Manfred History & Preservation, Inc.
Gulbran and Anna Melaas
Husband's Full Name: Gulbran P [aka Gilbert] Melaas
Husband's Place of Birth: Elbow Lake, Grant, Minnesota, USA
Husband's Father's Name: Peder Melaas
Husband's Mother's Name: Martha Iversdattr Heir
Husband's Siblings' Names: Ivar, Ellena [Berndt Peterson], Martin, plus two sisters and a brother
Wife's Full Name: Anna Evline Bakke
Wife's Place of Birth: Aastad, Otter Tail, Minnesota, USA
Wife's Father's Name: Ole Pederson Bakke
Wife's Mother's Name: Anne Amundsdattr Amundson
Wife's Siblings' Names: George, Peter, Thorvald
Child’s Name: Melvin A. Melaas (born and died in 1906)
Gulbran homesteaded land in Fram Township, Wells County in 1898, and in 1902 he married Anna Bakke from Minnesota. They continued to farm until 1933 when his health began to fail. He retired from farming, but they continued to live on the farm. In 1934 they rented their land to Nils and Hazel (Olson) Solberg, and the Solberg’s purchased the land in 1954. The property has been in the Solberg family since that time.
The Nils Solberg family gave Anna’s wedding gown to the MHP, Inc. museum, where it is displayed. Janice Solberg Baum-Johnson said that she and her siblings always affectionately called them uncle and auntie, but they weren’t related. Gulbrand and Anna had only one child, Melvin who died as an infant. The Melaas’ are all buried at the Bethania Lutheran Church Cemetery near Wellsburg. Gulbrand died in 1953, and Anna died in 1964. Anna was living in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, the place of her birth, at the time of her death.