Ed's Day Wednesday
Dear FOLKS,
Welcome back everyone! This week I want to tell you a bit about Olaus and Toline Ostrom's life and family. Much of this information was jointly discovered while my cousin Ed and I researched the Ostrom family's records.
Toline and Olaus were married in Waseca, Minnesota. They married shortly after both arrived in America from Norway. Their ceremony was on 19 September 1873. Their transcribed marriage record can be seen here.
They would live in Waseca County for nine years and then take a covered wagon to Grant County, MN where they homesteaded. In the 1893 they would also homestead in Lien Township, Roberts County, South Dakota. Newspaper articles had been published in the local Grant County newspaper that a large tract of land had been made available. Here is one such notice from an undated, unidentified article, "The Sisseton reservation, in South Dakota has been opened to settlement. It lies along the western boundary of Minnesota, and has room for 5,000 families. Each quarter section will cost $200, in three annual payments." The Ostroms were a few weeks too late to participate in the "Land Rush" that was held but nevertheless, they made an application in Toline's name. They would work both farms to see which one would work out the best for them.
They kept both farms until 1911, about the time their youngest, Carl was married. At that time they decided to sell the South Dakota farm. With the profits from that sale they were able to pay back their debts. And they settled into old age at their original homestead in Pomme de Terre Township.
I also wanted to share a little of what we learned of their ten children. Here is a picture of four of them.
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| IMAGE: Ostrom siblings (ca. 1905). Standing: left to right: Oscar & Paul Bertil. Sitting: left to right: Elsie & Olina |
Ole Andreas Ostrom - He was born in Vivian Township, Waseca County, Minnesota. on 10 June 1874. Ole died at the age of 19 while at home, on 17 April 1894. There were two unidentified, undated newspaper articles announcing his death; probably printed in the "Grant County Herald," Elbow Lake, MN. The first one stated, "Ole A. Ostrom, of Pomme de Terre, died on Tuesday evening of inflammation of the bowels. Deceased was 19 years of age and the eldest son of Ole. O. Ostrom." Then shortly the second notice was printed and it said, "The Ostrom family, of Pomme de Terre, desire to thank friends and neighbors for the kind assistance and words of comfort extended to them during the last sickness of their son and brother Ole A. Ostrom." Ole Andreas was buried in the Ness Cemetery on the outskirts of Elbow Lake, Minnesota.
John Gabriel Ostrom - He was also born in Vivian Township, Waseca County, Minnesota on 26 December 1875. John or Jack as he preferred to be called, tried running away when he was sixteen. A newspaper article reported, "John Ostrom, of Pomme de Terre, aged fifteen years, left home Monday night and has not returned since. On Tuesday morning he left the Lake House, saying that he was going home, but he did not do so. His parents think that he has tried the runaway game. He is a stout built youth, rather short and thick set, weighs about 110 pounds. He has dark hair, dark blue eyes, full cheeks, and was dressed in brown overalls, cotton coat of black color and wore black hat and plow boots. Anyone becoming aware of the whereabouts of the youth will please communicate with Ole. O. Ostrom, Elbow Lake post-office." -- Source: Grant County Herald, Elbow Lake, Minnesota, USA 6-11-1891. We know John did return as he is found with his parents in the 1900 U.S. Census, but the above article shows his independent nature. John would leave for Saskatchewan, Canada in 1906, traveling along with his uncle (Toline's brother) John G. Paulson who was also intent on homesteading in Canada. Jack would marry Esther Maud Thrush and be the first couple married in that northern community. Happy "Jack" as he was known in Canada and Esther were early residents in the Tyner District of Saskatchewan, homesteading and having a family with five children. Jack died on 29 January 1954; he and Esther are buried in the Meadow Lake City Cemetery, Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Anna Malena Ostrom - Anna was born on 16 July 1877 in Vivian Township, Waseca County, Minnesota. She would marry Warren Warner Haner in Wheaton, Traverse County, Minnesota on 10 February 1897. It is not known how they became acquainted. Warren was from Harrison County, Iowa and as yet we have not learned why he came to Roberts County, South Dakota where he met and soon after married Anna. They would have seven children, the oldest three were born while they farmed in Victor Township, Roberts County, SD. Then in April 1907 the whole family would settle onto a homestead that Warren claimed in July 1906. The homestead was located near the village of Douglas, in Spring Lake Township, Ward County, North Dakota. Here another four children were born. Anna was widowed early and would continue on the homestead for a few years until she would leave North Dakota, to live with first one of her children, then another, mostly in Minnesota. Anna died on 13 December 1959 and she was buried next to Warren in the Spring Lake Lutheran Church Cemetery near where their homestead was located. [note: Anna and Warren were my great-grandparents.]
Elsie Gurine Ostrom - Elsie, was also born in Vivian Township, Waseca County, Minnesota on 19 January 1879. Elsie would marry Wesley Loveless Nims in Superior, Douglas County, Wisconsin on 11 Jun 1895. The town of Superior is located on the shore of Lake Superior's western point. Must have been a beautiful sight for the newlyweds. Elsie and Wesley would have eight children. Most of the children were born in Roberts County, South Dakota, the last baby was born in Elbow Lake, Grant County, Minnesota. Then the family would relocate to Southern California. Elsie and Wesley would separate and eventually divorce. In 1935 Elsie would find herself back in White Rock, Roberts County, SD where she would marry Stephen Henderson on 30 June 1935. But that marriage was short-lived, as in the 1940 US Census, Elsie is living with her daughter's family in Los Angeles, CA and Stephen is living with one of his children in Winslow, Arizona, both claim to be widowed. Elsie would died on 21 April 1969 in Los Angeles, California. Her place of burial is still unknown.
Theodore Ostrom - Theodore was born in Vivian Township, Waseca County, Minnesota on 29 August 1880. He preferred to be called "Ted" and he was a proud farmer/rancher. Ted had no known middle name. On 27 December 1907, in Elbow Lake, MN, he would marry Anna Louise Anderson, who went by her middle name. Ted and Louise settled in Granville Township, Sheridan County, North Dakota and would have seven children. Ted had a good head for business especially related to farming and ranching. He traveled to Elbow Lake, MN periodically to help his widowed mother. During 1931, because of the drought, he moved some of his stock to his mother's farm where water was available, this lessened the strain on the animals. Decisions like this helped him to maintain his ranch during the 1930's drought and depression. Theodore would die of a cerebral hemorrhage while in a hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 5 April 1961. He was buried in the McClusky City Cemetery, McClusky, North Dakota and Louise was buried next to him five years later.
Olina Ostrom - Olina was born 8 May 1882, the last Ostrom child to be born in Vivian Township, Waseca County, Minnesota. It was shortly after her birth that her parents bundled all of the family's belongings into a covered wagon and traveled to Grant County, Minnesota, where they settled in Pomme de Terre Township. Like her brother Ted, Olina had no known middle name. She would relocate with her parents to Lien Township, Roberts County, South Dakota where she would meet John Henry Ehlers. John, who preferred "Jack," married Olina on 05 Jan 1905 in Churchs Ferry, Ramsey, North Dakota. John was born in Auglaize County, Ohio and it is not known what brought him to South Dakota. They would stay in Ramsey County where near Devils Lake, in Odessa Township, their first child was born. Soon they would learn that homesteading was opening up in Ward County, North Dakota and they would be among the first to put in a quarter-section claim. In October of 1906, when the second of their eight children was born they were already living on their homestead in Spring Lake Township, Ward County, North Dakota and they would invite Olina's siblings to join them there and some took them up on their invitation. They would stay in the Ward County area although they had moved off the homestead until Jack's death in 1934. Jack was buried in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Douglas, Ward County, North Dakota. Olina would relocate with her youngest children to Elbow Lake, Minnesota where her mother was now in failing health. She could help her sister Elsie, who had come from California to care for their mother. Olina would be a widow for less than seven months when her mother died. She would continue to stay and work farm that had been her parents' and it still remains in the family today as a "Century Farm." Olina would die on 09 November 1962 in the hospital in Alexandria, Douglas County, Minnesota. She was buried alongside her parents and brother Ole Andreas in the Ness Cemetery on the outskirts of Elbow Lake.
Oscar Ostrom - Oscar was born on 29 February 1884 in Pomme de Terre Township, Grant County, Minnesota; it is thought that he too didn't have a middle name. Oscar had the drive to become independent early so he decided to join his sister Olina Ostrom Ehlers on one of their treks to Ward County, North Dakota and here on 02 April 1908 he submitted his application for a quarter-section homestead there in Spring Lake Township. He would marry Anna Tomine Brekke on 08 July 1908 in Elbow Lake, Minnesota and together they made their home on this farm. They would have eight children. By the 1930s, hardships caused by the drought and depression told Oscar that he needed to look for a farm somewhere that had water and better potential for producing. After looking in California, Oscar decided to relocate near Woodburn, Marion County, Oregon. In roughly 1938, they left North Dakota with their two youngest children to rebuild in the "Berry Capital" of the Willamette Valley. He and Anna would retire to a modest home within Woodborn and Oscar would die there on 22 May 1973. He was buried alongside Anna at the Belle Passi Cemetery on the outskirts of Woodburn. [Note: Oscar and Anna was cousin Ed's grandparents.]
Gunnild Pauline Ostrom - Gunnild was born in Pomme de Terre Township, Grant County, Minnesota on 18 April 1886. She too moved with her family to Roberts County, South Dakota and in 1900 she would marry Norwegian immigrant Peter Anton Mahlum. Peter was working his farm in the next township north, in Elma Township, Richland County, North Dakota and Gunnild would join him there. Together they would have eight children. Unfortunately Gunnild would die from complications while giving birth to her last baby at home on 08 January 1911 . She was buried at the newer Brandvold Cemetery in Victor Township, Roberts County, South Dakota. Peter would remarry and altogether have 15 children, relocating and eventually dying at the age of 99 in Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana.
Paul Bertil Ostrom - Paul was born in Pomme de Terre Township, Grant County, Minnesota on 16 February 1888 and preferred to be called "Bert." He would marry Hannah Marie Setran, a local girl in Elbow Lake, Minnesota on 16 March 1908. They would soon join up with his siblings Elsie, Anna, and Oscar to homestead in Ward County, North Dakota. Some of Hannah's siblings also had homestead claims there. Bert and Hannah would have two children and on 22 October 1915 she would die. Hannah was buried in Elbow Lake, also at the Ness Cemetery. He next married Marie Cecil Dahl and we find them near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Bert and Marie would have three children. It is unknown [yet] what became of Marie, but next he marries wife #3. Her name was Marie Jeanette Daignault, but she like to be called "Jen." Jen was born in Montreal and was French-speaking. Bert and Jen had one child. Altogether Bert had six children. He would keep moving west and would die in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on 15 January 1962. Bert was buried in the North Vancouver Cemetery.
Carl Johan Ostrom - Carl, the Ostroms youngest child was also born in Pomme de Terre Township, Grant County, Minnesota on 01 February 1890. He would marry his second cousin Lilly Josephine Paulson in Elbow Lake, Grant County, Minnesota on 01 September 1911. Soon after the newlyweds would relocate in Alsask area of Saskatchewan. Carl and Lilly would have three children and would also next move to Acadia, Alberta and then Medicine Hat, Alberta. They made their final move to Murrayville, British Columbia, Canada where Carl would die on 14 September 1977. He would be buried alongside of Lilly at the Aberdeen Cemetery, in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.
Thank you for stopping by today and letting me once again share what we know about the Ostroms. As always, if you know of additions or changes that can help tell this story, please let me know. I hope you have a good week.
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Copyright (c) 2017, Darlene M. Steffens
Copyright (c) 2017, Darlene M. Steffens
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