Ole S. and Ingrid (Jorstad) Hedahl came to the United States with their two children, Swen and Gina, in 1893 from Øystre Slidre, Valdres, Norway. They traveled aboard the S/S Teutonic – White Star Line and arrived at Ellis Island on June 21, 1893.  It took the ship just under 6 days to travel from Liverpool to New York. After living for a short time in Twin Valley, Minn., they homesteaded north of Manfred in 1895. Six more children were born at Manfred, namely: Conrad, Oscar, Clara, Edwin, Emma and Edith.

 

In addition to farming, Mr. Hedahl served as Wells County Register of Deeds from 1904 to 1910, and as Chief Enrolling and Engrossing Clerk for the North Dakota Legislature in 1913. He also worked for a time at Rogers Lumber in Manfred and in a bank at Berthold.  At the time of his death he was serving as Clerk of the Manfred School Board.  He died in 1917. Ingrid continued to live at the family farm one mile north of Manfred with her son, Edwin, until her death in 1956.

 

Swen and Oscar both served in World War I and settled in California after the war. Swen died in 1963 and Oscar died in 1980. Neither left any surviving children. Swen was in the life insurance business and Oscar was in the building construction business. Oscar specialized in building in the mountains of California, and prior to his retirement in 1960, had built most of the buildings in Yosemite National Park.

 

Gina married Frank Mattis and they farmed at Manfred. Their only child, Frank, Jr., died in 1947 and Gina passed on in 1953. Frank Mattis continued to live in the Manfred and Fessenden communities until his death in 1976.

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Conrad married Clara Gramstad and after farming at Manfred for several years, they lived and farmed near Sawyer, until his death in 1958. Their four children, Clarence, Carol, Marjorie and Chester, all passed away at quite early ages, and the only survivors are two children of Chester - Dr. Gordon Hedahl, who lives in Wisconsin, and Mrs. Karen Rohde, who is a teacher in Max.

 

Clara taught school at Robinson, ND where she married Harold E. Bullis. They lived at Robinson, raising five children, before retiring to Phoenix, Ariz. in 1956. Clara died in December 1985. Her children are Robert E. Bullis of Jamestown, Harold O. Bullis of Fargo, Mrs. Edith Bodewin, Barbara Bullis and Mrs. Joan Lake. Both Harold and Robert have passed away.

 

Edwin remained at home after his father's death and operated the family farm. He was quite active in the Republican party of Wells County and served as County Chairman in the early 1950s. He also worked in Washington, D.C. for Congressman Otto Krueger during the winter of 1957-58. Edwin died in 1960.

 

The other two children, Emma and Edith, both died quite young, Emma as a young child and Edith while teaching school in Robinson, in 1927.

 

All of the children of Ole and Ingrid were educated in the public schools at Manfred and Fessenden. The family was all active members of Vang Lutheran Church in Manfred.