Olav Welken was born in Granvin, Hardanger, Norway August 25, 1892. He came to America in March 1909 and worked on a farm in Austin, Minnesota. He came to Valley City in April, 1912. He bought a farm in Skandia Township from John D. Black in 1914. He married Emma Larsen November 12, 1914. (She was born October 16, 1892 to Elias and Lisa Larsen a homesteader in Green Township of Barnes County.) They spent their first 25 years on this farm and managed through many difficult years by having dairy cattle. Ole hauled trees home in the back of his Model T - enough to plant the farm grove in 1920. Olav owned one of the first 2 cylinder steam engines in this community. In 1921 he traded this off for a gas engine and threshed in partnership with his brother Iver who owned a separator. In 1929 he bought his own separator and continued threshing until 1943. He started trucking in 1935 and continued for 25 years hauling cattle, grain and other supplies for area farmers.
They moved to the Elias Larsen home in 1938 to care for her parents Elias and Lisa Larsen. They remained living there until he retired from farming in 1943 and moved to Valley City. Kenneth continued with farming operations living there with his family until 1955. The pioneer part of the house was used as a kitchen until 1951 when the house was separated from its pioneer addition and moved to its new location and remodeled.
Olav served as Township Treasurer while living in Skandia. He served as Trustee of Zion Lutheran Church of Green Township and gave additional land for the cemetery of that church. He was active with the Hardanger Laget and served as its president. During his busy years he found time to return 4 times to his homeland to visit and his wife Emma was with the last three times.
Emma was a life member of Zion Lutheran Free Church and active in Ladies Aid, Green Homemakers Club and Pioneer Daughters.
Having a family of four sons they raised two foster daughters - Esther Olson and Josephine Essert.
Their sons - Lloyd, Kenneth, Donald and Ralph all served with the Armed Forces. Lloyd is a Pilot with Pan Am living on Long Island, New York. Ralph an Electrical Engineer with IT&T living in Taiwan.
Donald and Kenneth are both living in Barnes County - Donald is farming in Green Township on the former Elias Larsen Homestead and Kenneth is farming in Skandia Township on the Welken farm.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 263