Ole and Caroline Knutson Family

Ole Knutson, son of Reinhart and Ingeborg Knutson, was born at Ekersund, Norway, on May 12, 1887.  He came to the United States in 1905 at the age of 18.  After arriving in North Dakota, he worked for his brother "Tom" Knutson on his farm in the Binford area where he met and married Caroline Thune, daughter of Ole and Carrie Thune.  They were married September 9, 1911.

"Lena" Thune Knutson was born in Binford, North Dakota on February 2, 1892.  (See Thune History)

Ole and Lena farmed west of Binford until 1932.  In 1939 they settled in Greenfield Township northwest of Hannaford.  Mrs. Knutson passed away on January 2, 1971, at the age of 79.  Ole, 88 years of age, still lives on the farm but spends winters in California with his son and daughter.  He has 35 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Of their thirteen children, 

  1. two died in infancy Rueben (1921) and 
  2. Eunice (1928)
  3. Irene died at four years from scarlet fever in 1927
  4. Clayton was killed in an accident in 1946 at 24 years of age

The remaining Knutson children are:

  1. Conrad, born March 21, 1912, married Faye Mickielson Nielson at Moorhead, Minnesota, November 23, 1954.
  2. Ruth, born July 31, 1914 at Binford, North Dakota, married Alvin Ramsey of Binford.  They farm at Hannaford, North Dakota They have seven children: 
    1. Orville
    2. Delores 
    3. Arlene
    4. Sharon 
    5. Dennis 
    6. Peggy
    7. Steven
  3. Mildred, born October 24, 1916 at Binford, North Dakota, married Charles Hetland of Hannaford.  They farm at Hannaford, North Dakota They have three children: 
    1. Charles Jr.
    2. David
    3. Allen
  4. Thelma, born March 3, 1918 in Binford, North Dakota married Albert S. Erlandson of Norway.  They have three sons: 
    1. Wayne
    2. Peter
    3. Terry
  5. Melvin, born November 1, 1919, in Binford, North Dakota, married Constance Fulmer of Conneaut, Ohio on August 21, 1954.  They have four children: 
    1. Saundra
    2. Alan 
    3. Dean
    4. Gene
    They live in Lakewood, California.
  6. Elna, born April 23, 1926 at Binford, North Dakota, is married to Floyd Olson of Hannaford.  Floyd is self-employed as a carpenter and Elna is a clerk at the United States post office, Hannaford.  They have four children: 
    1. Jerry
    2. Cyndi
    3. Karen
    4. Kimberly
  7. Robert, born December 10, 1929, married Marie Monson in Finley, North Dakota in 1954.  They have five children: 
    1. Paul
    2. Barbara
    3. Ruth
    4. Dale
    5. Kathryn
  8. Hillard, born March 11, 1932, at Binford, North Dakota, married Ann Schwarz of Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1968.  They have two children: 
    1. Jason
    2. Amy
  9. Gordon, born March 13, 1934 near Cooperstown, North Dakota, married Rebecca Monson at Hannaford, North Dakota on March 26, 1955.  They have three children: 
    1. Vicky
    2. Terri
    3. Traci

All of the Knutson sons served in the Armed Forces during World War II and the Korean Conflict.

Many of the children's clothes were made out of flour sacks sometimes dyed a different color.

Things were pretty skimpy in the '30's, the depression years.  Mush was the main dish many a day but we always had a big garden and everyone worked in it.  At haying time we all went to the hay field, whoever was the baby slept under the hayrack.

In the summer we rarely missed a Sunday that we didn't go to Red Willow in the surrey.  It even had side curtains just in case it would rain.  We must have loved picnics.

In 1927, all the children had scarlet fever and our house was quarantined, no one could come in and we couldn't go anywhere.  We could not sell the dairy products and we milked many cows so had to throw it all away.

When Irene died of scarlet fever Ole and Lenna had to get her ready for the casket.  Someone brought it and put it on the front porch and none were allowed to go to the funeral from the family.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 299