John Goplen Family

John Goplen, together with his twin brother, Gilbert, came to the United States from Nord Torpa, Nordreland, Norway in 1893.  They both worked for a number of years in Richland County, Wisconsin, where two older brothers had established homes.

The Goplen Brothers began farming in Greenfield Township, Griggs County, in 1902.  Gilbert married Andrea Schou, a Danish girl, in 1905.  Several years later they left to make their permanent home in Wisconsin.

In 1906 John moved to the farm where he resided until his death in 1958.  This farm located in Section 22 of Greenfield Township had been homesteaded by Martin Mossing in 1885.  The basement of the house on the Goplen farm was dug out and the walls stoned up by Mr. Mossing to provide a first home for his family.  The Mossing family moved into Walum in 1905 and to Canada in 1908.

The Griggs County Progress Club published a booklet in 1911 in which a number of residents wrote testimonials as to the merits of living here.  John's statement reads in part:

"I first came to Griggs County thirteen years ago and worked by the month on a farm.  I stayed here two years and then went back to Wisconsin.  Nine years ago I came back, having at that time about $1,000, which I used to make a payment on 320 acres of land.  Crops yielded abundantly and I made good headway despite my heavy expense.  Five years ago I bought another half Section, paying a good strong price for it, but the same land is now worth all of $3,000 more than I paid for it.  Wisconsin people may think that we have no groves and trees here, but as for shade trees and shrubbery can say that I have had very good success with them.  My fruit trees and berries are doing very well, and garden vegetables and grain have always been satisfactory.€

In 1911 John Goplen married Anne Odegaard who had come to the United States from Nord Torpa, Norway in 1909.  Three sons were born to them:

  1. Orville, now of Cocoa Beach, Florida, is a retired United States Information Agency officer.  He married Esther Nelson, a native of Britton, South Dakota.  They have twin sons, 
    1. John
    2. Richard
  2. Carl, a farmer in Greenfield Township, is married to Martha Norgaard formerly of Cooperstown.
  3. Gilman, who farms in partnership with Carl, married Vivian Skjeret.  Their children are: 
    1. Neal 
    2. Gary 
    3. Ellen
    4. Jon
    5. Susan

Mrs. John (Anne) Goplen has resided at the Griggs County Nursing Home since its opening day, which was December 6, 1971.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 295