Gene and Betty Melby Husband's Full Name: Gene Nordtorp Melby Husband's Place of Birth: Manfred, North Dakota Husband's Father's Name: Oscar J. Melby Husband's Mother's Name: Bertha Nordtorp Melby Husband's Siblings' Names: Cora Turner, Roy, Ruth Hovey, Muriel Boyum Orlien, Kenneth, Ethel Bolyard Wife's Full Name: Betty Lou Rodacker Melby Wife's Place of Birth: Cathay, North Dakota Wife's Father's Name: Thomas Rodacker Wife's Mother's Name: Minnie Pepple Rodacker Wife's Siblings' Names: Margaret Watson, Roy Children's Names: Marsha, Brian, Bruce, Michael, Arnie, Bergit Albrecht Betty Melby, 89, Harvey, formerly of rural Manfred, passed away Friday, June 8, 2018 at the St. Aloisius Nursing Home in Harvey. Betty Lou Rodacker, daughter of Tom and Minnie (Pepple) Rodacker, was born August 26, 1928 at rural Fessenden where she was raised and attended rural school. She graduated from Fessenden High School in 1946 and, soon after, enrolled in a Fargo Hairdressing School. Upon completing the course, she returned to Fessenden and began working at Ella’s Beauty Shop. She also worked at a Minot beauty shop for a short time. On September 19, 1948, Betty was united in marriage to Gene Melby at the Germantown Baptist Church of rural Cathay. They made their home on the Rodacker farm east of Fessenden where Betty cared for her father for several years. They then moved to the Melby farm southwest of Manfred where they farmed until 1982. In addition to helping with the farming operation, Betty worked for Wells County Social Services as an In-Home Care Specialist for 20 years. She was a member of the Vang Lutheran Church, the Ladies Aid, and served as church choir director for many years. Betty always had an open door and a pot of coffee ready for her family and friends. She is survived by her husband of 69 years, Gene; her children, Marsha Melby of Minot, Bruce Melby of Manfred, Michael Melby of Minot, Arnie (Norma) Melby of San Diego, CA and Bergit (Mike) Albrecht of Apex, NC; 12 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her infant son, Brian; brother, Roy; and sister, Margaret. Funeral: Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at 11:00 A. M. at the Vang Lutheran Church in Manfred. Burial: Vang Lutheran Cemetery Obituary – Betty Melby Her husband Gene died in 2020.

Erick Gartland Full Name: Erick Gartland Place of Birth: Namsos, Nord-Trondelag, Norway Father's Name: unknown Mother's Name: unknown Siblings' Names: unknown Erick Gartland was born in December 1850. He was born in Norway and immigrated to the USA in 1868. He was a grain buyer for the Farmers Elevator in Manfred and is listed only in the 1900 census of Manfred Township. He is listed as renting his home in Manfred. Source: 1900 Census

Burkum Hardware Store Location: Block 3, Lot 8 Proprietor: Lars Burkum and T. K. Rogne Year Started: In 1894 T. K. Rogne and L. O. Burkum established the first store in Manfred. In 1905 they built the building pictured which was known as the Burkum Hardware Store. Year Ended: 1916 History of Building: H. B. Myhre bought out L. O. Burkum in 1916 and Anton Aasand and Nick Halvorson was purchased the building in 1917. In 1926 the Sons of Norway purchased the building for lodge use and continued to use it until 1952 when the building burned down. Daisy – Burkum Store Reference points: Red rectangle - Manfred School Blue rectangle - Vang Lutheran Church Purple rectangle – Post Office/Bank Green rectangle – Solheim Station

Erik and Marit Rogne Husband's Full Name: Erik Bendiksen Skogen Husband's Place of Birth: Rogne, Skogen, Østre Slidre, Valdres, Norway Husband’s Place of Death: Rogne, Skogen, Østre Slidre, Valdres, Norway Husband's Father's Name: Bendik Halvorsen Skattebu Husband's Mother's Name: Guro Eriksdotter Rudi Husband's Siblings' Names: Ragnhild, Sigrid, Ingrid, Kari Wife's Full Name: Marit Larsdtr Rudi (Rogne) Wife's Place of Birth: Rudi, Neigarden, Østre Slidre, Valdres, Norway Wife's Father's Name: Lars Syversen Hovi Wife's Mother's Name: Kari Aalaksdatter Rudi Wife's Siblings' Names: Syver, Ingrid Melby, Aslak, Sigurd Children's Names: Bendik, Kari Gilbertson, Lars, Erik, Halvor, Gurii (Gina) Onstad Photo – Marit Rogne taken in 1917 Marit L. Rogne was the third child born to Lars Syversen Hovi and Kari Aalaksdatter Rudi. She was born on November 14, 1835 in Øystre Slidre, Valdres, Norway. Marit Larsdatter Rudi married Erik Bendiksonn Rogne in 1859 in Valdres, Norway. They had 5 children, Bendik, the oldest, Kari, Lars, Erik and Guri. After her son Erik Rogne died in 1899, Bendik and Kari Gilbertson went to Norway and brought back their mother. This was in 1900. She proved up a homestead at Esmond in 1905, then went back to Norway, but returned again with Bendik in 1909. She lived with her son Bendik for a period of time, and then moved to the home of her daughter Guri. Although she never drove a car, she loved to visit the neighbors and would often spend several days with them. She did a lot of knitting and kept the family in mittens through the cold North Dakota winters. She would spin the wool on the spinning wheel she brought over from Norway. She also did a lot of reading and particularly enjoyed it when the Decorah Posten would arrive - the newspaper that had lots of interesting Norwegian material in it. She died at the age of 90 on March 15, 1925 in Manfred, ND and is buried in the Vang Lutheran Cemetery north of Manfred. --------------------- Obituary from Wells County Farmer March 25, 1926 front page - column 3 Pioneer Manfred Lady Passes to Great Beyond Mrs. Marit L. Rogne, who has made her home for the past few years with her daughter, Mrs. Ole Onstad of Manfred, died Monday, March 15, after a short illness. The deceased was born in Valdres, Norway, December 15, 1835, and came to this country about twenty years ago. She reached the ripe old age of 90 years and 4 months. She leaves to mourn, one son, Bendik Rogne, and one daughter, Mrs. Ole Onstad, besides a host of friends. Funeral services were held Wednesday, at 2:00 o'clock from the Vang Church, Rev J. M. Langseth Officiating.

Sorenson Millinery Proprietor: Mrs. Ben (Maggie) Sorenson Location: Block 2, Lot 1 Year Started: October 1905 Year Ended: ca 1907 History of Business: This women's hat making business was located in Sorenson Hardware operated by her husband Ben Sorenson. The millinery closed in 1907 after Maggie's death. The picture shows an example of Maggie's work. Daisy – Sorenson Millinery Reference points: Red rectangle - Manfred School Blue rectangle - Vang Lutheran Church Purple rectangle – Post Office/Bank Green rectangle – Solheim Station

Marvin Bendickson Husband's Full Name: Marvin Bendickson Husband's Place of Birth: Manfred, ND Husband's Father's Name: Martin Bendickson Husband's Mother's Name: Olga Lund Bendickson Husband's Siblings' Names: Adeline, Helen, Florence, Fern, Glen, Joanne, Lucille, Donna Bendickson Home West of Manfred The Bendickson family is listed on the Manfred census from 1915 - 1940. Marvin is one of Martin's children.

Langworthy Lumber Co. Proprietor: unknown Year Started: about 1907 Year Ended: about 1910 History of Business: Langworthy Lumber was a short-lived lumber company in Manfred. We have a board stamped with Langworthy Lumber Co in our museum. Items from the “Old Manfred News” indicating the existence of this company are as follows: July 5, 1907 – There have been some parties here this week looking over the town for sites for lumberyards. As a result, Manfred may have two new lumber yards in the near future, and then the farmers will get their lumber for nothing. (this entry does not mention Langworthy, but seems this may have been the case as you read the following articles. December 25, 1908 (date of issue of county paper) The August 5, 1910 newspaper reported that the two Manfred lumberyards have been made into one. The Rogers Yard took over the stock of the Langworthy Yard and the Langworthy Yard left Manfred. The auditor for the Langworthy Lumber Co spent Saturday at Manfred. October 28, 1910 – John Jenson is at Harvey this week helping the agent of the Langworthy Lumber Co during the collecting season. Also from the web, is an article of Olin L. Langworthy, president of the Langworthy Lumber Company. It states he started the Langworthy Lumber Co in 1902 and has been president since its inception. It says the company maintains country yards all over North Dakota, He is prominent in lumber circles throughout the USA and considered an authority on any issue pertaining to the business.

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Clifford and Ruth Michelson Husband's Full Name: Clifford J. Michelson Husband's Place of Birth: Cook County, Illinois Husband's Father's Name: Clifford Michelson Husband's Mother's Name: Pearl Michelson Husband's Siblings' Names: unknown Wife's Full Name: Ruth E. Holthouse Wife's Place of Birth: California Wife's Father's Name: Theodore H. Holthouse Wife's Mother's Name: Alice Holthouse Wife's Siblings' Names: unknown Children's Names: Priscilla Marie Michelson Pastor Clifford Jerome Michelson was called to serve the Bowdon Lutheran Parish which included the Vang Lutheran Church in Manfred in October 1950. He continued to serve until the summer of 1951. At that time he was preparing to leave for the Sudan to serve as a missionary. Their daughter was born in 1951 and died in 1953 in the Cameroon at age 1.

Ted Jorstad Husband's Full Name: Theodore O. Jorstad Husband's Place of Birth: Manfred Township, North Dakota Husband's Father's Name: Thomas T. Jorstad Husband's Mother's Name: Ragndi Olsdotter Jorstad Husband's Siblings' Names: Mayme Larson, Margaret, Alfred, Wife's Full Name: Madeline Florence Langelle (divorced) Children's Names: Sandra Carpenter, Judy Tabler Ted was born in Manfred Township, attended Harvey schools. He was a railroad worker, and held other jobs in Alaska and Chicago before returning in 1975 to Manfred, where he owned and operated a service station until 1977. He then lived in Harvey for a time, and more recently had been living at a Rugby Nursing Home. Theodore O. Jorstad 77 died Sunday, April 20, 1980. A grave side service was held Thursday at Vang Lutheran Cemetery, Manfred. Survivors include daughters Mrs. James (Sandra) Carpenter, Tacoma, Washington, and Mrs. Charles (Judy) Tabler, Larned, Kansas, four grandchildren and a sister Mayme (Walter Larson).

Mads and Sigrid Nertrost Husband's Full Name: Mads Nertrost Husband's Place of Birth: North Aurdahl, Norway Husband's Father's Name: Husband's Mother's Name: Husband's Siblings' Names: Wife's Full Name: Sigrid Strand Nertrost Wife's Place of Birth: North Aurdahl, Norway Wife's Father's Name: Nils Strand Wife's Mother's Name: Sennev Hande Wife's Siblings' Names: Children's Names: Bertha Myhre, Mads Jr., Sennev Whipple, Anna Smith, Nels Nertrost Mads Nertrost America, believed to be the "Land of Promise", beckoned so Mads and Sigrid decided to try their luck in the new world. In the spring of 1880, they sailed via the White Star Line bound for New York. After a voyage of six stormy weeks they arrived at the port of entry, Castle Garden, in the harbor of New York City. Daughter Sennev wrote - I have reconstructed a scene, as described to me, when my parents with two small children disembarked. I can visualize my father plodding down the gangplank carrying heavy baggage and with my two-year-old sister riding "piggy-back." My mother, hopeful and courageous, was following clasping her six-week-old son to her breast. They spent two years in Northfield, Minnesota. Then they decided to go to Dakota Territory to file on a Preemption claim of 178 acres, traveling by train as far as Valley City, where the railroad ended. From here, on a June day in 1882, a covered wagon caravan started out in the direction of the setting sun, en route to what now is Jessie, nine miles northwest of Cooperstown, Griggs County, Dakota Territory. In this company were several families who became our neighbors. The June weather was mellow, the virgin prairies filled with flowers under a star lit sky, on a feather bed spread on the ground, in the leeway of the covered wagon. First came the task of building a shelter. A small patch of virgin soil was broken up. The turf lay glistening in the sun for a few days, and then it was cut up and shaped into convenient sizes. These were built up like bricks; creating a humble one room "home". It had one window, a door, and the floor just the good old earth. Main articles of furniture were a small wood-burning stove, a bedstead, a table, several chairs and a huge iron bound chest brought from Norway. In this container were mother's prized Norwegian articles - linens, silverware, a large leather bound Bible, several hymn books, Luther's enlarged Catechism, readers for children, Hans Christian Anderson's Fairy Tales, and The Arabian Nights. Our bedding and a feather bed were also included. It was in this little sod house that I was born the following October, in 1882. Parents and three children lived in this single turf abode until spring, when a one-room frame house was erected and sodded up to the eaves. In half a dozen years two more children were born, and we were five. Accommodations had to be arranged for the growing family. I recall an extra bed, a box like affair, a foot high - made of boards, low enough to be pushed under the big bedstead in the daytime. This was furnished with a straw mattress and blankets, a feather quilt for covering, and the three of us slept soundly. Although poor, as the common lot of all pioneers, we were rich in the love that held us together as a family. In those early territorial days there were no places of worship except the home family altar. A mission minister held services in some far distant schoolhouse twice a year. It was on such an occasion, when I was nine months old, that my father and mother took turns carrying me to baptism as they walked to a school house six miles distance, on a hot July day in 1883. It was the coming of the Soo Line Railroad that brought home seekers to Wells County. We arrived at Manfred in1894 where father made use of his Homestead right establishing permanent residence on a quarter section of land four miles northeast of Manfred. Five children were born to this couple, Bertha, Mads, Sennev, Anna and Nels. They were active members of the Vang Lutheran Church and the Manfred community. Mads died in 1898 while the children were still very young. Sigrid died in 1926. Source: Sennev Nertrost Whipple, daughter

Post Office Location: Block 4, Lot 13 Proprietor: Jerrit Biever Year Started: April 25, 1915 Year Ended: 1944 History of Business: The first Post Office was located in the first mercantile store run by Lars Burkum. In 1903 the post office was housed in the Willborg store. The post office was also located in the C. C. Melby Store, and a building north of the Johnson Place which became the Anderson Drug and later the Confectionery. There is a note in the 1905 Manfred News about Mary Roble’s absence from the post office for a brief period of time, so apparently she worked there at that time. The building pictured above was located between the Hotel Johnson and the Ford Garage. On May 3, 1894, Thorstein K. Rogne was installed as the first Postmaster in Manfred. He was followed by Issac L. Berge in March 1900; Swan N. Willborg, March 1902; Axel LeGrand, November 1906, George Gilbertson, May 1911; Gertrude LeGrand, March 22, 1912; Ole Ranum, January 1914, Ernest Braaten, February 1, 1921; Jerret Biever, April 1925. Oscar Ongstad purchased the Bank Building when he became postmaster in 1944 and this building was used until the post office was closed in October 1992. Edgar Flick was postmaster from 1964 to 1992. The old post office building was used as a brooder house for the turkeys at Harley Boese’s Farm. Daisy – Post Office Reference points: Red rectangle - Manfred School Blue rectangle - Vang Lutheran Church Purple rectangle – Post Office/Bank Green rectangle – Solheim Station