Anderson-Melby Motor Co. Location: Block 4, Lot 13 Proprietor: Olaf Anderson Year Started: 1916 Year Ended: 1930 History of Business: Olaf Anderson and O. K. Melby built a garage in 1916, known as Anderson-Melby Motor Co. They sold Fords, Overlands, and Willys Knights among other automobile brands to residents of Manfred. In 1919, O. K. Melby retired from business life and sold out to his partner, Olaf Anderson. It was renamed Anderson Motor Company. Olaf Roble worked for Olaf Anderson's Ford dealership in Manfred. Anderson later merged with Blanding Motors in Harvey, a Ford dealer, which later became a Chevrolet-Buick dealer under the name A. B. Motive Power Co. They also sold Case implements and Fordson tractors. In 1924, O. K. and M. K. Melby purchased the garage formerly known as the A-B Motive Power Co of Manfred. They named the business the Manfred Motor Co. Oscar Ongstad worked for them at that time. The Anderson Motor Co. garage building, the former livery stable just to the north of the above building was destroyed by fire in 1930. They sold Overlands at this location. Anderson’s home and garage, just across the alley were saved. Olaf planned to rebuild soon, but passed away on November 12, 1931, so the new building was not built. He was a very popular businessman in Manfred and greatly missed. Olaf Anderson on the sidewalk with his implements. Blue Daisy – Anderson-Melby Motor Co Reference points: Red rectangle - Manfred School Blue rectangle - Vang Lutheran Church Purple rectangle – Post Office/Bank Green rectangle – Solheim Station

Peter O. and Rose Anderson Husband's Full Name: Peter Ole Anderson Husband's Place of Birth: Manfred, ND Husband's Father's Name: Perry A. Anderson Husband's Mother's Name: Lilly B. Rodne Anderson Husband's Siblings' Names: Margaret, Donald, Verna, Ruth, LoAnn, Orren Wife's Full Name: Rose Marie Alley Anderson Wife's Place of Birth: Glenfield, ND Wife's Father's Name: William Alley Wife's Mother's Name: Hassbey Alley Wife's Siblings' Names: Lila, Roy, Ernest Children's Names: Perry, Lila, Laura, John, Peter Peter Ole Anderson was born in 1926 to Perry A. Anderson and Lilly B. Rodne Anderson. Peter was reared and is the third generation to live on the family farm, located in Wells County, one and a half miles west of Manfred. It was homesteaded in 1892 by his grandfather, Peter Beck Anderson. Peter graduated from Manfred Grade School in 1940 and Fessenden High School in 1944. He joined the U. S. Air Force as an airplane and engine mechanic and was honorably discharged in 1946. He returned to the farm and has lived there ever since. He also was a substitute and rural mail carrier from 1969 until March 2, 1992, when he retired from the postal service. Peter has been involved in many areas of the Manfred and surrounding communities. He served on the Manfred School Board from 1967 to 1973 and the Fessenden school board from 1975 to 1984. He was a member of the Toastmasters, Wells County Farm Bureau, Manfred Township Treasurer and Assessor, Sons of Norway, Vang Lutheran Church and the Rural Letter Carriers Association. Rose Marie Alley was born at Glenfield to William and Hasbey Alley. Peter and Rose were married on June 15, 1958, at the Glenfield Lutheran Church. They farmed the home farm. Peter died July 12, 2022. Rose continues to live on the home farm. Rose began working at the St. Aloisius Medical Center in 1979 in the nursing home facility and is still employed there. She is involved in the Sons of Norway, Vang Lutheran Church and ELCW, the Manfred Homemakers, the Rural Letter Carriers Auxiliary and is a member of the Prairie Concert Board. Peter and Rose have five children: Perry, Lila, Laura, John and Peter Beck. Source: Fessenden Centennial Book 1893-1993 Back Row: Perry, Peter, John Front Row: Lila, Pete, Rose, and Laura in 2003

Conrad Boeker Full Name: Conrad Henley Boeker Place of Birth: Hannover, Stadt, Niedersachsen, Germany Father's Name: Mother's Name: Siblings': Two sisters who lived in Fargo Conrad Boeker was born in Germany in 1883 and immigrated to the USA in 1909. He registered for the draft in 1917-1918 listing Fessenden as his home. The 1930 census also states he is living in Fessenden and lists him as a “laborer”. Later he lived in Manfred in a small house near the James River. This was in the 1950s. He died in 1958 and is buried in the Vang Cemetery north of Manfred. The charts say he had two sisters who lived in Fargo. He is buried at the Vang Cemetery north of Manfred.

School and Church Constructed1 Education and Worship a Priority After the erection of modest frame houses, shanties and dugouts, the first aim of the pioneers was to provide schools for the children and places of worship for congregations to be organized. Elections were held to choose school board officers; congregations were organized, and services were conducted in various schoolhouses, which became centers for civic, social and religious gatherings. First Church Constructed In 1906, a church building was erected in Manfred serving the Lutheran congregations and others. It is still serving as a place of worship for the American Lutheran Church organized seventy years ago. First School House The first schoolhouse in Manfred Township in 1893 was a little building located on the south side of the tracks in Manfred. Sadie Hutchinson of New York state was the first teacher and Marshall Brinton was the first County Superintendent of Schools. A former pupil of this little school, now 73 years of age is living and active in Scobey, Montana. She is Emma Nordtorp, and she has sent the following song which seemed to be popular at that time. Forty little urchins coming thru the door Pushing, crowding, making a tremendous roar. “You must keep more quiet. Can’t you mind the rule?” Bless me, this is pleasant, teaching public school. Forty little urchins on the road to fame, If they fail to reach it, who will be to blame? High and lowly station, brought together here. On a common level, meet from year to year. Dirty little faces, loving little hearts Eyes so full of mischief, skilled in all its arts. “That’s a precious darling, what are you about?” Half a dozen asking, “Please may I go out?” Anxious parents drop in, merely to inquire Why their olive branches do not shoot up higher. Spelling, reading, thumping those who break the rule Bless me this is pleasant, teaching public school. Source: Sennev Nertrost Whipple Date March 1966

Calendar

Anton and Bertha Antonson Husband's Full Name: Anton Antonson Husband's Place of Birth: Hedmark, Norway Husband's Father's Name: Husband's Mother's Name: Husband's Siblings' Names: Wife's Full Name: Bertha Antonson Wife's Place of Birth: Wife's Father's Name: Wife's Mother's Name: Wife's Siblings' Names: Children's Names: Allen Antonson ca. 1917 Anton worked with Jens Renden at the Blacksmith Shop. Anton lived in Manfred at the time the 1915 census was taken. When he registered for WWI, in 1917 he listed that he was supporting a wife and child. Anton Antonson and Jens Renden. The little girl is no doubt one of Jens Renden’s daughters.

Ingvald and Olida Ravnaas Husband's Full Name: Ingvald Ivarson Ravnaas Husband's Place of Birth: Sigdal, Norway Husband's Father's Name: Ivar Ivarson Lillemoen Husband's Mother's Name: Karen Ivarsdatter Øverby Husband's Siblings' Names: Ivar, Kristian, Gotdfred, Kristi, Gunhild, Ragna, Einar, Karl, Torstein, Karoline, Petter Wife's Full Name: Olida Johanna Berve Wife's Place of Birth: Buxton, North Dakota Wife's Father's Name: Ole Jonson Berve Wife's Mother's Name: Anna Maria Eilertsdatter Wife's Siblings' Names: Jone Berve, Egert Berve, Johanna Berve Ramsfield, Celia Berve Broe, Eilert Berve, Oliver Berve, Olga Berve Knudsvig, Casper Berve Children's Names: Ivar, Oliver, Cora, Arvin, Cecelia, George, Morris, Inez, Edward Ingvald, the second oldest of 12 children, was born in Sigdal, Norway, on Feb. 18, 1885 to Ivar Ivarson Lillemoen and Karen Ivarsdatter Øverby. In 1903, along with his cousins Ole, Gunhild and Lars Reistad, Ingvald immigrated to America. He sailed on the steamship, Saxonia, which departed from Liverpool, England. The voyage was treacherous with high seas, but on June 25, 1903, they landed in Boston. From Boston, Ingvald traveled with his cousin, Lars Reistad, to Stark County, North Dakota where he filed his Declaration of Intent, or “first papers”, for naturalization on June 29, 1906. In November of 1909, Ingvald filed papers with the Bureau of Land Management for a land patent in Adams County, North Dakota. His cousin, Lars Reistad filed papers for acreage in the same section. On March 3, 1911, Ingvald was married to Olida Johanna Berve at her parents’ home in rural Manfred. They left Wells County and homesteaded on Ingvald’s land near Bucyrus, North Dakota. They were unsuccessful due to dry conditions and returned to the Manfred area where they farmed and raised their nine children, Ivar, Oliver, Cora, Arvin, Cecelia, George, Morris, Inez and Edward. Over the years, the Ravnaas family had a number of dogs, one at a time, whose companionship they enjoyed. Each dog was honored with the same name – Buster. Ivar never married and was a lifelong resident of Manfred. Oliver married Alma Schimke and lived in Harvey, North Dakota. Cora married Norman Nelson and lived in Minnesota. Arvin married Helen Olenberger and resided in a number of different localities in North Dakota. Cecelia married Marvin Lillemon and stayed in North Dakota, living in Velva and Minot. George joined the Marines in 1942. He fought in the South Pacific in WWII and was killed on the island of Guam in 1944 at the age of 20. Morris married Joyce Brewer and also stayed in the Manfred area. Inez married Roger Burghstahler and lived in Minnesota. Edward married Kathleen Reding and moved to South Dakota, and after Kathy’s death, he married Lorraine Kuehn. During his years of farming, Ingvald raised various grain crops, including wheat and corn. He had livestock as well, consisting of cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys. He had the help of his sons and a pair of horses named Baldy and Fannie. Ingvald was active in his community. He served as township supervisor for many years and was a member of the Farmers Union and Sons of Norway. He played fiddle, as did his father and brothers, and he played for dance socials arranged by Sons of Norway. He was also active in Sigdalslaget – an organization of immigrants whose roots are in Sigdal, Norway. He and his family belonged to Vang Lutheran Church in Manfred. When Ingvald could no longer continue the demanding life of a farmer, he and Olida moved into the town of Manfred where he continued to grow food for his own table. Ingvald spoke of returning to Norway but was never able to fulfill that dream. He died on April 1, 1963. Olida remained in their Manfred home until her death April 13, 1969. Written by Carol Schroeder, granddaughter

Bill and Anne Ongstad Husband's Full Name: William Marvin Ongstad Husband's Place of Birth: Harvey, ND Husband's Father's Name: Herbert Ongstad Husband's Mother's Name: Margaret Christensen Ongstad Husband's Siblings' Names: None Wife's Full Name: Anne Coleen Whitman Ongstad Wife's Place of Birth: Robinson, ND Wife's Father's Name: Ward Whitman Wife's Mother's Name: Edith Anne Mahin Wife's Siblings' Names: Kay, Shelly, Children's Names: Samuel, Suzanna, Rebekah, Tabitha, Miriam William (Bill) Marvin Ongstad was born in Harvey, ND and grew up on his parent’s farm north of Manfred. He attended Manfred School for his first eight years with Mrs. Rogness in the “little room” and Mrs. Cummings in the “big room.” He graduated from Fessenden in 1969, participated in football and served as FFA chapter president and state FFA Officer at Large receiving the American Farmer Degree. In 1974, he graduated from NDSU in Agricultural Education. He was in the Crops and Soils Club, elected to the Student Senate, started the “Friends of the Library” organization, member of the FarmHouse Fraternity, and was the first student to chair a Senate Committee - the Academic Resources Committee. Bill started farming full time in 1974 on the Ole J. Rodne farmstead. The original Rodne barn has been preserved and serves as the farm shop. (See Dec. 2002 Issue, Pages 7 and 10) In 1974, Bill married Anne Whitman the daughter of Ward and Edith (Mahin) Whitman of Robinson. Anne graduated from NDSU in 1975. Bill served as treasurer and president of the Wells County Better Seed and Grain, treasurer of Fram Township, Harvey School Board member 1993-2005, chairman of the FFA Alumni which helped finance the construction of a greenhouse in 2003 for the Vo Ed and Science Departments of Harvey School. In 1979, Bill began participating in the US Durum Growers serving as president 1988-90. He has made numerous lobbying trips to Bismarck and Washington DC. In 1986, he was one of twelve North Dakota agriculture leaders to meet with President Ronald Reagan in Grand Forks. Also among the twelve was John Bollingberg of Fessenden representing Edible Beans Council and Mel Schramm of Cathay for the National Farmers Organization. He was elected to Farm Credit Services of North Dakota Board of Directors in 2000. He also serves on the Wells County Mentoring Advisory Committee. Bill is widely known, well-versed, and jolly of nature. The Ongstads have been members of Vang Church where Bill served as usher, president, and trustee. Anne served as organist. Bill together with his son Sam have generously given of their time and equipment use to MHP, Inc. for restoration work in Manfred. Bill and Anne Ongstad are each active in farming/ranching operations: Bill helps his son Sam with the Ongstad Farm near Manfred while Anne manages the Whitman Ranch near Robinson. Bill and Anne had five children. Samuel (Sam) and his wife Amy live on the Ongstad Farm northeast of Manfred with their three children. Susanna attended Dickinson State and presently is living in Grand Forks. Rebecca (Beka) lives in Minneapolis and is a project manager in a law firm there. She has a music degree with a concentration in piano, and a psychology degree. Tabitha is a medical doctor and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and is halfway through her residency in surgery. Miriam died in 1995.

Sorenson Hardware Location: Block 2, Lot 1 Proprietor: Ben Sorenson Year Started: 1902 Year Ended: 1916 (destroyed by fire) History of Business: In March of 1902 Ben Sorenson and Paul B. Rognlie purchased the land on what is known as the triangle. In April 1908 Paul Rognlie sold his share to Ben Sorenson. In April of 1911 Steiner S. Aasand, as executor for Ben Sorenson sold this land to Jacob Klev. Ben was an early go-getter hardware man in Manfred, and soon his wife Maggie also started a millinery shop housed in a building Ben had built next door to the hardware store. This was short-lived, however, when her illness began to set in. Rudolph Peterson rented this property after Ben's death in 1908 and used it for a shop, and during this time there was a fire that destroyed the building that had originally been the Rognlie-Sorenson Hardware Store. Daisy – Sorenson Hardware Reference points: Red rectangle - Manfred School Blue rectangle - Vang Lutheran Church Purple rectangle – Post Office/Bank Green rectangle – Solheim Station

Schlenker's Bar and Cafe Proprietors: Jake and Evelyn Schlenker Year Started: 1953 Year Ended: about 1975 after Jake died and Evelyn moved to the nursing home. History of Business: The bar and café were run by Jake and Evelyn Schlenker. It was a popular stop for people who came to Manfred whether it was with a load of grain or to bring their children to school. Often people would stop for a visit when they came to the post office for their daily paper and the mail. Businessmen gathered there for coffee in the morning and afternoon; local people would stop for a game of cards or just to visit. Sunday after church the cafe was a gathering place as well. It was a hub of activity of Manfred. Daisy – Schlenker's Cafe and Bar Reference points: Red rectangle - Manfred School Blue rectangle - Vang Lutheran Church Purple rectangle – Post Office/Bank Green rectangle – Solheim Station

Fred and Lorraine Sommerfeld Husband's Full Name: Frederick J. Sommerfeld Husband's Place of Birth: Hague, Sask, Canada Husband's Father's Name: Frederick John Sommerfeld Husband's Mother's Name: Pauline Bomersine Husband's Siblings' Names: Bertha Ernst Wife's Full Name: Dorothy Lorraine Nelson Wife's Place of Birth: Coleharbor, McLean North Dakota Wife's Father's Name: Chester G. Nelson Wife's Mother's Name: Julianna Wohl Wife's Siblings' Names: Raymond Henry, Frances Lavone, Edward James Children's Names: Nancy D’Ambrosio and Susan Sommerfeld Fred was the Manfred Soo Line Depot Agent from 1960 to 1964. The family lived at the depot. They were active members of the Vang Lutheran Church, and in the community.

A & B Motive Power Co. Location: Block 4, Lot 13 Proprietor: Olaf Anderson Year Started: 1916 Year Ended: 1930 History of Business: Olaf Anderson and O. K. Melby built a garage in 1916, known as Anderson Melby Motor Co. In 1919, O. K. Melby retired from business life and sold out to his partner, Olaf Anderson. It was renamed Anderson Motor Company. Olaf Roble worked for Olaf Anderson's Ford dealership in Manfred. Anderson later merged with Blanding Motors in Harvey, a Ford dealer, which later became a Chevrolet-Buick dealer under the name A. B. Motive Power Co. They also sold Case implements and Fordson tractors. There was a second shop operating under the name A. B. Motive Power Co. in Harvey, ND starting in 1925. According to Orval Roble, it was the first Ford dealership in Harvey. The Model T. Ford was discontinued in 1926, and they didn’t begin producing the Model A until 1928. In the between time, rather than wait two years for the Model A’s to come out, the company began to sell Chevrolets. The company in Harvey, which started as Blanding Motor Company, began in 1916. In 1944, when Orval Roble began his association with the company it became the Roble Chevrolet Company. In 1924, O. K. and M. K. Melby purchased the garage formerly known as the A-B Motive Power Co of Manfred. They named the business the Manfred Motor Co. Oscar Ongstad worked for them at that time. A & B Motive Power Co., Inc – of Harvey Blue Daisy – Anderson–Melby Motor building Reference points: Red rectangle - Manfred School Blue rectangle - Vang Lutheran Church Purple rectangle – Post Office/Bank Green rectangle – Solheim Station