Ole Mossing

Ole Mossing was born in Selbo, Norway on April 27, 1826.  He met and married Christine Egen in 1854.  They had two children, Johan Martin and Betsy.  Betsy was born April 12, 1862.

When they came to America they settled in Wisconsin.  Johan Martin later came to Greenfield Township.  His homestead Section 22, Township 144 - Range 59 was proved on July 14, 1891.  Martin and his wife Ann had seven (7) children: 

  1. Carl
  2. Oscar 
  3. Mable
  4. Burnard
  5. Ester
  6. Arthur
  7. Christian

During those days before the St. Olaf Church, in Walum, was built, Martin and his friend, NELS AUSTED, first walked to the Gunderson School house (west of Walum) to teach Sunday School, from there to Hannaford and then they walked home again.  They also helped organize the Walum Church in 1885.  With the hard times they had at that time the church was not built until 1899.

Later Martin went into business in Walum.  He had a Mercantile Store (General).  Johan Martin was also the first Post Master in Walum.  In 1906 the Mossing men shipped a bunch of horses to Canada and went to Canada to homestead new land.  In the fall of the year, they had broken up land they needed to prove their homestead.  Then they started on their 450-mile journey back to Greenfield Township in a wagon.  They gathered their families and supplies and in the Spring of 1908 they went back to Canada.  Their new home in Canada was named after their home in Griggs County.  They built a new St. Olaf Church and named their Township Greenfield.

Betsy Mossing came to North Dakota from Wisconsin in a Lumber Wagon.  The year was 1884.  Betsy then worked in a Hotel in Sanborn (Barnes County).  Betsy did not go to Canada.  She stayed in North Dakota and married Edwin W. Everson, Sr.

EDWIN W. EVERSON, SR. came to America from Norway when he was nine (9) years old.  He and his father settled in Wisconsin.  Edwin later came to Greenfield Township and on June 20, 1883 the land he homesteaded was proved.  The SW quarter of Section 20-144-59.

Later Edwin sold his claim so he could marry Betsy and they moved to Wisconsin.  Three children were born:

  1. Clara (Gilbertson), 
  2. Mable (Jensen)
  3. Adeline (Cooley)

In 1894 they returned to Greenfield Township and for a short time worked for O. M. Ronglein.  At this time their first son was born on October 6, 1894.  They named him Edwin W. Everson, Jr.  

When Edwin was six weeks old the family moved one mile east to the NW quarter of Section 34-144-59.  Betsy's mother and father, Ole and Christine, had come to Greenfield Township too.  The homestead was taken out in Betsy's father's name as Edwin had filed a claim earlier.  Edwin and Betsy had five (5) more children:

  1. Julia (Danielson)
  2. Benton
  3. Axel
  4. Myrtle (Iverson)
  5. Helen (Gilbertson)

Edwin Sr. and Betsy later in 1922 moved to Walum and went into business, a General Store with their son-in-law OSCAR GILBERTSON.  Edwin Sr. was a member of the N. P. L. and he was a Representative in 1916-1917.

EDWIN EVERSON, JR. took the farm NW quarter of Section 34 and farmed the land.  He met and married Sylvia Brumberg on October 9, 1918.  Sylvia came to North Dakota from Menoga, Minnesota.  They had seven (7) boys and seven (7) girls.  They are all still living except Robert.  He died in 1971.

Edwin and Sylvia lived on their home place until 1938.  They bought and moved to the former Medley farm, NW quarter of Section 33.  They are still living at this location with son James.

In 1964 their daughter Marion and her husband, Herben Doele, Jr. and family (from New Jersey) bought and moved to the home place, NW quarter of Section 34.  In 1971 Herb was killed while working with the State Highway Department.  In 1973 Marion married ERNEST J. JOHNSON.  They live on the home place.  Their grandchild Jeromy Doele, born September 28, 1971, is the sixth generation at this location.  - 1975

Mrs. Ernest J. Johnson

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976  Page 304