Family/Spouse: Sharon HOWARD. Sharon was born in USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Residence:
address 7408 Thomas Ave South Minneapolis MN 55423

William married Alice A ANDERSON on 12 Apr 1939. Alice (daughter of Olaf ANDERSON and Caroline Knutsdotter MELBY) was born on 13 Jun 1912 in Manfred, Wells Co, ND. USA; died in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Residence:
address 3701 Bryant Ave S #611 Minneapolis MN 55409

Notes:

faren var Anders Boe

Olaf married Caroline Knutsdotter MELBY on 22 Apr 1903 in Wells Co, West Norway Twsp, ND, USA. Caroline (daughter of Knut Olsen RUDI and Guri Kristensdtr ROGNE) was born on 3 Sep 1884 in Griggs, CO, North Dakota, USA; died in 1971 in Manfred, ND. USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Caroline Melby Anderson

Knud and Guri Melby, together with their seven children had emigrated from Rogne, Øystre Slidre, Valdres, Norway in 1881. They destination was Goodhue County Minnesota where they stayed for 3 years while they were gaining their bearing in this ne w land. Then in 1884 they moved to Griggs County North Dakota settling on their first homestead. It is likely that Knud with the help of his older children quickly built a sod house, then broke some of the land, and planted seed that they had brou ght with them from MN. Then on September 3rd of that year, their eighth child Caroline, known as Lena, was born. In 1887, the family moved a little further west to Foster County North Dakota. It was here that her father and older brother Ole helpe d 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, afterwhich she taught schoo l for a few years.

Caroline's future husband, Olaf Anderson was born in Norway in 1877. His last name there was Boe. His father's first was Anders, so Olav took the name Anderson. In 1897, he had settled in Hillsdale Township located in the northwest corner of Well s County. Manfred was a booming town with much railroad traffic, and an ideal place to start a livery. In 1900 he moved to Manfed, and built a large barn to establish a livery and feed stable, and started up a dray service to haul goods to and fro m the railroad. He also started up an ice business in the winter with a crew of several men, cutting ice from the James River and shipping it by train. And as a result of living in the same community, Caroline and Olaf had the opportunity to meet and where then married at Vang Lutheran Church in 1903. Four children were born to them: Clayton 1904, Gordon 1907, Alice 1912, Orvin 1917. Clayton di d not have children, the others havedescendants.

Caroline was active in the Vang Ladies Aid, cooked in the cook cars for threshing, and was well known for her yard filled with beautiful flowers. For Olaf, a natural addition to his dray service was to sell automobiles when they first became available and other farm equipment as well. Olaf died suddenly of a heart attack in 1931, and Caroline continued to live in her home in Manfred. She di ed in 1971, and both Olaf and she are buried at Manfred ND.

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