Manfred History & Preservation, Inc.
Severin and Agnes Ekrem
Husband's Full Name: Severin Jacobson Ekrem
Husband's Place of Birth: South of Alesund, Norway
Husband's Father's Name: Jacob Mikkelsen Eikrem
Husband's Mother's Name: Anna Martha Amundsdatter Aarøe.
Husband's Siblings' Names: Rasmus, Sina and Lena
Wife's Full Name: Agnes Helgeson
Wife's Place of Birth: unknown
Wife's Father's Name: unknown
Wife's Mother's Name: unknown
Wife's Siblings' Names:
Children's Names: Anna, Loui, Joel, and Sverre
Daughter Anna Ekrem Bymoen
Severin Jacobson Ekrem (1879-1961) and Rasmus Jacobson (1872-1960) were brothers. They were born in the Sunnøre area, south of Alesund, Norway.
Rasmus worked on a ship, which traveled to the Far East. He entered the states via Ontario, and worked for a while in the iron mines in northeastern Minnesota.
Severin joined Rasmus and they homesteaded near Sawyer, ND. Both brothers came to Manfred about 1900, and worked in a butcher shop. Rasmus used the family name Jacobson, and Severin used the farm name of Ekrem from Norway.
Severin and Rasmus made a trip to Norway about 1906. When the return boat stopped at Bergen, Severin was introduced to Agnes Helgeson, and they "visited two times".
Severin left his "calling card" with Agnes, and returned to Manfred. Agnes came to the states about 1907, and worked off her boat ticket with a family in Flandreau, SD. She and Severin were married in the family's living room on July 7, 1909. The couple returned to a farm which Severin had built up, located between Manfred and Wellsburg.
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Their first born son died at birth due to complications. Margaret (Nordtorp) Jacobson attended Agnes in this experience.
The baby is buried in an unmarked grave in the Wellsburg Cemetery. Their family grew to include Anna, Loui, Joel, and Severre. Anna and Joel had their tonsils removed at home. The kitchen table, the top of the treadle sewing machine cabinet, a kerosene lamp, and Agnes administering the ether supported the doctor's efforts.
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Anna became a teacher, and taught at Manfred. In 1942 she married Manfred Bymoen, and resided in a New Rockford nursing home until her death in 2002.