Karen Larson – Spectrum:

Folks, Karen Larson is the owner of the Spectrum Store, not Mary.

Karen, I apologize for this error. I knew better when I said that, but I had Mary on my mind with those pictures.

Andrew Bergan Family:

Reply from Barbara Trent (Bergan) Riehm:San Diego, CA.

Gary I am enjoying all this information. I would like to clear up a few things. My Grandfather (Mother’s father) was Andrew Bergan, Louis Bergan was her Older(and I believe the oldest of the children) brother and Clayton her Nephew. Bertha Bergan was my Mother’s only sister. She married Eric Bjornseth. Oscar Bergan was the youngest in the family of 6 boys and 2 girls. I think that my Sister (Colleen Trent Baier) I am now the only living “Grandchildren” of Andrew and Christina Bergan, however I may be wrong.
Sorry I haven’t been in touch with you and all your “followers” I’ll try do better. Right now I am in the Rocky Mountains of Montana at my son’s beautiful 2nd home on Salmon Lake. Lots of snow and cold. but coming from California a few days of this is OK. I go back to San Diego on the 5th of January.

Happy New Year
Barbara Trent Riehm

Folks, Barbara’s mother was Julia Bergan Trent. She lived in Bottineau.

Barbara, Thank you so much for this reply. Enjoy the Rocky Mountains. I’ll continue to include you with messages that contain Bergan family postings. Is Helmer Bergan, picture below, your mothers brother? Where does you sister Colleen live? Gary 

Reply from Roger and Connie Zorn Landsverk: Dunseith, ND

HI, GARY,

JUST READ THE DUNSEITH NEWS. ONE CORRECTION KAREN LARSON OWNS THE SPECTRUM. HER 1ST NAME ISN’T MARY.HER MOM OVIDIA WAS MY PIANO TEACHER.

OH RUBY & LARS SIVERTSON MOVED TO BOTNO NOW.THAT’S GOOD AS THEY ARE GETTING UP IN AGE.

I KNOW MONA & LARRY MARCHUS. I BET THEY ENJOY LIVING IN THE HILLS IN THE SUMMER-TIME.

TAKE CARE

CONNIE & ROGER

Folks, Mona & Larry Marchus, from Bottineau, purchased our home farm, the Stokes place, in 1996. When Dad turned 80, he said he was done mowing grass and sold the farm. Larry and Mona keep the place looking immaculate. They moved a huge double wide mobile home onto the place and live there in the summer. The Stokes place has a fantastic view to the east all the way to the Peace Garden. I think Dad counted 90 plus trees in that yard that he had to mow around. That included the barnyard too. Larry Marchus worked at the State Bank in Bottineau and Mona is a past mayor of Bottineau. I think Larry and Mona owned a furniture store in Bottineau at one time too. They are a great couple and always welcome us to our old place to look around and revisit. Gary

Reply from Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottineau & Minot, ND.

When I read there were pictures in your newsletter, I stopped reading this email and checked out the pictures. I LOVE these old pictures–even if I don’t know who they are. Being I knew the first picture was of your mom, I recognized her. I don’t think I would have known her if you hadn’t identified her.

It’s Karen Larson who owns the Spectrum. She’s a really neat person; I enjoy her. As I’ve mentioned before, Karen’s sister, Ruth, is married to Ronald Gust, Wally’s godson.

Neola

Neola, I had never seen Mom with her hair combed quite like it is in that picture. To be honest, I probably would not have recognized her either. After knowing it’s her, I can for sure recognize her arms and her body as being her. Gary

Eva Crawford Hiatt Identified:

From Evon Lagerquist (78) & Leola Hiatt Lagerquist:Dunseith, ND.

I know the Eva in the picture as my Grandma, Eva Hiatt. The owner of the Spectrum is Karen Larson……,not Mary.

Thanks, Gary!

Evon

Evon, Many of our readers knew your grandma Eva’s brother, Johnny Crawford and also their sister, Alma Crawford. Johnny was a next door neighbor to Leonard Lund in my day. They lived on the west side of Long Lake.

Reply from Gary Metcalfe (57): Forsyth, MO

Hello Everyone,

The Dunseith area history in the Prairie Past and Mountain Memories that the locals put together has 500 pages of history that would be lost without their great effort. When I read about Dave and Eva Eurick of the many places they lived, I was surprised to see they lived on the old Max Theel place 1 or 2 miles NW of the Day School. I wonder if Linda or Marie remember living there? That is the place I bought from John Bedard and sold to Gagnon’s.

Almost everyone I know agrees on education being all important. There were lots of rural kids on both sides of me that never went to high school. That brings me to Louis Bergan. I didn’t know much of Louis’s life in Bottineau County. It looks like he moved from Ackworth area along with one of Anton Olson’s daughters, Clara who was his wife. So Louis had a school named after him. I really don’t know what happened with Clara early on, but her sister Annie married Jim Anthony.

If I had to rent a room in town and work to get an education, then what about our parents back before the 30’s.
How did that generation compete with about a 5th or 6th grade education? In my Dad’s case it was Louis Bergan that set the standard, he would line up the wood stumps in his shop for the boys to set on and have meetings, how to treat a teacher and whatever. Louis was with us on a trip back from Seattle in the 40’s. I also remember visiting Louis when shanty town was a real suburb of Dunseith. Louis added about 20 feet on the front of our barn when he added on a hay mow. His brother Oscar was also a great carpenter around Metigoshe.

From Henry Dietrich my dad learned how to measure hay in a stack, lumber also. They probably didn’t always have a pencil so it was all done in their head.

So in 1939 when we moved to Seattle, Dad could sing, dance, scrap figure in his head and compete. What you know is important but who you know maybe more. Dad talked about several of the men he worked with around Seattle so much so that I felt like I knew them. For instance, Bob Buchanan, B.A. for hod carriers in Seattle. He knew the first name of every man in the local at first meeting.

Back in N.D. he continued his education and I thnk enjoyed it with the same agenda, he had people in Boissevain, Canada. He always said they know more about our politics than we do. George Albert was at the top of his list in the Dunseith area.

Sue and I got some education Christmas Eve in an all black Baptist Church in Vicksburg, Mississippi on our way back from New Orleans. A very humbling experience, we were the only white ones there and they were so welcoming to us. Wonderful music, kids sharing, teens and adults giving testimonies of thankfulness…very good memory of Christmas Eve 2009. Happy New Year to all…hope you have sweet memories to be made in 2010! Gary Metcalfe

Reply to pictures posted yesterday:

From Mary Eurich Knutson’s (62): Dunseith, ND.

Hi Gary & All

Marlys Hiatt had commented on the Thompson place and Norman having pastured that land. It didn’t seem quite like I remembered and I’ve done some digging. Bear in mind I could be wrong on some of this. There should be somebody out there who would know if this is right or not. There were four Thompson’s who homesteaded in Rolette County in Willow Lake township, all siblings. There was Olaf, Ida, Charles and Ulysses. They were all in that general area. Charles by Lagerquist Lake, I think that was Eva Hiatt’s place by 43: Ida by the Canadian Border; Ulysses must have been the place Marlys was referring to and I’m not sure where Olaf’s place would have been. When you hear family members talking it was always concerning things they had done at Boundary Lake, Rab Lake, Peterson Lake and occassionally Lagerquist Lake.

The one picture I sent with the row boat identifies the people in the boat as Helmer Bergan, Ida Pritchard and Baby (Robert) in Boundary Lake. (Now who’s Helmer Bergan)? The lady with the big coat is Eva Hiatt. The boys standing together together are: Tallest one, Corbin Pritchard, Alvin Berg, Clifford Bjjornseth and Roy Lindberg. I don’t know which is which and I don’t know the teacher’s name. The two kids on skis ? are Amanda Berg and Maurice Johnson. Taken on the lake south of Ole Olson school. Was Ole Olson Johnny Olsons dad? The two ladies sitting are Alida Johnson and Julia Bergan. I think you had mentioned Julia as Clayton’s aunt in a previous blog but who would Alida Johnson be? If you don’t know it might be a question for Ralph Bjornseth. The old car is just a picture. The people in it are Ma’s cousins but I just wondered what kind of a car it is. Model/year etc. I thought you’d enjoy the picture of your Mom. There are more pictures coming. This really get time consuming but it’s fun. Some of the pictures are really scorched. Been through a close call at some point.

It’s Karen Larson that sends pictures for me Not Mary. Take care. Mary K.

Mary, your description of things is exactly the way I remember from discussions I heard in my growing up days. What you have said about Ulysses Thompson, I think is absolutely correct. He was married to my Grandfather, Frank Stokes’ sister, Alice. Ulysses & Alice were the parents of Ella (Mrs. Eldon) Pladson, Esther (Mrs. Edmar) Tangen and Lillian. Lillian Thompson Bergstrom lives in Superior, Wisconsin. Mary, Ida was your Grandmother, married to William Pritchard.

Mary, I have reposted these pictures labeling those you have identified. I know we have readers out there that can answer some of your questions above.

I truly enjoyed seeing that picture of my mother. That must have been one that your mother had. Gary

Pictures posted by Mary Eurich Knutson (62): Dunseith, ND.

Elaine Stokes

Helmar Bergan, Ida Thompson Pritchard & Baby Robert Pritchard

Eve Crawford Hiatt

From the Bottineau Centennial book: Amanda Berg, Daughter of Albert & Clara Johnson Berg was born 2/17/22. She is married to Clarence Schultz and lives near Donnybrook.

Is Amanda still living today? I know Maurice Johnson is deceased.

Dick Johnson, you are related to the Berg’s. I’ll bet you can fill us in on Amanda.

Amanda Berg and Maurice Johnson

This would be Julia Bergan Trent, Barbara’s mother. I’m not sure who Alida Johnson is? I’m wondering if she is possibly related to Ralph Bjornseth’s mother, Cora Johnson Bjornseth? I’m hoping Barbara or Ralph can help us out here with who she is? Gary

Alida Johnson and Julia Bergan

Boys with their Teacher. Corbin Pritchard is the first boy and I’m pretty sure Clifford Bjornseth is the 3rd boy. We need some help identifying whose who with Alvin and Roy and also the teacher. Gary

Corbin Pritchard, Alvin Berg, Clifford Bjornseth & Roy Lindberg

Cousins of Winifred Pritchard Eurich

Newspaper posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottineau & Minot, ND.

Folks, I remember Duane Sorbin in this article.I think he is still living on the same place. Duane also has an H-International tractor propped up on a tall revolving poll too, that can easily be seen from Highway 5 just west of Bottineau.

Do any of you remember Ann Louise Willie, former Miss Indian America, mentioned in this article? Gary