Jacob Klev Full Name: Jacob Gulbrandson Kleiv Place of Birth: Eggedal, Rogaland, Norway Father's Name: Gulbrand Stenersen Kleiv Mother's Name: Ragna Halvorsdatter Bøe Siblings' Names: Steiner, Kari, Halvor, Knut, Ansten, Ragna, Wilhelm, Engebret, Gulbrand, Sigurd, Emil Jacob Kleiv immigrated to America in 1899. He was an early merchant in Manfred. In 1905 he rented Olaf Tansem’s blacksmith shop for a year while the Tansems resided on their claim near Balfour. He had worked for Mr. Tansem the previous year and learned the efficient art of welding hammer and tongs. He lived southwest of Manfred and in 1905 had a good field of barley. The 1915 Manfred News notes that Engbrecht Kleiv of Arnegard, ND came to Manfred to help his brother Jacob in the hardware business. Also noted in 1915, Hugo Boese bought 160 acres of land from J. G. Kleiv for $35 an acre. Following the township election, J. G. Klev was elected constable. Jacob’s obituary noted that his brother Gilbert (Gulbrand) was in Alaska, William lived in Adams County, Halvor and Engebrecht lived near Palermo. Jacob Kleiv lived a couple of houses from Martin Melby in Manfred in the LeGrand Addition. He is remembered for matchboxes he made of wood. It was for the smaller matches. It was made of wood only and yet it had a cover that would snap open and closed, as Orvin Ongstad recalls. Jacob died unexpectedly in October of 1939. He had been while working at the John Haakenson farm, following his yearly maintenance of a very high windmill at the P. B. Anderson farm. When he reached the ground, he had a fatal heart attack. He was a member of Vang Lutheran Church, and is buried at the Vang Cemetery, north of Manfred.

Frank and Anna Mattis Husband's Full Name: Frank Mattis Husband's Place of Birth: Dresden, Germany Husband's Father's Name: Frank Hedwig Mattis Husband's Mother's Name: unknown Husband's Siblings' Names: Thorvald, Inga, Mabel, Clara, Hilda and Alma Wife's Full Name: Gina Hedahl Wife's Place of Birth: Øystre Slidre, Opplund, Norway Wife's Father's Name: Ole Svenson Hedahl Wife's Mother's Name: Ingrid Jorstad Wife's Siblings' Names: Sven, Conrad, Oscar, Clara, Emma, Edwin, Edith Children's Names: Frank Jr. 2nd Wife: Anna Skaar Jorstad Gina Hedahl Mattis Anna Mattis, 2nd Wife Gina Hedahl was born in Øystre Slidre, Valdres, Norway to Ole S. and Ingrid Hedahl immigrating to the USA in 1893 with her parents and brother Swen. As a young child she and her parents and brother lived first at Fergus Falls, Minnesota and then Twin Valley, Minnesota before moving to Manfred in 1895 where her father filed on a homestead. Gina attended the one-room school at Manfred, finisher her schooling in Fessenden when the family located there because her father was elected to a county position at the Wells County Court House. Later, Gina began working in the Register of Deed’s office in Fessenden. According to the published diary of Clara Hedahl. Gina was rooming with her sister Clara and Gladys Ranum in 1916 when they were attending Fessenden High School. In 1917, Gina resigned her position at the courthouse, and together with several friends filed on homesteads near Malta, Montana. She fulfilled the homesteading requirements during the years 1917-1919. The same year Gina had begun homesteading, her future husband, Frank Mattis was working in New Rockford, ND. He was born in German, son of Frank Hedwig Mattis. At the age of six Frank came to the USA with his parents and settled in the New Rockford area. A few years later the family returned to Germany where Frank was confirmed in the Lutheran Church. A short time later he returned to the United States, started farming settling in the Manfred and Esmond area. Though one of his hands was badly crippled due to a childhood accident with a gun, Frank didn’t let this hold him back and was able to do everything himself. On December 24, 1925, Gina Hedahl and Frank Mattis were married at Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. For some years they lived on the Hedahl farm north of Manfred where their son Frank, Jr. “Frankie” was born Sept 18, 1926. Frankie started school at Manfred in 1932 and finished his elementary schooling there in 1940. In1946 Frank and Gina purchased a farm of their own just southwest of Manfred. Gina had her home decorated nicely and was often found working on various kinds of stitchery handwork. Frank Jr. died suddenly November 30, 1947. He was a young man full of promise, attending the state university in Fargo at the time of his passing. His mother Gina never fully recovered from the shock of the untimely death of their only child. Gina died July 9, 1953. She was laid to rest beside her son in Vang Cemetery. After Gina died, her husband Frank continued to farm in the area. On June 18, 1965, he married Anna Skaar Jorstad at First Lutheran Church in Fessenden. Anna was born November 8, 1902, in Heimdal, ND. Her first marriage had been to Olaf Jorstad. Frank and Anna lived in Fessenden and in 1966 Frank retired. They were Members of First Lutheran Church, Fessenden and also of the Manfred Fagerlund Sons of Norway Lodge. Frank died August 18, 1976, and is buried beside Gina and their son Frank, Jr. Anna SkaarJorstad Mattis died August 8, 1977, and is buried beside her first husband Olaf Jorstad in the East Vang Cemetery north of Fessenden.

Berger and Olive Rodne Husband's Full Name: Berger Rodne Husband's Place of Birth: Fram Township, Wells Co, ND Husband's Father's Name: Ole L. Rodne Husband's Mother's Name: Anna O. Lunde Husband's Siblings' Names: Lars (Inez Erickson); Oliver (Inga Overland); Arthur, Otto, Alfred (Mabel Dovre); Carl (Agnes Stenerson); Gena (Lirgg); Laura (Bill Cook); Sena (Andrew Hillesland) Wife's Full Name: Olive Stenerson Rodne Wife's Place of Birth: Dodge, Dunn Co, ND Wife's Father's Name: Erick Stenerson Wife's Mother's Name: Christina Knutson Stenerson Wife's Siblings' Names: Orville (Bernice), Agnes (Carl Rodne) Children's Names: Karen (Gerry Beutler); Otto, Mark, Paul Berger Rodne was born September 1, 1913 to Ole L. and Anna Rodne near Manfred, N.D. He grew up on the family farm and attended a rural school located two miles from his home. Often these one-room schoolhouses had as many as 40-50 pupils from grades one to eight, with only one teacher in charge. In his late teens, Berger became interested in artwork and did oil paintings of both scenic views and portraits. Some of these he sold to museums for display. On April 6, 1952, Berger married Olive Stenerson of Dodge, N.D. at Seattle, Washington. Olive was born on April 3, 1920 at Dodge. She graduated from Dickinson State College and Lutheran Bible Institute and taught seven years in western N.D. prior to their marriage. In 1954, Ole L. Rodne sold the farm to his son, Berger who still lives on the farmstead. Berger has been active in the community, serving on the school board in Fram Township before the reorganization of the Harvey school district. He later served six years on the Harvey Board of Education. He also has done evangelistic preaching, taking him to churches in North Dakota and Minnesota. He also has enjoyed writing and sharing his poetry and caring for his "stabburs" on the farm. Olive and Berger had four children. Written by Olive Rodne for the Harvey area history book with additions by Karen Rodne Beutler

Ole and Clara Gladheim Husband's Full Name: Ole Bernhard Gladheim Husband's Place of Birth: Stokkebryen, Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Norway Husband's Father's Name: Ola Ranheim Stokkebryn Husband's Mother's Name: Barbro Olsdatter Gladheim Husband's Siblings' Names: none, several half siblings Wife's Full Name: Clara Genette Ranum Gladheim Wife's Place of Birth: Cottonwood, MN Wife's Father's Name: Ole Juel Ranum Wife's Mother's Name: Guri Knutsdotter Melby Ranum Wife's Siblings' Names: George, Konrad, Emil, Ida, Gladys Pfundheller Children's Names: Bernice (Vern) Nelson, Mildred (Olaf) Nelson, Gerda Berky, Doris Lippelgoos, Ordean, Cora Solberg Mauk, Ora Johnston Thompson, Carol Weymouth Clara Jeanette Ranum was born May 23, 1894 in Cottonwood, Lyon Co. MN. She was the daughter of Ole J. and Guri K (Melby) Ranum. Both Ole and Guri had parents who were early settlers of Manfred, Juel O. and Guri Ranum and Knud O. and Guri Melby. She was the 5th of 6 children, Konrad, George, Emil, Ida, Clara, and Gladys. Konrad and Ida both died young. Clara's family traveled from Minnesota to North Dakota, living in several places before settling in Manfred sometime in the early 1900's. Ole Bernhard Gladheim was born on July 18, 1895 in the Valdres region of Norway, on Stokkebryn, a farm owned by his parents, Ole O. Stokkebryn and his wife Barbro O. Gladheim. Barbro died soon after childbirth and young Ole was raised by his mother's parents on the Gladheim farm. When he immigrated to the US, he went by their name, although in Norway, he is still referred to as Ole Olson Stokkebryn. Ole was Barbo’s only child, but his father remarried and descendants from his half-siblings still live in Norway. Ole Bernhard Gladheim arrived in New York in 1912, sailing from Liverpool, England on the Lusitania, two years before her historical sinking in WWI. He made his way to Manfred, ND to visit his aunt, Anna (Stokkebryn) Melby, wife of Christian Christianson Melby. While visiting, he met the grandniece of Christian Melby, Clara Ranum, daughter of Ole and Julia (Guri) Ranum. On March 8, 1916, Ole Gladheim and Clara Ranum were married. Let it be noted that Ole and Clara had an even closer familial tie; their paternal grandfathers were brothers making them 2nd cousins! Shortly after the marriage, Ole and Clara moved to Sanish, North Dakota where they homesteaded a farm on the cliffs overlooking the Missouri River to the west. Here they raised 8 children, Bernice, Mildred, Gerda, Doris, Ordean, twins Cora and Ora, and Carol. As in Manfred, the area around Sanish and Van Hook had many other families related to Clara, including her brother and sister's families. But the 1930's were not good for the Gladheim family at Sanish, so they moved back to Manfred where they took up the farm from Clara's parents. All eight of the children reached their adulthood in Manfred. Ole died in 1952, killed in an auto accident while traveling in Montana. After his death, Clara sold the farm to her oldest daughter Bernice and her husband, Vern Nelson. Clara lived in Minot for many years before relocating to Vancouver, Washington to live with her daughters there. Clara died in 1986. Both Ole and Clara are laid to rest in the Vang Lutheran Cemetery near Manfred, just a short walk south from their farm. Source: Elaine Homan, 30 Jan 2003

Fredrick and Elizabeth Hoffman Husband's Full Name: Frederick Hoffman Husband's Place of Birth: Germany Husband's Father's Name: Husband's Mother's Name: Husband's Siblings' Names: Wife's Full Name: Elizabeth Wife's Place of Birth: Germany Wife's Father's Name: Wife's Mother's Name: Wife's Siblings' Names: Children's Names: John, Rudolph and Corma, Erma Frederick and Elizabeth settled in the Manfred area and are listed in the 1900 US Federal Census of the James River, Wells County, North Dakota. They emigrated from Germany. They were farmers. Frederick was born in April 1858; Elizabeth was born in June of 1867. They were married in 1897. Three children are listed on the 1910 census – John born 1899, Rudolph born in 1903 and Corma born about 1904, all born in North Dakota, presumably in the Manfred area. The 1920 census lists Rudolph in Hillsdale, Wells County, North Dakota census, and in 1930 the census lists Rudolph and his wife Theresa in Township 147 of Sheridan, North Dakota. The 1930 Census records indicate that Frederick, Elizabeth and daughter Erma were living in Harvey, Wells, North Dakota, USA. Erma was born ca 1911.

Herbert and Eliza Fincher1 Husband's Full Name: Herbert Fincher Husband's Place of Birth: New York, New York Husband's Father's Name: Jesse E. Fincher Husband's Mother's Name: Julia Hitchcock Husband's Siblings' Names: Hattie (Dan Jones); Amy (Robert T. Roberts) Wife's Full Name: Elizabeth Eliza Cone Fincher Wife's Place of Birth: Milan, Monroe, Michigan Wife's Father's Name: Erastus Cone Wife's Mother's Name: Sarah Uptagrafft Wife's Siblings' Names: Erastus, Judge, Joseph, Rebekcah, Benjamin, Jane, William, Rachel, Mary, Alvin Children's Names: Jennie[Alex LeGrand and Guy Fisher], Jessie, Cora, Grace [Sherman Curtis], Nellie, Harvey [Margretta Butler], Ethel [Peter Planner] Herbert’s parents Jesse E and Julia Fincher were the first settlers in Manfred. They homesteaded the land in 1886. Later, it was on the land of Jesse E. Fincher and Christ O. Roble, the town of Manfred was laid out. The plot of land was originally called the Jim River Crossing of the Mouse River Trail. The Fincher’s came from England to New York State, in colonial days. Herbert’s grandmother was the first white child born in New York. From New York they moved to Michigan, where Herbert and his father were carpenters. Herbert farmed with oxen for six years. He carried mail between Oberon and Fessenden for three years. He also hauled buffalo bones to Sykeston several years for additional income. Herbert and his wife Eliza Cone were married in 1884. They had five children: Jennie, Jesse, Cora, Grace and Nellie. Source: Fessenden Diamond Jubilee Book 1893-1963

Nils Bjornsen Full Name: Nils Bjornsen Place of Birth: Sigdal, Buskerud, Norway Father's Name: Bjorn Nielsen Mother's Name: Bergethe Halvorsdtr Siblings' Names: unknown Pictured are Musicians in 1901 including Nels Bjornsen B. Nelson is holding the fiddle Nils Bjornsen was born in 1853 in Sigdal, Buskerud, Norway. He immigrated to Northwood, North Dakota in 1886, and is found in Manfred in 1905. He purchased land from Joseph Le Grand. In 1910 he built an addition to his house, located 3 miles northwest of town. In 1897 Nils was admitted to the church membership at Vang Lutheran Church. In 1917 Nils and Reier Reistad spent the winter in Grand Forks. The 1920 census places him as a boarder at the Christ Roble home. They had a boarding home located at the end of main street in Manfred. Nils remained a bachelor. When he called at friends' homes he was known for bringing a small box of candy as a gift. Nils passed away in the spring of 1920 and is buried at the Vang Cemetery north of Manfred.

Albert and Lucy Biever Husband's Full Name: Albert N. Biever Husband's Place of Birth: South of Manfred, Wells Co, ND Husband's Father's Name: Mathew Biever Husband's Mother's Name: Elizabeth Schneider Husband's Siblings' Names: Joseph, Anna Jenny, Ella, Mathew, Frank, Josie Breyer Wife's Full Name: Lucy A. Specht Biever Wife's Place of Birth: Fram Township, Wells Co, ND Wife's Father's Name: Joseph Specht Wife's Mother's Name: Margaret Collins Specht Wife's Siblings' Names: Mabel, Frank, Edward and Eleanor Children's Names: Eileen, Leroy, Richard, Peggy, Dorothy Albert Biever was born on his family’s farm south of Manfred. He grew up in the Manfred and Harvey vicinities all of his life, with the exception of time when he proved up his homestead in Montana and when in the service during World War I. He was mustered out of the service April 1, 1919. He married Lucy Specht on October 18, 1921. They lived in Manfred a few years, and then they bought a farm a mile and a half-mile south of Manfred, originally homesteaded by William Goedecke in the 1890s. They lived on the farm until 1935 when they moved to Harvey. Albert was a rural mail carrier, and carried mail out of Manfred and Harvey for 36 years. In 1981 Mrs. Biever still owned the Goedecke homestead. She passed away in 1990.

Jesse and Julia Fincher1 Husband's Full Name: Jesse Ephraim Fincher Husband's Place of Birth: Ogden, Monroe, New York, NY Husband's Father's Name: John Alexander Fincher, Sr. Husband's Mother's Name: Betsey Colby Husband's Siblings' Names: Elvira Parish Fincher 1826-1896 John Alexander Fincher 1828-1910; Sara Fincher 1833 - ? Jane Fincher 1837-?; Martha Fincher 1842 - 1911 Wife's Full Name: Julia Hitchcock Wife's Place of Birth: Gates, Monroe, New York, NY Wife's Father's Name: David R. Hitchcock Wife's Mother's Name: Betsey Colby Wife's Siblings' Names: Isham Hitchcock, Stephen Hitchcock, David Wesley Hitchcoch Children's Names: 1) Harriet (Hatti) Louisa Fincher (Daniel C. Jones) 2)Herbert Jesse Fincher (Elizabeth “Eliza” Cone); 3) Amy B. Fincher (Robert T. Roberts) The Finchers were the first settlers at the James River Crossing of the Mouse River Trail, where Manfred is now located. Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Fincher were of English descent born in New York State, residing in Pennsylvania for a time and later lived in Washtenaw County, Michigan for many years. The Finchers settled in Wells County, in the spring of 1886, homesteading the land that year. The town, later to be called Manfred, was platted on Section 28, Township 149, Range 71 West on land first patented from the United States by Jesse E. Fincher and Christ Roble.

Irvin and Margaret Iverson Husband's Full Name: Irvin J. Iverson Husband's Place of Birth: Lyon, Minnesota Husband's Father's Name: John Iverson Husband's Mother's Name: Ingebjorg Dovre Husband's Siblings' Names: Hilda, Rakel, Martha, Eva, Adolph, Josephine, Clarence, Erling, Elmer, Alfred Wife's Full Name: Margaret Rogne Wife's Place of Birth: Oppland, Norway Wife's Father's Name: Bendik Eriksen Rogne Wife's Mother's Name: Kari Knutsdatter Nyhagen Wife's Siblings' Names: Carolyn, Emil Children's Names: Marlow (died age 2), Irene Wedding Picture of Irvin and Margaret Irvin Iverson and daughter Irene Word was received here last week Thursday that Mrs. I. J. Iverson, formerly of Manfred, passed away at her home at Colorado Springs, Colorado in May 1921. Mrs. I. J. Iverson, formerly Miss Margaret Rogne, of Manfred was born in Norway in 1892. When only nine months of age she came to America with her parents, who located at Manfred where Mr. Rogne took up a homestead. She lived with her parents until 1915, when she married Irvin J. Iverson. They made their home on a farm northeast of Manfred until last fall, when the farm was rented and they left to find medical aid for the deceased. Two children were born to this union, Irene, now four years old, and a son Marlow, who preceded his mother to Eternity last July. Last fall the Iversons left for Minneapolis and Rochester, Minn. and finally went to Colorado Springs, in an effort to improve Mrs. Iverson's health. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. Rogne, left for the west some time ago and Miss Caroline Rogne, a sister, who had been teaching in the local schools, left a few weeks ago, and arrived in time to be with her sister when the end came. Mr. Rogne, however, returned to Manfred three weeks ago to attend to springs work there. Source: Obituary Irvin died in California in 1969.

Donald and Lillian Breyer Husband's Full Name: Donald Breyer Husband's Place of Birth: South of Manfred Husband's Father's Name: Anton Breyer Husband's Mother's Name: Josie Biever Breyer Husband's Siblings' Names: Robert and Joann Wife's Full Name: Lillian Gustafson Breyer Wife's Place of Birth: Near Plaza, ND Wife's Father's Name: Conrad Gustafson Wife's Mother's Name: Emelia Gustafson Wife's Siblings' Names: Bill Gustafson Children's Names: David, Jim and Patricia Don was born on December 14, 1927, to Anton and Josie (Biever) Breyer on a farm south of Manfred, moving into Manfred he attended grade school there. He graduated from Fessenden High School. Lillian was born on September 29, 1931, to Conrad and Emelia Gustafson on a farm near Plaza. They moved to Heimdal where she attended grade school and two years of high school before graduating from FHS. Don and Lillian were married on April 25, 1950, and the parents of three children: David, Jim and Patricia. Don worked in road construction for several years, but when time came for the oldest to begin school in 1956, they moved to Fessenden for the school year and traveled with the construction work during the summers, claiming Fessenden as "home." Lillian became a secretary again in 1957 for the Wells County state's attorney. In 1960, they built their home and settled down in Fessenden. Don worked for Schmidt Painting until Mr. Schmidt's death and then established his own painting business in 1976. Don and Lillian's three children attended Fessenden schools and graduated from FHS. David attended NDSU for a year, but college was not for him, so he moved to Minnesota, worked for John Deere, steel construction and now has his own business of carpentry. He was married in Minnesota and has two sons, Troy and Matt. Jim graduated from UND with a major in accounting. He married Mary Wallace, a FHS graduate on June 2, 1973. They have two girls, Beth and Jamie. After living a number of years in North Dakota they moved to Chandler, AZ. He has a printing company and Mary has continued in the medical field and also does volunteer work in their church. Patricia graduated from UND in accounting. She has worked in several fields of accounting and many different areas, but is now situated back in Los Angeles, CA as controller for a book publishing company. Source: Fessenden Centennial Book 1893-1993

Victor and Louella Harrison Husband's Full Name: Victor Edward Harrison Husband's Place of Birth: Venturia, McIntosch, North Dakota Husband's Father's Name: Edward Harrison Husband's Mother's Name: Clarice Husband's Siblings' Names: Bobbie Kolmeier Wife's Full Name: Louella Boese Harrison Wife's Place of Birth: Manfred, North Dakota Wife's Father's Name: Louis Boese Wife's Mother's Name: Ella Mennegar Boese Wife's Siblings' Names: Violet Kittelson, Raymond, Harley, Mildred Soiseth, Ervin, Wesley, Richard Children's Names: Glenda Sherman, Victor, Debra Lochow, James Louella was raised in the Manfred community. She married Victor Harrison in 1942. Victor was the depot agent in Manfred for many years. They raised four children, Glenda, Victor, Debra and James. Victor passed away in 1973. After Vic passed away Louella married Douglas Oglesby. They lived in Enderlin, where Douglas was superintendent of schools. After he retired they moved to Valley City. Louella passed away in March of 2011.