Ole Davidson Lima

Ole Davidson Lima, father, 1860-1931, Martha Lima, mother, 1868-1900, David Olson Lima, son, 1895-, Gunhild Lima, daughter, 1896-1898, Edith Ruth Lima, daughter, 1897-, Mathilda Lima, daughter, 18981907.

Ole's first trip to America was in 1886.  He remained about five years working as a farm hand.  The going pay for such work was twenty to twenty-two dollars a month.  He saved what he could of his earnings and returned to Norway in 1891, and bought his father's farm.  After two years of operating the farm he could see little future in continuing, so he sold the farm to his brother-in-law, T. Gjesdal.

In the spring of 1893 Ole returned to Cooperstown with Martha, his betrothed.  During the remainder of 1893 Ole did day labor and Martha was a waitress at the Palace Hotel in Cooperstown.  She had worked for two years in London, England, in order to learn the English language and to observe English customs.  Ole and Martha had their wedding at Uncle A. Vatne's home on December 31, 1893.

In 1894 they bought A. Vatne's tree claim, which consisted of SW quarter of Section 4 Broadview Township.  The price paid was $300.  In 1895 Ole rented the Gustav Forsberg farm.  David was born there in 1895.  Gunhild was also born there in the spring of 1896.  She died July 22, 1898.  In 1896 they moved to the tree claim, which became their permanent home.

In the fall of 1899 Martha became ill.  She died November 2, 1900.

Martha's death broke up the family except for a few short intervals.  Ole did not remarry.  David and Ruth were boarded and cared for by relatives, mostly by A. Vatne's but also at times by Baard Herigstad.  Mrs. Vatne was Ole's sister, and Mrs. Herigstad was a first cousin of Martha.  Mathilde was cared for by Sven Lunde (also a relative) during nearly all of her nine years of life.

In May 1906 Ole took a vacation trip to Norway with David along, returning in November of the same year.

David graduated from Cooperstown High School in 1916 and from the University at Grand Forks in 1920.  Ruth did her preparatory schooling in Wahpeton and her college work at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.  In one winter Ruth taught school in Hannaford (7 miles straight west from the Lima home) and kept house for Ole.  She drove a model T coupe back and forth.  Another term she taught at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and drove up to Ole's farm on week-ends to do housework.  The distance from Moorhead to the farm was about 80 miles.

In May 1924 Ole and Ruth took another vacation trip to Norway in company with Mr. and Mrs. A. Vatne.  The following winter Ruth attended the University of Edinburgh for some special studies.  The following spring they returned to America.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976  Page 242