walter M. Gustafson married Ida Muecke, daughter of Henry Muecke, born in Schlessien Germany and Anna Bertha Schlapman born at Pamern, Germany. Her grandparents were Fred and Katherine Saddler-Schlapman. Their children included: Carl, born Jan. 19, 1917; Earl, April 30, 1919; Paul Aug. 27, 1920; Alvin, Nov. 1, 1932 and Marie, June 3, 1929, who died at the age of 12.
After marriage Walter farmed just south of the now Matt Rebel farm (formerly Burr Pelton farm), then south of Versippi School at a farm possibly called the Weir farm — later Splichals and then Krauters. They then moved west of Dickinson and farmed where the Dickinson Dam now covers much of the land. The farm buildings were where the Lions Park is at present. The three older sons had a great time growing up on the Heart River now covered by the dam. The three older boys went to Ash Coulee School, now the residence of John Keller, four miles west of Dickinson on old Highway #10. Memory tells of a blizzard that started one day (possibly 1928 or 1929) while the boys were in school, Walter hitched up a team of horses to get the boys from school. The boys took a short cut and walked safely home, but Dad got lost and as the old timers did, left it to the team of horses to find the way home, and they did. The family then moved north to the then Frank Whitney farm, later the Joe Kubischta farm. 1939, Walter and Ida purchased Ida's parental farm, the Henry Muecke farm near Versippi School.
The Henry Mueckes had homesteaded near Taylor and around 1904 purchased two sections of land from the railroad and a half section, possibly the Charles Heitman homestead, west and south of the Versippi School. The Muecke family included five sons; Henry, Oscar, Albert, Ted and Ben; daughters Ida, Margaret, Anna and Nellie. After selling the farm the family moved to Mt. Dora, Fla. Where they purchased an orange grove. Margaret, Nellie and Ben still live in that area. A family story told was that Anna Schlapman Muecke, at the age of 16 walked to Bismarck, N.D. to get a dairy cow and then led her all the way home. They also told of small Indian bands coming through while they worked in the fields. They would ask for food and tobacco, the family always buried the lunch, only saving a little tobacco so they would have something to give. One of the most spine chilling events was to have wolves follow the wagons or a lone rider right up to the farm. Of course they never showed when you had a gun.
Walter Gustafson farmed in Stark Co. all his married life, all his sons have spent the majority of their lives in Stark Co., as well. Ida Muecke Gustafson died July 22, 1960 and Walter died April 14, 1963. Son Carl died Dec. 17, 1969. Three sons Earl, Paul and Alvin (Bud) survive.
By Paul Gustafson
Walter M. Gustafson was born Feb. 21, 1892, at Sibley, Minn, to Carl Henry Gustafson, born July 9, 1867, and Anna Kristine Gustafson born Dec. 1, 1869 in Sweden. His grandparents were: Andres Johanson Gustafson, born May 19, 1819, at Eling, Sweden and Inga Cajsa Hanson, born June 27, 1822. His great-grandparents were: Johannas Gustafson, born Dec. 1791, at Karlasgard, Sweden, and Ingrid Anderson, Dec. 22, 1789. His great-great-grandparents were Gustaf Johanson Gustafson, born Jan. 26, 1762 and Kjirstin Anderson, born Oct. 12, 1768.
When he was about 17 years old, his parents moved from Minnesota to Reeder, N.D. with the family which included Walter, Ike, Paul and daughters Ellen, Olive, Julia and Mabel. His sisters went to school at the then, State Normal School, Dickinson, N.D. and some of them taught school in the Versippi area. The Carl Henry Gustafsons then moved to Oregon where they lived out their lives.
On March 21, 1916, at Dickinson, N.D., Walter M. Gustafson married Ida Muecke, daughter of Henry Muecke, born in Schlessien Germany and Anna Bertha Schlapman born at Pamern, Germany. Her grandparents were Fred and Katherine Saddler-Schlapman. Their children included: Carl, born Jan. 19, 1917; Earl, April 30, 1919; Paul Aug. 27, 1920; Alvin, Nov. 1, 1932 and Marie, June 3, 1929, who died at the age of 12.
After marriage Walter farmed just south of the now Matt Rebel farm (formerly Burr Pelton farm), then south of Versippi School at a farm possibly called the Weir farm — later Splichals and then Krauters. They then moved west of Dickinson and farmed where the Dickinson Dam now covers much of the land. The farm buildings were where the Lions Park is at present. The three older sons had a great time growing up on the Heart River now covered by the dam. The three older boys went to Ash Coulee School, now the residence of John Keller, four miles west of Dickinson on old Highway #10. Memory tells of a blizzard that started one day (possibly 1928 or 1929) while the boys were in school, Walter hitched up a team of horses to get the boys from school. The boys took a short cut and walked safely home, but Dad got lost and as the old timers did, left it to the team of horses to find the way home, and they did. The family then moved north to the then Frank Whitney farm, later the Joe Kubischta farm. 1939, Walter and Ida purchased Ida's parental farm, the Henry Muecke farm near Versippi School.
The Henry Mueckes had homesteaded near Taylor and around 1904 purchased two sections of land from the railroad and a half section, possibly the Charles Heitman homestead, west and south of the Versippi School. The Muecke family included five sons; Henry, Oscar, Albert, Ted and Ben; daughters Ida, Margaret, Anna and Nellie. After selling the farm the family moved to Mt. Dora, Fla. Where they purchased an orange grove. Margaret, Nellie and Ben still live in that area. A family story told was that Anna Schlapman Muecke, at the age of 16 walked to Bismarck, N.D. to get a dairy cow and then led her all the way home. They also told of small Indian bands coming through while they worked in the fields. They would ask for food and tobacco, the family always buried the lunch, only saving a little tobacco so they would have something to give. One of the most spine chilling events was to have wolves follow the wagons or a lone rider right up to the farm. Of course they never showed when you had a gun.
Walter Gustafson farmed in Stark Co. all his married life, all his sons have spent the majority of their lives in Stark Co., as well. Ida Muecke Gustafson died July 22, 1960 and Walter died April 14, 1963. Son Carl died Dec. 17, 1969. Three sons Earl, Paul and Alvin (Bud) survive.
By Paul Gustafson