•~i~b~lsl~~~ja• VOL XIV NO 3 OCTOBER, 1994 Serving Norwegian-Americans of Sigdal - Eggedal & KrfJdsherad Ancestry

7 Lag Officers Will Begin Planning For 1995 Stevne October 29

Leaders representing the following Norwegian areas--Numedal, Ringerike-Modum-Eiker, and Sigdal in Buskerud fylke; Hadeland, Land, and Toten in Oppland fylke; and Telelag in Telemark fylke will meet in Bloomington, MN, October 29, 1994, to begin planning the 7 Lag Stevne for 1995.

Members should mark their calendars for July Saturday activities began in Sigdal Lag's 13 - 15, 1995, at NO State College of meeting room with a catered breakfast at Science, Wahpeton, NO, for this event and 8:30 a.m. Skits and musical entertainment make plans to attend. by the Valheimers of Spring Grove, MN, followed, including Sam and Leva Haugland . . In order to build on what the stevne already does well, leaders will evaluate the recent At the business meeting all incumbent officers stevne at La Crosse, WI, with regard to were re-elected for one-year terms. Deb program, banquet, genealogy sessions, local Shortino, Grand Forks, NO, will be the lag's ethnic sites, and member satisfaction. first historian. The suggestion for a named historian was filled by appointment since the Election of officers will be held and a site present constitution does not call for any selection committee is expected to be named other elective officers. for the 1996 stevne. Irene Navarre, a registered parliamentarian, asked to have a copy of the present constitution forwarded to her.

With 60 registrants each, Sigdal Lag tied one Then with the aid of an overhead projector for other lag at the La Crosse Stevne for the maps and pictures, Tim and John Donlan and most registrants. Sigdal had 43 lag members Eunice Helgeson told about the early days of and guests at the banquet Saturday evening. an interesting Glesne relative, Even Railsen, who founded Norway Lake, MN. Genealogy continues to draw new people to each stevne because both resources and Members attending their first US stevne for helpful people are available all day Thursday Sigdal Lag included Olaug (Skalland) & and Friday morning. Ole Granum, Toten, Sigstein Finsrud, l\IIagnor, Norway. Others Norway, and Marit Lucy, Salt Lake City, UT, are listed elsewhere. If you attended or provided further expertise and excitement in brought a guest and are not listed, please solving the dilemmas r~earchers face. send correct information to the editor. Sorry to say, a number of Sigdal computer files Lee Rokke, who ha? been designing Sigdal's vanished with only limited retreival. badges on her computer for many years, chose an old-fashioned tall churn for the Darrell Henning, curator of Vesterheim 1994 badge. The theme, "Land of Milk and Museum, Decorah, IA spoke Friday evening as' Honey", was appropriate for Wisconsin since he showed a visual sampling of the museum's many early Norwegian settlements were collections with the philosophy of its mission located there, including Koshkonong which and history for Norwegian-Americans. LeRoy was detailed by Mike Bovre in the Saturday Larsen and the Minnesota Scandinavian afternoon program along with a presentation Ensemble Show Band played a concert and by Jim Nestigen about Norskedalen at Coon afterward provided music for dancing. Valley, WI. Dr. Verlyn Anderson was the popular emcee, Today Wisconsin dairies are well known, and presenting the Norskedalen Trio, Wergeland Marigold Foods supplied pint cream carton Dancers, violinist Pat La Rue and "Ole & "vases" to hold red and white flowers which Lena" who sang duets from the 1930s and were set on blue bases for banquet table 1940s Saturday evening after the feast. decorations. White cloths and red napkins were chosen. Takk for ass! Fourteen years have passed since we moved into the parsonage in Sigda!. Fourteen years of attending school, leisure time activites, meetings with people at work and free time. We have acquired many good friends in Sigdal and Eggedal, and we were delighted to grow up in safe and good surroundings.

We take with us a multitude of good memories and wider experiences, knowing that we'll never be completely finished with Sigdal--we'll come again, to be sure.

Life itself changes-- we have developed and know now that it is time for departure: education and jobs for us younger ones and new challenges in school and congregation for mother and father. But what we have learned and lived here i bygda --this lent a hand in shaping us. Perhaps we will always be a little bit Sigdnlinger in our hearts?

Thanks for friendship and common interests at school, in church, and for celebrations or every day. We are happy to maintain this connection with our peers!

Requests For More Immigrant Information: Please respond to Lee Rokke, Genealogist, 13465 Garden View Dr, Apple Valley, MN 55124 if you can identify persons from an 1884 Oslo passenger list and a church book from Norway Lake, MN.

From Sigdal. On board Drammen May 16, Immigrants needing identification as listed in 1884. Destination: Portland, NO. Festskrift: En Frenstilling af det Kirkelige 1. Berit Andersen, unmarried, age 31 arbeide i Norway Lake fra 1862 - 1916: 2. Peder Andersen, child, age 9, (very likely Berit's son). 15. Page 17 - Helge Hellerud, from Eggedal. 3. Helge Ellingsen, worker, age 32 Came to Hamilton Co, Wis 1854; to Rice Co, 4. Ingeborg Ellingsen, age 28 MN 1857; and to Norway Lake 1865. Married 5. Ingeborg Ellingsen, child age 5 Ingeborg Thorsdtr from Hallingdal. 6. Ragnhild Ellingsen, child age 1/2 7. Live Andersen, married, age 30 16. Page 17 - Engebret Strandbraaten, from 8. Ragnhild Andersen, child age 5 Eggedal. Came to Rice Co, MN 1861; to 9. Anne Andersen, child age 4 Norway Lake 1865. Married Gunhild Olsdatter Modum from Hallingdal. 10. Mikel Martinson, \ge 36, Eggedal, on board Angelo May 29, 1884. 17. Page 23 - Ole Husa, from SigdaI. Came to Fillmore Co, MN 1861; to Norway Lake 1866. 11. Ragna Halvorsdatter, unmarried, age 51, Married Anna Olsdtr Aasen from Telemark. Sigdal, on board Thingvolla April 30, 1884. Destination: Fergus Falls, MN. 18. Pages 32 & 85 - John O. Hanre, born in Eggedal. Came to Decorah, IA 1858; to 12. Andres (Svends?L worker, age 23, Sigdal, Norway Lake 1868. Married Borgilla on board Thingvolla April 30, 1884. Aagenson, born in Stavanger. Destination: Fergus Falls, MN 19. Page 51 - Kristi Langbraaten, born in 13. Marie Thors m, unmarried, age 18, SigdaI. Married Christopher C. Bjerkerud of Eggedal, on board Angelo May 2, 1884. Hallingdal. Destination: New York 20. Page 51 - Margit Sermo, born in Sigda!. 14. Thorsten Thorstensen, age 25, Eggedal, on Married Stener Basol of Sigdal, who was easy board Angelo May 2, 1884. Dest: NY to identify. Genealogy Views and News

June Green, 3831 Mt. Tabor Sampson, Hoffman, MN; June Road, Lonoke, AR 72086, is Barrett, Colorado Springs, CO; seeking information about the Claryce Johnson, Garrison, ND; family of Henry Thompson (1867- Jean Shogren & Clara Negaard, 1917). Came to the U.S. as Pennock, MN; Grace Jensen, Henre Tomsen, port ~ New Yo~ Ashby, MN; and Forrest Brown, (May 1887). Went to St. Louis NAHA Archivist, Northfield, MN. County, MN, and moved to homestead (Nov. 1892) at New Effington, Roberts Co, SD. Harald W. Kastelle also sent Married (12 Nov. 1899) Viii Sigdalslag a copy of an index that Tostensdatter Lesteberg (b. 2 Jan. he did of the History of Stony 1876) Kr0dsherad, Buskerud, Brook Township by Louis O. Foss. Norway. Their eight children the index is 164 pages long, were Thea Helgena, Theodore, arranged by family name and by Hilda Sofie, Hannah, Elmer, Susie, first name. He has also added Thea Helga, Anna Oline. notes such as women's married names, as well as some of the Because she has been using our family connections. These notes Sigda I library frequently, June will be helpful to the researchers Green has sent an extra gift for who use the index. Thank you to our postage fund each time she paid for Harald for his gift. postage on books shipped to her. Because of her generosity, there was still $1 7 in our library postage fund, as of October 1. Diane Kirst, Sequim, WA, gave the Sigdalslag Sending books and letters out to our members a copy of Firehundredaarig Lutherdom, edited does get expensive, and we are thankful for by Henrik Voldal, Olaf Lysnes and E. Kr. the help. Johnson. It was published by Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, MN, in 1917. It contains biographies of several of the early There is an obituary in the "Rowberg File" at Norwe{;lian-American church leaders. the Norwegian American Historical Association, Northfield, MN, that is a real puzzle to me. Torkel C. Aasen who died in Olga Berglund, Northfield, MN, has sent the Lenwale, Sask., Canada, is identified as lag a copy of Sleksstevne Pc'i Narum Gc'ird, coming from Sigda!. He was born in 1858. Sigdal, 7 July 1963. It was probably put According to the obituary, he came to his together by H. Stangebye. It contains a country in 1869 with his parents, and lived history of the Narum' family and som~ charts. for a while in Bagley, MN. I have not been able, even with all 01' this information, to identify Torkel Aasen, '8r to place him on a AI Gronvold, Orlando, FL, has sent a $50 gift farm in Sigda!. Can anyone tell me about of thanks for work that was done on a Torkel or his family? . pedigree chart for his father, Fingar T. Gronvold. Fingar was born in 1868 on Gmnvold, a husmann's place on Kopseng,' Thanks to those of you who answered my Eggedal, immigrating in 1886 to the U.S. He call for help in identifying people listed in settled in Rugby, ND, which he represented Martin Ulvestad's 1907 book, Nordmrendene I four years in the ND House of Amerika. I was able to take several of the Representatives and six years in the ND names off my unidentified list because of Senate. He was highly respected in the your help. People who gave me information Norwegian-American community in North include Myrtle Ellis, Crookston, MN; Don Dakota. Fingar also served as Vice President Olson, San Diego, CA; Harold Kastelle, Sun of Sigdalslag and his family was active in the City, AZ; Nancy Nelson, Stillwater, MN; lag for many years. We thank AI for his gift. Elaine Schulstad, Mesa, AZ; Lorain Bergan, Wendell, MN; Glen Waller, Bottineau, ND; Rosella Goettelman, Decorah, IA; Shirley The picture shown here is from the funeral of Erik O. Lesteberg who died in 1920. It is taken from Festskrift, Kredsherad Prestegjeld Kirkejubileene 1984, p. 50, where the caption was translated by Lee Rokke at the request of June Green. Because so few of the old pictures are in circulation now, the text may interest other readers.

Erik O. Lesteberg was a Captain on the Lake Krederen boats. In those days they didn't use the church for funerals, and there weren't any funeral chapels either. 50 the funeral usually took place in the home before the funeral procession drove to the churchyard for the burial.

Along the route to the church yard, it was common that the relatives and friends lay spruce branch crosses in the road where their own farm roads opened out into the main road.

The picture is interesting; it shows some of the customs that were in use at funerals in the old days. The gateway of spruce branches in the background was in honor for the dead, and it could also symbolize the doorway to eternal life. When the casket was carried out of the house, it should always be carried through the gateway. Preferably the casket stood under the gateway, which could also be a "lean-to", the whole day of the funeral until the procession went to the church.

The spruce trees which are stuck down into the earth in the yard symbolize eternal life with their evergreen branches. The branches which are cut up and lay strewn on the farmyard have the same symbolism. It happened that the tops of the spruce bushes were broken when there had been especially sad death.

The, "marshall" with the long staff and mourning band (right foreground) was also to honor the deceased. This tradition continued long after the funerals were moved over to the funeral chapels or the churches, but today the tradition has nearly died out in Kredsherad.

The people in the above picture are from right to left: Jon Sorlie, Lars Fladhus (Ma\6hall), Erik Finnevolden (right back of wagon), Erik Haugen, Randi lesteberg (widow of the deceased), and Gina Bratterud.

The next picture (right) appears on p. 51 of the same book. It reads: Before the bridge over Noresund was built, people living on the west side had to cross the fjord to get to church. And for a funeral they had to have the casket along in the boat with them.

The picture shows a funeral on the fjord where the flower bedecked casket is rowed over in a boat. The picture is taken from Mariatangen, and in the background one sees Olberg Church, bankgarden, and Olberg gard. (Tr: MD5) A Superb Legacy of Two Norwegian-Americans

Whatever else is remembered about the summer of 1994, it will be noted that two distinguished men completed lives that have contributed enormously to a body of information that benefits present and future generations of Norwegian-Americans.

EINAR INGVALD HAUGEN, 88, a renowned GERHARD BRANDT NAESETH, 81, who scholar of Scandinavian language studies in awakened and stimulated family history America, died June 20 in Cambridge, MA. ---~------research among Born in Sioux City, lA, to immigrant parents, those with he accompanied Norwegian them on a trip to ancestry, died their old home in June 10. Funeral Oppdal, Norway, services were held when he was eight at Bethel Lutheran which apparently Church, Madison, greatly impressed WI. him with the Born April 14, language and 1913, at Valley culture there. City, NO, to Rev. Educated at St. Carelius Olaf College with a Gunnarson BA, he completed Naeseth and his MA and PhD at Emma Louise the University of Brandt, he Illinois. graduated with a In 1932 he BA from Luther married Eva Lund, College and daughter of the received graduate editor of the degrees from the Decorah Posten, a Norwegian-American University of Michigan. He was employed at U newspaper in Decorah, IA. of Michigan Library from 1934-1940. The armed forces employed him during He married Milma Petrell in 1940 and served World War II as a language teacher and trainer. in the 146th Naval Construction Battalion After this experience, he spent a year as during World War II. He was Associate cultural attache for the U.S. embassy in Oslo, Librarian at Oklahoma State before accepting a Norway. like position for 30 years at University of Beginning his tenure in 1931, he stayed on Wisconsin in Madison, 1-948-1978. at the University of Wisconsin in Madison for Vesterheim Genealogical Center was begun 33 distinguished years. He then accepted the in 1974 to develop genealogical research with Victor S. Thomas chair in Scandinavian Studies Naeseth as its founder and director. It handles and Linguistics at Harvard University, retiring in thousands of inquiries each year and has built 1975. a resource collection as membership increased His research and scholarship found many to 1,800 presently. forms of expression. Haugen wrote and edited In 1978 Naeseth was awarded the Knight's studies, biographies, tfxtbooks, and perhaps Cross, First Class, Royal Order of St. Olaf. the most highly regarded Norwegian-English Recognition was growing on both sides of the dictionary in use. Atlantic, largely due to his personal research Promoting the study of Scandinavian culture and extensive records on Norwegian in the United States, Haugen was awarded immigrants. He served VGC without pay, Norway's Order of St. Olaf, First Class. operating the center out of his home 18 years,' ably aided by his wife. His dream of a permanent facility was realized in 1992, and last year Naeseth Gifts & Memorials published the first of a projected five-volume . received since May. 1994 Biographical Directory of Norwegian Immigration to the United States. In memory of Laural B. Gunderson Many bygdelag bought microfilms of $10 given by Alice & Fred Mensing Norwegian church records for VGC during the In memory of Helmer Dahlen $1 0 given by lee Rokke 1980s with matching funds from the Fellesrad. $15 given by Irene & Harry Navarre Memorials will be used to purchase microfilm $10 given by Muriel Hoft records of Norwegian-American churches. Send clo Mrs. Naeseth, 4909 Sherwood Road, Madison, WI 53711. WELCOMEI

*Lyle 8r.Vernie Alvstad MN Telford Ansten IA * Della Berg WI Henry A. Berg OR Elvera Bisbee MN Anna Mae Bork MN Lillian 8r.Norman Borseth IA * Helen Brieske WI FAMILY Shirley DeMotte I *Carl Bock IL Les 8r.Dorothy Dale MN Hazel Doeden MN John 8r.*Tim Donlan MN Keith Enger CA Audrey 8r.Tom Erber IL Clarence J 8r.Vivian Erbes MN *Oleug 8r.Sigstein Finsrud Norwey M/M Luther Forde MN Ole 8r.Hezel Foss MN Doris Gelsted SO Rosella Goettelman IA leva 8r.Sam Haugland MN Eunice Helgeson MN Sandy Hendrickson MN Inge Honrud MN lloyd Jellum WA Evelyn 8r.Ken Jones MN Dianne Kirst WA Marlys larsen MN Paul D. lerson IA Phyllis Marquardt '~N Marion Matson ..,N *Birgitte 8r.Marguerite Meede MN Carole Meade MN Alice 8r.Fred Mensing MN Irene 8r.Harry Navarre NM Nancy Nelson MN Ivonne 8r.Marian Olson ND *Chris Prucha WI lee Rokke MN Colleen Rustad MN Eleanor Schultz IA * Deb Shortino ND Don 8r.lyn Skadeland NB Hazel Skaim IA Marilyn 8r.Narv Somdahl MN Donnalee 8r.Howard Van Zante IA And another thing Bette 8r.Dale Wheeler CA *Carrie Wilson WA FOOD

(Sigdal registered 60; includes banquet guests and multi-lag registrlltions) FACTS Make Ancestry come alive

TAKK!

Many members visited Norskedalen Saturday afternoon of the 83rd Sigdalslag stevne held at U/W, La Crosse, July 14-16, 1994.

Four stayed on campus to arrange fresh flowers for about 45 banquet tables: Lee Rokke, Hazel Skaim, Rosella Goette1man, and Marilyn Somdahl.

Lee Rokke organized the boxes and boxes of Sigdal resources in the geneal'ogy room and again used her computer to draw up material quickly. Taking turns assisting were Rosella Goettelman, Carol Meade, and Henry Berg.

Muriel Hoff pre-registered 53 prior to the stevne while Don & Lyn Skadeland registered Sigdal Lag members at the 7 Lag stevne.

By appointment Narv Somdahl gets to haul many things. He annually raises the lag banner in the auditorium and gets it down after the last program. Do you think he favors short programs following the banquet? The box for this banner does not fit in smaller cars, so using the banner involves much tender loving care. In Memory

LAURAL B. GUNDERSON, 80, Vining, MN, died at from his pioneer grandparents, three of whom home June 6, 1994. Services were held June 9 at emigrated (1850 & 1865) from Nord Aurdal. Folden Lutheran Church where They moved eventually to Dakota Territory in he had been baptized and 1880 and 1881. confirmed. Burial was in the church cemetery. Until the Soo Line Railroad founded the town of Dahlen in 1912, he attended a rural school. He Survivors include three played tuba in a town band organized by Carsten daughters, Carol (Mrs. Art) Sperati of Luther College, who became band Zielinski, Blaine; Dorothy director at Park Region Lutheran College, Fergus Eckhoff, Fergus Falls; Loretta Falls, MN, where Helmer played football as well (Mrs. Dennis) Sumstad, a son, as the tuba, graduating in 1922. Kenneth (Janeen) Gunderson, brother Ted, all of Vining; seven He married Ruth Johnson, a daughter of Sigd01er grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His wife Ingeborg (Finrud) Johnson, August 21, 1929. and a sister preceded him in death. They drove a Model-A Ford to Ruth, Nevada, a copper mining town, where she taught. They Laural was born September 3, 1913, in Folden returned to NO to farm in Sarnia Twp from 1932- Township to Sylvia (Uhren) and Gunder Gunderson. 1971 when they built a home in Michigan. He There he grew up, attending a rural school. He cared for his wife the last two years of her life. became a life long farmer and married Grace She died September 7, 1988. He continued to Anderson December 12, 1936. She passed away live at home with a lawn & garden to tend. He February 6, 1987. shared strawberry and apple harvests with neighbors and he made preserves to enjoy with He served several terms as a Folden Church council his own homemade bread. Daily reading kept his member and was a board member of Folden Twp for interest in current events. 24 years. He was a charter member of the Sons of Norway's Leif Erickson Lodge, and he held long term He was twice elected to serve in the N.D. House memberships in the Farmers Union and Sigdal Lag. of Representatives from 1965-1969. He was elected Nelson County Farmers Union president The ancestral Gundersons emigrated from (6 years) and director (12 years). He served as a Kradsherad and built a log dwelling near Vining, MN. church trustee and director of the Whitman FU It now stands at the Norwegian Emigrant Museum, Oil Co many years. He was the first chairman of Hamar, Norway, where Laural and his family visited the Whitman Rural Fire Department and clerk of in recent years. All his daughters are active the Sarnia School District for 27 years. As members of Sigdal Lag. county chair for the Council on Aging, he helped organize transportation and other services for senior citizens in four' counties.

HELMER DAHLEN, 9~ Michigan, NO, died He and his wife hosted several relatives they met September 5, 1994, at a Grand Forks hospital. in Norway in 1969 who came to attend family Services were held. at Sarnia United Lutheran reunions and stevner. He was a charter member Church, Whitman, with burial at of the SON's Stalheim Lodge, and currently a West Forest Cemetery. member of Nordmanns-Forbundet, Valdres Samband and Sigdal Lag. His children and a Survivors include a son, Ronald granddaughter are also members of Sigdal Lag. (Joyce) Dahlen, Michigan, a daughter, Marilyn (Mrs. Narvel) Somdahl, Bloomington, MN; eight grandchildren, six great- grandchildren, and two sisters. Helmer was a second cousin of Anna Hong. (See column 2, page 4). Their grandmothers, Marit E. The third of 11 children born to Lyseng #1 & #2, were sisters. (NOT great- Mary (Anderson) and Ole Ellingson Dahlen, Helmer grandmothers, as reported. -- Editor) was born October 28, 1899, in Dahlen Township, Nelson County, ND. He learned the Valdres dialect NEWSBITS ANOTHER GENERATION VISITS RUGLAND FARM IN EGGEDAL

Item:, from the August 1994 Sigdal og Eggedal Memghetsblad follow. First, Njal Gjennestad held his final service August 8 as the 29th My w~fe Milly, Amy, Zay and I visited Rugland sokneprest of Holmen Church in Prestfoss. He Farm In Eggedal August 30, 1983, just as my made 80 American friends during the lag's father had at least twice years earlier. We'd 75th year stevne there in 1986! We wish him been encouraged to visit by cousin Carol well in his new position in Vestfold fylke. Meade, who had met the current residents of the farm a year previous. Helga 0degard thanked for flowers when she Speaking with Carol at the family reunion in celebrated her 75th birthday this summer. Decorah in June, I obtained a copy of the More sobering was a thank you for 3.820 Nkr Eggedal tourist board's list of places to stay. from the funeral of Kristine Morch for the the We chose a spot in Haglebu, completely by church newsletter from Martin P. Aasen, chance. It turned out that it was roughly 20 treasurer. Her late husband, Andreas Morch, km from Eggedal itself; north and higher in the genealogist and author of Kredsherad and mountains, ~etween Eggedal and Bromma, the Sigdal bygdebeker, predeceased her. nearest station on the Oslo-Bergen train. It was from Bromma that Dad and his brothers, Congratulations to grandparents Muriel Hoff Gay and Si, embarked on their walk to Rugland and Narv & Marilyn Somdahl! Sarah Susan Farm in 1925. was born October 18 to third-time parents David and Nancy Kenyon. Charles Robert It was an easy drive from Telemark to the arrived August 10 to second-time parents, Haglebu area August 29th. Norway's roads Dave and Bobby Somdahl. are easy to travel, and access to most parts of the country is good. Our approach to Eggedal Milda Ruud will be recognized for more than 37 was from Kongsberg. We took Route 8 north years of service as organist and accompanist and then traversed a mountain ridge into the October 30 at Transfiguration Lutheran Church Sigdal Valley. The scenery, although not as Bloomington. She's experienced countles~ spectacular as that in Western Norway, was weddings, funerals, outdoor services and still magnificent. Sigdal has rich farmland with those with soloists or an orchestra. ' a large lake. The mountains are high with spots of fields, both cultivated and pasture. A list of lag members and their addresses has Most of the peaks are above the tree line. been requested by a prominent museum in Norway. Perhaps every lag received this mail, Our residence at Haglebu was a 3-room ski but ~his is ~ privacy issue and your Sigdal Lag chalet. It was comfortable and well equipped, president will not respond in the affirmative. If ~Ithough without indoor plumbing. We enjoyed you wish to have solicitations from Norway It and spent some of the evening walking up directly, please so inform your own contacts the nearby downhill ski slope. We drove to there. Bromma for supper, through the high mountain valley traversed by the three Rugland brothers Attending the July 31 .;oncert, "A, EG VEIT nearly 60 years earlier. Most of the valley is MEG EIT LAND" at Mindekirken, Minneapolis, dotted with new vacation homes. The area were the late Helmer Dahlen and son Ron was a center of the Resistance in World War II, Dahlen from ND. The Dahlen Family Singers and almost all of the old buildings in the high from Oslo, Norway--Trond, Ragna, and their mountains were destroyed by the Germans. teenage sons, Andreas and Ole Johannes DahlE!ln,were invited to perform at Decorah's While we walked on the ski slopes, we heard !'I0rdlc Fest. Helmer first met Trond in Norway many sheep bells. We also encountered some In 1969, but had not heard him at the piano sheep close up. It is most probable that these and organ or visited with him as an adult. The sheep had come from Rugland because the editor's family also met the Decorah hosts who Rugland sceter adjoins the property of the ski happen to be Pastor and Mrs. Glesne, a area. This is where the sheep from the farm surname well known in Sigdal Lag! are taken in the summer to wander the open ground in aimless fashion.

On the morning of August 30th the proprietor had received a call from Margrete Rugland Abbo, asking him to call her when we departed the area. We agreed that he would tell her to meet us in front of the Eggedal Church. Rug/and Visit /n Eggeda/ . . . The exterior is covered with vertical siding, She was there when we arrived, and the first also quite typical--the practice of adding layers thing she did was have us look north up the of insulation, installing new windows and mountainside as she pointed out the buildings putting siding on top of the former exterior of Rugland Farm, perhaps a mile away. That walls. mile seemed to be 80% distance, 20% height. I believe Margrete has two boys, (ages 5 and 3 We then followed her north out of Eggedal up at this writing). Her mother Carolyn lives in a winding, well maintained gravel road to the another house just up the road from the farm. farm. We went past several other farms on the way up, often driving between the house Carolyn is a descendant of Knut Knudsen who and buildings. The road goes past Rugland moved to the farm when the brothers of Farm further up the mountainside to other Gulbrand Rugland died and the farm vilas sold farms; however, these seem to be around the in the 1850s or 1860s. I was unable to mountain facing west. Rugland faces south establish the exact date the farm was divided. and has a spectacular view of Eggedal and its So, essentially there are two Rugland farms, valley. Additionally, the view extends beyond East and West. The people living on the West to the Sigdal Valley and the lake which Farm are not related to Margrete. Beyond the encompasses most of its bottom land. At the West Farm is an overgrown farm called time we were there, the fields were golden Pletanhagen. with ripe grain. This, in contrast with the deep blue Norwegian sky and green forested Pletanhagen was where Gulbrand Rugland's hillsides, created an exceptionally picturesque bride Sigrid grew up. We walked the half mile view. or so west through West Rugland Farm into the woods and saw the foundation stones of As with most small Norwegian farms, the the barn and home of Sigrid's childhood. It' family does not depend on it for total was a beautiful spot. livelihood. As Margrete said, she is the farmer and her husband makes most of the money as When Knut Knutsen, Margrete's great- a surveyor and carpenter. The day we were grandfather, came to Rugland Farm, he there he was in the mountains surveying. He changed his name to Rugland. The farm has also had worked extensively building some of been in the family ever since. Margrete is the new vacation cabins in the Haglebu area. interested in the history of the farm and in learning and understanding more about The mountainside farmland is open pasture; it decendants of the prior Rugland family. Many apparently is not economical to try to grow rye of her own branch of the Ruglands have or other grains on it anymore. The main emigrated to the United States, mostly living in activity at Rugland is raising sheep, and in the Oregon. summer, the sheep are in the mountains running free. In the winter the sheep are kept Margrete was most interested in Dad's diary at the farm. Margrete also has several cows. and his report of his visit in 1925. I also gave her a copy of the Rugland reunion booklet from The farm has quite a few buildings. The oldest 1979, and she was thrilled to have it. She has is the stab bur which dates back over 300 her own copies of the genealogical data for the years. It has a place of prominence in the area and brought these out to help me building group, typical of clusters of Norwegian understand the relationships. I expect that she farm buildings. The second oldest appears to will continue to be most interested in be the barn--or at least part of it. Additions responding to questions and in assisting in joint have obviously been made and are easily research. distinguished from the older section. There are some other storehouses and implement sheds, After a tour of the farmland, buildings and and then, the farmhouse itself. adjoining areas, we were invited to lunch with Margrete and the boys. It was delicious In the last three years, the farmhouse had been Norwegian fare. It reminded Milly of childhood completely redone-- typical of other farm meals at her grandmother Juve's farm in homes which we visited. In this instance, the Wisconsin. We'll remember it for a long time. work was done by Margrete's husband, and it is nice. All of the interior walls are wood All in all, we were with Margrete nearly four paneled and there are new floors, as well as hours in a most enjoyable day, and the contact almost entirely new fixtures. The kitchen is has been well established I think. She plans to the most modern we saw in Norway and the continue to correspond with Carol with regard bathrooms similarly so. There are many old to Rugland genealogical issues, and I think she pieces of furniture which present a striking would be receptiv.e to other visitors from time contrast with the new decor of the home. to time. Royal limo Comes To Vesterheim

A classic black 1951 Cadillac limousine arrived in Decorah, lA, this February to become part of Vesterheim Museum's permanent collection.

Because the car Vesterheim Director Darrell Henning shows off the limo and a picture of the late King Olav V of Norway belonged to the late King Olav V of Norway, Darrell Henning felt it was an important cultural artifact. "It illustrates how strong the ties still are between Norway and Norwegian-Americans," he said. King Olav had served as the first honorary chairman of Vesterheim's board of trustees, and his son, King Harald V, now holds the same position.

King Harald offered the car to the International Disabilities Foundation which is raising funds to build a center for gathering and disseminating information worldwide for persons with disabilities. The idea had come from Hans Hf2Jgh,special representative of the Secretary General for the Promotion of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons. H0gh took the proposal along with King Harald's offer to UN General Secretary Javier Perez de Cuellar, also International Disabilites Foundation president.

Sons of Norway International was contacted to see if it would pay for shipping the vehicle to the U.S, for restoration, and for making other practical arrangements once it arrived here. Sons of Norway agreed to assume this role, JOIN OR RENEW. and the car was used at special events such as About 50 Memberships Expire the Norsk Hf2Jstfest,Minot, ND. With This October SAGA! Eventually the car, reported to have been King Olav's favorite, will be on permanent display at 1995 SIGDAL LAG DUES run January through Vesterheim. Until then it will continue to be December with three issues of the SAGA included. seen in parades during Decorah's annual Nordic Labels show the paid year following your name on page 12. SAGA is sent 1st Class to ONE ADDRESS Fest and at other cultural events. to 1 or 2 adults, including minor children at $8 annually or 3 yr/$20 in US &. CANADA. (US King Olav made four visits to Vesterheim: as currency. please) SENDTO crown prince in 1939; as king in 1968; during the dedication of the restored museum and MURIEL HOFF. Treas. 3512 White Bear Ave. White cornerstone laying at Luther College's Faith and Bear Lake. MN 55110. Checks payable to Sigdal Life Center in 1975; and again when he braved Lag. Use separate sheet for gift subscriptions. *Total check of endosed. icy roads to make the trip from Minneapolis in 1987.

Vesterheim, the largest museum in the U.S. StJRFD _ dedicated to a single immigrant group, has a City/St _ complex of 15 historic buildings in downtown Decorah and two National Register historic ZIP _ sites nearby. It is open daily, except for major holidays. For information about the limousine or the museum itself, call 319-382-9681 or fr_ with 3 yr subscription. write to Vesterheim Museum. 502 W. Water - while supply lasts Street, Decorah, IA 52101. NORWEGIAN MEMBERS COME TO WISCONSIN

Flanking our members who came the greatest distance are Don Skadeland (left) and Deb Shortino (right).

In the center are Olaug Skalland Finsrud, wearing the Sigdal bunad, and her husband Sigstein Finsrud, also in a bunad from 0stlandet. They reside at Magnor, Norway, a city known for its glass and crystal.

The picture was shot just before the banquet was to begin Saturday evening in the Valhalla Room at U/W's Cartwright Center in La Crosse.

MARILYN SOMDAHL, Pres/Editor 612-831-4409 10129 Goodrich Circle Bloomington, MN 55437 DON SKADELAND, 1st VP 402-331-5906 10642 "0" Street Omaha, NB 68127 CORRlNE L. JOHNSON, 2nd VP 612-831-8637 4575 - 80th St Circle #202 Bloomington, MN 55437 LEE ROKKE, VP/Genealogist 612-432-9767 13465 Garden View Drive Apple Valley, MN 55124 HENRY A. BERG, Secretary 1515 SE Dinton St Porlland, OR 97202 MURIEL HOFF, Treasurer 612-777-7395 3512 White Bear Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 DEB SHORTINO, Historian 521 Oxford, Boyco Apt/Rt 6 Grand Forks, ND 58203