Ed's Day Wednesday
Dear FOLKS,
Here we are once again. My, but the weeks roll by at high speed. Today I am going to deviate a little from telling of family history information that my cousin Ed Ostrom gathered for us. Instead of routine, I want to discuss more in depth the importance this area in Ward County, North Dakota had to our/my extended family. This is a small area, located in south-central Ward County and includes the townships of Cameron, Hilton, Springlake, Torning and Vang. This is also where the village of Douglas is and like it was at the beginning of the homesteading, it continues to be a hub of local activity for this area.
In more general terms, a "survey township" is a small geographic area. Like most of the midwest, when Ward County was surveyed and platted by the United States General Land Office it was divided up into squares that are approximately 6 miles on a side. Townships were assigned a number to correlate with larger maps and they were given a name that was more widely used. Each township was then divided up into 36 "sections", one square mile each. Sections was not given names. This led up to the ability to give a piece of property a legal description and to locate them on a map. This is a fascinating topic and for those who are interested in learning more I can direct them to begin with the collection of links and articles the Wikipedia.com has, that can be found here.
The following diagram displays how a township's sections are numbered.
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| IMAGE: Example of how the sections in a township are numbered. |
To help visualize the proximity of where family members lived and farmed, next is a map of Ward County, North Dakota with the townships of interest highlighted in different colors. This very simplified explanation is included to help understand the Land Descriptions that I have included.
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| IMAGE: Ward County, ND township map highlighting townships: Vang (yellow), Torning (green), Hilton (purple/lavender), Cameron (blue) and Springlake (red/pink) with the town of Douglas shown. |
This clustering phenomenon was also true with one branch of my extended family. One member after another of this family began to arrive near what was then called the Village of Douglas. The first to arrive is thought to be John Henry Ehlers as his completed homestead land patent document was issued the earliest on 06 September 1907. The progression of our Douglas cluster growth followed generalized events, not given in any order.
A. First adventurer arrives after leaving their hometown
(First to take advantage of opportunity)
B. Unassociated neighbors/friends arrive leaving their hometown
(Friends tell friends / A tells friends)
C. Brothers or brothers-in-law arrive
(Family tells family / A tells family)
C. Unacquainted/strangers arrive
(Others learn of opportunity like person A)
D. Children of groups A-C begin to marry others from groups A-C
(Children marry children)
Here are the details of our Douglas cluster, sorted by issue date of patent. The Land Description is typed in a color that matches the section color according to the previous township map.
1. Name at birth: John H. Ehlers & Oline Ostrom
Date of Patent: 06 September 1907, a Sale-Cash Entry, Doc. No. 13204
Land Description: 151N-084W NE¼ Section 23, Springlake Township [red]
Hometown & Relationship: John born in Auglaize Co., Ohio and Oline was born in Waseca Co., Minnesota. They would marry in Church's Ferry, Ramsey Co., North Dakota. Oline was the daughter of Olaus and Toline Ostrom; sister to Oscar Ostrom (#2 below), Anna Ostrom Haner (#5 below) and Paul Bertil Ostrom (#8 below).
Comments: It is thought that John and Oline would leave their homestead, moving elsewhere but staying in the area about 1909, They would continue to farm near Douglas until 1934 when John dies. Oline and youngest children are living in Pomme de Terre twp, Grant Co., MN by 1935 (according to 1940 US Census).
2. Name at birth: Oscar Ostrom & Anna Brekke
Date of Patent: 02 April 1908, a Sale-Cash Entry, Doc. No. 14730
Land Description: 151N-084W SW¼ Section 23; Springlake Township [red]
Hometown Relationship: Oscar was from Roberts Co., South Dakota most recently, but from Pomme de Terre, Grant Co., Minnesota before 1900. He was the son of Olaus and Toline Ostrom, brother to Oline Ostrom (from #1 above), Anna Ostrom Haner (#5 below) and Paul Bertil Ostrom (#8 below). Anna Brekke was from Pomme de Terre Township, Grant Co., Minnesota, daughter of Tosten & Anna Brekke. She was also the sister to Christine and Ida Brekke (#3 & #6 below). Oscar and Anna were newlyweds when they arrived.
Comments: Oscar and Anna held sales auction in 1938 and left their homestead for Woodburn, Marion Co., Oregon. They would rent their farm land to their son Tom Ostrom, who had married Alice Emerson daughter of Reinert and Dora Emerson (#10 below). Tom considered buying his father's farm but he no longer wanted to farm and Oregon was better for him too. Anna and Oscar would return briefly in 1942 when they sell their holdings to Harold Haner, son of neighbor Warren and Anna Haner (#5 below). Harold's descendants remain on this location today, recognizing this land as a 100-year farm.
3. Name at birth: Fred Roberts & Christina Brekke
Date of Patent: 02 April 1908, a Sale-Cash Entry, Doc. No. 14731
Land Description: 151N-084W NW¼ Section 26; Springlake Township [red]
Hometown & Relationship: Fred was born in Wilkin Co., Minnesota and Christina was born in Pomme De Terre Township, Grant Co., Minnesota, the daughter of Tosten & Anna Brekke. Christina was sister of Anna Brekke Ostrom and Ida Brekke Peterson (#2 above & #6 below).
Comments: Fred's and Oscar's patents were issued on the same day and the issues have sequential numbers. Fred and Oscar became fast friends. Fred was born in Breckenridge, Wilkin Co., Minnesota. He would find himself applying for a homestead as a bachelor. He would meet Christina Brekke when she came to Springlake to help her sister Anna Brekke Ostrom with the birth of her first born. By 01 May 1909 they were married by the Ward County Judge in Minot. Fred and Christina would remain on their farm for the rest of their life; both are buried in Springlake's Lutheran Church Cemetery.
4. Name at birth: Sebert Setran
Date of Patent: 18 June 1908, a Sale-Cash Entry, Doc. No. 15390
Land Description: 151N-084W SE¼ Section 12; Springlake Township [red]
Hometown & Relationship: From Pomme de Terre Township, Grant Co., Minnesota, son of Haagen and Marit Setran. Brother of Gustave Setran and Hannah Setran Ostrom (#7 & #8 below)
Comments: by 1912 he has applied for a homestead in Alberta, Canada and leaves the area.
5. Name at birth: Warren W. Haner and Anna Ostrom
Date of Patent: 05 April 1909, a Sale-Cash-Entry, Doc. No. 0829
Land Description: 151N-084W W½NE¼ Section 17; Springlake Township [red]
Hometown & Relationship: Warren was from Harrison Co., Iowa and Anna was born in Pomme de Terre Township, Grant Co., Minnesota although she probably was living in Lein Township, Roberts Co., South Dakota when she met and married Warren. Anna was the daughter of Olaus and Toline Ostrom; sister of Oline Ostrom Ehlers (#1 above), Oscar Ostrom (#2 above) and Paul Bertil Ostrom (#8 below).
Comments: Warren and Anna would stay on their homestead until Warren dies in 1938. Anna would stay there through the 1940 U.S. Census enumeration, but would soon sell and move to the Fergus Falls-Henning, Minnesota area where her daughters Alice and Sarah lived.
6. Name at birth: Theodore Peterson & Ida Brekke
Date of Patent: 05 April 1909, a Sale-Cash Entry, Doc. No. 0969
Land Description: 151N-085W S½NW¼ & N½SW¼ Section 11, Cameron Township [blue]
Hometown & Relationship: Ted was born in Iowa; he met and married Ida Brekke in Douglas. Ida was born in Pomme De Terre Township, Grant Co., Minnesota, the daughter of Tosten and Anna Brekke. Ida was also sister of Anna Brekke Ostrom (#2 above) and Christina Brekke Roberts (#3 above).
Comments: By 1930 they would leave farming as Ted would own and operate a meat market in Douglas. According to Ted's obituary, they left Douglas in 1942, moving to Marion Co., Oregon.
7. Name at birth: Gustave Setran
Date of Patent: 23 November 1911, a Homestead Entry, Doc. No. 03887
Land Description: 151N-084W SE¼ Section 11; Springlake Township [red]
Hometown & Relationship: From Pomme de Terre Township, Grant Co., Minnesota, son of Haagen and Marit Setran, brother of Setran Setran and Hannah Setran Ostrom (#4 above & #8 below).
Comments: Gustave would marry Lena Narum in Douglas in 1918. They would be living near Kalispell, Flathead Co., Montana in the 1920 US Census. Later he would take his family to Pomme de Terre, Minnesota where by 1930 where they are living with his parents per the 1930 U.S. Census. Unfortunately Gustave would die by 09 Apr 1930. Perhaps his health was their reason for returning to Minnesota.
8. Name at birth: Paul Bertil Ostrom and Hannah Setran
Date of Patent: 13 May 1912, a Cash-Sale Entry, Doc. No. 06553
Land Description: 152N-084W W½SE¼ Section 34; Hilton Township [purple]
Hometown & Relationship: Paul Bertil was born in Pomme de Terre, Grant Co., Minnesota, the son of Olaus and Toline Ostrom, he was the brother of Oline Ostrom Ehlers (#1 above), Oscar Ostrom (#2 above), and Anna Ostrom Haner (#5 above). Hannah was also born in Pomme de Terre Township. She was the daughter of Haagen and Marit Setran, sister to Sebert Setran (#4 above) and Gustave Setran (#7 above).
Comments: Hannah Setran Ostrom would die in 1915. In 1916 Paul Bertil is remarried and living in Alberta, Canada where he is a farm machinery salesman.
9. Name at birth: William Johnson and Marie Julson
Date of Patent: 23 December 1912, a Homestead Entry, Doc. No. 03919
Land Description: 151N-085W NE¼ Section 27; Cameron Township [blue]
Hometown & Relationship: William and Marie would marry and have all but two of their children in Lake Preston, Kinsgbury Co., South Dakota. The youngest two were born in Moody Co., South Dakota. When this homestead patent was issued in 1912, their youngest was 11. Their son Alfred Johnson would marry Olena Marie Haner, daughter of Warren and Anna Ostrom Haner (#5 above), their daughter Louise Johnson would marry John Frettum, a farm laborer who worked for Gustave Setran (#7 above).
Comments: By 1920 William and Marie had left the farm and are living in the village of Douglas. According to the 1920 US Census, William is a garage owner and a mechanic. After the US Census is taken in April 1930, William, Marie with sons Alfred and family and Hans with his wife Clara, move to Kent, King Co., Washington; possibly at the invitation of daughter Louise who was already living there. Their sons Knute and Henry and their families would also move to Kent from North Dakota before long.
10 Name at birth: Reinert Emerson and Dora Nilson
Date of Patent: 18 June 1913, a Homestead Entry, Doc. No. 04222
Land Description: 153N-084W NW½NW¼ & SW¼NW¼ & NW¼SW¼; Section 29; Torning Township [green]
Hometown & Relationship: Reinert and Dora grew up as neighbors, he in Kandiyohi Co, Minnesota and Dora in Meeker Co. where they would attend the same church. In 1898 they would marry and in 1904 they would settle on the farm in Torning Township they purchased. Their daughter Alice would marry Tom Ostrom, the son of Oscar and Anna (Brekke) Ostrom (#2 above).
Comments: The land patent that Reinert is issued in 1913 are plots of land that increased the size of Reinert's original farm's acreage. They would leave their farm, renting it to Tom and Alice in 1936 and they would head to Seattle, Washington. Alice and Tom would also move west, to Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon in 1942. From Seattle, Reinert and Dora would sell their farm to Clifford Zethren.
11. Name at birth: Ole Hillesland and Annie Johnson
Date of Patent: 25 September 1915, a Cash-Sales Entry, Doc. No. 07554
Land Description: 153N-085W SE¼, Section 23, Vang Township [yellow]
Hometown & Relationship: Ole was born in Inwood, Lyon Co., Iowa, Anne Maria Johnson was born in Sturgeon, Door Co., Wisconsin. They would marry in March 1903 in Inwood. Twelve years later a land patent was issued to Ole. Their daughter Otellia Hillesland would marry Oscar Kirk Ehlers, son of John and Oline (Ostrom) Ehlers (#1 above).
Comments: Annie was no relation to William Johnson (#9 above). Sometime prior to 1930 this family would move into the village of Douglas and Ole worked a number of occupations; including manager of a grain elevator and a time keeper for a road building crew. After 1942 Ole and Annie would move to Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon.
An observation; most of those branches of family only stayed in the Douglas area for a single generation or a few stayed two. Today only a small number that live in the Douglas area are family. It appears that the Great Depression and the Dirty Thirties were significant contributors to folks leaving. Another contributor is that many of the younger folks decided to break away from farming as there were other industries that would support their needed income. Some of the folks "aged out" and moved to another place to retire.
Although many people moved on to other places, the village of Douglas, North Dakota was very strong in building a sense of community with fond memories. Even today there are frequent homecoming events held where folks are encouraged to return for a weekend or more to visit with old friends.
The information I cited about the land records were from the webiste of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Their database can easily be queried by clicking here.
Thank you for stopping by here today. I hope you found it interesting to learn about the cluster research technique and enjoyed getting acquainted with what I call my Ward County FAN CLUB.
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Copyright (c) 2016, Darlene M. Steffens
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