Martin A. Frigaard

Martin A. Frigaard and Anna Kindseth were married on June 15, 1907 in the Mineola Church, Goodhue, Minnesota where both had been baptized and confirmed.  News of bumper crops from Mr. Frigaard's uncle, Gunder Frigaard, encouraged them to move to North Dakota.  In April 1914 they came with their possessions to Cooperstown by emigrant railroad car.  They settled north of Cooperstown on the Chamberlain farm, which they rented for three years.

THE R. J. LOCKNERS moved to the next farm on the east of the Chamberlain farm.  On the day that the Lockners were married, Mrs. Frigaard went to their house while they were gone, prepared a nice meal and set the table fancily, etc.  As she saw the Lockners returning from the ceremony she slipped out the back way and went home.

In 1917, the Frigaards purchased the west 1/2 of Section 12, 146-59.  This farm is about 2 miles north of Cooperstown and has the railroad running through it, which, in early years, had a passenger train and two freight trains daily.

Mr. Frigaard served on the church board of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Cooperstown for several years.  In the 1930's Mrs. Frigaard organized the "Otte Mission Circle" to help support Lillian Young Otte, a medical missionary in South Africa.

Mr. Frigaard served on the Township board for several years.  As there was no welfare department in the 1920's or 1930's, the members of the town board took care of this also.  One elderly man with only one leg came limping along on an artificial leg, which he had crudely fashioned, from a limb of a tree.  M. A. took him to Valley City where he was fitted for a limb.  Later, when this man received his limb, he came and "danced" for M. A. to show his appreciation.

Mr. Frigaard also served on the school board for several years.  In the late 1930's he decided he did not want the position any longer.  Mrs. Frigaard was elected in his place.  She was later replaced by their son, James.

The Frigaards had four children.  The first two were born in Goodhue, Minnesota.  

  1. Alma Margaret was born on August 10, 1911.  She married Ingwals (Bing) Rood on December 28, 1933.  They later purchased the Ole Rood farm in Broadview Township where they lived until moving to Fargo shortly before Alma's death in 1963.  They had one son, Wayne, and one foster son, James Ness.
  2. James Martin was born on May 3, 1913.  He married Bernette Bakken of Sharon, North Dakota in 1942 and farmed until they moved to Hood River, Oregon in 1965.  James still owns the home farm.  They have five children.
  3. Andrew Millard was born on the Chamberlain farm on November 22, 1915.  He married Alice Schenstad of Hanks, North Dakota and purchased the Ben Johnson farm in Washburn Township, which he farmed until moving to Oregon in 1964.  They have eight children.  One of their daughters, Alice Mae, is married to Robert Myers who farms west of Cooperstown.
  4. Ruth Viola was born March 27, 1918 on the farm north of Cooperstown.  She attended Mayville State College and taught school in Washburn and Tyrol Townships.  She married Arthur Mostad of Romness Township.

Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Frigaard farmed north of Cooperstown until 1946.  At that time, they retired and moved into Cooperstown where they lived for 19 years.  In the fall of 1964, they entered a rest home at Zumbrota.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 270