Rasmussen Family Bits and Pieces by Ruby Rasmusssen Smith and Larry Smith
Big sister Pearl told Ruby that there was a baby still-born between her and Ruby. The baby was buried on the Evergreen Farm where Ruby was later born. The story does make sense because there are seven years between Pearl and Ruby. Ruby’s mother never mentioned the death of the baby to her.
Great-Grampa Rasmussen, Ramus Rasmussen, came to live with my grandparents after his wife’s death. He became quite senile before he died. He would try to ride Uncle’s Don’s hobby car, would fall off and get real mad at it. At times he would head down the street, carrying his “slop jar” (toilet) muttering to himself.
Somers Beach, on Flathead Lake, is ten miles out of Kalispell. My Folks would go out there frequently to either swim or ice skate. It was very sandy. The water was shallow enough for a person to wade out for hundreds of feet. The beach was great for ice skating because the lake froze solid enough to drive a car onto the ice. Somers Beach was flooded with the completion of the Flathead Dam at Polson, about 1938. Uncle Harland and Uncle Don, as teenagers, would ride their bikes down to the lake and meet the Folks. One day, after riding out on their bikes, Harland accepted an invitation to ride back in the Folks’ new 1937 Plymouth. Don instead chose to ride back to town in his swimming clothes. He was so badly sunburned he spent a week in bed recovering.
Uncle Don went to 8th grade in school and then dropped out and worked for Harry Hoiland in his store candling eggs for a year without pay. Harry said the boy needed to learn before being paid. Mr. Hoiland was so cheap he would not give Grandmother Rasmussen a discount on groceries even though her son was working for free. Grandma Rasmussen would not even use the store’s free delivery service because she did not want to bother them. She carried her own groceries 10 blocks from the store to home.
Lamar, age 42, Uncle Don’s only child, fell through lake ice while winter fishing. He left a wife and three boys. Born, August 3, 1951; died, November 17, 1993.
Uncle Ted Ross died on September 26, 1986. Ted Ross’ brother, Alan, was killed in a land slide while building the Flathead Dam. He owned a store at Apgar on Lake McDonald in Glacier Park.
Mother does remember seeing baby Don in bed with Grandma Rasmussen after he was born. She was four. Grandpa Rasmussen gave Don $5 because he was the first (and only) boy.
The family planned to call Mother, “Ruby Helen”, so that is the reason for the extra middle name of Lucile. But “Helen” was soon dropped and Mother ended up with two middle names. Then she dropped the Lucile. Grandma Rasmussen, for some reason, felt that Mother needed the extra name. She was born on “Helena Flats”, across from the Schoolhouse. (Evergreen?) The Rasmussen’s lived across from the local school “and all the kids came over to see me”. Dr. Bottorf (a lady doctor) told Grandma that Mother was a perfect baby. Soon after the delivery, Dr. Bottorf, during a house call, was out at her car mixing up medicine out of her trunk when a car came speeding along hitting her and crushing both legs. The doctor eventually lost one.
Grandpa Rasmussen had a small farm at the time on which he raised hay, and stock. It was the old “Paulsen Place”. The Paulsen’s had come out from North Dakota about 1900 and homesteaded the place. “Grandpa Paulsen” was killed by a stump puller while clearing the land. He was hit in the head when the chain snapped. The family quickly lost all interest in Montana farming and wanted to return to North Dakota, so my Grandfather Rasmussen offered to trade his homestead in North Dakota for the Paulsen place in the Flathead Valley of Montana straight across. Family stories claim that the Rasmussen’s were cheated. The place, house and the furniture had been “misrepresented”. Some of the family members fumed over the “dirty dealing” for the next 80 years. Grandpa and Grandma Rasmussen never mentioned the story.
——–
From the Paulsen family – 2007 – When Mary HP Fredlund and her grandson Kenn discussed Photo #17, of the new house Albert built, she explained that it had happened to the right of the house (at right edge of photo) — it being where her Father had died. From a Kalispell newspaper:
“ACCIDENT WAS FATAL”
Albert Paulson Killed While Engaged in Pulling Stumps.
———————————
SWEEP CRUSHED HIS BREAST
———————————
Being Suddenly Released by the Breaking of the Clevice Attached to a Team of Houses — The Accident Occurred at the Ranch Northeast of the City.
– – – – –
Albert Paulson, a well known rancher residing a few miles northeast of town, was almost instantly killed this morning while pulling stumps.
He was driving the team when the clevice that fastened the team to the sweep broke in two and the sweep struck him with terrific force across the breast, knocking him to the ground and causing injuries that resulted in his death shortly afterwards. He made an outcry when struck, but when assistance reached him he was unconscious and remained in that condition until he died. The accident was witnessed by one of Mr. Paulson’s employees who was working a short distance away and who summoned help and carried the injured man into his home.
The deceased was about 53 (sic) years of age and leaves a wife and several children. He had been a resident of this county for about three years, and was highly respected. His sudden death was a shock to his many friends who sympathize with his stricken wife and family.
The funeral will be held from the Scandinavian Church on Fifth Avenue West, Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock,”
(This Church was on the street where they’d lived in town and likely still attended; origins in 1895.)
Albert was buried in Conrad Cemetery, across the highway from the land he’d newly built & resided on– (He went to a home newer yet.)
His tall tombstone reads:
ALBERT PAULSEN
Died May 13, 1904
Aged 50Y 8M 19D
Christ who died for us that,
whether we wake or sleep,
we should live together with him.
— 1 Thess. 5:10
– – – – – – –
Even with all the phyical and financial setbacks of the time and working at many different jobs, Grandpa Rasmussen seemed to prosper. He always owned a car. He bought his first one in 1906. Grandma would drive from the farm to the “Stand Pipe Hill” and then stop and let Grandpa take over. She did not want to drive in town. (As if Kalispell was crowded with traffic in 1906.) The town had only been founded for five years.
In 1921, the Rasmussen family moved off the farm into Kalispell to 501 9th Avenue West, trading the farm for a house in town. Mother says that Grandpa Rasmussen did “real well on the trade.” Moving to town was a defining moment in Mother’s life. I remember her talking about life on the farm and then life in town. The old Rasmussen house burned down soon after Grandma Rasmussen moved out of it in 1963 to live with her daughter Pearl.
I remember her still cooking and heating her water with a wood fire when Lloyd and I visited in 1952. The family eventually got together and raised the money for an electric hot water tank soon after our visit. Before the hot water tank was installed, Grandma would walk through the large garden behind her house to Uncle Don’s little house to pick up a couple of buckets of hot water for our tub bath, rather than starting up the wood cook stove during the summer. She took real good care of us during our almost two week visit. We had traveled up to Kalispell with Uncle Harland and Aunt Judy and our two girl cousins, Linda and Sandra.
In 1927, Grandpa Rasmussen burst a carotid artery in his neck while stacking 100 pound sacks of potatoes. His neck and chest filled with blood and puffed out in massive swelling. He would not go see a doctor. Mother doubts if a doctor in those days could have been of much help. His face and chest became purple and swollen from the blood that had poured into his chest cavity. Lots of prayer from the church went up for him. Grandpa sat up for weeks and slowly recovered. He was unable to sleep comfortably horizontal again. Grandpa also suffered from intense migraine headaches since he was a child in Denmark. Mother remembers him sitting for days in a darkened room with a cool cloth over his forehead waiting for the pain to subside.
When Mother (Ruby) Was 12 Years:
When I was 12 years old–I was walking home–winter time–dark at 6:00 p.m. –carrying my violin–after a lesson–iI can still see the exact spot–which I “look” at real often. It was on 5th Street in Kalispell–just after you cross the creek and then an alley–a brown house on one side and the house across the alley faced the street. A car came along with two men in it and asked me to get in the car and I said, “No!” They went around the block and came back and asked me again. In those days they didn’t grab you and put you into the car like they do now-a-days. Well they went on their way and I was shaking like a leaf. I was about four and one half blocks from home. All these years–and I still think about it. (June 6, 2002)
One day while Grandpa and Grandma Christ Rasmussen were visiting us in Oregon in 1947, Grandpa accompanied us to help Dad haul firewood from a dumpsite near the present-day Medford Armory. I remembr Grandpa began to get a headache about mid-morning because he said he needed his coffee.
Grandpa Rasmussen died April 14, 1952 in Kalispell, Montana and is buried in the Conrad Cemetery. .
Grandma Rasmussen died on October 3, 1963 in Emunclaw, Washington, while visiting Aunt Iva in Black Diamond and is also buried in Kalispell.
Mother started school in 1923 and graduated in 1935. “Loved every minute of it.” She played the violin for one year in the school orchestra and ended up selling the instumennt for $3 to raise money for the move to southern California after Dad and she were married. Dad traded his 22 rifle, given to him by his father, for a 32 Colt auto pistol, which he still has.
—————————————–
Detail about the Rasmussen/Paulsen Egeland/Kalispell 1905 Land/farm/house swap.
It was Fred and Myrtle Paulsen and Christian Rasmussen
NOT Mary Paulsen and Christian Rasmussen as had been previously thought!
From: AMY MICHELSEN <amichelsen@usfamily.net>
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2007 22:37:02 -0500
To: Marsha Paulsen Peters <mapptree@gmail.com>
Subject: Chris-Dagny Rasmussen/Kalispell-Egeland trade
Hi all:
I think I had some confusion about who traded homes in Kalispell. Somewhere else I was told Mary traded her Kalispell house with Chris and Dagny Rasmussen. Actually, it was not Mary but Fred & Myrtle, right? Fred & Myrtle lived in Kalispell from 1903-1906.
Jeanette said: After grandpa Albert died and Mary left Kalispell, all of their children decided to move back to North Dakota. My folks (Fred & Myrtle) made a deal with one of the Rasmussen families, Chris and Dagny Rasmussen, to exchange farms… the older Rasmussens lived in Kalispell so Chris wanted to be out there. So my folks came back to Egeland with just the clothes on their back and Dagny and Chris with their child went to Kalispell to our place. That was in 1905 and Egeland had been established by that time. [Don’t know if she means 1905 or 1906.]
It’s hard to keep these people straight!
Just wondering where the Paulsens lived in Kalispell (at the time of Albert’s death, before the big house was built),
Amy
From: AMY MICHELSEN <amichelsen@usfamily.net>
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 13:51:06 -0500
Subject: RE: Dagny/Chris home- Kalispell
If you are interested, I’d like to share with you the following recollections by Jeanette Paulsen Shively in autumn 1981 [her father was Fred Paulsen, a son of our Albert & Mary]:
“When the children grew older and became married my grandfather Albert would help them get started with horses and machinery and the like. Then grandfather Albert wasn’t satisfied anymore, he had prospered, he was ready to go farther west. So in 1902 he went west to Kalispell, Montana. He built a house there, I have seen it in the later years, which is still very fine. After grandfather Albert moved out there he wanted the married children to move out to Montana also. My father, Fred, was 22 at this time and was married to my mother. He paid for his children’s way out on the train and they were to bring along the spouse and children…
My family’s understanding of why Albert P moved out to Kalispell:
1887: First, they moved from southern MN to the Dakota frontier and homesteaded. They worked hard and prospered fully; crop yields were terrific in the 1890s. They started with 3 quarters, then they purchased and farmed 8 other quarters. When he chose to start this life chapter in ND in 1887, Cando was the end of the rail line, and Egeland as a town did not exist yet when Albert & Mary arrived with their family to homestead. “The first train chugged into Cando in October 1888.”
1902: Kalispell had already gotten the Great Northern Railroad in 1892, but it was a thriving young city. The railroad brought in businessmen, tourists and pioneers looking for a new start. Kalispell soon emerged as an industrial center as sawmills, flour mills, merchants and farmers rooted themselves in the area. Kalispell quickly established itself as the trade center for Northwest Montana, and eventually, the county seat. [That from a website.] I don’t know where Albert Paulsen heard about Kalispell, but Albert was approaching 50 when he was ready to start anew out west. He seemed to be a bit of an entrepreneur. Maybe he desired new challenges. Some people said he “retired” to Kalispell [that was written in the Towner County History book].
Larry, Thanks for your comments (below). It is very helpful to hear of Albert’s comments to Chris Rasmussen, encouraging a trade. Do we all believe that Albert was planning for his need to get rid of his downtown Kalispell place in order to move his family to the big new house once finished? He would have wanted more family and friends to come to Kalispell.
Does Ruby recall any of the names listed on the land patents on that Evergreen property where Albert was killed? That document I received from Kalispell puzzles me, but that is their record.
Amy
Hello, Larry and Ruby, too!
My partner-in-this-Paulsen ongoing history weekly diary project, cousin
Amy Michelsen (great-granddaughter of Lena and Anna Paulsen Rasmussens’
brother Edward) has theorized (Aug 19th’s ‘Week # 35 of 1907 diary) * that
the Albert and Mary Paulsen family never lived in the home he built in
Kalispell (attached photos) before he died in early 1904, whereafter Mary
moved back to ND – – the famous house-switch made with your Christian and
Dagny Rasmussen. IF you never lived there, Ruby, TELL ME! I would like
to think the Paulsens Did get to live there, at least a short while. My
gut tells me they did. But I am willing to be proven wrong, if they did
not.
We’ve found an address on the back of an old photo (also attached) which
lists Mary’s name and address in-town, Kalispell. I’m thinking this is
where they lived until Albert had the house he built Ready. Anyway, we’d
like to *harvest the facts and truth* about it, so I look to Ruby for
someone who so-very-likely lived in the house … and her input so as to
learn stories *where Mary+ moved OUT of* , when she switched locales with
Chris & Dagny … And more info. In the first photo, there are
curtains and other things in the windows, so ‘house-belongings’ were moved
in, *Hmmm. * “The story goes” that Mary+ traded ‘straight-across,
house plus furnishings’ with Chris & Dagny in 1904 (?check me on that
date?) (cool; Dagny had been an also-immigrant house-helper in Mary’s home
when in MN or ND, I forget; was Dagny from Denmark or Norway?) :::: SO,
were the furnishings those already IN the attached photo house (meaning,
that Mary+ had already moved into it) or her furnishings from the in-town
house, I wonder? YOUR MEMORY of your parents’ telling of this can help
me solve the mystery of whether the Paulsens ever got to live IN the newly
built place, or not.
What COLOR (s) was the house painted when you later lived in it?
Changes made over the years? Do you remember the shutters shown in the
recenter photo? those might’ve been added YEARS after you knew the house.
I’M READING in Larry’s nicely compiled Rasmussen history (bk 2, pgs
39-40+) that Ruby’s eldest sibling Lydia Mabel was born in ND in 1902,
pre-move, and the next child Ester Minnie was born 1905, after the move, in
the “Evergreen area” of Kalispell. I am going to assume that that home is
the one in photos attached. Tell me if I’m wrong! Subsequent children
(Iva Gladys, Pearl Agnes, *Ruby Helen Lucille*, were born in the Evergreen
district house too; “Don” was born IN ? Kalispell town? or also on the
Evergreen area farmhome?) [Larry* — I will re’mail the letter with your
check for the Rasmussen bookset; duh– it boinged back to me with no stamp
on it! I guess due to email eeease I have forgotten how to stamp and mail
a real envelope…] * Ruby *– my Mom, Goodie (92) is in a similar
‘survivor mode’ as you; she was 3rd of 5 sibs and is the only remaining
one, and going strong — as you are. But Dad is gone (1910-2006).*
*
* What, if anything (please think way back) did your parents tell you
about the origins of that house in the Evergreen district? Anything about
its builder Albert Paulsen (my great-grandfather) or his life, skills, sad
demise, or his widow’s return [“the switch”] back to NDak? He was only 51
(my current age) when he tragically died, so we know SO MUCH LESS about
him than about great-grandma Mary who lived 36 yrs longer and wrote a diary
entry Every Day of her Life ! As it says in the Bible, and I kinda
paraphrase, “by one’s fruits (works) shall ye know him.” So — with
Albert, the carpenter, I want to feature his two crowning building ‘works’
— the original house near Egeland, ND where they lived about a dozen yrs,
then this beauty in Kalispell where their stay (if at all) was *so brief*.
Ruby: Larry has gently reminded me that there was a silver lining to this
tragedy, and I’m glad to see this — IF Albert hadn’t died young and Mary
(widowed mother of 11) chosen to head back to NDak to be near some married
kids, as she did, Chris and Dagny wouldn’t’ve been as likely to head out to
Kalispell which later put YOU within courting range of one young Elmer
Smith – – and the rest is history! I know that Albert’s other
“fruits” were the 13 Paulsen babies born to Mary and him, including your
father Chris’ two sisters-in-law — but I’ll give Mary the *greater
credit*for that Work and Fruitfulness! I have two sons — that
was plenty for
me, personally.
What did it FEEL like to live in that house (if you did)? any comments
about the interior or design or quirks and things you liked? Or problems
with it? comments by parents Dagny and Chris about the building of it,
and how it fared over the years your family stayed in it? When, if ever,
did your parents move OUT of the house, and why? (these are all
interesting tidbits for those of us descendants of Albert and Mary who
didn’t get to see or live in the house.) What room was yours? What was
the kitchen like and where in the main floor was it? An indoors
bathroom? Were there outbuildings added later? Mary H.Paulsen Fredlund
told her grandson Larry (when looking at the first attached photo) that
Albert had died pulling in the accident pulling out a tree-stump to the
Right of the house, – – you hear anything else about Location-in-yard of
where he died?
Please e-send your responses to these questions to me, Marsha Paulsen
Peters mapptree@gmail.com (granddaughter of Henry Paulsen, a brother of 2
of Chris’s brother’s wives, Lena (Ras S.R.) and Anna (Rev. James R.) or
hit “reply.” I am compiling this ‘Color commentary’ on Albert’s carpentry
House-Fruits this week, to send out next Mon or Tues, so please send me
your input by this Sunday, if you can. Major-league Thank you. So
much.
Your shirt-tail related, Marsha Paulsen Peters
* * * *The following are the Quotes (at this point her suspicions or
projections) from Amy M. in the Diary #35 sending (aug 19th) which I’m not
convinced of: * “Although hearing the words “the big Paulsen house in
Kalispell” conjures images of the Paulsens living in it, it seems our
Paulsen ancestors did not actually live in that big house – although Albert
may have designed it and maybe was involved in its construction at the time
of his death while clearing tree stumps on the site. Sometimes oral
history needs confirmation; sometimes we believe what we want to
believe. The following was written in 1937 by their daughter Anna
Christina Paulsen:
“During the time of construction of their new eight room house about a mile
northeast of the city, they lived in Kalispell. When pulling stumps and
clearing land on their new place, father was killed on May 13, 1904.” Her
statement suggests the Paulsens never lived in the Evergreen district of
Kalispell at all. *Amy goes on: ** “Where, exactly, did they live in
Kalispell? **Recently, I received by email (from Dolly Thornton Twedell
of Lena’s branch) a fine studio portrait of an adorable toddler-aged Jalmer
Fredlund, one of Mary Paulsen’s grandsons (born April 1898). On the
backside of this portrait is some order information for “2 copies” ordered
by “Mrs. Al Paulsen, 112 5th Ave. W., Kalispell Mont.” This is terrific
information – apparently telling us Mary Paulsen’s address at the time she
ordered 2 new copies made. Importantly, I suspect this is the Paulsen
family’s address at the time Albert was clearing land and constructing the
big house 1 mile east of town!”*
**
* So, Larry and Ruby, to recap: Amy thinks/ projects that Albert died
in construction-readying tree-pulling on the Evergreen land WHILE they
lived in town, and that they never got to live there. I believe she has
mis-read Anna’s statement *”When pulling stumps and clearing land on their
new place, father was killed on May 13, 1904″* to mean that the house
wasn’t built/ finished yet, when he died, so they couldn’t’ve moved in. *
*I personally think the house was finished and (possibly) they’d moved in,
and Albert was removing other tree stumps to clear the yard… beyond the
house foundation somewhere. Note, I’m not ’embroiled’ in a
misunderstanding about this, nor do I want to be, NOR do I ask you to
become embroiled! but, esp. since Amy wants to be “clearing up”
conjured images of “what we want to believe”, I’d like to get more INFO
about if Mary+ were IN the house or not yet, this house that used to be
called ‘the Paulsen house’ before it became Chris and Dagny’s home. Even
if you can’t help me clear up that who-when-where question, please describe
anything you can about the exterior or interior of the house and memories of
your parents’ move there, etc. I need to share it to EXPAND us Paulsen’s
handle on the building and home it was — for Whoever of us!!*
p.s. the last attached photo is of me and my Dad, a week before he died
last year (1910-2006) — taken by a visiting cousin from Norway, on my
mother’s side. He had just finished singing hymns for the cousins, and
trying out long-remembered Norwegian on them… It’s our last photo of us
together, as I left *with* the cousins for Mpls for a cousin-reunion there
and Dad couldn’t go with us, due to dialysis, so I promised him: “I’ll
come back next Tuesday, Dad, and stay longer.” — Hmmm, the day after the
reunion which I hosted I was hospitalized in St.Paul with double-pnuemonia
for a week, and Dad died up in Fargo the day I was released. *Our Life
Plans don’t always match up with Life Happenings, do they…*
——
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Marsha Paulsen Peters < mapptree@gmail.com>
Date: Aug 31, 2007 10:06 AM
Subject: Homes, houses
To: Amy Michelsen
HI, AMY You wrote, 30 Aug.:
“…Sometimes it can be a fun challenge to get history straight! ”
* Oh, I agree ! * in fact, it *always* is. :^)
**
I hope the various names you addressed the thing to last night
will contribute
their own sights and insights into the Egeland (Albert- Ed- onward?) home’s
history, and Carl/ Ed/ etc places.
In my ‘memory’ I have Alb-MOP moving to Kalispell in 1901, not 1902
(also I think the photo of full Alb-Mary fam group taken in Cando studio
we’ve by-kid-aged as being 1901; the kinda photo folks did before leaving
town.). * If* Kalispell/ Flathead Co. land-purchase records (? I’m not
looking at them now) have Alb buying land to build on in 1902 (?)
Kalispell, maybe they’re living already in the address shown on the back of
that photo from Dolly? — just thoughts, here.
By the by, I personally am not ready to believe (yet) your theory that
the Alb-MOP Paulsens never lived in the ‘red’ Kalispell house before he died
and she left. Perhaps partly because I *Do* ‘want’ them to have enjoyed
that fine house at least a while before abandoning it — that’s easy for me
to admit. The Kalispell in-town address on the back of the photo from
Dolly is indubitably where they lived before moving into the Albert-built
place, but I don’t believe that the in-town address needs be exclusively
where they resided while in MT. I’ll ask Larry and his mom Ruby where she
lived (as it was reputed to be the house traded to Chris Hans Rasm. when
MOP+ went back to ND) and her/any memories of what we’ve known as the ‘red
house’ — maybe that’ll help. Cousins Kenn and Larry have also said they
believe the Paulsens moved in there before Albert died.
PERHAPS this upcoming week’s ‘Color’ incl. re: these two
built-by-Albert homes will shake loose more readers’ memories, thoughts or
inputs. Amy, Thank you for your ongoing MOP diary transcriptions and
this shared work/ play re: the Paulsen history.
**
* Yours, Marsha*
**
________________________________________
`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~`’`~’`’~`’`~`’`~`’`
Marsha Paulsen Peters
mapptree@gmail.com
(319) 337-5409
1141 Hampton Court
Iowa City IA 52240-2927
:
:
From: Ruby Smith <smithruby@charter.net>
Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2007 07:21:09 -0700
To: <mapptree@gmail.com>
Subject: Family
Good morning Marsha on this early Sunday morning.
I am afraid I will not be much help with that early family history. You see I was # 5 in the family and my oldest sister was 15 when I was born.
I understand and always heard I was born out in the Evergreen and evidently across from a school because my parents mentioned several times that the school kids came across the road to see this new baby. I do not remember living in that house at all.
So I was three plus when we moved to town–and I do not remember the move. My brother, Don, 4 years and 5months younger than I was must have been born soon after we moved to town at 501 Ninth Avenue West –Kalispell and that is where we lived all of my unmarried life and my parents lived there the rest of their lives.
I remember especially when Uncle Jim and Aunt Annie came to visit from Spokane they would talk about this Paulsen being killed by a stump puller–I heard that many times–but that is all I know of the family. I do remember going on a drive and someone would say that big house over there is the house that Paulsen built but we never stopped. So you see I am no help to you at all. I only remember living in that one house until I was 18 and married my sweetheart–June 10 1935.
I also know we have two wonderful sons. We hear from them at least once a day–always keep in close contact–in fact Larry was here yesterday when Lloyd called us from the Philippines.
So I trust this will help you at least a tiny bit and I am sorry I do not know more. I would love to help you but I was too far down the line I think.
Sincerely,
Ruby Rasmussen Smith
=================
Thank you, Ruby, for hearkening Back in time and trying to remember these
old things! This IS helpful to me, so I appreciate your input, a bunch.
And I’ll ask a bit more as there may be more in your memory to be
*jogged,*yet. Many times even us later ones in the family
{(similarly, I was last
of 4 and almost 19 yrs younger than the firstborn)} can relate stories told
to us of those earlier events. And we feel like we might’nt remember the
stories “since we weren’t born yet when the action happened” … but
sometimes we find things do come back — esp things which were mentioned
several times to you (like the schoolkids coming to see you, the newborn
— How sweet!)
“This Paulsen being killed by a stump puller” – – (that’s Aunt Annie’s
father, of course) Do you recall anything of what they repeatedly said
(at all) about that stump-puller incident story?
So would approx. *Summer of 1920* be a good ‘guessimate’ of when you moved
into town? (with Don born less than a year later, methinks.) Amazing that
our Mothers had the energy and strength to have such pregnancies, still, and
when busy with the REST of life (movings, work, more.) My Mom was 40 1/2
and Dad 45+ when I was born, January *10th*, 1956 — so you and I are
both ‘mountain goats’ — {Capricorns} — maybe you are where your grandson
Brian got his propensity for mountain climbing! *heh heh. * My first
son Ben was born *July 2* (so there’s another* similarity* between us!)
when I was *23*… similar to you, I think?
>> Thinking of my Mom’s situation, I can’t quite imagine being 40 and having
the energy to “do” a pregnancy and newborn while still chasing a very
live-wire toddler *and* run the business which Dad had just started, and in
their new house which Mom was still finishing-up the details on, etc, etc.
<<
Your sons DO INDEED seem to be good people, like mine, and we are both
blessed as Moms. I am tickled that my Mom moved to Iowa City 4 months
ago, so now we’re just 4 miles apart instead of the drive-time needed which
I would make monthly these past years, to Fargo ND (20 hr loop) to visit
her. Dad was in a nursing home (stroke, paralysis) but Mom lived alone for
years. Now that Dad has gone on to greener pastures (he Was kind of an
Old Buffalo; family joke) so she agreed to move close to one of us kids,
and that’s luckily *me*. She loves her new ‘senior retirement
residence’ here and it is very nice. http://www.oaknoll.com/independent.htm
The “in-town” address where the Paulsens lived in Kalispell {while building
the big home you were born into, across from the school in Evergreen} was *112
Fifth Ave. West* — I know nothing of the city,,, This address we found
written on the back of an old photo (1903?) of which Mary Paulsen
(mother of your Father’s sisters-in-law, Lena and Annie) had ordered more
copies, so the photographer put her “order info” there. (see attached.)
Well — I’d better begin my Day. God bless you. I will look forward
to seeing your responses to my PINK questions, above. Thanks, Ruby!
Sincerely, Marsha in Iowa
Aliquot
Parts Sec./
Block Township Range Fract.
Section Meridian State Counties Survey
Nr. SE 4/ 159-N 65-W No 5th PM ND Towner
This must be the homestead traded from Rasmussen to Paulson
Town Name Egeland
Township Victor
1960 Population 190
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/nd/towner/towner.htm
Towner County, ND, 1900 Census Index
064 Paulson B. P. 181-07b
043 Paulson William 180-11a
046 Paulson Albert 181-06a
051 Paulson George 181-06b
013 Paulson Pat 181-10a
080 Paulson Tubas 182-07b
007 Paulson Fred 180-21a
038 Rasmussen May 182-01a
056 Rasmussen Rasmus 180-21b
060 Rasmussen Rasmus 181-06b
037 Rasmussen Martin 182-01a
033 Rasmussen Rasmus 180-21a
I have the 1900 Census pages for;
Rasmus, showing C H (Christian hans) still living at home.
Also;
Paulson Family
If you don’t have them, i would be glad to transcribe and also send
scans of pages.
Beverly (Caton) Pinelli
3835 Gardiner ferry Rd. # 88
Corning, Ca 96021
——————————————————————————————————–
From: Marsha Paulsen Peters <mapptree@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:46:59 -0500
To: Larry Smith <jvsmith@clearwire.net>, Ruby Smith <smithruby@charter.net>
Subject: Homes, houses
Hello, Larry and Ruby, too!
My partner-in-this-Paulsen ongoing history weekly diary project, cousin
Amy Michelsen (great-granddaughter of Lena and Anna Paulsen Rasmussens’
brother Edward) has theorized (Aug 19th’s ‘Week # 35 of 1907 diary) * that
the Albert and Mary Paulsen family never lived in the home he built in
Kalispell (attached photos) before he died in early 1904, whereafter Mary
moved back to ND – – the famous house-switch made with your Christian and
Dagny Rasmussen. IF you never lived there, Ruby, TELL ME! I would like
to think the Paulsens Did get to live there, at least a short while. My
gut tells me they did. But I am willing to be proven wrong, if they did
not.
We’ve found an address on the back of an old photo (also attached) which
lists Mary’s name and address in-town, Kalispell. I’m thinking this is
where they lived until Albert had the house he built Ready. Anyway, we’d
like to *harvest the facts and truth* about it, so I look to Ruby for
someone who so-very-likely lived in the house … and her input so as to
learn stories *where Mary+ moved OUT of* , when she switched locales with
Chris & Dagny … And more info. In the first photo, there are
curtains and other things in the windows, so ‘house-belongings’ were moved
in, *Hmmm. * “The story goes” that Mary+ traded ‘straight-across,
house plus furnishings’ with Chris & Dagny in 1904 (?check me on that
date?) (cool; Dagny had been an also-immigrant house-helper in Mary’s home
when in MN or ND, I forget; was Dagny from Denmark or Norway?) :::: SO,
were the furnishings those already IN the attached photo house (meaning,
that Mary+ had already moved into it) or her furnishings from the in-town
house, I wonder? YOUR MEMORY of your parents’ telling of this can help
me solve the mystery of whether the Paulsens ever got to live IN the newly
built place, or not.
What COLOR (s) was the house painted when you later lived in it?
Changes made over the years? Do you remember the shutters shown in the
recenter photo? those might’ve been added YEARS after you knew the house.
I’M READING in Larry’s nicely compiled Rasmussen history (bk 2, pgs
39-40+) that Ruby’s eldest sibling Lydia Mabel was born in ND in 1902,
pre-move, and the next child Ester Minnie was born 1905, after the move, in
the “Evergreen area” of Kalispell. I am going to assume that that home is
the one in photos attached. Tell me if I’m wrong! Subsequent children
(Iva Gladys, Pearl Agnes, *Ruby Helen Lucille*, were born in the Evergreen
district house too; “Don” was born IN ? Kalispell town? or also on the
Evergreen area farmhome?) [Larry* — I will re’mail the letter with your
check for the Rasmussen bookset; duh– it boinged back to me with no stamp
on it! I guess due to email eeease I have forgotten how to stamp and mail
a real envelope…] * Ruby *– my Mom, Goodie (92) is in a similar
‘survivor mode’ as you; she was 3rd of 5 sibs and is the only remaining
one, and going strong — as you are. But Dad is gone (1910-2006).*
*
* What, if anything (please think way back) did your parents tell you
about the origins of that house in the Evergreen district? Anything about
its builder Albert Paulsen (my great-grandfather) or his life, skills, sad
demise, or his widow’s return [“the switch”] back to NDak? He was only 51
(my current age) when he tragically died, so we know SO MUCH LESS about
him than about great-grandma Mary who lived 36 yrs longer and wrote a diary
entry Every Day of her Life ! As it says in the Bible, and I kinda
paraphrase, “by one’s fruits (works) shall ye know him.” So — with
Albert, the carpenter, I want to feature his two crowning building ‘works’
— the original house near Egeland, ND where they lived about a dozen yrs,
then this beauty in Kalispell where their stay (if at all) was *so brief*.
Ruby: Larry has gently reminded me that there was a silver lining to this
tragedy, and I’m glad to see this — IF Albert hadn’t died young and Mary
(widowed mother of 11) chosen to head back to NDak to be near some married
kids, as she did, Chris and Dagny wouldn’t’ve been as likely to head out to
Kalispell which later put YOU within courting range of one young Elmer
Smith – – and the rest is history! I know that Albert’s other
“fruits” were the 13 Paulsen babies born to Mary and him, including your
father Chris’ two sisters-in-law — but I’ll give Mary the *greater
credit*for that Work and Fruitfulness! I have two sons — that
was plenty for
me, personally.
What did it FEEL like to live in that house (if you did)? any comments
about the interior or design or quirks and things you liked? Or problems
with it? comments by parents Dagny and Chris about the building of it,
and how it fared over the years your family stayed in it? When, if ever,
did your parents move OUT of the house, and why? (these are all
interesting tidbits for those of us descendants of Albert and Mary who
didn’t get to see or live in the house.) What room was yours? What was
the kitchen like and where in the main floor was it? An indoors
bathroom? Were there outbuildings added later? Mary H.Paulsen Fredlund
told her grandson Larry (when looking at the first attached photo) that
Albert had died pulling in the accident pulling out a tree-stump to the
Right of the house, – – you hear anything else about Location-in-yard of
where he died?
Please e-send your responses to these questions to me, Marsha Paulsen
Peters mapptree@gmail.com (granddaughter of Henry Paulsen, a brother of 2
of Chris’s brother’s wives, Lena (Ras S.R.) and Anna (Rev. James R.) or
hit “reply.” I am compiling this ‘Color commentary’ on Albert’s carpentry
House-Fruits this week, to send out next Mon or Tues, so please send me
your input by this Sunday, if you can. Major-league Thank you. So
much.
Your shirt-tail related, Marsha Paulsen Peters
* * * *The following are the Quotes (at this point her suspicions or
projections) from Amy M. in the Diary #35 sending (aug 19th) which I’m not
convinced of: * “Although hearing the words “the big Paulsen house in
Kalispell” conjures images of the Paulsens living in it, it seems our
Paulsen ancestors did not actually live in that big house – although Albert
may have designed it and maybe was involved in its construction at the time
of his death while clearing tree stumps on the site. Sometimes oral
history needs confirmation; sometimes we believe what we want to
believe. The following was written in 1937 by their daughter Anna
Christina Paulsen:
“During the time of construction of their new eight room house about a mile
northeast of the city, they lived in Kalispell. When pulling stumps and
clearing land on their new place, father was killed on May 13, 1904.” Her
statement suggests the Paulsens never lived in the Evergreen district of
Kalispell at all. *Amy goes on: ** “Where, exactly, did they live in
Kalispell? **Recently, I received by email (from Dolly Thornton Twedell
of Lena’s branch) a fine studio portrait of an adorable toddler-aged Jalmer
Fredlund, one of Mary Paulsen’s grandsons (born April 1898). On the
backside of this portrait is some order information for “2 copies” ordered
by “Mrs. Al Paulsen, 112 5th Ave. W., Kalispell Mont.” This is terrific
information – apparently telling us Mary Paulsen’s address at the time she
ordered 2 new copies made. Importantly, I suspect this is the Paulsen
family’s address at the time Albert was clearing land and constructing the
big house 1 mile east of town!”*
—————————————————
From: Lloyd Smith [mailto:LSmithTwin@Comcast.net]
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 9:11 PM
To: ‘AMY JO MICHELSEN’
Ernie Ras album
Thanks so much for the kind words. It is e-mails like those that keep me going. Thanks so much for the story. What year were you born? I will send it to my brother who is the keeper of the Rasmussen story.
I am trying to gather all the photos I can find. I wish more photos had turned up for you. Keep up any comments and I will add them to the photo. I really appreciate them.
We see many photos we have not seen before but it is interesting how some of the same photos appear in all the albums. The relatives really passed them around in those days.
It is Bill Rasmussen’s box and Ernie’s album.
How many kids do you have? Where have you worked, etc?
They are scanned at a fairly large file, .5-2 mgs so if you ever want any larger ones than the ones you get off Picasa, just give me the album and the number and I will send it to you.
How did the story come out when your mother was 50?
Lloyd Smith
Lsmithtwin@comcast.net <mailto:Lsmithtwin@comcast.net>
——————————————————————-
From: AMY JO MICHELSEN [mailto:amichelsen@usfamily.net]
Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 6:35 PM
To: ‘Lloyd Smith’
Ernie Rasmussen album
Yes, I have been looking at Ernie Rasmussen’s box of photos on your website – they are great – and I was just hoping there might be an image circa 1901-1903 of the hired girl at Albert and Mary Paulsen’s home. She was a Norwegian immigrant named Rachel/Rakel Kvamme and she is my great-grandmother. We have very few images of her. She was employed by the Paulsens during those years, at both their Egeland house and the Kalispell house. Rachel left the family in spring 1904 (just days or weeks before Albert’s death), returning to North Dakota with her baby boy that was born out-of-wedlock to the Paulsen son, Edward L. Paulsen (Lena’s brother). Apparently Edward was not ready to be married, at 20 years, and perhaps the hired girl was hoping to become one of the Paulsen family, but we can only guess what happened. Edward did marry in 1907 to Helen Sand and never told his family, and all his siblings joined in the secret too. The baby’s grandmother, Mary O. Paulsen, kept in touch with Rachel for years, via writing letters mostly (Rachel is mentioned several times in her diaries) and Mary even visited her grandson Arthur after Mary moved back to Cando, leaving some money for his family.
Anyway, the baby born to Rachel Kvamme and Edward Paulsen became my grandfather (mom’s dad) and he was the dearest man, most devoted to his faith, mentor, and my favorite grandparent. We did not know my mom’s true ancestry (Paulsenoid) until mom was almost 50 – shortly before Grandpa died in 1995 (his name was Arthur Edward Eide). In North Dakota, Rachel immediately married a widower with two young children and lived out her life there, with many children.
Great album! Nice work keeping it alive and viewable for people all over! I am keeping copies of some. I have not seen any better collection of Egeland/Kalispell home photos, so I appreciated looking at these, plus the siblings later in Medford. I also watched for any pictures of Edward Paulsen, since there were none among my family prior to 1999 when I started learning all this and meeting Paulsen kin! All new ones to us!
Thank you,
Amy (Elverud) Michelsen
From: “AMY JO MICHELSEN” <amichelsen@usfamily.net>
Date: November 1, 2010 6:01:16 PM PDT
To: “‘Lloyd Smith'” <LSmithTwin@Comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Ernie Ras album
I was born in 1964, and I believe I have written with Larry in the past – in connection with that MOP diary that we were sending out to everybody we could find who might be interested. I have a Xerox copy of her 1907 diary, so I started that endeavor in 2007 and Marsha has done a fine job keeping it up with other diaries.
I have two daughters, Maren b. 2001 (I was studying/learning about Albert Paulsen’s wife Maren Olsen Paulsen b. Denmark) and also Amanda b. 2006. So I am busy now as a mother, homemaker and volunteer. Prior to 2002, I worked in clinical laboratories for 16 years as a Medical Technologist or CLS is the new term. I grew up in Long Island, and worked in labs in Minnesota, Maryland (U.S. Navy), and Los Angeles (VAMC). There was a stint on USNS Comfort during the first Gulf War (traveled to Persian Gulf and did some shopping there, haha). Married in 1992, we first lived together in North Hollywood (where Loyal’s mother is buried, but I did not know any Paulsen cousins back then). We have lived in Minnesota since 1994 and built our nice little house here on 6 acres that we bought from my parents. I have 3 sisters and we are all now within an hour of our parents near Minneapolis.
My mom’s mom Beatha (married to Arthur Eide) knew that Art was always bothered about not knowing his dad’s family, and maybe not feeling wanted, he never inquired or sought them out. So she (my grandma) did her own sleuthing by watching obituaries in the Towner County paper for many years during the 1970s-80s I think… they always knew the name Edward L. Paulsen as “father” from Arthur’s original big beautiful full-colored baptismal certificate made in Kalispell – which also named Lena as a witness. We figure that MOP helped at Arthur’s delivery, just as she did for so many grandchildren.
Anyway, Grandma Beatha finally found Ed’s family by name when an obituary came out for Ed’s daughter’s husband – Okie Johnson, Ethelyn’s husband. After discussion, they decided to phone Ethelyn and they met with her in Bismarck a couple of times before she died. Ethelyn told him much about their shared dad, Ed Paulsen. I guess that is when Art and Bea first told my mom – in the 1980s. I’m not looking up these dates in my family file now. So that is how the story came out in my family. I have to wonder, however, if mom’s much older brother knew much earlier, because his only son was named Paul Eide! The Paul name. My mom was so much younger than her sister and brother, that she was raised as an only child and did not know her brother much (still doesn’t, she claims).
My own personal break-through came when in 1999 I hired a piano tuner out of my local yellow pages – I chose him because of the name Paulsen – and after he tuned my piano we had a discussion about our ancestry and it turned out that we are 3rd cousins! Dale Paulsen descends from Ed’s and Lena’s brother, Fred Paulsen, and he gifted me with the Xerox copy of MOP’s 1907 diary, which is owned by his dad, Fritz Paulsen.
That answers some of your questions… all for now. Thanks for the offer – I’ll consider if I’d like to have any of them larger for my family.
Thanks again,
Amy
——————-
=================================================
From: Rod and Dolly Twedell <rdt122@earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:26:07 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)
To: Larry Smith <jvsmith@clearwire.net>
Update on Agnes Rasmussen family
Dear Larry, I’m sorry this has taken me so long. I don’t usually take this long. I appreciate your wanting to know about mom’s side of the Rasmussens. I’ll try to add to mom’s I don’t think I have much info on the others, but can bring you up to date on mine. We are not as good as we should be in keeping in touch, my mom would be so heart broken over that! I’m not sure what all you wish to know, so will do my best and you can ask for anything else.
I am the second of Agnes and Lloyd Thornton. I lived in Egeland, ND until I was 12. I saw that mom sent you our birthdates, so will not include that. We moved to Dufur, Or. in 1944 and lived there about 1 year, then moved to Medford, Or. I think that was because Vernon and Nellie Rasmussen already lived there and she and mom were best friends. I attended school in Medford, which I hated with a passion. (any school) I graduated in 1950 and was married to Nyle Arnon Reed in l951 in Denver, Colo. He was in the Air Force. We lived there, in Austin, Texas and Albany, Ga.during his 4 years.
We had a daughter: (Idrove myself to the hospital as my husband was already there with spinal meningitis) And came home by myself, 3000 miles from home! and my first baby!
Kathy SueReed, Nov. 17, 1953 born in Albany, Ga She married Stephen Elliot in 1970 in Torrance, Ca. They had 2 children:
Lori Ann born in Dec. 1970. Lori is now married to Marc Seal and they have 2 children. Kyler born Sept. 20, 2002. They have a brand new baby girl Kayla Jordan Seal born July 15, 2007. They live in Capistrano Beach, Ca.
They also had a son, Robert Elliot, he was murdered by a 16 year old at the Dana Point Beach in Ca. when he was 18. A very sad misunderstanding.
Kathy divorced Stephen many years ago and is now married to Eddie Killins and they also live happily near Lori and MarcKathy has been in sales for contruction material for many years and now works from her home. Eddie has his own construction business. They are very involved in Christian work, plan to leave Fri for the Dominican Republic to work on homes for homeless. Have traveled to Russia, Venizuela and others to work with orphans.
Well that is one family taken care of. I’ll not bore you with more right now, but will add to this tomorrow. God bless you in what you are doing. If you need more info on people just let me know what you would like.
Dolly Thornton
* So, Larry and Ruby, to recap: Amy thinks/ projects that Albert died
in construction-readying tree-pulling on the Evergreen land WHILE they
lived in town, and that they never got to live there. I believe she has
mis-read Anna’s statement *”When pulling stumps and clearing land on their
new place, father was killed on May 13, 1904″* to mean that the house
wasn’t built/ finished yet, when he died, so they couldn’t’ve moved in. *
*I personally think the house was finished and (possibly) they’d moved in,
and Albert was removing other tree stumps to clear the yard… beyond the
house foundation somewhere. Note, I’m not ’embroiled’ in a
misunderstanding about this, nor do I want to be, NOR do I ask you to
become embroiled! but, esp. since Amy wants to be “clearing up”
conjured images of “what we want to believe”, I’d like to get more INFO
about if Mary+ were IN the house or not yet, this house that used to be
called ‘the Paulsen house’ before it became Chris and Dagny’s home. Even
if you can’t help me clear up that who-when-where question, please describe
anything you can about the exterior or interior of the house and memories of
your parents’ move there, etc. I need to share it to EXPAND us Paulsen’s
handle on the building and home it was — for Whoever of us!!*
p.s. the last attached photo is of me and my Dad, a week before he died
last year (1910-2006) — taken by a visiting cousin from Norway, on my
mother’s side. He had just finished singing hymns for the cousins, and
trying out long-remembered Norwegian on them… It’s our last photo of us
together, as I left *with* the cousins for Mpls for a cousin-reunion there
and Dad couldn’t go with us, due to dialysis, so I promised him: “I’ll
come back next Tuesday, Dad, and stay longer.” — Hmmm, the day after the
reunion which I hosted I was hospitalized in St.Paul with double-pnuemonia
for a week, and Dad died up in Fargo the day I was released. *Our Life
Plans don’t always match up with Life Happenings, do they…*
“““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““
From: Marsha Paulsen Peters < mapptree@gmail.com>
Date: Aug 31, 2007 10:06 AM
Subject: Homes, houses
To: Amy Michelsen
HI, AMY You wrote, 30 Aug.:
“…Sometimes it can be a fun challenge to get history straight! ”
* Oh, I agree ! * in fact, it *always* is. :^)
**
I hope the various names you addressed the thing to last night
will contribute
their own sights and insights into the Egeland (Albert- Ed- onward?) home’s
history, and Carl/ Ed/ etc places.
In my ‘memory’ I have Alb-MOP moving to Kalispell in 1901, not 1902
(also I think the photo of full Alb-Mary fam group taken in Cando studio
we’ve by-kid-aged as being 1901; the kinda photo folks did before leaving
town.). * If* Kalispell/ Flathead Co. land-purchase records (? I’m not
looking at them now) have Alb buying land to build on in 1902 (?)
Kalispell, maybe they’re living already in the address shown on the back of
that photo from Dolly? — just thoughts, here.
By the by, I personally am not ready to believe (yet) your theory that
the Alb-MOP Paulsens never lived in the ‘red’ Kalispell house before he died
and she left. Perhaps partly because I *Do* ‘want’ them to have enjoyed
that fine house at least a while before abandoning it — that’s easy for me
to admit. The Kalispell in-town address on the back of the photo from
Dolly is indubitably where they lived before moving into the Albert-built
place, but I don’t believe that the in-town address needs be exclusively
where they resided while in MT. I’ll ask Larry and his mom Ruby where she
lived (as it was reputed to be the house traded to Chris Hans Rasm. when
MOP+ went back to ND) and her/any memories of what we’ve known as the ‘red
house’ — maybe that’ll help. Cousins Kenn and Larry have also said they
believe the Paulsens moved in there before Albert died.
PERHAPS this upcoming week’s ‘Color’ incl. re: these two
built-by-Albert homes will shake loose more readers’ memories, thoughts or
inputs. Amy, Thank you for your ongoing MOP diary transcriptions and
this shared work/ play re: the Paulsen history.
**
* Yours, Marsha
Marsha Paulsen Peters
mapptree@gmail.com
(319) 337-5409
1141 Hampton Court
Iowa City IA 52240-2927
From Uncle Don, Mother’s Brother:
C. H. Rasmussen bought his homestead in North Dakota for $750. It was a paperwork payment. Before Grandpa could plow his new land he had to clear off the buffalo bones from the land. Don has a pair of Indian moccasins that his mother gave him. The Indians had given them to Rasmus Rasmussen when he worked up the land on his North Dakota homestead for the first time.
Some time after Grandmother Rasmussen died, Uncle Don found an envelope hidden up behind Grandpa’s writing desk as he was going through his father’s things.
It was a note Grandpa Rasmussen’s handwriting about Aunt Iva’s birth. Apparently copied off the official birth certificate.
—Written by Larry Smith based on a conversation with Uncle Don Rasmussen in 1981.
_____________________________________________
State of North Dakota
County of Towner
County Court
In the matter of the application of
Christian H. Rasmussen
for a marriage license
The undersigned Christian H. Rasmussen of Cando in the County of Towner and State of North Dakota, herby applied for a Marriage License for the Marriage of
Christian H Rasmussen of Cando in the County of Towner and State of N. Dak
The said Christian H Rasmussen represents that the said Christian H. Rasmussen and Mary Jorgenson are both single and unmarried, of sound mind, not deprived of civil rights nor of any of the degrees of consanguinity prescribed by law, and may lawfully contract and be joined in marriage, and after being duly sworn, deposes as follows, in answer ot of the following interrogatories:
Question. What is the age of said Christian H Rasmussen? Answer 23 years
Question. What is the age of said Mary Jorgensen? Answer 18 years.
Question. Do you state positively that Christian H Rasmussen is over twenty-one years of age? Answer. I do.
Question. Do you state positively that Mary Jorgenson is over eighteen years of age? Answer, I do
Question, Are the parties for whom application is made for Marriage License in any way related? If so, to what extend? Answer none
Dated Dec. the 18 1900.
Signed Christian H. Rasmussen
State of North Dakota
County of Towner
County Court
Christian H. Rasmussen each being duly sworn, depose…and say…, each for himself, that he is acquainted with the contents of the above application for Marriage License subscribed to by him and that the statement contained in the said application, and the disposition to, and the answers given to the questions therein, are true, as therein set forth.
Christian H. Rasmussen
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 18 day of Dec. A.D. 1900
W E Gibbens
Judge of the County Court
—————————-
IN COUNTY COURT
County of Towner, N.D.
CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE
STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA IN THE
County of Towner COUNTY COURT
I hereby certify that the within Certificate
was filed in the office of the County Court
within and for said County on the 29
day of Dec, 1900
and recorded in book 1 of the Marriage
Records of said County, on page 39
W E Gohlens (unclear)
Judge of said County Court
MARRIAGE LICENSE
STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA
In the County Court
COUNTY OF TOWNER
CANDO, NORTH DAKOTA December 18, 1900
To any Person Authorized by Law to Perform the Marriage Ceremony, GREETINGS:
YOU ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO join in Marriage Christian H. Rasmussen
of Cando N Dak, aged 23, and Mary Jorgenson
of Cando N Dak, aged 18, and of this License and your Certificate you will
make due return to my office within thirty days.
W E Gilhens (unclear)
Judge of the County Court
*********************************
CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE
I HERBY CERTIFY The person named in the foregoing License were by me joined in marriage at
Rasmus Rasmussen’s home County of tTowner, State of North Dakota, on the Twenty fifth
day of Dec. , 1900.
In presence of
Rasmus Rasmussen K. C. Haktner
R.S. Rasmussen witnesses Ev. Luth. Pastor
State of North Dakota
ss
County of Towner
I, Judith R. Hoffman, Sole Judge of the County Court within and for the County of
Towner, State of North Dakota, and keeper of the records and files there of, do hereby
certify that the instrument on which this certificate appears is a true copy of the
original Marriage License and Certificate of Marriage of Christian H. Rasmussen and
Mary Jorgenson, and the whole thereof, as the same now remains on file and of record
in the Court aforesaid.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the
County Court of said County, State of North Dakota, this 21st of March, A.D. 1977.
Judith R. Hoffman
Judge of the County Court, Towner County
State of North Dakota
*****************************************
Always give Claim Number 516-10-4646A
when writing about your claim
FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY
SOCIAL SECURITY BOARD
WASHINGTON, D.C. May 29, 1942
Field Office Great Falls, Mont.
Mr. Christian Rasmussen
501 9th Ave. W.,
Kalispell, Mont.
Dear Sir:
This letter refers to your claim for insurance benefits under the Social Security Act. Our records show that you are entitled to benefits of $10.60 a month beginning with the month of May, 1942. Your first payment will be for May and will amount to $10.60. This will be sent to you by the Treasury Department with a few days. Thereafter, you will receive your regular monthly benefit of $10.60 at the end of each month.
Very truly yours,
O.C. Pgge,
Director
Ruby Rasmussen Smith was on this train traveling between Medford, Oregon and Kalispell, Montana to attend her parents’ 50th Wedding Aniversary when the accident occurred.
Bonners Ferry Herald–December 21, 1950 – Washington
TRAINMEN INJURED WHEN ROCK SLIDE DERAILS LOCOMOTIVE
Two Spokane engine men aboard the Great Northern’s eastbound Empire Builder were shaken at about 2:30 yesterday morning when the locomotive ran into a rock slide at Yaak, Mont. several miles west of Troy, Mont.
Engineer Roy Webb suffered fractured ribs, bruises and scalp wounds. Both were brought to the Community Hospital in Bonners Ferry for treatment. It was reported this morning that their condition was good and that the two would probably be released within a day or two to return to their homes.
Observers at the scene of the accident reported that passengers on the train were only shaken by the sudden stopping of the train.
According to Dispatcher William Preston at Whitefish, Mont., 500 cubic yards of rock fell on the tracks, which at that point are laid at the foot of a high bluff with the Kootenai River on the other side.
The first unit of the diesel locomotive left the tracks and nosed into the River. Both Webb and Ostness were wet when they emerged from the cab.
Shortly after 10 a.m. yesterday morning the six Pullman cars of the 13 car train were pulled back to Bonners Ferry where remove extra space a two-hour stop was made to allow the passengers time to eat at local restaurants. Many of the passengers took advantage of the time to send telegrams and to make long distance calls.
Trainmen said that as many of the coach passengers as possible were brought back to Bonners Ferry on the sleeper cars. The coach passengers said they had been advised that the train would be from 24 to 36 hours late arriving at Chicago.
It is reported that rock continued to fall after the train was stopped and lodged against the coaches and other cars at the head of the train.
The sleeper cars which were brought back to Bonners Ferry were taken to Sandpoint, where they were switched to the Northern Pacific tracks and a train made up to continue over the northern Pacific trackage. The train would be switched on to the main line of Great Northern again at Havre, Mont.
The east bound mail train, which was to have left Spokane yesterday morning, was held at Spokane yesterday morning, was held at Spokane until afternoon. It passed through Bonners Ferry at 5:45 p.m. yesterday with the first westbound train coming through shortly afterward.
Equipment and men from division points at Whitefish and Spokane were called to assist in clearing the track. In addition to the damage to the locomotive there was some damage to running gear of several coaches, the mail car and diner, the chief dispatcher at Whitefish reported.
P.S. This is Ruby Smith and I was on my first train ride–on my way to Kalispell, Montana to help my parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Rasmussen of Kalispell, Montana celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Christmas Day. I was in one of the front cars and headed for Whitefish so we sat there for 17 hours–no heat and no lights– waiting for a train to come from Whitefish to pick us up. They served us sandwiches. We had to walk in the snow and gravel to board the train, which was not as nice as the Empire Builder. It was an older train with straight back green seats. Kalispell was not on the main route so I took another train to Kalispell and finally arrived at my destination about 3 a.m. and my brother, Don, picked me up.
When Elmer Smith was about 12 years of age he and his Ddad were heading from Kalispell, Montana to Essex. Several miles short of their destination there was a rockslide. They exited that train, climbed over the gravel and boarded another train and headed for home in Essex.
————————————————–
C.H. RASMUSSEN (1877 – 1952)
RITES OBSERVED
Funeral services for Christian Hans Rasmussen were held Saturday afternoon at the Waggener and Campbell Chapel by Rev. Wesley R. Hurst of the Assembly of God.
During the service Mrs. Don Peterson and Esther Mugrud sang two appropriate hymn selection accompanied at the organ by Mrs. Lucile Richardson. (“He the Pearly Gates will open)
Friends acting as pallbearers were Nicholas Vanden Bos, Dean E. Beller, Carl Boline, Harry Hoiland, G.A. Anderson and Don Peterson. Honorary bearers were Howard Roush, Roland Snyder, Charles A Price, Orin Steubs and M.N. Dunham.
Burial was in the Conrad Memorial cemetery.
Christian Hans Rasmussen was born May 22, 1877 in Fyne, Denmark, and at the age of 12 came to the United States to make his home in Minnesota (Albert Lee). Here he grew up and later moved to North Dakota. On Dec. 25, 1900 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Dagny Jørgensen. Four years later they moved to the Flathead and farmed in the Helena Flats district. For the past 30 years they had been making their home at 501 Ninth Avenue West. in Kalispell. Mr. Rasmussen was a charter member of his church. The Assembly of God in Kalispell and had served on the church board since its organization.
He died at his home April 15, 1952, at the age of 74 years. He leaves his wife Mary Dagny at home, six children, Mrs. Lydia Lunde and Mrs. Esther Ross both of Kalispell. Mrs. Iva Carpenter of Black Diamond, Wash. Mrs. Pearl Bowman of Kalispell. Mrs. Ruby Smith of Medford, Ore. and Donald Rasmussen of Kalispell, 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. There are also four brothers; Rev. James Rasmussen of Spokane, Wash; Will of Medford, Ore.; Carl and Maurice, both of Wenatchee, Wash.
(Daily Interlake Newspaper)
————————————–
If and when you read my parent’s last letters to us–remember that my mother was 14 and my Ddad was about 12 when they “came over”. Also remember they went to work in North Dakota upon arriving and the government didn’t send them to school nor spend $$ on them. They learned on their own. I don’t understand how they did so well. My Ddad was an avid reader–any GOOD literature he could get his hands on. (Ruby, 2003)
—————————————-
This letter from my dad, Christian Hans Rasmussen, was written on March 31, 1952 and he passed away April 15, l952, age 74, which was just a couple of weeks after he wrote the letter from Kalispell, Montana. My dad never attended English schools. He learned to read and write English by reading and studying my school textbooks. (Ruby)
Dear Ruby & Elmer and Boys
We are pretty well and all the snow is gone in town but there is some out in the country yet. It has been cold for two weeks. You were asking about Mrs. Shetler she died from a stroke she was siting on the floor. Jim was only away for 2 hr. he could not wake her up so he came over here and said I think Girdy is dead. You know when a person dies and is far away we don’t feel it like when it is close by or in our own house she was 75. You know three score years and 10 is the years given. When I think back in time the Paulsens and us was living in N.D. before Ras. and Lena and us was married so many Have died since the Paulsens and our folks and now Ras. has gone and many others. Mothers folks her Brother in Dak. her Sister and husband and her father in Canada she is only left alone we can soon be gone and when a person dies not one word we can find out about anything.
Now it is the plan I was writing about some time ago. Ted and Esther are thinking about going to Iva and will take us along and then you can come up and meet us and take us to Medford you can think over it and let us know. When school is out it is 2 months yet.
I will close with love
Mother and Dad
This was written by my Mother, Dagny Rasmussen July 24, 1963–just as she wrote it, from Kalispell, Montana. Dagny came to the U.S. as a teen and did not attend any English schools after arriving. Her English was self-taught. (Ruby)
July 24.-63
Dear Ruby, Elmer and boys.
I have been thinking of you I cant remember if I wrote you last or not but I looking for a letter and finely got one wee have had a lots of rain and a fire hot days.
jes I sold the place to muthr varry so maney things nided fixing nobody to do it everybody is to bizze and I dont feel good I cant hardly see the lines I am bothered wiht gas efter I eat I am just no good. I dident get what vee vanted for the place 6 tousen 3 hundred for kahs to pay Hary Hoiland the rest is $175 a mont that goes in the bank on interest I will nid it if I hafe to have my eye operated on will cost 5 hundred hope I dont hafe to pray the Lord will hell me I know he can i have a lot of headaik. Donna May and famely stopt here on ther vay to allabama. Dody is havay poor Iva is ther along you know she dont go eney whar Wes sure kepps his job I vold like to see her but she has a big jard and fowers to take care of i cant see why they cant come and see us. I dont like the idia of Larre go so far avay how can you stand it i cant see hvay Lloid goes in reserves he gits in ther they wont let him out until they get good and redy I cant see vey Ethel dident hunt us up I vold like to see them Donna M. husban had no joice ether bee laid of or go down to the negros they have and aful time but you know they got to live to. our camp meeting is over I was up 6 times it was a big croud more than ther has ever been befor they are aful bezze at polebrids and Don runs his legs of. I am running out of news. I will bee looking for a letter lots of love
Mother and all,
by by
————
This was written Oct. 1, 1963 by my mother, Dagney Rasmussen, a few hours before her stroke and three days before she died.
My Mother, 81, wrote this letter while visiting my sister, Iva, in Washington just a few hours before she suffered a stroke. This is exactly as she wrote. Iva sent the letter after she died. Mother never attended an American school having left Norway for North Dakota at age 14. She never made it to the train that night. (Ruby)
Dear Ruby and family, Okt. 1 Anser and tell all the newes
Well I am stil at Ivas but wee are leving to knight — 10:30 train that will bee 3 weeks to morrow. had a vonderful time last sunday vee vent 3 hundred and 8 miles made the loop around Mont Rainier a beautiful drive last knight vee went out to the Brokhart family Dode (Iva’s daughter) husband folks and seen all the piksurs from havai . (Pictures from Hawaii) thats wher dode is her husben has a wonderful job starting new stores Wigvam is the name. Donna famely is down in Alabama and just hate it down ther coming back in the spring Wes has bene aful good to take us so maney places besides working every day. it is real nice out sun shining I see by the paper you are having aful hot out ther 100 and 2 in Medford thats to hot for mee how can poor Elmer vork. I have been filing real good get kind of dizze sometimes. I think a lot comes from my ayes that catarak bothers me. I am kind of slipy wee dident get hom until mid knight 100 and 30 miles but was a nice trip. it was good for Esther to git avay for awhile got a lady to help up ther to take care of the store (Pole Bridge, Mont.) they have bene real bezze this summer. how sone will Larryu hafe to go. you will hjave Lloid home. Iva dont have aney it will bee lonesom for her this winter I am runninout of newes so will close for now. Lots of love, Mother (Larry was in Peace Corps training in Lincoln, Nebraska)
======================================
Children of Christian and Dagny “Mary” Rasmussen
Mostly written by Ruby Smith
Ruby Helen Lucille Rasmussen
Born: January 7, 1917, Kalispell, Montana.
Daughter of:
Christian Hans Rasmussen, b. May 22, 1877, Ringe, Denmark, d. April 15, 1952, Kalispell, Montana, of a stroke, Immigrated to the U.S. in 1889, settling first in North Dakota before moving to Kalispell, Montana.
Married: December 25, 1900, North Dakota
Dagny Marie “Mary” Jorgensen, b. October 19, 1882, Oslo, Norway, d. October 3, 1963, age 81, stroke, Emunclaw, Washington. Immigrated to the U.S. in 1897, rejoined her father in North Dakota who had come on ahead.
Christian and Dagney “Mary” were married on December 25, 1900, North Dakota.
Christian and Dagny “Mary” Rasmussen Children:
Lydia Mabel – born in North Dakota in 1902, d. December 1, 1957, Kalispell, Montana
Esther Minnie – b. 1905, d. May 29, 1992
Iva Gladys – b. Oct. 11, 1906, d. Feb. 22, 1995 b. October 11, 1906, d. February 22, 1995
Pearl Agnes – b. January 15, 1910, d. February 21, 1979
Ruby Helen Lucille – b. January 7, 1917, b. Kalispell, Montana, on the farm.
Arthur Donald “Don” – b. 1921 – b. Kalispell
LYDIA MABEL was born in North Dakota July 28, 1902 and she died December 1, 1957. At age 17, she married Ray Grover a son of ministers and was an adopted twin. He had a twin sister. Lydia and Ray had one daughter, Opal LaVonne, born June 22, 1923. When Opal was about 10 she had a severe case of measles. She didn’t seem to be very healthy after that and she died February 10, 1948. Ray and Lydia divorced when Opal was about nine, in 1932. Ray remarried soon and Lydia remarried several years later to Eilert Lunde, my brother’s wife’s dad. I was only age two when Lydia married the first time so I didn’t really realize that she was my sister for several years.
I barely heard not too many moons ago from Rose, that she had a miscarriage. Rose thinks it was about 1945 or 1946. Lydia had a baby girl. Lived only a few hours. The baby’s death may have been related to Lydia’s diabetes. Lydia did not want to be pregnant at about 44 years of age. She was real mad when she found out she was pregnant. The story of the baby’s death was hushed and only “whispered about”. Lydia was in such bad shape physically after the baby’s death that she spent several days in the hospital recovering.
About her death-young–she went into a diabetic comma and Lunde took her to
the hospital early in the am and she died. My Mother took this VERY hard.
She was only 55. Lunde was not very good to her–he could be sweet and he
could be harsh. I get my information from Rosebud. – I always knew Lunde was “hot
headed” –he was gassed in the First World War and he also had a “plate” in
his head. Information center in Phoenix.
Several years after Aunt Lydia’s death, Lunde married Genevieve, so he was married three times. She died in 1963 of cancer.
————————-
Obituaries
Opal L. Grover, Kalispell Native, Dies
Kalispell, Feb. 11 – Opal LaVonn Grover, 24, died Tuesday evening in Kalispell.
She had lived here all her life and was employed as a bookkeeper at the Kalispell Mercantile company. She is survived by her mother and stepfather. Mr. and Mrs. Eilert Lunde of Kalispell.
Funeral arrangements are pending at the Waggener $ & Campell Campbell Mortuary.
Lydia M. Lunde
Died December 1, 1957
Funeral services for Mrs. Lydia M. Lunde, 55, were Wednesday at Waggener and Campbell Chapel, by Rev. Walter A. Buck of the Assembly of God Church.
Pallbearers were Gus Anderson, Oran Steubs, Dean Beller, Don Peterson, Carl Boline and Carney Metby. Burial was in Conrad Memorial Cemetery.
Lydia M. Rasmussen-Lunde, was born July 23, 1902, at Cando, N.D. to Chris and Mary Jorgenson-Rasmussen. She came to Kalispell with her parents at the age of two. She was married to Eilert Lunde March 28, 1941 and they continued their home in Kalispell until two years ago when they moved south of Sommers on Flathead Lake west shore. Mrs. Lunde was ill only a short time and died early Sunday morning.
She is survived by her husband Eilert, at home; two stepchildren, Mrs. Doris Rasmussen of Kalispell and Helen Darras of McGegor, N.D.; one brother Donal Rasmussen of Kalispell; four sisters, Mrs. Ted Ross of Polebridge, Mrs. Wes Carpenter of Black Diamond, Wash., Mrs. Earl Bowman of Kalispell, and Mrs. Elmer Smith of Medford, Ore.; and her mother, Mrs. C.H. Rasmussen of Kalispell. She was a member and took an active part in the Assembly of God Church.
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ESTHER MINNIE was born in Montana May 9, 1905 and she died May 29, 1992. She married Ted Ross in 1931–born March 17, 1904 and died September 20, 1986. They had 4 children–Betty, Robert, Kenneth and Norma Lee. Both Robert and Kenneth are ministers with the Assemblies of God. After Esther finished school and before she was married she worked at the Hileman Photo Studio.
:
A Letter From my Aunt Esther Ros, Polebridge, Montana October 27, 1970 to my parents
Dear Ruby and Elmer –
How are you doing? We are fine here.
I am sending you a clipping of Polebridge. When we lived there Ted’s picture was taken really too close. It really was pioneer life. The 1st year anyway. The light plant broke down was really bad. but the 2nd yr. was much better. We bot a new light plant so then I really washed clothes.
I am alone all this wk. Ted and our boys and two other men went hunting across the mtns. They are hunting along the Missouri river. Took tents along and are camping out. They are floating the river but have there motors along also.
I hope they get their meat, of all the effort to get ready. I asked Ted if he was moving out, cuz he took so much stuff. They took 3 boats and our raft. They are returning Sat. Bob said he had to be home by then.
They started to get on the river at Fort Benton. That is a historic town, its such a pretty place and kept up so clean. We have been there two times, its 50 miles from Havre.
Kenneth first had 50 miles to go and Ted and Bob and Jack 250 miles. So thats lot more miles. They hunt just deer over there no elk.
Betts daughter Judy was married the 4th of Oct. Her and Mike had a beautiful church wedding and Bob married them.
I took some flash bulb snaps of them but was too far away they turned out no good.
I’m sending you a couple snaps. One of Ted putting in Don’s well on the lot he bot from us. He’s had a log cabin moved up on his lot one he and Lamar bot from a man in Kalispell. They will get a foundation made in the spring. They other snap is of our cabin after it was screened in. We have water in it now and double sink. Its nice up there in summer. I am also sending you one of Bobs bullitins, so you will have some reading now.
All for now and the Lord Bless You
Love, Ted and Esther
———————–
A Letter From My Aunt Esther Ross, Columbia Falls, Montana July 10, 1975
Dear Larry –
I will try and answer your questions the best I can.
I have no photos of Mom when she lived in Norway or her parents.
Mom and her only sister and their Dad came to America when she was about 13 years old. Her sis, Hilda, (record shows “Helga”) was the oldest. Her mother worked in a paper mill there and got T.B. and died there. So then her dad didn’t want to stay there any longer. (Actually according to his naturalization records he was in the U.S. when his wife died.) Her maiden name was Mary Dagny Jorgensen. She came from Oslo, Norway. Her father settled in Sask. Canada. I don’t know what he did in the line of making a living. Yes, it is true that she met my Dad while working for the Paulsens, that’s Aunt Lena’s parents. The Paulsens were farmers in N. Dakota. (The record shows he was naturalized in ND.)
My Dad often talked about how poor his parents were when coming to Minnesota. Yes, Mom talked about her early life as a girl while living there. She said she did a lot of skiing. That is a famous sport there yet I imagine and what a beautiful place Oslo was. Her mother died when she was only 9 years old, so that made it pretty hard for her and her sis.
There are no relatives living in the Old Country as far as I know. I have no pictures of her family that I can send you. I will add that Mom was married when she was 18 and my Dad was 23 and he bot a homestead in Egeland, N.D. and built a new house. They lived there for a few years and came to Kal, Montana. They didn’t like the cold winters in N.D.
I surely hope this will help you Larry, this is all I know.
We are sure having hot weather here up in the 90’s every day. Yesterday it was 94 degrees. That’s too warm for me. Ted went to Polebridge today but I stayed home. Our cabin has two rooms and gets too warm and the mosquitoes are terrible up there.
Sincerely,
Esther (Ross)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The children and the Christian Center Family
of
Robert and Roberta Rose
request the pleasure of your company
at a celebration honouring the
Twenty-fifth Anniversary
of their
walk down the pathway of marriage & ministry
Sunday evening, the second of August
Nineteen hundred and eighty-one
from five to eight o’clock
Christian Center
1275 Highway 93 N.
Kalispell, Montana
“We love in the light of His love”
The path that
leads to happiness
is so narrow that…
two cannot walk
on it unless
they become one.
————————-
IVA GLADYS was born October 11, 1906 and she died February 22, 1995. She eloped and married Wesley Carpenter, a twin. He was born in 1905 and died June 5, 1972. They had 2 two daughters, Donna and Dolores. Iva was such a good sister and was always waiting on other people. She completed three years of high school. For several years before she married she was a telephone operator.
—————
(Typed by Larry Smith from Christian Rasmussen’s hand written document.)
Cetificate of Birth
Surname of Father – Rasmussenn
Chrisitan nnames of Child (if any) – Iva Gladys
Date of Birth – Oct. 11th, 1906
Sex and Condition, as to Twins, Illegitimate & – Female Legitimate
Race – White Color – White
Christian name of Father – Christian
Christian name of Mother – Mary Jorgenson
Father’s Age – 29
Father’s Birthplace – Denmark
Mother’s Age – 24
Mother’s Birthplace – Norway
Residence of Parents – 4 miles north of Kalispell, Mont.
Reported by A. R. Duncan Official Position – Psy & Surg.
Filed on the 12 day of
Oct. A.D. 1906 – at 10:30
O’clock A.M.
J. W. Walker
County Clerk
And Recorder
By _________ Deputy
May 3, 1977 – A letter written to Larry Smith by Iva Carpenter
Wes and I were married at Sand point, Idaho in August 29, 1929. We have two daughters. Donna M. Bright, she has 2 sons – Bruce J. Dearden, Mark J. Dearden. Donna works at Tumwater, Wash. for the State. They or she and her husband Ivan live 11 miles out of Lacey, Wash. by a private owned lake – in a mobile home. Mark – divorced has one little daughter 6 yrs. Bruce is single.
Dolores L. Brookhart lives in Hereford, Texas – They have two sons – Gregory L. Brookhart and Brady E. Brookhart. Delores works for a lawyer and Earl has a mens clothing store in Hereford. Brady works for Earl in the store. Greg and Janice are both going to night school. Brady is learning the store business from his father and is doing very well. Greg has been helping build mini warehouses for his father. He went to 1 yr. college. Bruce went 3 yrs. Dolores went 3 yrs. to college at Seattle. When we lived at Kal. Mont. Wes drove logging truck many yrs. also hauled ore. He worked in Navy yard 5 yrs. We then moved to Blk. Dia. (Black Diamond). He worked at Kenworth Motors for 24 yrs. When at Kal. I worked at Tele. office.
Marvin Carpenter (Wes half brother on his Dad’s side) was born June 7, 1884 in Hardwick Township, Mich. Fathers name Samuel Wesley, Avondale, Mich. Mothers name Mary Dean, Avondale, Mich. Birth place of both mother and father, Mich. Marvin worked for General motors. Edna was born June 12, 1894 St. Louis, Mo. Her fathers name John B. Elam Mothers – Maude Trunk Idna worked at a cafeteria in Grand Rapids, Mich a cook, Where she met Marvin. They were married in 1938 in Grand Rapids. Had 5 acres and a home. Sold out in 1959 and came to Apache Jct. Arizona because of Marvin having arthritis. The warm weather helped him very much. Wes and I like it their very much. Wes and Marvin had not seen each other for 50 yrs. Marvin contacted p.o. in Woodward, Okla and found out Olivette lived there. Wes and Marvin sat on patio all day for two wks talking and getting caught up on things. We also went for rides to see the country. We had a very good time and visit. Edna was or is a very good cook. Edna still lives at trailer home. Her good friends Vi and Paul Young take her shopping and look after her.
After moving to Blk. Dia. (Black Diamond, Washington) I was working at car shops. Was riviter helper. We were all laid off, the war was over. I then later worked in Kent worked at frozen food. I was a packer and liked my job very much. I worked 8 yrs. or 8 seasons. Wes asked me to quit and I did
Obituaries –
(The Daily World, Aberdeen, Washington, Thursday, February 23, 1995)
Iva Carpenter
Iva G. Carpenter, 88, a resident of Raymond, died Wednesday, Feb. 22, 1995, at an Aberdeen nursing home.
She was born Oct. 11, 1906, in Kalispell, Mont., to Hans Christian and Mary Dagne (sic) (Jorgenson) Rasmussen. She attended schools in Kalispell.
In 1929 she married Wesley R. Carpenter in Couer d’Alene, Idaho. He died in 1972.
Mrs. Carpenter had been a telephone operator in the 1920s.
She moved to Bremerton in 1940, to Black Diamond in 1945, to Olympia in 1979 and then to Raymond in 1991 to live with one of her daughters.
She moved to Aberdeen a year and a half ago.
Mrs. Carpenter was a member of the Assembly of God church. She enjoyed gardening.
Survivors include two daughters, Donna Bright of Raymond and Dolores Brookhart of Herford, Texas; a brother, Donald Rasmussen of Kalispell, Mont.; a sister, Ruby Smith of Phoenix, Ore.; four grandsons, seven great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandson.
A graveside service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday at the Evergreen Cemetery in Emunclaw. The Fern Hill Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
—————————-
PEARL AGNES was born January 15, 1910 and died suddenly of a heart attack February 21, 1979. At age 17 she married Earl Bowman in 1927, who was born April 14, 1901 and died February 22, 1999. They had three children, Jean, Rosealee and Roger. Jean married John Stewart. Jean is now a widow and lives in Minnesota. Rose married James Vanden Bos and they are live near Portland. Roger lives in Montana, married Marlene–had four daughters–divorced and married Sue. I was only 10 when Pearl was married but she was always full of life and very active. We had lots of fun together. (Ruby Rasmussen Smith)
Grandpa, John Bowman, Grandama, Lilly Bowman. The were fromTennessee.moved to Calfax Wash. Dad was born there and I think most of the 9 kids also. They moved to Kalispell when Dad was 19. Then moved to Valier and then back to Kalispell. (From Rosealee Bowman Vanden Bos – August 2010)
IN MEMORY OF
PEARL AGNES BOWMAN
Born January 15, 1910
Kalispell, Montana
Died February 21, 1979
Kalispell, Montana
SERVICES AT
Johnson Chapel
2 P.M. February 26, 1979
OFFICIATING CLERGYMAN
Pastor Robert Ross (nephew)
Assembly of God Church
MUSIC
How Great Thou Art
The Old Rugged Cross
Douglas James, Soloist
Lucile Richardson, Organist
PALLBEARERS
Brad Volin Joe Berosik, Sr.
Leonard Nash Joe Berosik, Jr.
Butch Woolard Marvin Woolard
BURIAL
C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery
+++++++++++++++++++++++
ERB
You are cordially invited
to come celebrate
at a reception in honor of
the 90th birthday of
Earl R. Bowman
Saturday, July 6, 1991
at 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Christian Center
255 Summit Ridge Dr.
Kalispell, Montana No Gifts Please
RUBY HELEN was born January 7, 1917. She was the only Rasmussen offspring to graduate from high school. And, one and a half years before that she fell madly in love with Elmer Bennett Smith, born January 4, 1913. Two weeks after graduation they eloped to Idaho and were married June 10, 1935. They kept this a secret for about six months and then they set up housekeeping. Elmer worked at a grocery store and after about four years they moved from Montana to Southern California. Elmer attended (air craft design) school and started working at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica. Then on July 3, 1940 along came twin boys, Larry Bennett and Lloyd Christian (the best sons anyone could ever have). They wanted to NOT raise their sons in Southern California so they moved to Southern Oregon in June of 1946.
ARTHUR DONALD was born May 29, 1921. He was to be called Arthur but eventually he was Don, against his father’s wishes. He was four years younger so he says I protected him as we were growing up. Immediately after graduating from the 8th grade he started working at a grocery store and he was in the grocery business all of his working years. He owned several stores. He served four years in the Service during World War II. When he came home he married a long time friend, Doris Lunde in 1947. They had one son, Lamar drowned at the age of 42 when he fell through lake ice, November 17, 1993, while ice fishing. He and his wife, Sue, had three sons. They are now Don’s pride and joy and are very special grandsons. Several years ago Doris became ill and went to live in a nursing home. She died October 2, 2002 at the Emmanuel Lutheran Home. Don was so lonely without Doris that he just couldn’t live alone, so he sold his house and moved to the same Lutheran Home. He misses Doris so much.
——————————
You are most warmly invited
to participate
in the joyous celebration
of
Don and Doris’
Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary
An Open House will be held
at their home
on Sunday, June ninth
nineteen hundred and ninety-six
from two o’clock til five in the afternoon
353 Third Avenue West North
Kalispell, Montana
A letter from Don Rasmussen – August, 2003 – Vernon Rasmussen’s son.
Larry, I have the pictures my dad took and it was sure the same house, (Rasmussen house in Denmark) as I remember your pictures from the reunion at Sisters several years ago.
The medal that I have is an 1864 medal for being in the Prussian War. I’m sure that was about the same time as Lincoln was running for President of the USA. I understood that my Aunt Vivian showed the medal to you before she brought it to me. At least that is what she told me. She told me that Joy mentioned your visit anyway. I received a box with the medal, a petrified seashell and some newspaper clippings about the railroad centennial of driving the golden spike. I think these were collected by our uncle Jim.
I do not know that you got the info about my pastor who is the son of Bob Nelson and Marj. who were married by Uncle Jim Rasmussen. Small world. Bob and Marj then moved to Wenatchee and Bob told me that he was in attendance the Wednesday night Uncle Maurice got up and told his testimony then sat down and keeled over dead. I have heard about this since the middle 1950’s and Bob said he was three rows back. The only living person that I know who witnessed this death.
You probably remember my aunt Marie who is married to Duane Miller. She went by Miriam years ago, when she lost Delbert several years ago she wanted to change to Marie. Duane told her to go ahead and do it. Well the reason I bring this up is that Duane’s first wedding was in Uncle Jim’s church in Spokane, Washington. Duane asked me to ask Marj if she remembered the Anderson family and she told me, “Yes , why?” I asked her what was the oldest daughter’s name and she answered Betty and then I asked who she married and she said Duane Miller! She told me right out without hesitating! Now Duane is my uncle. Another small world. We have such large family! We should know everybody.
Well I was going to make this short. Sorry.
Don & Millie Rasmussen. Don’t forget to come and see us!
————————-
Stories about Christian and Dagny Rasmussen collected by Larry Smith in an interview with his Aunt Esther Ross– June 1981 in Kalispell, Montana
Grandma Dagny Rasmussen had a brother in North Dakota. Pauline Nickelson took Grandma Rasmussen back to North Dakota with her and located some of the family. (This was probablybefore Grandpa Rasmussen’s death in 1952).
Grandma Rasmussen’s mother died when she was nine. Grandma then lived with other families in Norway for a while before coming to North Dakota.
One reason Grandma and Grandpa Rasmussen moved from the Evergreen District into Kalispell, when my mother (Ruby) was three, was because Great-Grandpa Rasmussen was so hard to get along with. He was mean to Grandma Rasmussen. “He had gone off his rocker.” About three years after the Rasmussen family moved into Kalispell, Great-Grandpa came to live with them. Ruby faintly remembers him trying to ride her trike and other times of him wandering away from the house carrying his “slop jar”.
Uncle Ted Ross is related to Betsy Ross.
Grandpa Rasmussen once owned a 1917 Ford, and then traded it in on 1926 Ford. He kept it in a garage so it was in excellent shape. Uncle Don used it for a trade-in on his new 1937 Ford. He got $75 credit for the trade. Grandpa Rasmussen had bought both cars new.
Uncle Don paid $710 for a new 1937 Ford. He had saved up $350 all in silver dollars. Grandpa signed for the car because Don was only 15. “My brother Don was the youngest person in Flathead County to buy a car.”
Grandpa Rasmussen ruptured his navel while lifting and had to wear a wide belt to help hold it in.
Grandpa Chris Rasmussen at one time owned over 200 acres in the Evergreen District. Grandpa inherited 80 acres, apparently from his father Rasmus. Grandpa sold the farm in 1935 for $1200.
Great-Grandpa Rasmus Rasmussen donated two acres, across the highway from his house to the Evergreen School District.
A Lutheran Church now sits on the site of the family home, in Evergreen, where Rubywas born. The original Rasmussen house has been moved.
Grampa Chris Rasmussen suffered all of his life from migraine headaches, even while walking to school in Denmark. The intense pain would force him to lie down in a roadside ditch until the headaches went away.
Aunt Esther Ross says that Uncle Don learned Danish before going to school. Ruby, who is 4 four years older, does not remember any Danish being spoken in the home.
When Grandpa Chris Rasmussen arrived in Kalispell in 1904 he saw Indians camping where the County Courthouse now stands.
The Six Rasmussen Brothers, by Ruby Smith
Uncle Rasmus, b. May 15, 1849, d. January 8, 1952, m. Lena Paulsen. Lived, farmed and preached in North Dakota until they moved to Jacksonville, Oregon in 1946.
He was blinded in one eye while pounding on a rock and a piece of it flew into his eye. He was quite successful financially it seemed. They visited us in Kalispell now and then. They had five children.
Uncle Maurice (“Morse”), b. March 18, 1882, d. November 30, 1954, m. Annie. We called her Annie Maurice because two of the brothers married an Annie. Uncle Maurice “Morse” was a lay preacher. He died just after he gave a testimony in church after sitting down. They had five children. One son-in-law was killed working on the Grand Coulee Dam.
Annie “Maurice” worked for a time for Lena Rasmussen, her future sister-in-law. She often told the story of how Lena would dock her wages every time Annie asked for a penny postage stamp.
This is a letter from Uncle Maurice’s son, Harry Rasmussen (age 71) in answer to letters Larry Smith wrote to him on March 12, 1977 and February 20, 1977.
Okanogan, Washington
Dear Larry Smith.
My grandfather (Rasmus) first came to the U.S. for a short visit (perhaps in the late 1860s), a year or two. Then went back to Denmark, worked at his trade as a wagon wheel maker.
My Grandmother refused to go to the U.S., but when my Uncle Ras decided to go by himself one Sunday after, he told his father who was my grandfather, he was going to the U.S. Then Grandma said to him, “We will all go.”
Grandpa built a trunk for each one and in a very short time they left Denmark and went to Minnesota where they had some relatives. They stayed there a short time. Maybe a couple of years.
When my Dad (Maurice) came to this country (1889) he was 7 years old. On the way over here there was a big whale and everyone rushed to the side of the boat and nearly swamped it before the Captain could get them back to safety.
They left Minnesota and settled in N.D. where Uncle Ras. homesteaded. Most of the family went to Kalispell, Montana. My Dad went to the West Coast sometime where he worked where they used elephants to move all the equipment. He then went back to N.D. to work for Uncle Ras. where he met my Mother and was married.
They moved a short time later where Grandpa was, and where I was born – January 16, 1906. My Grandpa lived there till he died in 1923 or 1924.
This is about all I know of my grandfather. He was a small man of stature.
My Dad’s little trunk that came over with him. I have and had it until last year. Then I gave it to my sister Mildred Mekl. They are fixing it up.
We do not have the information on the Mekls you can write to them: Ed Mekl, 1242 Cherry St., Wenatchee, WN 998801.
Mrs. Floyd Freeland put this family tree together. 920 8th St., Coeur D Alene, Idaho 83814
Harry Rasmussen
————————
In Memory of
MAURICE ALEXANDER RASMUSSEN
Born March 1882 Fyn, Denmark
Passed away November 30, 1954 Wenatchee, Washington
Memorial Services at Jones & Jones Chapel
December 4, 1954
Rev. Leonard White Officiating
Mr. Don Skaggs Soloist
Mrs. William Rathman Organist
Casket Bearers
Thomas Birminham Clifford Philips
Arther Hansen R.T. Messer
Roy Reems Ray Reems
Concluding Services and Interment
in Evergreen Memorial Park
MAURICE A. RASMUSSEN
Maurice Alexander Rasmussen, 72, of 127 South Main Street, East Wenatchee, died Tuesday evening. Mr. Rasmussen was in church when stricken.
Born March 18, 1882, in Fyn, Denmark, Mr. Rasmussen came to Minnesota with his parents when seven years of age. He moved to Egeland, North Dakota, as a young man and was later married to Annie S. Johnson on April 10, 1905, at Kalispell, Montana. They would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary next April. In 1909 they returned to North Dakota, residing there until moving to Dodson, Montana, in 1917, where they homesteaded. In 1922 they moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. In 1929 they came to Wenatchee and had resided here since. At the time of his death Mr. Rasmussen owned and operated the Columbia Motel in East Wenatchee. He was a member of the Full Gospel Assembly of God Church.
Surviving are his wife, Annie, at home; one son, Harry Rasmussen of Okanogan; four daughters, Mrs. Floyd Freeland of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Mrs. Austin Ward, Mrs. Edward Mehl and Mrs. Thomas Siemon, all of Wenatchee; three brothers, Rev. J. E. Rasmussen of Spokane, W. F. Rasmussen of Medford, Oregon, and Carl F. Rasmussen of Wenatchee; and nine grandchildren.
Funeral services will be announced at a later date by Jones and Jones.
(The following was put in the Rasmussen scrapbook near Maurice’s Obituary. Though it does not mention him by name it probably was him.)
December 2, 1954
Mr. Rasmussen’s Last Testimony
Our pastor had given us a fine sermon and then he asked if anyone felt like testifying. Brother
Rasmussen radiantly stood to his feet and I shall tell you as best I can recall his words.
He said he gave his heart to God sixty years ago and that forty years ago he received the Holy Spirit. He said the Holy Spirit was more precious now than when he first received it.
He repeated several times that he could not thank God enough for what he had done for him. He said he could not possibly enumerate the goodness of God to him through the years nor could he count the blessings the past year.
He spoke of how he believed in the second coming of Christ pointing that some ministers believed the Lord could come at any time, even tonight, but that he differed with them. He said the Bride was not ready. He spoke of illnesses among God’s people and wrinkles and spots and yet we must be without spot or wrinkle. He spoke of the Swedish interpretation, “I believe the body of Christ, the church was spoken of as Christ’s beautiful lady friend how she removed her coat.” He said, “if you want to come and see me concerning this, I will prove it to you.” Then he said (and these were his last words), “Nevertheless, if He comes tonight I am ready to meet Him.” Then he sat down and passed away and went to be with Him in Glory.
To you the remaining loved ones I will say this: regardless of how he passed away or where or when, still you loved him and would grieve and suffer for death is an enemy. God says it is the last enemy to be destroyed. Nevertheless, one must pass that way in order to enter in and partake of the things God has prepared for those who love Him.
His pain is over forever, neither shall he ever sorrow again. He has gone to a place where there is nothing that can hurt. His new abode is vastly different from this earth, nothing shall enter into that place that defileth or maketh a lie. Night cannot fall there for Christ is The Light.
He lived his fourscore and ten years. It is so much better for him that he has entered in, for to have lived might have brought sickness and suffering.
My prayers to you, Sister Rasmussen and to the daughters and son, may each one of you so live your life that when it ebbs out you will be ready as this dear one was and can enter into the “Joys of The Lord.”
Evelyn Sisler.
=====================
Uncle Jim, b. August 23, 1879. I do not have the date of his death. He married Annie Paulsen so we called her “Annie Jim”. They had two daughters and one son. When the son was about 13 he went swimming and then rode his bike home. It was a very warm day and he died from a sunstroke. There were no grandchildren. Uncle Jim was a minister for most of his adult life and pastored the Assembly of God in Spokane for at least 25 years. I remember him as always being happy and jolly. Uncle Jim and Annie came over for a visit from Spokane about every year or two. He and my dad went fishing and caught whitefish by the tub full. He bought a new Dodge every two years. He farmed in North Dakota but mainly oversaw the business. In Spokane he ran a farm as a ministry. It was rented out and eventually sold.
Annie “Jim” Paulsen Rasmussen worked for a time for her sister Lena Paulsen Rasmussen who eventually became her sister-in-law.
—————-
From: <KennRWoll@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Dec 2009 14:01:44 EST
To: <jvsmith@clearwire.net>
Subject: Anna and Joy
Larry: I am sorry I have been so slow in getting this info to you. I am pleased that you, too, are a family historian. The Rasmussen and Paulsen families and histories are very intwined. Uncle Jim (James) and Aunt Annie (Anna) were very much a part of my entire life (I was born in 1931). They often visited in our Tacoma home when I was a child, and our family to theirs in Spokane. When I was 14 a friend of mine and I traveled by train from Tacoma to Spokane and spent a week in the Spokane parsonage–Uncle Jim was pastoring what later became First Assembly of God. Joy wasn’t married and we had such a great time there; it made a real impression on me–later, I, too became a pastor. When Ethel and I were married in 1954 Uncle Jim was one of the pastors officiating. He also had officiated at my parents, Nellie (Fredlund) and Robert Woll, wedding in 1927. When our three children were dedicated, Uncle Jim had a part in each of those occasions. When our second son, Kraig, died at 2 1/2 yrs. in 1962 in Spokane, Uncle Jim had part in his service. We pastored in Spokane from 1961 to 1966 and had many special times of counsel and long talks with Uncle Jim and Aunt Annie in their home.
When Uncle Jim died, I officiated at his funeral at First Assembly of God in Spokane.
Aunt Annie was not well for several years before she died. Before she was placed in a Convalescent Home, she was in the hospital, not expected to live. Her heart was worn out. Uncle Jim was at her bedside when I visited her on one occasion. He told me as I came in, “She can’t made it much longer.” After visiting, I told her I was going to pray for her. Her immediate response was: “Kenneth, don’t you pray for my healing. The Lord wants to take me home, and I want to go!” She did live for a couple more years. I officiated at her funeral at Hazen Jaeger Funeral Home in Spokane. She died on Marchj 09, 1973 at age 91 and is buried beside Uncle Jim at Riverside Memorial Park in Spokane. Ervin, Eva, and Joy are also there. Anna was born in Alden, Minnesota, on January 17. 1882. She was a very stately woman and spoke with a low voice with some faint Danish accent. She had a dry sense of humor–a real contrast to Uncle Jim. She was a very godly woman. She was very organized and kept the books and finances for the family. She was a meticulous housekeeper.
Joy Ruby was born in Kalispell on December 31, 1904 and died October 18, 1991 in Spokane, age 86.
She was one of my favorite people–rightly named, “Joy” – she was a delight to be around. We became very close in her later years. I will go through the pictures she left to me–I will send the Rasmussen pictures to you. Please let me know your mailing address, Larry. I officiated at her services at Hazen Jaeger Funeral home in Spokane, and she is buried at Riverside Memorial Park, Spokane.
There is so much that could and should be said about these great people. I hope this gives you some of the info you needed. Keep in touch. Kenn Paulsen Woll
History of Kalispell Christian Center – Assembly of God
http://www.christiancenteronline.org/pages/general/history.html
The Kalispell Assembly of God began in 1915 when Rev. James Rasmussen came from North Dakota to conduct meetings throughout the Flathead Valley.
In 1926, a building in Somers was purchased, moved, and re-erected on the corner of 4th Street and 2nd Avenue West in Kalispell (now the Senior Citizens Center). Rev. Alfred Scratch became the first Pastor on August 15, 1929 and the church officially affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
During Rev. O.S. Klingsheim’s ministry, the church remodeled and added on to the original building in 1950. (Date is wrong.) Then in 1966, under the leadership of Rev. C. M. Johnson, property on Buffalo Hill was purchased for a new building. (From the Church’s Web page.)
The following was written about her sister, Eva Turnbow, by
Joy Bursch, the daughter of Rev. James Rasmussen – about 1983
Many of you know of dear Eva’s homegoing – it was July 6th at 2:40 p.m. Much of our lives have changed, but our relationship with Jesus, our Lord, is the same. We will miss her more and more. Her life will go on in blessing all of us who know her best.
Before being admitted to the hospital May 30th, Eva was quite miserable. She had been at Rockwood Clinic for various types of test May 26 and 29 and arrangements were made for an outpatient SCAN Tuesday, June 2 at Sacred Heart Hospital. It became more and more difficult for her to eat or even swallow – she was nauseated and jaundiced and was in distress and pain. Saturday, May 30, we called the Clinic knowing we should not delay her going to the hospital until Tuesday, June 2. She was admitted that day.
Immediately things went into action – all types of tests and examinations were made. She went for the SCAN June 1, and it revealed she had a large tumor. After surgery June 3, the surgeon told us it was cancer of the pancreas and had invaded the liver. The gall bladder was removed, but not the tumor which was cancer. From the symptoms, it was first believed to be gall bladder trouble. The surgeon is a fine Christian – he read Scripture and prayed with Eva. The night after the surgery he told her the condition. The next morning she asked if we knew and she proceeded calmly to tell us what the findings were – that it was cancer and she might have 6 to eight months to live. She said she told him it was all right – she was ready to go, but there were HIGHER POWERS.
Never was Eva able to take anything by mouth – all liquid and nutrition was intravenous. Because of a blockage, a nasal pump drew bile from her stomach. Every effort was made to activate her organs but to no avail. Arrangements were made with a specialist to confer with us as to the type of therapy we would choose when and if she could leave the hospital. The Lord spared us that difficult decision. Time had been set for a second operation but finally that was decided against.
One one day was Eva in excruciating pain. Nausea was terrible. She suffered some pain and was miserable. Through it all Eva never complained – she was very patient – it was beautiful. We just marveled. It had to be the Lord! IN his letter of sympathy to Sam, one of the doctors commented, “Your wife was a gallant lady and a pleasure to treat.”
At times Eva was rational. On one occasion when she was very weak and her words were few, she said, “I feel sorry for that boy…and his parents too.” Doubtless she was thinking of and praying for a 14 year-old boy of a missionary family of whom she had been told – the lad is finding culture adjustment difficult and writes “home” for prayer. Sunday, the day before her death, she was heard to say, “I want to go HOME.” And we are confident hers was an abundant entrance.
The happy assurance and strength of our friends is helping us much to “go on” into God’s future for us just now. They constantly remember us to Him, and have in many ways assured us of their love and concern.
Being we wished to write somewhat in detail to many who do not live here about Eva’s illness and final resting with the Lord, we’ve had copies made -want you to have one. We surely miss Eva – it hurts to lose one so dear. Our loss is her gain.
We really enjoyed having Larry and his little family visit us. You’re an interesting family group – we like you! Don and Ted called us — they didn’t come for the funeral, though quite a few relatives were there – both of Sam’s and mine. The Lord is helping Sam and me in these days of readjustment – He gives strength for each day. Our love to you both and “all the Smiths” – Sam and Joy.
__________________
Carol & Larry,
It looks like you hit a goldmine here!
Bill Rasmussen
From: Eric Rasmussen [mailto:rass3742@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2003 9:44 PM
To: James & Carol DeKorte
Subject: Re: Rasmussen time-line
Carol:
Good to hear from you. I did receive the time-line, thank you. And of
course I remember you; I was at your house in Sisters a number of years ago.
I don’t recall the occasion, but seems like there were a number of people
there??? I think I remember Jim telling me about his fear of bridges??
As for Larry, I’m not sure I’ve ever met him. I could be wrong though,
families grow so fast it’s hard to keep everyone in mind.
At any rate, I have been working on the Rasmussen family tree; although I’m
not able to spend nearly the time on it I wish I could. My current research
(if I remember correctly, and without pulling out all of the documentation
as I write this note) currently lists approximately 18 generations, going
back to the 1400’s.
The current family tree has approximately 350 names in it (some of which
have come from my wife’s side of the family), but many more for which I have
info on, but have yet had time to enter into the tree. I keep my family
tree on “Family Tree Maker” software; I think it’s put out by Broderbund.
It’s a pretty good format. If anyone else has that software I could send a
disk, or maybe it can be sent on-line, I’ve never tried. One would, of
course, have to have the software in order to open it. I bought my copy at
Costco, a number of years ago; the versions out now are far more extensive
(they come with approximately 10-15 CD’s worth of Social Security records,
etc.).
I think there are also various reports that I could print out from the
Family Tree Maker software, that I could either mail or fax to anyone who
wants it. Just let me know.
As Dad (Bill) noted in one of his earlier e-mails, Stacey and I attend
Spokane First Assembly, which James Rasmussen started a number of years ago.
The chapel is named after him, and there is an oil painting of him on the
wall. I don’t remember all of Grandpa Wally’s brothers, but of those I do
recall (either through meeting as a child, or seeing a picture of), he
looks just like Evan (to me anyways). There a only a few in the church who
actually knew James, but all speak very highly of him. There is one little
ol’ man, named Oran House, who greets me (as Brother Rasmussen) every Sunday
and is just thrilled to death that a relative of James is in the church.
James led Mr. House to the Lord and he reminds me of it constantly. He
recalls laying on his back, up on scaffolding (right alongside James, if I
recall correctly) as they plastered the ceiling of the church, during it’s
construction. (If Larry is serious about obtaining stories on the Rasmussen
family, a road trip to Spokane to speak with Mr. House might be a goldmine.)
Well, that’s enough for tonight. If you would like me to try and send the
info I have (mail, e-mail, fax, whatever), let me know and I’ll do what I
can.
Eric Rasmussen
———————————
Eric & Stacey attended the Spokane Assembly of God today. Eric was asked if he is a “real” Rasmussen (related to Uncle Jim). The people of the church loved him as Pastor. The chapel is still named the Rasmussen Chapel and an oil painting of him hangs on the wall. I believe Aunt Marie’s (Miriam) husband Duane also attended the church years ago. There are still folks there that were there when Uncle Jim pastored if you want more info. Eric has also worked on family history so may be a good source as has Don (Vernon Rasmussen’s son) who has many pictures.
Submitted by Bill Rasmussen
Rass3742A@hotmail.com
Yes, I do have something to add. My Great Uncle Jim showed me around around his church in Spokane in 1949. This is where Uncle Wallace and Aunt Margaret’s grandson Eric currently goes to church (Bill and Jan’ son).
Great Uncle Jim married our pastor’s mom and dad in the Spokane church. Their name is Bob & Marg Nelson. Bob Nelson also was in attendance when Uncle Maurice died at the church meeting in Wenatchee. He is the only one I know who is still alive that personally witnessed that event. Our pastor, Scott Nelson, here in Salem Morningstar Church grew up in Wenatchee along with his brothers and sisters.
When Duane Miller married his first wife Betty in the Spokane church, Bob Nelson was there and did the wedding for Betty’s sister. It was a double ring wedding, and Duane’s father did the wedding for Duane and Betty. I went to the same church as Duane and Betty in Tigard, OR. I asked Marg Nelson if she knew a large family by the name of Anderson in their church? Marg said, “Yes and the oldest daughter’s name was Betty”. I asked her who did she marry? She said, “A man by the name of Duane Miller.” And we all know that Duane Miller is now married to our Aunt Marie.
Small World.
Submitted by Don Rasmussen (Vernon Rasmussen’s son)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Uncle Will Rasmussen, b. August 16, 1884, d. June 18, 1965 in a nursing home in Medford, Oregon. Margaret and I went to see him but he was sleeping his life away and didn’t live long after that. He married Hilda Nikoline, Jensen Fjaere. They had eight children — three daughters and 5 five sons. When they lived in North Dakota, Uncle Will was very talented with his hands. He built a power plant for their small town of Egeland and he ran a little service station and were very poor. In the late 1930’s they moved to Southern California and he worked in defense plants and then eventually moving to Medford where he worked at Bear Creek Orchards for a few years. Their children and the grandkids who lived around here visited them every Sunday afternoon and had a big lunch served by Hilda.
A family story relates that one day when Will was about 16 he woke up with a toothache. It was quite a bad one, with the side of his face swollen. When his father, Ramus Rasmus, demanded that he head out to the fields to work, Will asked for some time off. His father then proceeded to beat him for asking to not work. Will ran away that day and went to live nearby with his oldest brother, Ras. It was there, while at the R. S. Rasmussen home that Will met Hilda who had come over from Norway and was working as a housekeeper for the Rasmussen’s.
Will left North Dakota in his late teens for Kalispell and lived there for six to seven years. His first farm in North Dakota was in Twin Hill Township. Eventually
Will and Hilda had eight children. Moved to Calio Township in North Dakota. Will gave up farming and did odd jobs working as a carpenter and janitor. Hilda worked as a janitor at the school cleaning and sweeping. Life was hard. Winter temperatures were running 50 degrees below zero. He tried custom farming and ended up losing his crop because of an early Fall. All of the kids were working on the farm but they still ended up losing it. He took electronic correspondence courses. Will had the first radio in Egeland and listened to a radio station in Chicago at night with his one tube radio. 1928. In 1928 he built his own house. In addition, he had an electrical shop, installing two generators and hooking up houses to it. Then he was put out of business by the drought. The Dust Bowl hit hard. The drought lasted from 1929 to 1936.
They moved November 11, 1936 to Southern California. Will worked as a mechanic, in a furniture shop, as a glass installer, and glass fabricator. In 1938 he went to work at Lockheed Aircraft.
The following story appeared on Augst 19, 2007 in the Wilsonville (Oregon) Spokesman Newspaper – concerning Will Rasmussen’s great grandson Chad Rasmussen
Local graduate Chad Rasmussen plays key role with Air Force demonstration team at Oregon Air Show
Technical Sgt. Chad Rasmussen watches the crowd Sunday at the Oregon International Air Show in Hillsboro.
By Josh Kulla
Technical Sergeant Chad Rasmussen signed on the dotted line and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1996, barely one month after graduating from West Linn High School. Despite a family tradition of military service — his brother Eric was a military policeman in the U.S. Army, while his father, Bill, was a member of the Army National Guard — Rasmussen said he was simply looking for a place to earn a solid living when he joined.
“I just needed something with a steady paycheck,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I joined just because of my dad and my brother, it was more that I needed something steady.”
The former Stafford resident said he chose the Air Force because it offered him the best opportunity to work on high-performance jet aircraft. This was a field which had long interested him, and, unlike the Navy, he would be able to pursue it while firmly ensconced on dry ground.
“The Air Force, I thought, had the best opportunity for what I wanted to be doing,” he said, “Being able to work on aircraft really appealed to me, and I didn’t want to do it out on the boat.”
Now, 11 years later, Rasmussen is back in Oregon as part of the Air Force’s A-10 West Coast Demonstration team.
The team, which flies the A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack jet and is based out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz., appeared last Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the annual Oregon International Air Show at the Hillsboro Airport.
There, Rasmussen helped wow the thousands of people in attendance as the narrator for a demonstration flight piloted by Major Brian Willets of Denver.
Members of the audience alternately gasped and cheered as Willits put the plane through its paces, diving, rolling and performing mock strafing runs along the airport’s main runway.
All the while, Rasmussen was there to explain exactly what Willits was doing with his aircraft and why.
“The ground guys do a formal launch, where everything is done by hand signals instead of the typical comm-cord connection,” Rasmussen said. “He (Willits) normally takes off and does a demonstration, shows off the capabilities of the plane and what the plane is capable of during combat. As he’s doing each maneuver, I’m telling the crowd here what he’s doing and why he’s doing it.”
Promotion comes quickly
Upon enlisting, it didn’t take Rasmussen long to realize he enjoyed military service enough to make it a career. He is trained to service the electrical systems of different aircraft, and has advanced rapidly through the ranks as a non-commissioned officer.
Promotion to the rank of staff sergeant came in 2000, and he was promoted again to technical sergeant in 2005.
Rasmussen’s selection to the A-10 demonstration team came in January of this year. He is now its non-commissioned officer in charge, and the team leader.
Officially designated the 355th OG (Operations Group) /DEMO, the team is a part of the 355th Fighter Wing based out of Davis-Monthan AFB. The 355th is comprised of a number of smaller units, including three fighter squadrons which fly the A-10, as well as medical, mission support and maintenance groups.
Along with the A-10, the team also used the air show last weekend to show off the abilities of its predecessor, a Korean War-vintage A1 Skyraider, as part of an Air Force heritage program aimed at preserving historical aircraft.
“Personally, I think one of the best parts of the show is the formal launch, it’s pretty cool,” Rasmussen said. “They’re all doing it with coordinated facing movements, it’s all by hand.”
Normally, a single crew chief with a headset will coordinate an aircraft’s movements as it readies for takeoff. But with the formal launch, Rasmussen explained, it takes a number of different crew members employing hand signals and facial movements in unison to make it work.
“It’s outside the norm of a typical Air Force launch, if you will,” he said.
Touring the globe
Rasmussen’s career in the Air Force has taken him around the world during deployments to Turkey, Italy, Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He last served in Iraq in 2004, when he was based at Kirkuk Air Base in the northern part of the country with fellow members of the 355th Fighter Wing.
During his time there, he said, he was never able to leave the sprawling air base and visit the surrounding countryside or the nearby oil-refining city of Kirkuk. This was not as much of a hardship as it could have been, thanks to the ability of the Air Force to transform virtually any spot into a slice of America.
“When you’re on base, you pretty much have everything that you would back home,” Rasmussen said. “You have athletic facilities, dining facilities, so it’s not like being out in the desert living in tents like the army guys have to put up with. It’s actually pretty nice. Compared to back home, it’s terrible. But compared to the other conditions the other guys in the Marines and Army are living in, it’s by far better.”
In spite of that, Kirkuk Air Base was, and remains, the target of frequent indirect fire attacks utilizing mortars and ground-launched unguided rockets.
“They would find rockets and bullets on the tarmac in the morning,” said Rasmussen’s mother, Jan. “They would shoot at them from the hills around the base. One round hit about a football field away from him, which was pretty scary.”
She added that her son had recounted how personnel on base were at times required to work at night with nothing more than hand-held glo-sticks for lighting, such was the danger of attack.
“We kept him in our prayers,” she said. “But I just think it’s made them (Chad and brother Eric) stronger and more committed and dedicated, and has increased their love for their country.”
Chad Rasmussen added there was actually little to see in the immediate vicinity of the base.
“There’s nothing really to see right there, literally, in that part of Iraq it’s just desert,” he said. “It’s not like there’s anything historical about it. Being safe is more important than being able to snap a few pictures.”
future is bright
While he has just signed up for another four-year term of enlistment, Rasmussen is still unsure of where his future lays. He said he will likely seek to serve out a full 20 years in the Air Force, when he will be eligible to retire with a full pension at the age of 38.
At that point, he could either continue his career with a civilian aviation company, or, like his brother, switch course all together.
Either way, he said, having served in the military for 20 years will almost certainly be a big advantage when he strikes out in the civilian world. It certainly was for his brother Eric, who was hired virtually sight unseen as an insurance adjustor after having served as a military policeman in the Army.
“Think about it,” Rasmussen said. “You’d be getting out of the military with 20 years at only 38 years old. You can start over at a new job and work 20 more years. Plus, with 20 years of military experience, a lot of employers will look at that and hire you just based on that.”
He added he enjoys the camaraderie which goes with being in the Air Force, as well as the even closer relationships he has formed so far as a member of the A10 demonstration team.
“There are a lot of things I do enjoy about being in the military,” he said. “Probably just the kinship, to work with guys who are really good guys and knowing you can count on them when you need them to be there.”
With an average of around 35 air shows a year on their schedule, it makes sense that members of the demonstration team and others like it in the Air Force would bond more tightly than most.
“Obviously, being on the team, we have a much tighter relationship than most people in the military,” Rasmussen said. “When we’re on the road, we’re basically together for three-quarters of the day for a whole week. We have a whole lot more interaction than you typically would in a normal job.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Uncle Carl, b. March 27, 1887, d. December 18, 1959. He was sort of a loner. Mostly he farmed and did odd jobs. Though he was marred twice, there were no children. Later in life he married Aunt Agnes. She seemed to be part black and was older than Uncle Carl. They lived in a log cabin on the East Lake Shore of Flathead Lake and raised cherries. I really liked Aunt Agnes as she was always jolly sometimes taking us out on the lake in a small boat. She died and Carl later married one of Aunt Agnes’ granddaughters, Frances. Frances had a twin sister named Florence. They were my age and I think she was about 17 when they married. Everyone thought Frances was a little young for him but they seemed happy and she was with him when he died (in Washington).
From: Ruby Smith
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:10:45 -0700
Larry, a big hi-lite in my life was to visit with Uncle Carl and Aunt Agnes. They had acreage and cherry trees on the Eastlake shore of Flathead Lake. It seems we visited them often. I loved to go there. Aunt Agnes would take us out on the Lake in her little boat. I think they lived in a nice log house. Fond memories. I have never before seen a photo of Aunt Agnes–I remember her black hair.
“How did he make his money?”
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007
I have no idea–I don’t know if he ever worked–perhaps Agnes had money–she was older and evidently had had a family since she had g.children. gg
—————–
From Uncle Carl’s Funeral Bulletin
In memory of
C. F. Carl Rasmussen
Born
March 23, 1887 Denmark
Passed Away
December 18, 1987 Wenatchea Wenatchee, Wa
Memorial Services
Jones & Jones Chapel
December 21, 1957 10:30 a.m.
Rev. Leonard White Officiating
Mr. Carl Campbell Vocalist
Mrs. William Rathman Organist
Casket Bearers
Harry Rasmussen Thomas Siemens
Arthur Hansen Ole Johnsen
Joe Sunseri Ed Mehl
Concluding Services and Interment
Evergreen Memorial Park
———————-
And then there was Uncle Peter but he died at age 13 in Denmark.
What can I say–I had wonderful parents. They were always loving to each other. I never heard a harsh word spoken to the other one.
Since I was number five out of six and the fact that my sisters married quite young, I was what you might say “spoiled”. I was 10 when my sister Lydia was married. I was four when my brother Don was born.
My mother worked so hard at home. Remember, in those days so long ago there weren’t all the modern conveniences. I remember when she bought her first automatic washing machine–a Maytag. My parents raised a big garden every year so there was much canning to do plus the fruit that came to the grocery stores. I remember that she canned pears and I wouldn’t doubt but what they came from the Medford area. My Mmother loved people and liked to socialize. She attended every Ffellowship meeting in the area and even in Missoula and other surrounding areas. Also, if the church doors were open she was there. She was so faithful to church, family and friends.
My sisters, their husbands and the grandchildren came home often. They came for many Sunday dinners and always on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Another outing for my mother was a three day huckleberry picking trip every year. She picked every berry she could find, pack them out on her back, come home and can them. She was such a good cook and waited on people hand and foot.
My dad was very quiet and never ever raised his voice (I didn’t take after him). He also worked hard until he was injured “on the job” and that curtailed his activities. In those days there was no compensation for such injuries. He served on the Church board for many, many years. He (as my mother did also) learned to read and write after coming to America as a teenager. The government didn’t help them. When I would bring my schoolbooks home and was ready to leave the next morning for school, I could hardly get my books away from him. In his later years he read constantly, mostly the Bible. I can still see him in his favorite chair (his dad’s) with the Bible in his lap. He also used his dad’s glasses.
All I can say is that I had the best parents ever and that I probably would have been a better person if they had given me a spanking or two. I am sure I deserved it. My parents were never patients in a hospital, except when my mother died in a hospital in Enumclaw, Washington, where she had been visiting my sister, Iva. Mother was ready to return to Kalispell the day she suffered a fatal stroke. She had been a widow about nine years. My dad also died from a stroke at home after being ill for about 10 days.
All I can say is that I had wonderful, loving, giving, kind, ambitious parents and that I was very fortunate to be born into that family.
Ruby H. Smith
815 South B Street
P.O. Box 25
Phoenix, Oregon 97535
541-535-2804
Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother
_________________________
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The Egeland, North Dakota Pentecostal Revival
Christian Missionary Alliance evangelists held services in Egeland. About 26 were converted. Sometime after this they organized as the Egeland Free Mission, March 24, 1914 and moved into the Norwegian Lutheran church for awhile.
In February 1915 Mrs. Clara McKeen together with John and Albert Hosied, came from their River Falls, preaching the baptism of the Holy Spirit. A great number were saved and about seventy received the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This was the beginning of the Pentecostal group on Egeland.
There were other Pentecostal evangelists that held services after this. In My 1915 a temporary building was erected. This building was used until the fall of 1916 when the present church was built. Erland Johnson, Carl Fredlundannd, H.J. Paulson were the trustees at that time.
Rev. R. S. Rasmussen had active charge for many years. During the intervening years many changes have taken place. Many are happy changes that we like to think of.
Rev. and Mrs. James Rasmussen went from here out into the ministry and started a church in Spokane, Washington where they have pastored for many years.
On February 24, 1924 the church was incorporated with the General Council of the Assemblies of God. The officers were: Fred Paulson, J.R. Hanson, Simon Severson. (Paulson and Severson were married into the Rasmussen family.)
Excerpted from “THE HISTORY OF THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH”, Egeland, North Dakota. 1940. Rev. C. R. Norman, Pastor.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The following section is a summary of the story notes that Larry Smith collected over the years while visiting with various Rasmussen family members.
They are not in any particular order. Many of the stories are oral tradition and not documented.
From Vernon Rasmussen 1975
Rasmus Rasmussen came to Colorado from Denmark and worked on the Transcontinental Railroad. He was present at the driving of the Golden Spike. He returned to Denmark, married and had seven sons. Got a prize from the king for having had seven sons and no girls.
Mary and Albert Paulsen – Grandmother Dagny Jorgenson (Rasmussen) made a home with the Paulsen’s when she came from Norway in 1897 to work for them. Ended up working for a bit for Ras S. and Lena Rasmussen.
Vernon had Egeland town site photocopies made up, six for $50.
Christian Rasmussen homesteaded about four miles out of Egeland. His brother, Ras S. Rasmussen homesteaded S.E. of Egeland.
After Uncle Will’s death, the house in Fern Valley was cleared out. While going through the house one more time, Evan’s boy (Lorin) discovered two old family photos turned upside down in a dresser drawer. The brown blended in with the wood and nobody had noticed them. One was of the farm in Kalispell and the other was a family group shot of the six Rasmussen boys and their parents.
The Rasmussen’s homesteaded in Victor Township, Towner County, North Dakota.
Edwin Nelson’s Uncle Jack brought Hilda and her sister to America from Norway.
Albert Paulsen was buried in Conrad Cemetery in Kalispell, Montana after being killed by a stump puller when the cable snapped. He was one of the first buried in the Conrad Cemetery.
From Ruby Rasmussen Smith
Grandma and Grandpa Rasmussen (Chris and Dagny) spoke Scandinavian more or less in their home until Lydia, their first daughter started school. She was Norwegian and he was Danish, but with Denmark dominating Norway for 400 years, the languages had been amalgamated a bit.
(February 7, 1977) “It was so cold for the Rasmussen’s in Minnesota that they constantly froze. They did not bring enough clothes with them from Denmark. Their bread froze in the drawers.”
(February 19, 1977) My grandpa, Jens Jorgenson borrowed a sum of money from my father, Chris Rasmussen, his son-in-law, probably so he could move to Canada. He never paid the money back.” His father, Rasmus, al so borrowed money from Chris and never paid it back. When Rasmus tried to borrow more, my father refused.
January 9, 2004: I was not very old when my father injured himself. I have no idea what year. He was lifting 100-pound sacks of potatoes over his head and he broke an artery in his neck. Someone brought my dad hom. They wanted him to go to the hospital, but he let them know he had never been to a hospital and was not abou to go now. He could not talk. The doctors came to the house. My dad’s chest was purple with blood. His neck was swollen because the blood kept flowing from the broken artery and had to go somewhere. The doctor came back to the house the next morning but did not expect my father to be alive. My dad sat in his favorite chair for I don’t know how long. Maybe for at least a week. When he did start going to bed his head was elevated with several pillows.
When they brought my dad home and so Don and I wouldn’t be too upset, my mother sent us to a store several blocks away to buy a pound of butter. I think I must have been about 9 or 10, so that means this must have happened around 1927 or 1928. I am sure a pastor must have come out, but I do not remember. There was lots of prayer for him. I can assure you there was no insurance nor any benefits in those days. He really did not do any heavy lifting from then as I remember.
He didn’t ever go back to that kind of work. He piled wood for a long time at a mill. So he didn’t ever hold a regular job again. Just think, he worked on the railroad when your dad lived in Essex. Also, Lydia and Opal lived there. Lydia’s husband, Ray, ran a store up there for the Kalispell Mercantile for a short time. My sister and her husband left Essex and continued working for the Kalispell Mercantile.
My parents came down to visit us in Phoenix in 1947 and stayed six weeks, coming by train. We took them over the state line, on the coast, so they could say they had been to California. We took them to Crater Lake, you were seven, the beginning of your many years spent at Crater Lake. Who would have thought then, that that was the way it was going to be?
(From Larry Smith) Remembering my Grandparents, Christian and Dagny Rasmussen
Larry, you have a great memory. I do not have much to add, you summed it
up pretty good. I corrected a few things and added a little bit here and there. LLoyd
I remember the excitement when Lloyd and I heard the news that our grandparents from Montana were coming to visit us in Phoenix. There was something about grandparents coming to get the grandkids excited. I remember how we cleaned and cleaned our room to make it just right to show it off. I even cleaned and recleaned the glass in our toy cash register. I told Lloyd, “They are old and have poor eyesight, so the glass needs to be clean so they can see the numbers.” It’s strange what little kids think is important to show off.
During their six weeks with us, Mother and Dad took them to the usual tourist areas: The Redwoods, the Pacific Ocean, Ashland, most likely the Oregon Caves and the House of Mystery, and of course Crater Lake. All out-of-town relatives and guests were taken to Crater Lake National Park. At age seven, Lloyd and I walked with the rest of the group down the old Lake Trail to the Lake, 1.5 miles down for a total of 3 miles. It was the old trail which closed in 1959. Portions of the trail would erode during the winter and be rebuilt in the summer so the trail was very narrow in places. On the way up I remember seeing rocks rolling down the caldera wall caused by kids cutting the trail by scrambling straight up.
Grandpa Rasmussen did not walk the trail down to the water. He tried to help around the farm, but he had just turned 70 and seemed so old to us. He shuffled a bit when he walked and he talked slowly in his beautiful Danish accent. One day when we were loading up firewood from a wood dump near the present day Armory in Medford, I remember Grandpa complaining about having a headache. He told Dad that he got headaches in the afternoon when he did not get his coffee. Most of his intense headaches were probably the lasting result of his lifting injury 20 some years previously.
In the summer of 1948, Mother, Lloyd and I took the Greyhound bus to Kalispell. It seemed to be a really long trip. Mother, even though she was going home for the first time in 10 years, had a somewhat miserable two weeks because she missed Dad so much. She had not been away from him since they met in 1932.
Grandma still cooked on a wood stove so it was like going back 50 years in their house. The house sat on a large lot with a huge garden. There was a small two-story barn/garage on the back left corner of the property backed up against the alley. The building had delightful old musty smells. We enjoyed playing in it. The interior was like a time capsule. Lloyd and I
especially enjoyed playing with Grandpa’s hand grinder (I have it now, along with his accordion. Lloyd has his stereo optician.)
Uncle Don and Aunt Doris lived in a tiny little house on the other back corner facing the alley. The main house, especially the front portion sat next to the street corner, was heavily planted in brush and trees. One could hardly see the house from the street.
For years whenever Grandpa wrote Mother he often stuck in a pressed mint leaf. The smell was powerful to young noses. So, when we arrived at Grandma and Grandpa’s, the first thing we wanted to see was the famous mint plant. We found it at the edge of the garden, along the backside of the house. We asked Mother to pick some leaves and press them so we could take them home with us. During our stay we would bring other things for Mother to bring home for us. Whenever Mother protested that she did not have enough room, we would tell her to, “stick it at the bottom”. She would respond, “But the bottom will soon be on top”. Mother wrote a letter to Dad every day using a ballpoint pen. It was the first time we actually saw a ball-point ballpoint pen up close. It seemed so easy to use instead of dragging out the bottle of ink.
Grampa Grandpa kept a large garden that he hand spaded each spring. Grama Grandma spent most of the summer harvesting and canning. They shared their bounty with friends and family.
Grama Grandma insisted that the preacher have a clean, starched white dress shirt every day, so she took it upon herself to wash and starch his shirts. She was always doing things for people.
Lloyd and I really enjoyed getting to know our Montana cousins, especially Ken Ross.
Grandma was always organizing outings and doings. She loved lots of activity. She was jolly and enjoyed a good time, especially if it came connected with food. We were taken lake fishing. We visited Uncle Don’s Flathead Lake house. We climbed tall summer snow banks and ice fields at Glacier National Park.
Grandma thought that Lloyd and I were not fed enough. She would poke our ribs and say in her beautiful Norwegian accent, “You two are so skinny!”
Grandpa stayed pretty much in the background. He took us to visit his old garage/shed, and we helped him a bit in his garden. But for the most part he quietly stayed in the background.
I did enjoy the twinkle in his eyes, but his face was rather sad looking.
We visited Grandpa Smith who was living in a tent for the Summer. He lost his arm the following year because of nerve and vessel damage caused by using a crutche his whole life.
Grandpa Rasmussen was planning another visit to Oregon for the summer of 1952, but
he died of a stroke on April 15, 1952. The first telephone call came a week earlier telling Mother about Grandpa’s stroke. Things became tense for a few days, and then I remember the phone ringing again several days later and Dad answered it exclaiming, “Oh my God” and Mother bursting into tears as the news of his death was relayed to her. Lloyd and I huddled in our bedrooms. The house went cold as Mother retreated to her bedroom and Dad disappeared to comfort her.
Uncle Harland and Aunt Judy, who lived next door in our duplex, took care of us for the week that Mother and Dad were gone attending Grandpa’s funeral in Kalispell.
Uncle Harland and Aunt Judy took us to Kalispell the summer of 1952 so Judy could visit her family and we could spend time with Grandma Rasmussen. The house seemed strangely empty with Grandpa gone, but Grandma was in great spirits. She really enjoyed our company and we enjoyed hers. She took good care of us and made sure that we got out to visit our cousins, including the Smith side of the family. Ken Ross inftroduced us to the game of Monopoly. We played it by the hour. Lloyd and I continued our addiction to the game for several more summers, whiling way long hot summer afternoons.
We were able to visit our Grandpa Smith who by then was in a nursing home in
Kalispell, minus his arm.
Grandma was still growing her big garden. Uncle Don, still living next door, helped her. Since it was summer, Grandma did not want to run her wood stove to heat the water for our bath (we shared the same water) so we would walk through the garden to Uncle Don’s house to pick up a pail or two of hot water and then rush back to Grandma’s house before it cooled off. Uncle Don was so modern. He had an electric water heater.
Grandma came to visit us several times in Oregon before her death in 1963. There were dozens of Rasmussen family members living in the Rogue Valley at that time so she had a good time visiting the relatives including two of her sister-in-laws.
When Grandma prepared for bed, she would let down her long gray hair and I remember being enamored with this getting ready for bed ritual. She had very wavy hair but she had clips that she would put in her hair to make the waves when she combed it out. She told us that she had never had a haircut in her life. Her hair stopped at her waist because the ends would break off.
During one of her visits we audiotaped a conversation with Grandma. After we shut off the tape recorder Dad chastised Lloyd and me for having dominated the conversation and not letting Grandma talk.
Grandpa Rasmussen’s brother, Uncle Ras, died January 8, 1952. His funeral was held in the 1880 derelict U.S. Hotel ballroom. This was the largest meeting hall in Jacksonville. Over a foot of snow fell prior to the funeral.
From Larry Smith. After Uncle Ras and Aunt Lena moved to Jacksonville, Oregon in 1946 and after our family moved to nearby Phoenix, Oregon, our parents, Elmer and Ruby Smith would occasionally drive over to Jacksonville to visit the Rasmussen’s; usually on a Sunday afternoon. Uncle Ras was very friendly to Lloyd and me. He would take us out to his side garden and show us his horticultural hobbies – that of grafting 3 – 4 fruit trees into one tree. As nine year-olds we learned the finer art of tree grafting from our great uncle. He also told us how he lost his eye while hammering a rock.
I was impressed with Aunt Lena’s posture when she sat down. As a kid I noticed how old and beautiful her furniture was and the string beads that hung in the doorway of the parlor and noting especially, the very dark and elaborately carved hall/entrance tree with its straight leather bottom seat and coat hangers.
My twin brother Lloyd and I would sit and listen to the grownups visit. Aunt Lena would insist that we go down the street and play with David Rasmussen, her grandson. We did not want to go since we did not know him. He was within two weeks of our age. One time she did “push” us out the door and we walked down the street and found the house next to Rasmussen’s Super Serve Gas Station and shyly knocked on the door. We breathed a sigh of relief when nobody came to the door and we rushed back up 5th Street to Aunt Lena’s.
Family Tidbits—Not Documented—Mostly From Conversations With Wally Rasmussen and Other Rasmussen’s
Rasmus Rasmussen was a carriage maker building wagon wheels, etc. while living in Denmark.
After hearing the America stories from his father, R. S. Rasmussen, age 16, decided to head for America and “seek his fortune”. His mother would not let him leave alone. She told him that if he went, then the whole family would go.
Before the family left the second oldest son, thirteen year-old Peter, died.
Another version of the story says that the family was sitting down for dinner when R. S. announced that after hearing his father’s stories of his four years in America working on the Transcontinental Railroad (c. 1867 – 1871), he was going to head for America. “You are not going without me”, responded his mother. They then decided to take the whole family. (June, 1889).
Edwin Nelson’s uncle worked as an agent for a steamship line. He brought Norwegian girls to America for a commission. Jack would travel to Norway looking for eligible girls to enlist. Girls 16 – 18 years of age. Hilda Rasmussen and her sister came to North Dakota under these circumstances.
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Norwegian Migration to the United States
Between 1825 and 1930, close to 900,000 people emigrated from Norway. 35,000,000 emigrated from the whole of Europe during this same period.
After 1815, Norway’s population increased as more and more children survived into adulthood. This population increase placed a heavy strain on the labor market. Farming was slowly being mechanized and required less hired hands.
By 1865, the number of renters/cotters (of which were some of our ancestors) had doubled, and there were many more itinerant farm workers. However, the increase growth of the fishing, farming and logging industry could not provide a living for every Norwegian. The majority of the migration came from Western and Eastern Norway.
Ten percent of Norway’s population emigrated to the United States between 1880 and 1890. Beginning in 1865 the composition of the emigrant groups changed from families to more and more young, single people. Those with higher education and special skills looked to America for job opportunities largely because Norway had no jobs to offer.
The U.S. Homestead Act of 1862, giving every man or woman one-quarter section of land, was a clear factor in encouraging Norwegian farms to emigrate.
American wages far exceeded those found in Norway. In the 1880’s, a farmer could earn Summer wages of about NOK 100 a month in the U.S. while as a tenant farmer or hired hand in Norway would earn only NOK 150 a year.
With the transition of shipping from sail to steam, immigration encouragement became a new industry. The steamship companies were active and innovative in selling tickets, giving rise to a network of agents throughout Norway. A small settlement could have subagents for as many as ten different ship companies where an emigrant could purchase a steamship ticket. Throughout the U.S. Midwest, tickets could be purchased at railroad stations and sent to relatives and friends in Europe.
This probably was the method “JJJ”, Jens J. Jorgensen, Dagny’s father used to send tickets to his two daughters and his stepson since there was a railway station in his little town of Egeland, North Dakota.
Ships under sail took about 60 days to travel from Norway to America. The advent of the steamship reduced the crossing time to about 15 days. Some could do the crossing in as little as eight days.
Norwegian girls were very popular as domestic help in American families, as they were known for being fastidious and industrious. These jobs taught them about American food and housekeeping customs. When they married they took this knowledge to their Norwegian families–for they preferred to marry fellow Norwegians or Danish men.
————
Maurice “Morris” had a farm in North Dakota, then in Wenatchee and operated tourist cabins. He also worked on the Grand Coulee Dam. He had one son and one daughter. After trying farming in dry Eastern Montana, he gave up and moved to Wenatchee.
After her husband was killed by a stump puller in the Flathead Valley of Montana, Mrs. Paulsen returned to North Dakota and bought a farm. Albert Paulsen was pulling out stumps when the cable snapped and wrapped around him. He was in his 60’s.
Soon after moving to North Dakota for the first time, R. S., Lena and brothers Will and Karl, moved from Egeland, North Dakota to Kalispell, Montana around 1901-1902. But after only two or three years, most of the family moved back to North Dakota.
R. S. Rasmussen at one time had the largest farm/ranch in North Dakota. He bought six sections of land during the Great Depression. He was the first of three in the area to pay income tax. He sold out and moved to the Rogue Valley of Oregon in 1946. At the time, he was considered to be wealthy. He planned to live in Ashland, but while looking for a house the wind blew his hat off. After living for 50 years in North Dakota, he was tired of wind, so he bought a house in Jacksonville, Oregon (windless Jacksonville) where he remained until his death five years later.
Rasmus added the “S”, Rasmus S. Rasmussen, to his name to keep mail from getting mixed up with his father with whom he shared the exact same name.
R. S. had 60 milking stanchions on his farm and room for 60 horses.
R. S.’s farm had the only stream in the area running through it.
R. S. imported horses from France. His land eventually stretched three miles – for six sections. He set up each of his kids on a farm.
Ramus Rasmussen, the older, moved to Kalispell, Montana from Egeland after proving up his homestead and selling it. The story says that North Dakota had become too crowded for him, “Too many people farming”;perhaps around 1901 or 1902.
During the 1930’s, R. S. and Lena would winter in California.
“Chris Rasmussen had a wonderful farm in North Dakota.” R. S. and the Paulsen’s had already moved back to North Dakota from Montana by the time Chris sold out and moved out to Kalispell around 1902 – 1903.
W. F. Rasmussen moved to Oregon in the 1940’s to Phoenix; Fern Valley. He lived there the rest of his life. Will was a good worker and a kind man. A letter arrived in Egeland from Vernon saying, “Come to California. I have a job for you.” Wally said his dad told his family to “Start packing. We are leaving for California.” They left North Dakota driving a 1928 Chevy with five kids and with what could be packed.
From Wally Rasmussen: Chris Rasmussen traded his North Dakota farm straight across for the Paulsen farm in the Flathead Valley, near the new town of Kalispell, Montana. They even traded furniture. The Paulsen’s said that the farm was a good one, but it was still being developed. “Chris was cheated. He never said one word about the deal. But others talked.” Chris and Dagny left North Dakota, on the train, with only a butcher knife.
A “Pentecostal” revival arrived in North Dakota in 1916. R. S. Rasmussen went to Los Angeles. Came back to North Dakota as a minister.
James left North Dakota for Spokane. He was a very religious man and kept the Sabbath as a Holy Day.
Evan Rasmussen was the first Rasmussen family member to move to Fern Valley, near Phoenix, Oregon from California, Montana, and North Dakota. By 1948, several dozen Rasmussen family members had made the move to Southern Oregon.
Wally Rasmussen said that he “was raised in love” by his parents, Will and Hilda. Concerning his mother, Hilda Rasmussen, “None better.” His father worked for Lockheed Aircraft during the War.
Two stories: One says that Dagny Marie Jorgenson worked for the Paulsen’s and another story says that she worked for Lena Rasmussen. Perhaps she worked for both.
Carl lived in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
After work, W. F. wrote out the event, a long list timeline so he could understand the chronological events of the happenings. (Not sure what this is in reference to.)
Will was the Mayor of Egeland. He set up and ran the electric plant in Egeland and installed two generators and engines. Hooked up the houses to the plant and installed meters. He was put out of business when DC current switched to AC current. Edison really pushed DC current because it was safer to use, but the current could only be transported three to four miles from the power plant. AC could be transported easily hundreds of miles.
W. F. moved his family to Southern California on November 11, 1936.
Says Wally, “We all had to get out and work. The kids worked hard.”
During 1925 – 1936 the Dust Bowl coupled with the Great Depression making life as a farmer very difficult. All of the kids had to work the farms in North Dakota to buy clothes and to buy coal. It was 50 degrees below zero during the winter.
Seventeen girls were brought to work as housekeepers in Egeland. Hilda Jensen worked as a housekeeper for R. S. and Lena, eventually marrying W. F.
Dagny Marie Jorgenson (Rasmussen) worked for 25 cents per week doing housework,plus herding cows.
W. F. worked as a mechanic, in a furniture shop, as a glass installer, and as a glass fabricator.
In 1938, W. F. took a job with Lockheed Aircraft in Southern California.
Notes From a January 7, 1975 Conversation With Vernon Rasmussen
Grandfather Rasmussen (Rasmus Rasmussen) homesteaded about four miles east of Egeland, North Dakota.
R. S.’s farm was S.E. of Egeland, in Victor Township, Towner County.
An original photo of the six Rasmussen brothers and their parents was found upside down in a drawer byLorin Rasmussen as the family was doing one more “look through” of W. F.’s house in Fern Valley, Oregon after the family had moved out.
Lena Rasmussen’s father, Fred Paulsen, had between 10 – 14 kids.
Edwin Nelson’s uncle (Jack Nelson) brought Hilda Rasmussen to America from Norway. He traveled back and forth between the two countries importing young Norwegian girls.
Vernon’s Grandfather, Rasmus Rasmussen, came to Colorado in the early 1870s or late 1860s to work on the Transcontinental Railroad. Went back to Denmark, married and had seven sons. Then came back to the U.S.
Rasmus received a prize from King Christian IX for having had so many sons and no daughters. (The Danish Royal Palace claims the “prize” was most likely “public assistance.”
Dagny made her home with Albert and Mary Paulsen in Egeland, after coming to America.
Even Rasmussen has the large panoramic Egeland City photo taken from the belfry of the schoolhouse. Can see Rasmus Rasmussesn’s homestead in the photo. He started out in a sod house, then a tarpaper shack and then a house. Eventually the town of Egeland was built on part of his homestead. Egeland became a rail stop.
The Rasmussen family was confirmed/baptized in the Danish State Church in Ringe, South of Odense on the island of Fyen.
Ralph Rasmussen, Walter’s son, lives on a farm next door to Chris Rasmussen’s old homestead.
On R. S.’s homestead, one house was moved off and one burned. The present large house was built in 1910.
Chris Rasmussen traded his North Dakota farm with the Paulsen farm in Kalispell, Montana in about 1905 – 1906, following the death of Father Paulsen.
R. S.’s farm/ranch was four miles by a half of a mile in size. He lost lots of money when the banks failed during the Great Depression.
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Homesteading in North Dakota, the Rasmussens took out “Tree Claims” of 160 acres for the wife and 160 acres for the husband for a total of 320 acres. By promising to plant trees, the homesteader would own the land in three years. The following info found on the internet differs from family remembrances.
The Homestead Act, which became law on January 1, 1863, allowed anyone to file for a quarter-section of free land (160 acres). The land was yours at the end of five years if you had built a house on it, dug a well, broken (plowed) 10 acres, fenced a specified amount, and actually lived there. Additionally, one could claim a quarter-section of land by “timber culture” (commonly called a “tree claim”). This required that you plant and successfully cultivate 10 acres of timber.
Homesteading
The area was opened to homesteading in 1863 with free public land given to people willing to farm. Some came to buy their land. Others hoped to get it for free by meeting one of the Homesteading Act’s two requirements: planting trees on 10 acres of a 160 acre claim (called a tree claim) or living on the claim for five years (you couldn’t be away for more than three weeks on any claim). Under the Homestead Act, settlers had to break 10 acres the first year.
Settlement was slow until completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad provided dependable transportation. North Dakota’s population was registered at 2,405 in 1870, increasing to 190,983 in 1890.
Bonanza Farms
North Dakota’s main attractions for settlers were the fertile Red River Valley in the east and the vast grasslands of the west. Huge “Bonanza” farms, farms of over 3,000 acres, were established in the Valley, and large ranching operations, including one owned by Theodore Roosevelt were created in the West.
George W. Cass, president of the Northern Pacific, was persuaded to demonstrate the value of the land by putting a large tract into production. Cass, together with Benjamin Cheney, a director of the railroad, set up the first bonanza farm in the Red River Valley. They bought 13,440 acres of Northern Pacific land near Casselton. Oliver Dalrymple was hired to manage the farm. Dalrymple, a Yale Law School graduate, planted his first crop in 1876.
The bonanza farms concentrated on wheat, working the fields with transient labor. The Cass/Cheney farm employed 400 men using 400 horses and mules. Dalrymple had charge of 55,000 acres by 1880 with about half of it under cultivation. Some of the land he managed was owned by the Grandin brothers. The brothers eventually owned 63,000 acres.
Demand for land caused the decline of Bonanza farming and large-scale ranching as land was divided among more farmers.
Sharon Fakkema (703) 461-1517 at the North Dakota Historical Society gives the following information (from George Kingsbury’s book): “Congress (1873) enacted the Timber Culture Act (amended 1874 & 1878): This act required that the applicant be a US citizen, head of a family, and over age 21. The applicant had to plant and protect, for 8 years, 10 acres of timer of 1/4 section (or 5 acres on a legal subdivision of 80 A, 2 1/2 A on …) Only one tree claim was allowed per family. After the 8 year period, the applicant and two credible witnesses made affidavits (similar to those used under The Homestead Act), paid $10 to the land office (for Full 1/4 section or a proportionate amount for similar properties). The Timber Culture Act had certain directory provisions, i.e.: # of trees per acre (not less than 2,700 trees on each acre at time of proof, 625 living and “thrifty” [thriving?] trees; time extensions in case of trees destroyed by grasshoppers or extreme drought, etc. The applicant was entitled to the patent when he paid the land office fees and had satisfied the claim. A large number of entries made, but the percentage of people who ultimately proved was limited. The government discovered early on that the Timber Culture Act didn’t work well. There was no commutation clause. The Homestead Act was more appealing (shorter time, less work, less money, less trouble) with drought and other bad conditions. Many tree claims were abandoned and the law was finally repealed.”
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These Rasmussen Stories Have Been Floating Around for Years:
Ringe, Denmark
Evangelisk – Lutherske Kirke
County of Svendborg
Ras S. homesteaded his place in North Dakota in May 1894, and farmed it until 1945. A new house was built in 1910 on the site of the two previous houses, one which was burned.
In the Ras S. house photo of the family out in front of their house: Pictured are Lena and Ras S. at the gate. Ernest and Walter are near their parents. The hired help stand off to one side, and the girls, Elna, Agnes and Mae are on the balcony.
When Vernon visited the Rasmussen house in Ringe/Sødinge, Denmark in about 1960, a fourth of the house was being used as a barn. The barn is now part of the living part of the house. It also had a thatched room until about 30 years ago. Thatch is a fire hazard so most Danish houses are switching to tile roofs.
Rasmus Rasmussen, the elder, donated the land in Egeland for the School. Part of his homestead also became the town site. Rasmus lived in a tarpaper shack on the site until he built his house.
Ras promised each of his farmworkers a clean set of clothes each day. To accomplish this, and use the labors of the “hired girl” more effectively, Ras installed a washing device in the basement of his home. A long camshaft was hung from the floor joists of the basement ceiling. Hooked to the revolving camshaft were several down thrusting plungers. Hooked up to a donkey engine, the camshaft would oscillate up and down, as the plunger worked the soiled clothes in several washtubs. (from Vernon Rasmussen and Loren Severson.)
Carl Rasmussen married his step-granddaughter, thus he became “his own grandpa!”. He really did!
Don Rasmussen (Christian’s son) married his step-sister, Doris Lunde. Thus he became his own brother-in-law.
James E. Rasmussen attended the funerals for all six of his brothers. He was the last man (brother) standing when he died in 1968.
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The following narratives are selections from various letters written by Joy Rasmussen Bursch (daughter to James E. Rasmussen) to Ruby Rasmussen Smith and Larry Smith between the years 1975 and 1980. Joy lived most of her life in Spokane.
Dear Larry and Ruby,
You are launching into quite a project. (Rasmussen Family History.) I’m one of your well-wishers. Will lend my support as I can – wish I had fuller and more complete records and information.
… Seems the Rasmussen history may be making a bit of progress – hope so, and hope it will not be delayed much longer.
I am standing in line for a copy of the finished product.
My father often spoke of Grandpa’s (Rasmus R) being present at the driving of the Golden Spike. He went to America, perhaps in 1867 or 1868 where he spent 4 years working on the Railroad and witnessed the driving of the Golden Spike at the completion of the Southern Pacific.
Now about Grandfather Rasmussen’s brothers – YOUR Grandfather: (Chris Rasmussen)
C. F. Carl died December 18, 1957 in Wenatchee, Wa., following an extended illness. Born March 27, 1887, in Denmark, he came to Minnesota when two years of age. He later resided in North Dakota and in 1902, moved to Kalispell, Montana. He was married to Frances Ebert, June 5, 1934, at Polson, Montana. He made his home in Wenatchee and on the Coast prior to moving to Waterville two years ago. (Quoting from the obituary.) Surviving are his wife, Frances, at the home; two brothers, The Rev. J.E. Rasmussen, Spokane, and W.F. Rasmussen, Medford, Oregon.
Uncle Carl’s first wife, Agnes, passed away some years before his marriage to Frances. Ebert. We don’t find a record of the dates of marriage and death. Uncle Carl had no children. He was the youngest of 7 brothers. As I recall, it was a custom in Denmark that the King give special recognition to a seventh son – this was given to Uncle Carl – a medal, I believe, and perhaps a monetary gift.
Maurice Alexander Rasmussen, born March 18, 1882 in Fyn, Denmark – passed away November 30, 1954 at Wenatchee, Washington. He was survived by his wife Annie and 5 children. Aunt Annie was born in Kopervic, Norway, April 28, 1882, and passed away May 9, 1971. I don’t recall, but I believe Uncle Maurice was preceded in death by their youngest daughter, Grace, who had one daughter. Mildred and Edward Mehl live in Wenatchee and have three children, I believe. I should have listed Evelyn and Floyd Freeland before Mildred – Evelyn is the oldest daughter, and has 2 sons. Evelyn and Floyd live in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I’m not doing this right – Thelma, or Sally as she is called, is the second daughter and Mildred third. Sally Ward lives in Cathedral City, California, though she and her husband Austin lived for many years at Omak, Washington. Austin passed away last summer. They had no children but an adopted or foster daughter.
Since both Uncle Maurice and Uncle Jim married “Annies”. The family referred to the two as, “Annie Jim” and “Annie Morse”.
James E. Rasmussen, born August 23, 1879, in Ringe, Fyn, Denmark. Was married December 24, 1902 at Kalispell, Montana, to Anna Christina Paulsen, who was born January 17, 1882, in Albert Lea, Minnesota, to Albert and Mary Olsen. Dad came to America with is family in May 1888 (9), at the age of nine. About 1890 he with his family moved from Minnesota to North Dakota where his parents homesteaded. After their marriage, my parents farmed near Kalispell and then in North Dakota until 1915. (This is from a written obituary I have.) The Rev. Mr. Rasmussen was an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. He pioneered and pastored a church in Kalispell, Montana, for 4 years prior to coming to Spokane’s First Assembly of God at the conclusion of 25 years of continuous ministry.
Rev. Rasmussen was influential in the forming and development of the policies of the Northwest District of the Assemblies of God. From 1923 until the termination of his pastorate in Spokane he served as District Presbyter. For seven of those years he was Secretary-Treasurer for the District. He was also a General Presbyter of the General Council of the Assemblies of God (Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri) for about 20 years.
Still quoting: He is survived by his wife with whom he celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on December 24, 1967; by two daughters – Mrs. Sam B. (Eva) Turbow, and Mrs. Archie F. (Joy) Bursch, both of Spokane. A son, Ervin, passed away July 26, 1933
Our dear mother went to be with the Lord March 9, 1973 at age 91 after many years of poor health and suffering. And Archie and I had been married just over 20 years – wonderful years – when the Lord took him home July 2, 1972.
A note found in the Rasmussen “funeral folder”…”Herbert and Gladys Burnell bought the old Rasmussen place $1200.” (It does not note which Rasmussen.)
Always thought he (Rasmus Rasmussen) was just special and he was a “cutie” – seems he was a rather small man, had a beard and pretty blue eyes. I used to think I could about repeat the grace or blessing he’d say before meals – it was in Danish – and in my mind it still lingers. When Grandma R. passed away Eva and I were small girls and I recall Dad and Mother asked when they had word of her passing, whether we wanted to stay at Uncle Ras and Aunt Lens’s or go with them to Kalispell for the funeral. We chose the latter. So we missed some days at school, and I remember a bit about the train trip, and I think it was then we got a granite (or enamel) pie pan, red on the outside and white inside. We still have it. And I recall on the occasion of one of Grandpa’s visits to us when we lived on the farm near Egeland, N.D., how we’d follow him around and we observed and talked about some birds and their nests under the granary eves. We lived there when Grandma died too. (She died in 1910.)
…when Grandpa came to visit us in Dakota that he made whistles for us…we were really fascinated as he’d loosen the bark from a short length of willow branch, then slip it off. And he’d cut a nick or notch from the inside part, perhaps some from the bark part too. And the miracle when he’d assemble it and blow – it was a real whistle.
We asked the folks at Kalispell if they’d heard how the family history or record is progressing – they didn’t seem to know. We’ve not heard in a long time from Larry…I told Larry I hoped I was in line for a copy of the finished product. Hope it’s worked out for him.
Here are some notes that Joy found in her father’s files.
WAR MEDAL – presented in 1864 to Rasmus Rasmussen for service in armed forces in war between Denmark and Germany. He served in the Danish army.
Hope your family history project is progressing well. You’ve put a lot of effort and time into it and it will be rewarding when it’s completed. Bless.
I’ve had a good year. God, though His mercy has given me good health, precious friends and relatives, each day has been filled with work and happy activities. He has been my constant Companion. God is so good.
Cousin Joy
(A note to the reader: I feel bad that it has taken 25 years and the invention of the computer and the internet to complete this project. I wish this could have been finished in time for Joy to see it. She would have enjoyed it. —Larry Smith)
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HOMESTEAD PATENT Document No. 10113
Application 6250
HOMESTEAD CERTIFICATE NO. 4798
92482
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
To All to Whom these Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
WHEREAS, There has been deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at: Devils Lake, North Dakota whereby it appears that pursuant to the Act of Congress approved 20th May, 1862, “To Secure Homesteads to Actual Settlers on the Public Domain, “and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of Ramus Rasmussen has been established and duly consummated in conformity to law, for the
South west quarter of the North East quarter The south east quarter of the Northwest quarter and the lots numbered four and five of Section six in Township one hundred and fifty-nine North of Range sixty five
west of the Fifth Principal; Meridian in North Dakota, containing one hundred and forty nine acres and fifty eight hundredths of an acre,
according to the Official Plat of the Survey of said land returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General.
NOW KNOW YE, That there is therefore granted by the United States unto the said Rasmus Rasmussen
the tract of land above described: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Rasmus Rasmussen and to his heirs and assigns forever;
subject to any vested accrued water rights for mining, agricultural, manufacturing or other purposes, and rights to ditches and reservoirs used in connection with such water rights as may be recognized and acknowledged by the local customs, laws and decisions of court, and also subject to the rights of the proprietor of a vein or lode to extract and remove his ore therefrom, should the same be found to penetrate or intersect the premises hereby granted as provided by law.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I, Theodore Roosevelt President of the United States of America, have caused these letters to be made Patient, and the seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto fixed.
UNITED STATES Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the
GENERAL LAND OFFICE ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord one
SEAL thousand nine hundred and two, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred twenty sixth.
By the President:
T. Roosevelt
By F. M. McKean, Secretary
C.H. Brush Recorder of the General Land Office
Recorded N. Dakota Vol. 139, Page 156.
Filed for record this 24 day of Oct. A.D. 1 902, at 10:10 o’clock A.M.
By Birtie Heckman, Deputy.
Frank Shanley
Register of Deeds.
4-773 HOMESTEAD PATENT 291 483
Application 12640
Document No HOMESTEAD CERTIFICATE NO. 8372
92482
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
To All to Whom these Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
WHEREAS, There has been deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at: Devils Lake, North Dakota whereby it appears that pursuant to the Act of Congress approved 20th May, 1862, “To Secure Homesteads to Actual Settlers on the Public Domain, “and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of Christian H. Rasmussen has been established and duly consummated in conformity to law, for the
South East quarter of Section Four in Township one hundred and fifty nine North of Range sixty five West of the Fifth Principal Meridian in North Dakota containing one hundred and sixty acres.
according to the Official Plat of the survey of said land returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General.
NOW KNOW YE, That there is therefore granted by the United States unto the said Christian H. Rasmussen
the tract of land above described: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Christian H. Rasmussen and to his heirs and assigns forever;
subject to any vested accrued water rights for mining, agricultural, manufacturing or other purposes, and rights to ditches and reservoirs used in connection with such water rights as may be recognized and acknowledged by the local customs, laws and decisions of court, and also subject to the rights of the proprietor of a vein or lode to extract and remove his ore therefrom, should the same be found to penetrate or intersect the premises hereby granted as provided by law.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I, Theodore Roosevelt President of the United States of America, have caused these letters to be made Patient, and the seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto fixed.
UNITED STATES Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the
GENERAL LAND OFFICE first day of December, in the year of our Lord one
SEAL thousand nine hundred and four, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred yes twenty ninth
By the President:
T. Roosevelt
By F. M. McKean, Secretary
C.H. Brush Recorder of the General Land Office
AUDITOR’S OFFICE, TOWNER COUNTY, N.D.
Delinquent Taxes and Special Assessments,
or Installments of Special Assessments, paid
and Transfer entered OCT. 16 1946
H. M. Schaffer
AUDITOR, TOWNER COUNTY, IN N. D.
Filed for record this 16 day of Oct. A.D. 1 946, at 3:20 o’clock P.M.
and recorded in Book 22 of Dicks page 483.
Lenna G. Owen (unclear)
Register of Deeds.
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WARRANTY DEED
This Indenture, Made this eighth day of April in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety Seven between Henry Smedberg and Julia Smedberg, his wife, of the County of Towner and state of North Dakota.
parties of the first part, and Rasmus Rasmussen of the County of Towner and State of North Dakota. Party of the second part,
WITNESSETH, That the said part of the first part, in consideration of the sum of Nine hundred Dollars, to and in hand paid by the said party of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, does hereby Grant, Bargain, Sell, and Convey, unto the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns forever, all the tract or parcel of land, lying and being in the County of Towner and State of North Dakota, described as follows,
to-wit: The South Half of the North East Quarter and Lots One and Two of Section One (1) in Township One Hundred fifty nine (159) North of Range Sixty six (66) West, Containing One Hundred Sixty Acres more or less. according to the Government Survey Thereof
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD THE SAME, Together with all the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining, to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever. (Except the Buildings and one half of the Pasture fence.) And the said Henry Smedberg and Julia Smedberg, his wife, parties of the first part for their heirs, executors and administrators, does covenant with the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, that they are well seized in fee of the lands and premises of fore said, and have good right to sell and to convey the same in manner and form of aforesaid, that the same are free from all encumbrances; Except a Mortgage for Four Hundred Dollars and interest at 12% from Dec. 28, 1896 which the said second party assumes.
and the above bargained and granted lands and premises in the quiet and peaceable possession of the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, against all persons lawfully claiming or to claim the whole or any part thereof, the said parties of the first part will Warrant and Defend.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, The said parties of the first part hereunto set their hand and seal the day and year first above written.
SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED IN PRESENCE OF
T.J Noyes Henry Smedburg (Seal)
W.E. Gibbons Julia Smedberg (Seal)
STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA,
County of Towner. (ss)
I, W. E. Gibbons, a County Judge, within and for said County, do hereby certify that on this Eight day of April, A.D. 1897, personally came before me Henry Smedburg and Julia Smedburg, his wife, to me well known as the person described in and who executed the foregoing Deed, and he acknowledged that they executed the same freely and voluntarily.
Seal W.E. Gibbons
County Judge
Filed for record this 8th day April A.D. 1897 at 3 o’clock P.M.
George Elsberry (unclear) Register of Deed
WARRANTY DEED 297
This Indenture, Made this 8 day of February in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand eight Hundred and Ninety seven between Jens J. Jorgenson of Towner County North Dakota a widower (A side note: JJJ was Dagny Rasmussen’s father and Chris Rasmussen’s father-in-law. He was from Norway.)
parties of the first part, Rasmus Rasmussen of Towner County North Dakota Party of the second part,
WITNESSETH, That the said party of the first part, in consideration of the sum of Eight Hundred and no/100 Dollars, to him in hand paid by the said party of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby Grant, Bargain, Sell, and Convey, unto the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns forever, all that tract or parcel of land, lying and being in the County of Towner and State of North Dakota, and described as follows,
to-wit: South Half of the North -East Quarter and Lots One and Two and South half of the Northwest quarter and lots three and four of Section One Township One Hundred and fifty nine Range Sixty six Containing One Hundred Sixty and 60/100 acres more or less according to the U.S. Government survey thereof (S NN & Lots 3 & 4 Tp 159 – R 66 – 160 60/a
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD THE SAME, Together with all the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining, to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever. And the said Jens J. Jorgenson party of the first part for himself, his heirs, executors and administrators, does covenant with the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, that his is well seized in fee of the lands and premises of fore said, and has good right to sell and to convey the same in manner and form of aforesaid, that the same are free from all encumbrances whatever;
and the above bargained and granted lands and premises in the quiet and peaceable possession of the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, against all persons lawfully claiming or to claim the whole or any part thereof, the said party of the first part will Warrant and Defend.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, The said parties of the first part hereunto set his hand and seal the day and year first above written.
SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED IN PRESENCE OF
W. E. Pew Jens J. Jorgenson
F. L. Thompson
STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA,
County of Towner. (ss)
On this 8th day of February. in the year of One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety seven, before me, W. E. Pew a Notary Public within and for said County and State, personally appeared Jens J. Jorgenson a widower known to me to be the person who is described in and who executed the foregoing and within instrument, and they acknowledged to me that he executed the same.
.
Seal N. E. Pew
Notary Public N.D.
Filed for record this 8 day February A.D. 1887 at 2:30 o’clock P.M. ,
Book , on Page
by Deputy Geo Elsberry Register of Deeds
————————
WARRANTY DEED
This Indenture, Made this 11th day of October in the Year of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Two between Rasmus Rasmussen and Stine Rasmussen his wife
parties of the first part, and Albert Olmstead Party of the second part,
WITNESSETH, That the said parties of the first part, in consideration of the sum of Ten Thousand no/100 Dollars, to them in hand paid by the said party of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do hereby Grant, Bargain, Sell, and Convey, unto the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns forever, all those tracts or parcels of land, lying and being in the County of Towner and State of North Dakota, and described as follows,
to-wit: South Half of the North -East Quarter and Lots One and Two and South half of the Northwest quarter and lots three and four of Section One Township One Hundred fifty nine Range Sixty six and South East quarter of the North West quarter and South West quarter of the North East Quarter and Lots Four and Five Section Six Township One hundred Fifty-nine Range Sixty-five.,
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD THE SAME, Together with all the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining, to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever. And the said Ramus Rasmussen and Stine Rasmussen parties of the first part for themselves, their heirs, executors and administrators, do covenant with the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, that they are well seized in fee of the lands and premises of fore said, and have good right to sell and to convey the same in manner and form of aforesaid, that the same are free from all encumbrances;
and the above bargained and granted lands and premises in the quiet and peaceable possession of the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, against all persons lawfully claiming or to claim the whole or any part thereof, the said parties of the first part will Warrant and Defend.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, The said parties of the first part hereunto set their hands the day and year first above written.
SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED IN PRESENCE OF
C. J. Lord Rasmus Rasmussen
J. E. Rasmussen Stine Rasmussen
STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA,
County of Towner. (ss)
On this 11th day of Oct. in the year of One Thousand Nine Hundred and two, before me, Curtis J. Lord a Notary Public within and for said County and State, personally appeared Rasmus Rasmussen and Stine Rasmussen his wife known to me to be the persons who are described in and who executed the foregoing and within instrument, and they acknowledged to me that he executed the same.
.
Seal Curtis J. Lord
Notary Public, Towner Co. N.D.
My commission expires May 19th, 1905
Auditor’s Office, Towner County N.D. Delinquent Taxes paid and transfer entered Oct. 14, 1902
D.K. Brightbill
County Auditor
Filed for record this 14 day Oct. A.D. 1902 at 4:40 o’clock P.M. ,
Book 12, on Page 595
by Birtie Heckman Deputy Frank Shanley
Register of Deeds
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Linda and I visited Ringe, Denmark and the old Rasmussen house in 1994 and again in 2008 with our 12 year-old grandson. This is an edited story of our 1994 visit.
Day 54, August 8, Monday
This area of Denmark, Jutland, is dryer than I expected. Lots of trees, but the vegetation seems dry from the lack of rain and from the heat.
Hard to get used to the blatant hard core porno magazines mixed in with Donald, Mickey, and other kids’ magazines. Explicit, full color, twisted sex acts that leave nothing to the imagination. The covers show everything! Rather revolting to see sick perverted sex acts and nude people while paying for groceries. Cannot get away from it. We had rented a cheap car, but since none were available, they gave us an air conditioned Ford Escort instead of the Ford Fiesta for the same price.
All cars must drive with headlights, in fact they come on automatically when the key is turned on. Never have seen so many blonde headed people before.
Day 55, August 9, Tuesday
Up at 7:00. Paid 40 k for a breakfast of meat, jam, cheese. Enough for a grand lunch. So many Danish girls look like the traditional “milk maids” and could easily model for advertising their country, but others work so hard at being ugly with nose rings, granny dresses, combat boots, tattoos (lots of women sport tattoos), and Mohawk hair cuts or just plain shaved bald. They look so unhappy, angry, and scowling. Whereas the unaltered girls look happy and friendly.
Drove past a Badehotel. Not a catchy name. Bad in German means “Bath”.
Most major roads have bike paths on both sides and they are well used. Central Juteland is quite commercial, not touristy, some industry. Plenty of sprawl beginning to develop, petrol stops with small groceries included, McDonalds, fast foods, small malls, little shopping areas. The towns are small, neat, plain, look like 1940’s or 50’s style of brick houses. Houses have a little more style. Almost all houses throughout Denmark are brick red, with red tile roofs.
Fyrbakken (lighthouse on hill)
Fredet omrade kun adgag til fods. “Protected area, enter only on foot”.
We walked a mile or so out to the very tip. Warm evening. Joined the crowd, coming and going and stood with one foot in the East – Skagerrak and the other foot in the West – Kattegat Sea. I could not help but remember the time almost exactly 8 years ago that we stood with Brian and Amber, with Brian out as far as he could go, at the tippy end of Cape Cod. A very warm breeze blew as we watched the sun go down into the western horizon, just as we did in 1987. We sure have witnessed the sun go down in some great and memorable spots.
Day 56, August 10, Wednesday
As the sun lowered itself in the sky, we drove 6 kms to the tiny town of Rebild and its tiny National Park.
In 1912 a group of Danish/Americans acquired a number of acres of common grazing land and gave it to the state, which through the years has added manor lands to the original purchase. The area is called a national park, but not operated as such in the American sense. The condition of the gift requires that the land remain open to everyone, that it be left in its “natural state” (wonder how the large sheep herd fits into natural state. “Hoofed Locus”) and that each year the Americans living in Denmark be allowed to celebrate the 4th of July in the natural amphitheater. It is probably one of the biggest celebrations outside of the U.S. We walked the trails until the sun set in the hills to the west of us. Strange, usually sheep are fenced out of a park. These herds are fenced in. Probably used for grass and brush control, but it sure looks like a classic case of over grazing. Lots of erosion being cause by the stripping away of the vegetation. After hiking to the top of a couple of hills, we walked across the village parking lot to a small museum of Danish forestry, folk practices and natural history.
Drove back to our little bunk house room as it was growing dark. This area of Denmark has the largest forest in country. Two spaces Parts are very old, but most of the country’s forests are highly managed as wood lots, so the trees tend to be small and planted very close to each other. Farms are usually a mix of fields and forest patches, blended with rolling pastures and small lakes.
Day 57, August 11, Thursday
Everybody born in Denmark is automatically a member of the Lutheran State Church, unless a letter is sent asking to be removed from the rolls. Have not seen one traffic cop in the last 4 countries we have visited, yet the drivers drive the speed limit, are courteous, do not honk horns, allow pedestrians and bike riders priority, stop at stop signs. They have lots of rules, but Denmark seems to function like a well turned watch, without the threat of punishment.
Many nature trails are available for the public and are well marked. The more important ones are blazed and mapped. There are forests, heather fields, hill, valley, springs and lakes sprinkled with small villages, tiny farms, ancient burial sites, castles and manor houses to be visited. To stress the age of something really old, the Danes will compare it with a tree in the Forest of Rold. So we picked up a nearby trail and headed to the top of the ridge of the ancient TROLDESKOV Forest dating back to 1689.
Early Danish towns were afraid of fire, so all roofs were of tile, only farmers used thatched roofs. Thatched roofs are still sprinkled around the countryside. Sanitation in these old villages were abysmal. All garbage and sewage and animal droppings were dumped out into the narrow streets. The drinking wells were polluted. Cholera, dysentery and the Black Plague were rampant. A person living until 50 in these merchant towns was considered old. Since the population of the towns kept dying off, people were constantly being forced to move from the more healthy countryside into the towns. Life was geared to keep the royals happy and rich at the physical expense of the poor farmer.
6 to 10 people would live in one room when they rented from the rich merchants and if the renter was a shop keeper or crafts man, the man’s shop or work area would be also in the small living area. Rich merchants, with their big house, also lived in only 2 or three rooms. The Danes did not feel they needed all the extra room that could be used for other purposes. By the 1800’s the custom of crowded spaces began to change to more spacious quarters. Even to this day, rich Danes do not live in as big of houses as found by their counterparts in the U.S.
Compulsory education laws were put into effect in the 1860’s – but because of the lack of money for schools and teachers, and because of the lack of educated teachers, the laws were not enforced for 100 years. The dozen or so public schools that were built were poorly run and poorly staffed. Often the teachers were so poor they lived in their classroom. One teacher would not get out of bed in the morning until his students had built a fire and the school house was warmed up.
Heading south, out of Aarhus in a light rain that eventually would turn heavy, we crossed over the bridge that connects the Island of Fyn (Funen) with Jutland. Turned south at Odense and south for 8 miles to Sodinge – the Rasmussen village, just outside of Ringe. After several miles of searching we found – “Toftegaard”, a working dairy farm of about 90 cows and over 100 acres of land. Several farm buildings have been turned into holiday apartments.
Things did look a bit dry here. Because Fyn is bordered by islands and the mainland on all sides, the weather here is much more moderate than the lands facing the open sea.
Day 58, August 12, Friday
Sun shining, which seems to be the pattern. Rain hard and then the sun comes out. Our hostess has arranged for us to visit an elderly neighbor couple.
Else and Frede Martensen
Sollingevej 24
5750 Ringe
62-67-12-13
The Martensens have lived in their nearly 300 year old house most of their married years. Fred, 74, grew up only about a mile from here. Fred’s bad heart limits his physical activities, so Else does most of the farming on their 18 acre farm. Mostly animals. Fred is energetic, funny, drives and works several hours a week at the local museum in Ringe. They are what the Danes call, “small holder” farmers. Grow strawberries. Else rang the bell at the local church twice a day for 14 years. They used to take in holiday boarders for 20 years. “We haven’t had much money, but we sure have had a good time.” They love to travel, but because of the animals, only one can leave at a time, so they travel separately. Both speak English, Fred more so than Else.
Fred only went to school for 7 years. Had so many English boarders or met so many English speaking people that they decided they must learn English. They are still taking classes, even at their ages. The house is nicely decorated, original and very old fashioned. Kitchen is outside. Built by the Germans, doors are about 5.5 feet. Ceilings in some rooms are less than 6 feet. “Short Germans”, then he laughs. Else still cooks on a wood stove. Had prepared a huge Danish breakfast for us.
Turns out we are only about 1 – 2 kms from the old Rasmussen farm. So Else got on the phone and called a cousin, who was having a birthday party and who had a friend who knew the people who own the old Rasmussen place. Else then called the wife of the owner, Paul Gert Frydencal and made arrangements for a visit. So we drove on over.
Fred was our interpreter. The house, of a half timbered style, is original on the outside, but has been recently modernized on the inside. Only the ceiling is original, along with the timbered beams. Built around 1810. The house has been in this family for the past 35 years. The lady owner knows little about the history of the house. I knew more than she did. The farms and houses in the Sodinge area have changed little since the Rasmussens lived here. Most of the houses and dairy farms are very old. A few new sheds. Either dairy farming or the growing of grains, hay, and fodder for the cows. Little commercial gardening. Everything is very neat. Houses clustered in little settlements, or out on the farms. All of the Rasmussen land has been sold off and the house sits on a very small plot – very neat – beautiful gardens of flowers and plants surround the house. A bit overgrown by bushes.
The 1840 census (Folktelling) has my great great grandparents living in the house: Mads Pedersen, 35, Ellen Larsdatter, 32 and their three children: Lars, 6, Kirsten, 3, Hans P., 1. Mads is a smallholder of land and a “day laborer”. Ellen’s parents are also living in the house: Rasmus Larsen, 64, and Anne Rasmusdatter, 63 for a total of seven people.
By 1845, nine people are living in this tiny house.
Mads Pederson, 41, a day labourer who was born in Ringe in 1805. Ellen Larsdatter, 40, the four kids: Lars, Kristian, 11, Hans P., 5, Jens, 6, along with Rasmus Larsen, 68, and Anne Rasmusdatter, 65, plus a non member of the family, Hans Poulsen, 30, who “lives there to work”.
In 1860, Mads Pedersen was listed as being 56, Ellen Larsen is 53. (For some reason the ages do not add up according to the time lapse between the folktelling.) Most of the kids have left home, but more have been added. Rasmus is 13, Mette Kirstine, my great grandmother is 11. Anne Rasmusdatter has died, but her husband, Rasmus Larsen, 75, is still living with his daughter.
The 1870 record shows only four people living in the house. Mads Pedersen, 65, Ellen Larsen, 62, my great grandmother, Mette Kirstine is 20, and Lars is 35, occupation is listed as a weaver.
By 1880 the folketelling shows 7 people living in the house: Rasmus Rasmussen, 40, my great grandfather, suddenly shows up, living in the house. He was born in Rolfsted. Mette Kirstine Madsen, 30, is his wife.
Their family shows up in the folktelling as: Rasmus, 6, (Who later is known as Ras S) – Mads Peter, 4, – Hans Christian, 2, my grandfather (Who later became known as Christian Hans) – Jens Elo. is under 1 (who later becomes known as James) – Ellen Knudsdatter, 72, is also living in the house. According to the folktelling record some type of arrangement has been made where the younger couple is obligated to take care of the older person. By law the elder couple cannot be compelled to leave the house, and the younger family must promise to take them to town at least once every other month. The Danes call it: Aftaegt = “accommodation and support provided by the new owner of land property for its former owner, especially by a son for his parents.”
The children of Danes used to receive the first name of their fathers as their last name, followed by “sen” or “datter”. About the time that my grandfather was born in 1877, the king abolished the practice. The present family name would henthforth be passed on to future generations. Norway instituted a similar practice. In Iceland, the old system is still used. Mother, father and the kids all have different last names.
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The history of the “Wheel-Wright House”, named after my great grandfather, Rasmus Rasmussen who built wagon wheels. The Danish name for the house, is “Hjulmandhuset” Address: Sodingevej 39. (The following is a translation from Danish by a friend living in Jacksonville and by Karen from Ringe.)
Poul Neildsen, freeholder, 55 tdr. land, 1810
“tdr” = “tønde” – Danish measure of land equal ot about 1.363 acres. That means the original Rasmussen farm would have been 74.965 acres. During our 1994 visit I stopped by the Ringe museum and talked to Fred who was working that day. Fred had done some research for me. He had found an 1810 map showing the Rasmussen farm, owned by Rasmus’s father, Mads Peterson and apparently his son, Povel (Paul or Poul) Madson. So the land was in the family for at least 70 to 80 years before the Rasmussens left for America. All of the land has now been sold off, and only the house remains. The land registration number was 10B. Fred showed us his gg grandfather’s place next door. It was his gg grandfather who sold the land to my gg grandfather, Madsen. What a coincidence!
R. Rasmussen, wheel-wright, about 1890
Rasmus Trunderup
Niels Rasmussen, Ellen Rasmussen, about 1825. (Do not know if these are relatives.)
Kristine Rasmussen, widow, 1930
Knud Andersen, bachelor, 1933
Hans Christian Hansen, Lavra, 1955
It was called the wheel-wright house because a wheel wright (Rasmus Rasmussen) lived there in the last century, and the present owner (in 1955) H.C. Hansen has, maybe unwittingly, illustrated this name by placing 2 big cart wheels, painted in strong colors in front of the gables facing the road. In the Adolf house, now demolished, lived a day labourer, called Palle, with his wife and children. How could they live: the day’s pay was 1 kr plus something from a generous mistress, such as ears and toes from the porker on slaughtering day, Palle’s favorite dish and often other good things such as a piece of bacon was put in the basket. How did they mange to live? Still they did! The children were sent out to work and after confirmation to earn their living. Andrea, Hanne, Ingeborg, Anna, remove extra space Minna, Rasmine, Marie, Niels and Rasmus. But it was probably the poorest house in town.
For their silver wedding, Hans Peder and Karen were given a big double bed with elderdowns and other bedding. It was needed and welcome. In those days the snaps (drink) was cheap, but still too expensive for a day labourer with a big family. Nevertheless H.P. could not resist a good coffee punch and that is only fair. These children went to the free school and Martin Rudum might have been a little partial to them and given them a good start. He was present when the parents were given the bed on the day of the silver wedding and in high spirits as often on such occasions. The children got good jobs where they were trained. They were honest, faithful and conscientious.
At the free school’s centenary, they turned up with a big bunch of flowers. The son Niels, bought the wheel-wright’s house. His parents and his sister Rasmine moved into it. H.P. died here. Niels married Ellen Rasmussen from Vesterskov. When his father died, his mother and sister went to live in Ringe. Also Ellen’s father died, so the mother Kirstine leaves her house to Niels and Ellen. She moved to this house without any land. Lindegard had taken over the 5 tdr (tdr = 1.3 acres) that used to belong to it. Kirstine was a clever and good woman, admired for her extremely mild authority of her children, 7, who had by now grown up, except a boy who went to the free school here. The other had gone to Sollinge Freskole. However, Kirstine was not strong, she died before the boy was confirmed. The other children got married and the house was sold to Kirstine’s brother, Knud, who stayed with her for some time. He was single and had animals. He had a small menagerie of pigeons and goats, a dog, a cat and poultry too. Two spaces All these creatures were his whole world. Two spaces As long as he could, he would give a hand with gardening and looking after the herd on the farms when needed. It was done with perfection and with great care. He would appreciate some good sandwiches and plenty of them. His appetite was enormous, nothing was left. He liked to be praised, then he was happy and grateful. He was generous with the little he had to share. New potatoes and other good things from his garden. He could not save up from the farm, but it was not so important for him. What mattered was to have the live creatures around. He enjoyed to turn up uninvited to have chat and some cups of coffee, to be allowed to tell about himself and his experiences, about his job and as he said, his clever ideas. He would often repeat, “Still I am happy being as wise as I am.”
We did not consider him to be what we call wise. But certainly he was a grateful human being and was never dissatisfied in his lonely house which to us looked rather messy inside. Cleanliness was not prevailing, but his nieces came from time to time and gave the house a clean up. Later H. C. Hansen bought the house and looked after him the last short time of his life. Now H. C. Hansen and Lavra have had a good time their in their old age and H. C. sets to work with something or other whenever it is needed. (From a history book located in the Ringe Archives. Translated from the Danish.).
Paul Gert Frydendal inherited the house from his parents, who apparently bought it from the Hansens.
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Fred showed us the old “Fri Schol” that the Rasmussens could have attended, about one mile from the house. But Fri (free) does not mean free of payment. It means, free thinking. Kids had to pay to go, so, since the Rasmussens had 7 boys, most likely Grandpa would have attended school in Ringe. The building is still there, next to the Lutheran Church, but is now a school museum.
By the early afternoon, clouds again began to gather. The lady showed us a very old photo of the house that they had found when they moved in. Have raised three children. Does not speak any English.
Fred and his wife have traveled extensively to 15 to 20 countries. Else is planning a trip to Hungary in a couple of weeks. Else is a wonderful hostess and organizer. They would love to have us return for another visit. Fred has to leave at 1:00 to give a slide show to an old folks group. He has 3,000 slides. He would love to show some of them to us. The Mortensens asked us many questions about our travels.
We headed for Ringe – 6,000. The same population as Linda’s father’s birth town in Romania. It was a very small town until the N/S and the E/W railroads made Ringe into
a crossroads. Grew rapidly. Very neat, clean. Been modernized. Some industry. Traffic is limited in the little downtown. Lots of pedestrian walkways. 1664 – Ringe founded; 1772 – Lutheran Church founded; 1704 – school built. Stopped at the tourist bureau. A very helpful young man answered our many questions. Washed a load of clothes. While they were drying, I drove over to the local school. 400 kids. Made arrangements with a 6th grade teacher who is also the vice principal, Ejwer Jensen, for a Tuesday visit. Visited the Lutheran Church where Grampa Rasmussen was confirmed. A beautiful 10-acre cemetery surrounds the building and the museum. The museum was the town’s school for 216 years. Closed in 1920. Fred thinks the Rasmussens may have attended this building during their upper elementary years.
Cooling off, but very pleasant. The cemetery looks more like a botanical garden rather than a cemetery. Formal plantings, perfectly arranged in patterns. Puzzled by the lack of old graves. I wonder what happened to them? Mostly from the 1940’s or later. Only about a dozen older graves. Dozens of Rasmussens. It is the 4th or 5th most common name in Denmark.
Shopped for groceries and a few supplies. Coke is 2 to 3 times more than in the U.S. Milk is 50% more. Found a place for a hair cut. Nice barber. Could not speak English. Had his daughter come to interpret. Cost 119 kr, about $17 each. The cheapest we have found in Europe.
Arrived back to the apartment and the rain begins once again. Aase’s grain will never get harvested at this rate.
Day 59, August 13, Saturday
Many of the Danes that we have talked to can trace their family roots back several hundred years – usually within a mile or two of where they are living. Not unusual to die in the same house they were born, especially for the older son. Some areas have the custom of giving the farm to the youngest son, because he would not have a career formed by the time the parents needed him to take over and to take care of them.
Headed out about 6 kms to Egeskov Castle, built in 1554. Remarkably well preserved, the most popular and most visited castle in Denmark. The family who owns the property still lives here, public admitted to about one third of the huge building. 200,000 people visit a year at 190 kr ($27) One of our few splurges. So, while it poured outside, we toured grand luxury. It must have taken the backs and taxes of many poor people to build such a grand house. These manor houses and castles are all over Denmark and Europe. So many suffered so the rich could live so grandly.
I asked why the 18 or so owners listed did not have “sen” on the ends of their names like most Danes. “Rich people and castle owners had different names.” “Sen” were people of middle to low class. In castle: 200 windows, 66 rooms, 6 baths, 171 doors, 25 employees to take care of the place. 35 acres of lawns, plantings and gardens and lakes.
After the castle tour, we toured the magnificent gardens. The castle sits in the middle of a small lake on thousands of oak pilings. The place was restored in the last 20 years. The giant stables hold many collections including a car and airplane collection dating back to 1903. Farming implement displays, dozens of old and restored buggies and horse drawn coaches. Even a T.V. and radio collection on display. One craft room was set up showing how a wheelwright made wooden spoked and remade wagon wheels. Very similar to G. G. Rasmussen’s craft. I wonder if he made any of the wheels of the buggies and wagons on display.
Have never seen so much visual stimuli crammed into a 35 acre park, yet so tastefully done. Everything perfect, grounds perfect. 200,000 people, but not a hint of tourism, flashiness or carnival atmosphere. They do a good job of preserving the correct and true atmosphere. The barns are not fancy, but adequate. Many people must be volunteering to pull such as this together.
Ate our lunch and headed back to Ringe museum, since Fred was working today. Fred had done some research for me. He had found an 1810 map showing the Rasmussen farm, owned by Rasmus’s father, Mads Peterson and apparently his son, Povel (Paul or Poul) Madson. So the land was in the family for at least 70 to 80 years before the Rasmussens left for America. All of the land has now been sold off, and only the house remains. The land registration number was 10B. Fred showed us his gg grandfather’s place next door. It was his gg grandfather who sold the land to my gg grandfather, Madsen. What a coincidence!
The town’s little museum is in the old school house next door to the old church. Built in 1704. Looks very much like my grandfather’s house, “half-timbered” as the style is called. Closed in 1920 when a new school was built. Grampa Rasmussen would have attended school here when he was older and outgrew the little village school near his home. The town’s school teacher continued living in the old school, even after the school room had been turned into a museum. Many photos on display. Early village life depicted and a very interesting and extensive prehistoric display of the relics that have been plowed up over the years, especially after lakes have been drained for farming.
The Ringe Church, where the Rasmussens attended, was built as a Catholic Church in about 1000 AD. First wooden and then in 1100 the present stone building was achieved when Ringe was founded. The bell tower was built in 1614. Simple white building when compared to the elaborate Catholic Churches of central Denmark. The Reformation took Denmark by storm and the churches switched over to Lutheranism and all traces of Catholicism were destroyed, wiped out, chiseled off, or painted over.
After thanking Frede for his good tour and help and with the sun glinting off the yellowing grain in the fields, we drove south to the coast and the historic town of Faaborg, a sea port. A jumping off place for the ferries to Denmark’s southern Islands. A very well preserved town crowded with half timbered buildings lining crooked, narrow streets. Everything perfect, clean, painted or restored. Clean, clean, clean. Walked the harbor and much of the town. As the sun began to set, we drove through what they call, “The Alps of Denmark”, rolling, glacial moraines, maybe 100 to 200 feet tall. Very scenic.
Dropping by our little upstairs apartment in Sodinge for a few minutes for warm, open faced sandwiches, a Danish treat, prepared quickly by Linda. We soon met Frede and Else at their little farm at 8:00. We were joined by Aase Maegaard, our hostess, her boy friend and Aase’s daughter Maria, age 14, but looks and acts 17. Speaks excellent English. Was home from her boarding school. These Danes speak fast and loud, so lots of loud conversations going in both languages. Each group trying to out shout the other language. Lots of laughter and story telling. They asked many questions about our family and if the Danish relations did well in the U.S. I assured them that the family has done well, but had worked hard to achieve what they accomplished.
Frede showed a slide program he had put together about the Island of Fyn, very well done! He also showed a program that he accompanied with Danish music. Words and slides went together. “I don’t know”, followed by a laugh, was Fred’s favorite expression. He loves to laugh and make many funny jokes.
Else fed us their Danish waffles, small heart shapes, loaded with dollops of various home made jams and jellies. We would eat and eat and she would keep filling the trays. Finally had to stop.
Day 60, August 13, Sunday
Danish showers use the whole room. Drain in the floor. Most everything gets wet. There usually is a curtain to retain some of the water from over spraying. Gas is nearly $4 per gallon. Lots of free public toilets (Toileter) and well marked.
A very rainy, blowing day, with fits of sunshine. Packed up and loaded our few things, and then saying goodbye to Aase and her family.
At 10;00 we attended the Lutheran Church in the Ringe. About half full, with 150 people. Very well kept. The pastor was traditionally dressed, black robe, with a large ruffled white collar. A Medieval preacher’s costume with a wireless mike. An interesting contrast. As the service progressed, he put on another white robe and then a heavy tunic and escorted two couples and their relatives to the Christening Fount. Couldn’t help but think of the time back on July 1, 1877 when my grandfather Rasmussen was christened at this same fount. Everything is read. Nothing spontaneous. Very ceremonious. A staged service. The pastor gave his short, 15 minute sermon from the very high pulpit. Then communion. Only about one third of the congregation went forward. Mostly the older people. The singing was led by a young woman, maybe 18 – 19. A small choir, dressed in jeans and t-shirts, sang in the back of the church gathered around the organ. Music from the 1600’s.
Considering how friendly the Danes have been so far, not one person spoke to us. A bit disappointing. The parson did shake our hands, along with the other exiting people. Drove out 5 kms to Solline, a small town west of Sodinge. Visited a small school that Fred had told us about. Used from 1715 to 1963, only holds 15 kids. So, for many years the younger kids went 3 days and the older kids went three days. Closed in 1963 and has been preserved, complete with the sparse furniture, desks and thatched roof. The custodian had spotted us peering in the windows, so he walked over from the nearby church and opened the building for us. Met an American woman friend of his who showed us around. Married to a Dane and has lived on Fyn for 21 years. Parents are still mad about her moving out of the U.S. Drove through the town of Espe, about 5 kms away. This is where Ellen Larsdatter (1808) and Lars Madsen were born. (1835). Larsdatter is my great grand mother, Mette Kirstine Madsen’s mother.
Drove back to Ringe and the home of Hans and Maria Henricksens.
The Hendricksens welcomed us warmly and invited us in for tea, homemade breads and cookies.
Maria og Hans Henricksen
Assensvij 16
DK 5750 Ringe, tel: 6262 11 94
Hans and Maria are in their 70’s. She still teaches swimming and sewing. He runs a finish carpentry business, though mostly retired. House built by his father in 1905. Father died during the war. At age 24, Hans took part in the Resistance Movement against the Germans. Each night the BBC would broadcast greeting to “Hans”, or “Lars”, or “Nels”, which were code words to the farmer’s fields the RAF was planning to drop supplies, guns and ammunition. Hans and his group would show up, be there when the boxes were dropped and would load them onto trucks and then distribute to the underground resistance. 30 to 40 RAF flight crews lost their lives because of the night drops.
Later in the afternoon we drove to Middlefhart and spent a couple of hours in driving rain. Then, as the weather was clearing, but a bit cold, we drove back to Jutland and Billund to Lego Land. $13 each for entrance, but after 6:30, free entrance until 9:00.
Amazing what they have created out of giant Legos: castles, and Dutch towns, complete with moving autos and boats. Airports, the Statue of Liberty, Mt. Rushmore, African Animals, all from legos. Numerous rules. Very clean and neat. Well planned. Because of the cold, the crowds were down. Normally shoulder to shoulder. At least we got our money’s worth. Read their English guide book about the history of the company and how things work and are designed. Then I put it back onto the shelf. Saved $2.50. Great museums. Very different from the typical Danish museums where old stuff is displayed.
Day 61, August 14, Monday
Treated to a wonderful Danish breakfast. The Danes use jams and jellies lavishly. Had planned to spend the day on the island of Aero, but our day began to fill up with other activities. Stopped at the tourist bureau again to get some questions answered, then over to the post office. Danes take their huge baby carriages everywhere. Don’t hold their babies in public. Instead they wheel the kid into the most impossible places, along with a half metric ton of paraphernalia. They tour castles with their “prams”. We have seen them out on top hiking trails. The dirt is so soft, and the wheels are pushed with great effort. The woman usually does the pushing, except when the pushing gets tough. Few strollers, mostly carriages.two spaces Danes sure have an eye for beauty. Small monuments and statues grace most public areas. Lots of plantings, trees and brick work.
British English is more evident than American English. “Free” means, available. “Gratis” means free, no cost. Fri or Free School means a private school, have to pay. Teaching style is “free thought”. Students are free to explore their interests.
After conducting business and banking, we headed for Nyborg, 28 kms on the east coast. Walked the old sea town. Ate our lunch down at the Haven (harbor). Drove out to the Storebaelt display and info center out at the tip end of the harbor. The Danes are building Europe’s longest bridge tunnel between Fyn and Zealand. It will contain both a high speed rail train and an auto track both contained in the longest tunnel in Europe. The Chunnel will be longer, but is between Europe.
This connection is 18 miles long. Costing $3 to $4 billion. Two and a half times around the Earth in wire length. The World’s longest free span bridge. They wanted $10 to enter the exhibit, so stood at the gate and watched the video in English. Loud enough to hear and see. This sure makes the ticket takers nervous. We picked up all the information we needed, read the English guide book, lots of good information and no money spent. The ticket taker kept staring at us, but I held firm until the videos were over. Europeans line up like sheep wherever admission is charged and dutifully fork over the money and then breeze through the displays in a few minutes, not reading anything and then head for the ever present, over priced restaurant and sit for the next hour or so, smoking and drinking coffee.
Walked to the end of the weir and the lengthy break water. Watched the huge ferries come and go. They will soon be out of business. I worry for the peaceful tranquility of this island when the “fixed link” is finished in several years. The freeway is in place, just waiting to be plugged in. The new bridge will allow for rapid development and that is exactly what is being planned. Goodbye to a way of life that has existed for hundreds of years. When all of the bridges are completed by the year 2000, Germans will be able to drive all the way to Sweden and Norway, via Denmark. My grandfather would still be able to recognize his little town presently, but I wonder what the future will bring? Little has changed on Fyn since the Rasmussens left for the United States over 100 years ago.
Back to Ringe where we found a little broken down pizza place, no salad, out of drinks. I wonder how they plan to sell anything if they run out this early in evening.
Arrived at the city archives at 5:00 as per my appointment. Jacob Bang-Jensen was not there as planned. Had been delayed. The lady who was filling in could not speak English. Did pick up a copy of the history of the Rasmussen house, in Danish. Back to the Henricksens to meet with: Karen Andersen, a retired English teacher and her husband, Erik a retired university professor and church vicar.
Banemarken 5
D.K. 5800 Nyborg, Denmark
Their friend, Erna (Ana) Larsen, the widow of Hans Larsen, who had helped with my originaal research of the Rasmussen family back in 1977 was also at the house. I had planned to meet Hans during our visit, but learned that he had been killed three years ago in a car accident. Ana is very sad and has had a difficult time recovering from Han’s loss. A very quiet, sweet woman. Karen spoke excellent English and has worked as a translator. I asked her to translate the history of the Rasmussen House that I had picked up at the archives this evening. It was Karen Andersen who had answered my letter of inquiry that I had sent to Hans before leaving for Europe. She was the one who had recommended the places where we have stayed.
Many questions were answered about the school system, the political systems and we discussed and shared family stories for four hours. Maria served coffee, tea, raspberry cake, three helpings, sweet bread and cookies and piles of fresh grapes from their abundant garden. How do the Danes keep from becoming so fat?
The Lutheran church receives 1% of the local taxes, plus the taxes from the local political division. The little Danish counties called, “communities” also provide monies. Special appeals are made to the congregations for mission projects. From what I could see, it is the Lutheran Church that provides much of the stability for the Danish way of life and the services that the government would normally provide. They marry, bury, keep records, and provide a social and cultural system and have been doing this very well for over 1000 years. Very little religion is mixed in. As Denmark becomes more secular, this ancient system will probably change.
The schools, for the most part, are run locally. Part of the community council, plus a group of elected parents are the school board. They have to tax themselves, just like in the U.S., if they want new buildings, etc.
Denmark has 7 political parties. Most are small. Half of the 125 members of Parliament are elected directly by the people, but the members do not have to live in the district that they represent. The other half are elected by an “apportions”. (Did not understand.) The present prime minister has been selected from a coalition of 4 parties, one mainstream and three radical.
Finished the evening stuffing ourselves with more homegrown grapes.
Day 62, August 14, Tuesday
Up at 6:00. Arrived at Northfield School as the students were arriving. The first thing I noticed was the lack of buses. Small parking lot, so few cars. 440 kids, but saw very few parents dropping kids off. They either walked or rode bikes. BIG bike parking area. The students carry all their books with them. I did not see a place for them to store their belongings, except for a few drawers in some of the classrooms. A huge bike path converges on the school. Two spaces Very well designed bike paths criss cross all of Ringe. Greeted by the Head Master, K.K. Jensen, who ushered us into (7A), a first period English class.
Bodil Ostergaard
Rolghedsvej 16,
5750 Ringe, Denmark
Most of the teachers follow their students for several years, since, once a class is put together at first grade, they stay together for 9 – 10 years. All grades are in one building, 1 -10. There is a Kindergarten, more like a nursery school, plus before and after daycare, but that is in another building. K-3 attend school half days. Some teachers choose to stay with their classes for ten years. All teachers move for several years. The students stay in their homerooms for the day, the teachers move around. So we saw teachers rushing from class to class lugging their books and teaching materials in large book bags. “One for each subject”. Older students do move for Music, Art and Science. Teachers for the older students do tend to teach their specialties, but the system is very casual.
200 days of class. Two week vacation at Christmas, and a short Fall and Spring break, and seven weeks off during the sSummer. The school can decide when to start and when to set their vacations, but almost all end on the same date because of final exams. It is these exams that decide who passes and who stays behind. Parts of the exams are oral and some are written. Tested in four subjects. All students go 1 – 9 in the regular school. The 10th year is “free”. Most stay on for their 10th year because they need the review to pass the exams. Some travel abroad during their 10th year. If they are smart enough and have passed their exams with high enough scores, then they may jump to Gymnasium (High School). All Students will go onto “gym” following their 10th free year. High School or Gym has three years. Some students choose to go to boarding school; feel they get a better education. Most boarding schools are close, only 10 or 15 kms away, but students come home infrequently.
Bodil asked me to come up front and answer questions the kids might have. Most were real reluctant to speak at first. They certainly have an excellent understanding of English because they are constantly bombarded with American music and movies, which are not dubbed, only subtitled. I opened the session by asking, “Why do you want to learn English. The response from one boy was, “So we can watch American movies!” I quickly explained where Oregon was, a few things about the U.S., explained our flag, mentioned the volcanoes of the U.S. and Crater Lake, and my connection to Denmark and Ringe. I showed a few pictures that I had brought. I had worn my Oregon Trail shirt, so that subject sparked discussion and interest. When I asked one boy, “Do you speak English?”, he answered, “Yes, and I also speak American. Worked on their “th” sounds. The kids asked if my class would send them letters, so we will try to exchange letters. Danish kids also have to learn German, but they dislike the language. After what the Germans did to Denmark during the war, they remain very unpopular all over Europe. Germans are considered very rude also. But they do like their German money. Lots of German tourists.
Before I knew it, the bell had rung, and we moved on. The Head Master met us in the hall and took us on a very informative tour of the school. Parts built in the 1970’s. The new section in 1990. Well equipped. A little cramped in places. No playground. A little area at the end of the school with a few old pieces of playground equipment for younger kids. The Head Master’s wife teaches at the school. The teachers are not evaluated, so no problem having a wife on staff. No fire drills. “Why? The building is fire proof. It has been 20 years since there has been a fire in any Danish schools.” The school board meetings are closed to the public. The Head Master seemed surprised I should ask.
The Danish flag is the oldest country flag in the World. It was seen descending from Heaven during a battle with Iceland. The battle had been going against the Danes, but after prayer and the appearance of the new flag, the Danes routed the Icelanders.
Older students have choices of photo, computer, wood and metal starting at 5th grade. Computers earlier. Some special help is provided for their 15 immigrant kids. Many are pouring in from war torn countries. Some help provided for the slow learner. There seems to be many misconceptions about the United States. Students have access to their own copy machine in the library. (Kopi Maskine). Sewing, knitting and hand work classes are required 4 – 5 times a week.
No lunch hour. Two, 20 minutes breaks are given during the day. Snacks are sold by the 8th level students, or kids bring a quick snack. The teachers run for the big teacher’s room. One third of the staff smokes, but only in special rooms. 8th, 9th and 10 graders are allowed to smoke at the school, out on the patio. I took some photos of them smoking. “They can eat their main meal when they go home.” Little supervision during the breaks. The kids roam the halls or stay in their homerooms or assigned areas Seem to be under control, but they are having a good time.
35 teachers on staff. No aids. A few “community” workers come in parttime. The school secretary only works 6 hours a day. Casual dress for the teachers, a few men in shorts.
Third period was spent at Hanne Christensen’s 3A class. Math and place value and addition being taught. Seemed backward from the way we teach place value. Many of the kids tried what little English they knew on us. Found several boys named, Rasmus. It was a very common name when my grandfather lived here, and now the name is becoming popular again. Three boys named Rasmus in this class. It was common years ago to name the oldest boy, Rasmus. If he died young, then the name was given to the next boy.
We also met: Lars, Mikkel, Soren, Hans, several Kenneths, but they do not pronounce the th. A Kim and a Thomas. Common for students to be eating and drinking during class. Classrooms are bare, not decorated.
Passed on to 8D- Math. Teacher: Jorgen Kjeldsen
Left school at noon, after another good conversation with the head master. Ate lunch at the town square, after stopping at the grocery store. Then at 1:00, I met with Jacob Bang-Jensen, the town’s head archivist. Jacob is a retired T.V. Technician for the local station. He had material laid out when I arrived, including two photos of the Rasmussen house. Will make copies for me. Picked up more census information. He typed it up for me. His wife is a big help. I asked her to find out information about Mads Peder (Peter) grampa’s brother. The wife overheard me ask, she rushed to the micro film (the Mormon’s have copied all the records and sell them a copy) and within two minutes found Peter’s death notice. Mads Peder Rasmussen, died September 16, 1888 in Ringe, Buried September 21, 1888. 13 years old. It did not list a cause of death.
People are donating piles of records every week, but most are sealed and cannot be opened well into the next century.
When I tried to thank Jacob for all of his work, all he wanted was, “Please send me a story of what the Rasmussens did after going to America. That is all I ask. I will file it with the Rasmussen information.”
At 2:30 we drove to Odense, 20 kms north. Walked to the old town. Visited the Hans Christian Andersen museum. Large. Very informative. Two years ago someone broke into the museum and stole a number of original manuscripts. Priceless. They now have an alarm system. Andersen never married, wrote 120 fairy tales, plus novels, poems and plays. Never owned a house, did not own a bed until he was 60. Basically lived in rooming houses or at the homes of friends such as Charles Dickens in England. After a forced 5 week stay, Dickens’ daughter wrote that HCA was a “bony bore”. Died in 1875, two years before my grandfather was born. HCA’s father died when he was very young, his mother went crazy and was institutionalized.
At 6:15 we drove ten miles north to Otterup.
Merete (Raymond) and Marni Nielsen
Hessum Bygade 21 5450 Otterup, Denmark
Raymond is a 58 year old teacher. She is a helper of foster kids and a craft designer and maker. Ran her own shop for years, closed last year. “Cannot compete with Thailand.” The Nielsens live in a nearly 200 year-old big thatched farmhouse in need of lots of work. They have made the place much more livable by modernizing it. Very comfortable. They speak excellent English. Love to travel. She was a stewardess and worked for the U.S. Army in Germany. Served us dinner and then we talked until midnight. He had planned for me to visit his school, spend the day there and speak to their English classes. It would have been fun, but we had run out of time for Fyn. I was very disappointed. What an opportunity that would have been. Wished I had known about his offer sooner. Their dream is to visit the U.S. and the Grand Canyon. Have relatives in U.S., so want to come next year. Many stories to share. Finally left at midnight for the 30 minute drive south to Ringe. To bed by 2:15.
Day 63, August 14, Wednesday
Cool, breezy morning with sunshine. Up at 7:45. A short night. Breakfast, enough for a nice lunch. Met Jacob Bang-Jensen at the Archives. He gave me the negatives that he had photocopied last night. He gave me a tour of the place. He sure is an organized person. But lots of work. He must love saving and cataloging all those old documents and photos. They pick up stuff when old people die and the kids are no longer interested.
Drove back to the house, paid our bill of $150, (900 krs) for three nights and 3 breakfasts and lunches. The Henricksens invited us to tour their large flower and “table” garden. They have collected plants and trees from all over the world, including the rare, Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) from China. Took their photos and we were then invited to the outdoor table for further refreshments and conversation. The centuries old tradition of families staying in the same house and in the same town for generations is slowly dying. Their kids are spread out. They go where the jobs are. It was hard leaving Ringe. I had dreamed of coming here all of my adult life and now our 6 short days on the island have come to an end. Left Ringe at 11:30
Day 64, August 15, Thursday
Heard on the BBC that by the year 2000, tourism will be the number one industry in the World. Along with the scenic trade, there is a flourishing sex trade that exploits children. Governments encourage it because the pedophiles bring in money. Millions of kids, especially Asian, are pulled into the sex traffic each year. Many of the Asian men, especially the Japanese, are afraid of AIDs so they prowl looking for younger and younger girls – even down to 6 years of age. If tourism becomes the World’s number one industry in 6 years, the World had better insure that there will be something worth seeing. The World is becoming so homogenized, T.V. is making one World Culture. McDonalds are everywhere it shouldn’t be. Why pay to go see a Chinese McDonalds, they all look the same? I wonder what the lure is of the bland foods that McDonalds serve. So eat one hamburger, why keep coming back for the same thing? The native type of food is so much better tasting. The Shopping Center and mall idea is spreading. The World is being paved over, all the cars look alike, the people basically look alike, dress alike. The EC is tying Europe together. They want one money system. Crossing barriers are being disposed of. Cannot tell when passing from one country to another. English Speak and American culture are sweeping the World! The whole place is going to basically look the same everywhere. Giant hotels are befouling the scenic beaches. They all look the same. All cities have the same T-shirt shops selling the same mass produced junk. So, it becomes even more necessary to preserve what is left, so people will at least have something to come to gawk at.
Up to gray, heavy overcast skies. Thatched roofs need to be replaced every 20 years and repaired every 2 to 3 years. Fire insurance is triple compared to tile roofs. So, if one is to keep the historic look, a great financial commitment is assured
Day 65, August 16, Friday
Up at 6:15. A sun shiny, partly cloudy day. Took off for the town center at 7:30. Took photos of the “cutest” house in town. Walked these medieval streets one more time and witnessed the town coming slowly awake as it has done for hundreds of centuries. Men unloading goods from small ships, trucks lined up to receive and distribute. Two dogs squabbling. Our table mate cat from last night peers out smugly at us from its doorstep perch. Men once again rebuilding a crumbling house, an on going process. A grizzled, white whiskered old man runs the red and white Danish flag up his leaning flag pole. He gives me a nod of acknowledgment. Street cleaners are out in force (2) with their bristling push brooms and Roto Tiller type of tugs pulling their tiny debris wagons. The police chief opens up the “Politi” office, ready for another quiet, crime free day. The endless line at the town’s bakery. Ducks and gulls feeding from the sea dog’s owner out for a walk, while we walkers dodge the rain soaked, smeared piles left over from their last trot through town. The gentle breeze is flapping the colorful flags and elongated banners that are slowly appearing, waving proudly from various ships’ masts. Flies are so thick on the pastries in the windows, the raisins are confused with the insects.
Police uniforms look like Navel officers. Small boats riding at anchor off shore, unable to find room at the crowded dock. Teachers arriving at their 1730 school building on their old, 1940 style bikes. Brightly painted student murals on the school yard walls create, in miniature, many of the buildings we have just walked past. Dogs returning to their sail boat masters, after a free romp through town. Wonder how they know when to return? Breakfast and lunch, for later consumption are purchased. A 75 cent deposit on plastic juice and soft drink bottles.
The approach of the ferry off in the distance reminds us that this unforgettable scene will soon be fading away as we prepare to leave. People and vehicles on and off loading the ferries. Shop keepers placing push carts full of fresh fruit in front of their ancient shops. The Danes, like the Germans, have the nasty habit of creating words 20 to 25 letters long and trying to place them across the front of their shop buildings. An old white haired woman wearing a black, Battman T-shirt. Restaurant workers are dumping rainwater off their plastic patio chairs. Workmen and young children are sloshing about in leather and wooden clogs. The latter look new.
The breeze has picked up as the ferry casts off with a ringing of its bell, promptly at 9:00. Copenhagen is our next destination. Koben (merchant) Hagen (harbor) founded in 1167. We soon find our car waiting for us back, street side, in Svendborg.
Denmark is the World’s oldest kingdom. Copenhagen is the World’s oldest capital city, founded 800 years ago. But unfortunately, the city has been run over by the Swedes many times, ravaged by the plague, two devastating fires, attacked twice by the British and occupied by the Nazis. So, with the exception a half dozen castles and a few spired churches and royal houses, and a couple of business buildings, most of Copenhagen’s buildings are less than 200 years old.
Thus ends a short summary of our 1994 visit to the land of my grandfather, Christian Hans Rasmussen. —Linda and Larry Smith
___________________________
Possible source of Rasmussen Danish information.
Dear Larry Smith
I have now been looking into your request regarding your great grandfather.
I cannot help you, but I have some information to guide you to those who
can.
War records are kept at the Danish National Archive in Copenhagen, their
e-mail is mailbox@ra.sa.dk. They also have an home page in english with this
adress http://www.sa.dk/ra/engelsk/default.htm. If you write them I think
they will be more than happy to help you find out more about your great
grandfather.
I do not know if you are interested in other things about Rasmus Rasmussens
life, but here are the addresses to two archives, one from Rolsted or
Rolfsted Parish and one from Ringe. Both of these might have some
information about the life your great grandfather lived before he
immigrated.
Rolfsted Sogns Lokalhistoriske Arkiv
Rolfsted Skole
5863 Ferritslev
Ringe Lokalhosoriske Arkiv
Algade 40,1
5750 Ringe
e-mail : lokalarkiv@ringe.dk
I hope this information is helpful, and if you have further questions you
are very velcome to write again
Your sincerly
Bente Eskildsen
Stadsarkivet i Odense.
—————————–
1930 Census -Montana
Flathead County-Kalispell Twp.
Eighth Avenue West
Line# 79
House # 501
Residence # 337
Family # 488
RASMUSSEN, CHRISTIAN H.
Head
Own Home
Value: 2500
Male White
Age: 52
Married
Age at first marriage: 23
Born: Denmark
Father Born: Denmark
Mother Born: Denmark
Mother Tongue: Danish
Year of Immigration to US: 1890
Naturalized
Speaks English
Occupation: Laborer
Industry: Sawmill
Wage Earner
Line# 80
RASMUSSEN, MARY D
Wife
Female White
Age: 37
Married
Age at first marriage: 18
Born: Norway
Father Born: Norway
Mother Born: Norway
Mother Tongue: Norwegian
Year of Immigration to US: 1897
Naturalized
Speaks English
Line # 81
RASMUSSEN, ESTHER
Daughter
Female White
Age: 24
Single
Born: Montana
Father Born: Denmark
Mother Born: Norway
Occupation: Developer
Industry: Studio
Wage Earner
Line # 82
RASMUSSEN, RUBY
Daughter
Female White
Age: 13
Attended school since Sept. 1, 1929
Born: Montana
Father Born: Denmark
Mother Born: Norway
Line# 83
RASMUSSEN, A DONALD
Son
Male White
Age: 8
Attended school since Sept. 1, 1929
Born: Montana
Father Born: Denmark
Mother Born: Norway
Line # 84
CARPENTER, WESLEY
Son-in-law
Male White
Age: 24
Married
Age at first marriage: 23
Born: Oklahoma
Father Born: USA
Mother Born: USA
Occupation: Truck Driver
Industry: Silver Mine
Line # 85
CARPENTER, IVA
Daughter
Female White
Age: 23
Married
Age at first marriage: 23
Born: Montana
Father Born: Denmark
Mother Born: Norway
————————————-
Rasmussen
1920 Census
Kalispell, Montana
Name Relation Sex Age
Christian Hans Rasmussen Head M ??
Mary D. Wife F ??
Lydia Mabel Daughter F 17
Esther M. Daughter F 14
Iva G. Daughter F 12
Pearl A. Daughter F 10
Ruby H. Daughter F 8
=======================================
LONE PINE CEMETERY
Rasmussen Donald Roy 12.21.1937
CONRAD CEMETERY
Rasmussen Stene 10.19.1910
Rasmussen Peter 4.29.1922
Rasmussen R 4.28.1924
Rasmussen Agnes D 6.5.1932
Rasmussen Sharon 4.17.1946
Rasmussen Christian Hans 4.15.1952
Rasmussen Mary 10.4.1963
Rasmussen Alston 10.19.1972
Rasmussen Violet E 12.25.1975
Rasmussen Dollie 5.7.1978
Smith Aaron V 6.25.1957
Smith Eva Emerald 9.12.1956
DEMMERSVILLE CEMETERY
Darrow Donald D 2.9.1935
Darrow Ila May 12.26.1930
Darrow Lilly Alice 12.29.1916
Darrow Norman 5.13.1957
Darrow Stillborn 10.2.1951
SPRING CREEK CEMETERY
Presbye Boy of Hans 9.16.1915
Rasmussen Ella 1.10.1907
Rasmussen Elmer 9.8.1905
Rasmussen Louis 3.18.1912
Rasmussen Walter 6.28.190
CONRAD CEMETERY
Prestbye Abraham Henry 12.19.1968
Prestbye Christian 12.18.1940
Prestbye Clara G 7.12.1978
Prestbye Emin C 5.16.1973
Prestbye Grant 5.22.1974
Prestbye Hans 1.14.1967
Prestbye Inga Karine 6.5.1955
Prestbye Lulu B 1.7.1977
Prestbye Margaret 2.18.1968
Prestbye Martin 12.10.1948
Prestbye Mathilda 9.3.1942
Prestbye Olav 5.18.1964
—————————–
CHRISTIAN H. RASMUSSEN
Survey
State: NORTH DAKOTA
Acres: 160
Metes/Bounds: No
Title Transfer
Issue Date: 12/1/1904
Land Office: Montana State Office
Canceled: No
U.S. Reservations: No
Mineral Reservations: No
Authority: May 20, 1862: Homestead Entry Original (12 Stat. 392)
Document Numbers
Document Nr.: 8372
Accession/Serial Nr.: NDMTAA 138578
BLM Serial Nr.: NDMTAA 138578
SE 4/ 159-N 65-W No 5th PM ND Towner
Note: This record has not been checked against the Legal Land Patent. We don’t have an electronic image for this document.
Giving an insight into the Rasmussen Family’s Spiritual Heritage
The True Testimony of Lena Paulson Rasmussen (1878 – 1969)
January 1, 1960
We saw many wonderful healings. The following is the testimony of my healings.
Has the Lord lost his power to heal? No, and again I say no. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. See Hebrews 13:7-8. Praise and glory to His dear name.
I feel impressed to write this to the glory of God that it might help someone else, for he said in Acts 1:8, “Ye shall be witnesses unto me.” So therefore I speak what I know and testify to what I have seen.
I was just a young girl, nearly 15 years old when I had my first epileptic fit in the summer of 1893. I dropped without warning to anyone. I was carried to bed all stiffened with cramps. A fit lasted from two to four hours. I was part of the time unconscious, and if not, then suffering intensely. I was afflicted with this dreadful disease for nearly twenty-two years. There was never a year passed that I did not have those fits. I have had them as often as five times in a day. My mind was greatly weakened, and my strength failing. I sought five different physicians but all in vain. I grew worse instead of better. I was a Christian all of those years and believed somewhat in Diving Healing. Some of my friends urged me to seek the Lord for healing, but I thought maybe it was the Lord’s will that I should suffer that way for a while and then He would take me home. But praise God, in the spring of 1915 some Pentecostal people came to our town preaching a full salvation in Christ Jesus, and Baptism in the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:4; and Diving Healing showing how Jesus had atoned for our healing as well as for our salvation.
This Teaching of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was new to me, but as God proved it by his Word, I was convinced it was for us all today, as well as in the apostles’ time. One day as we were waiting on the Lord in prayer, He poured out His Spirit upon me in a wonderful way. Praise His precious name, thus proving his promises are true which God gave unto the prophet Joel and confirmed by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost. (Joel 2:28, Acts 2:16-18) Peter further states in Acts 2:39; “For the promise is to as many as the Lord our God shall call.” I praise the Lord I am one of them, and the Lord proved it, for I came through, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. (See Acts 2:4.) I can only urge you to come and taste and see for yourself. But while the Lord thus blessed me, I was still sick in my body, the same as before, but then he Lord made it plain to me that I should be healed for He Himself took our infirmities and our sickness. (Matt. 8:17) If he had borne our sicknesses, why should I carry them?
The morning of February 26, 1915, three days after I received the Baptism of the Spirit, I took one of those fits. I was then prayed over and anointed and then I went to sleep. I was awakened by an electric shock from God, and I said, “I am healed.” I went to sleep again, and was awakened in the same way; and from that day to this, which is over 45 years ago, I have never had an epileptic fit. Praise the dear Lord forever.
So you see what a wonderful change the Lord has wrought in me, and He has not done any more for me than He will do for others.
May this little testimony encourage someone to press on with real earnestness toward the mark for the Prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus, all to His own Glory. Lena Rasmussen – Jacksonville, Oregon – age: 82
The Rasmus Rasmussen Family History 
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