Raleigh married Ruby SATTERBERG. Ruby (daughter of Arvid SATTERBERG and Marit Knutsdotter MELBY) was born on 1 Nov 1905 in Manfred, ND. USA; died on 29 Jul 1996 in West Covina, CA. USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Arvid married Marit Knutsdotter MELBY. Marit (daughter of Knut Olsen RUDI and Guri Kristensdtr ROGNE) was born on 13 Sep 1880 in Østre Slidre; died in 1957 in Manfred, Wells Co, ND. USA; was buried in California, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Foster County, ND, USA

Notes:

Marit Melby Satterberg

Marit, known as Mary was the seventh child born to Knud and Guri Melby on September 13, 1880 in Rogne, Øystre Slidre, Valdres, Norway living there only in infancy. In 1881 when she was just eight months old, her parents sold the Melby farm and the whole family emigrated from Norway to Goodhue County, Minnesota. In 1884, his parents homesteaded to Griggs County, North Dakota, and in 1887 they moved to Foster County and farmed there for six years. It was here that her father and older brother Ole helped to establish the Melby School District in 1888 where she attended most of her grade school years. In 1893, her parents moved to the newly opened land of Manfred Township in Wells County where she completed her schooling in 1896 at age 16.

Arvid Satterberg, an avid horseman, and his brother John filed on homesteads in Fram Township bordering Manfred Township to the north. Arvid's land was in section 26, and in this way Arvid and Mary had the opportunity to meet through living in the same community. They were married around the turn of the century at Manfred and farmed for some years in Fram Township. It is very interesting to note that Arvid and Mary's land was located in the next section north from Olaf Wolding, who later married Mary's sister Nellie. Olaf and Nellie moved further west to Hillsdale Township and started up a new farm there.

Six children were born to Mary and Arvid: Roy, Elmer 1902, Arvid 1904, Ruby 1905, Lillian 1907, Marion 1909. Five children have descendents. Marion did not have any children. The family later moved further west to Montana for a while, and then on to California. Though California was a long way from North Dakota, Mary was able to see her brothers and sisters from time to time. She died in 1957 and is buried in California.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Manfred, ND. USA
• Emigration: 1881, USA

Notes:

KNUT AND GURI MELBY

Knut Olson Rudi b. 1843, was the fourth son of Ole Mikkelson Rudi together with his second wife Ragnhild Knutsdotter Holdal. The Rudi farm was inherited by Knut's older brother, Ole. When Knut came of age he was ready to establish his own farm. He and Guri Christensdotter Melby b.1844 were married in 1861. Knut obtained his share of the inheritance money from his older brother, which he then used to buy the Melby farm from Guri's parents. Guri had been blessed with parents who had each inherited a farm. Her father, Christen Mikkelson Rogne had inherited Røgnemarke farm #43/5 and her mother, Guro Gudbrandsotter Melby had inherited Melby farm #41/1. Guri was the oldest child and when she came of age and was ready to marry, she was given the inheritance of the Melby farm. Her parents and her siblings then moved to Røgnemarke.

Knut and Guri commenced with farming Melby, and also began their family. Born to them in Norway: Guri 1862, Ole 1864, Christen 1868, Knute 1870, Ragnhild 1873, Gulbrand 1877, and Marit 1880. It was not so easy to provide for a large family living on the small Melby farm. There was the pull to go to America which they had resisted considering so far over the years. But the pull was becoming stronger because in the recent years several of Guri's siblings had immigrated to the USA and were sending back wonderful reports about that place where a large piece could be obtained for only the filing fee. They finally made the decision to go, sold the Melby farm and departed the spring of 1881 with their seven children, ranging in age from 19 to 8 months.

Their destination was to Goodhue County Minnesota where others from Valdres already had successful farms established. They stayed there three years while becoming acquainted with their new homeland. New areas further west were continually being opened for settlement. In 1884 they were ready to file on their own land and start farming. They first went to Griggs County, North Dakota where two more children were born to them: Caroline 1884 and Martin 1886, and in 1887 they moved a little further west and farmed in Foster County for six years. It was there that, Knut's home served as the first mail stop during those years. Also, Knud together with others in his family organized the first school district which was called Melby, and he served as it's first chairman. Knut and Guri's 10th child was born here: Oscar 1890.

The crops were failing during those years, so it was not easy for the people. The Soo Railroad track was being constructed westward through the region, so all the men went to work helping to build the track. But their first love was farming and so as the track was being laid they had opportunity to see the new lands that would be soon open to settlement. Knut and others in his family thought that Wells County looked good, and so they went to Sykeston, the location of the first court house in Wells County, and each filed on a new claim which were all located not far from the railroad track. Back in Foster County, they loaded up all their meager belongings on wagons... Knut even took his barn apart and laid it flat in sections on a wagon, they gathered their domestic animals together and caravaned to Wells County to their new claims in Manfred Township.

Everyone was busy with putting up sod houses to use as temporary quarters until they could obtain lumber to build their homes. Knut erected his barn, and it is this barn that can be seen on the photo of Knut and Guri proudly standing in front of their home. Their house still stands, though abandoned. And though the barn Knut had brought from Foster County did not survive the years, the granary and the pig and chicken house are still standing. The grainary can be seen in that same photo. The photo showing Knut and Guri with nine of their ten children, was taken at the home of their son, Ole, in the village of Manfred. This home still stands, though abandoned.

Knut was one of five founding fathers of Vang Lutheran Church in 1894. Many of their children were starting to have families of their own, and Guri always had lots of cookies on hand when they came. Music was always a part of family gatherings, and Knut and Guri were gracious hosts. Knut and Guri farmed until 1911, at which time they moved into Manfred and their son Oscar continued on their farm. Guri began to fail in her later years and died in 1921. After that, Knut would often stay at the home of one of his several children living in the area. Knut died in 1927. Both Knut and Guri are buried at Vang Lutheran Cemetery at Manfred.

Occupation:
farmer

Knut married Guri Kristensdtr ROGNE on 14 Apr 1861 in Rogne Kirke, Øs. Guri (daughter of Kristen Mikkjelsen ROGNE and Guro Gudbrandsdtr BUSTEBAKKE) was born on 8 Mar 1844 in Rogne 43/5, Marké Øs; died on 26 Mar 1921 in Manfred, ND. USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Goodhue Co., MN, USA
• Emigration: 1881, USA

Notes:

Beitrusten kaller henne Melby