Anders Mahlum and his sister, Maria Mahlum, came to America in the year 1883. Anders was 18 years of age and his sister was 16. They lived with relatives until they could get work to support themselves. They had two aunts already living in this country; namely, Mrs. Anders Prestrude, and the first Mrs. Engebret Aas.
Johanna came with her parents, Jacob and Sigrid Olsberg, in 1885. They settled in the Kathryn area.
Anders and Johanna met at the Engebret Aas farm where they were both employed. At this time, Anders "Americanized" his name, as many Norwegian immigrants did, and Anders became Andrew.
Andrew and Johanna were married at Rev. Bothne's farm home in June, 1887. They pioneered, living at different places in Dakota Territory, mostly in the vicinity of what is now Kathryn, and on the sand prairie, south of Kathryn.
In 1903, they built a house in what was now Kathryn, and the family moved in and lived there for five years. Andrew operated a butcher shop there in partnership with his brother-in-law, Rasmus Olsberg, and Edward Strom. At that time it was a common occurrence to have groups of Indians come through town. They knew Andrew so they frequently appeared when he was butchering, about where the Kathryn school now stands. Many times they would go directly to the butcher shop and if he was not there, they would go to his house. They wanted the leg bones and the intestines from the animals and anything else he could give them.
In 1908, he bought a meat market in Hastings, North Dakota, about eight miles west of Kathryn, and the family moved there. He continued in business, later only a cream station, until he was 90 years of age, when he retired and lived with his daughter, Mrs. Melvin Olson, until his death in 1959 at the age of 94. His wife, Johanna, died in 1934, at the age of 70. They are both laid to rest in Springcreek Cemetery, near Hastings.
Five children were born to them as follows: Jens Mahlum, in 1888, married to Mabel Graalum; Sophia Mahlum, in 1890, married to Ole Reiten; Olaf Mahlum, born 1894, married to Ida Lasseson; Dena Mahlum, born 1898, married to Melvin Olson; Anna Mahlum, born in 1900, married to George Soennichsen.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 149