Sam Gudmunson

Sigurd Gudmunson, better known as "Sam" was born June 3, 1879 to Ole and Alava Gudmunson in Norway. "Sam" was five years of age when he arrived in America.

Sam grew to manhood in Norman County, Minnesota, and here he married Magda (Minnie) Hagenstone in 1902. The family moved to Dazey, North Dakota with one child, Selma, who was born in Norman County. Two more girls were born in Dazey; Alice and Pearl.

Sigurd became a star route mail carrier between Dazey and Luverne, using horses, sleds, buggies and even bicycles to make the trip.

Magda (Minnie), the mother, passed away at twenty-three years of age, leaving three small girls for Sigurd to raise.

Several years later, Sigurd married Hilda Johnson and after ten years of mail handling, the family left Dazey and homesteaded in McKenzie County.

Peter and Anna Hagenstone, the parents of Magda, lived in Dazey for many years, bringing up Selma and Pearl as their own. Alice went to live with relatives in Minnesota.

Selma married Clarence Klabo, Alice married James Simpson, and Pearl married Ervin Nelson. All three were widowed in 1967. Selma and Pearl live in Chula Vista, California, and Alice in Youngstown, Ohio.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 86