One of the earliest settlers in the Hannaford area was Niels Hemmingsen who made his home and farmed on Section 10 in Greenfield Township. Mr. Hemmingsen was born on the island of Moen, Denmark, December 22, 1845, the tenth in a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, the children of Hemming and Caren (Hanson) Rasmussen, both of whom were natives of Denmark. His father was a soldier in the regular army of Denmark and served six years as corporal.
Niels completed his education in his native land and remained at home until 22 years of age, when he emigrated to America in 1866 to seek his fortune in the new world. He located in Ford County, Illinois where he worked on a farm for some time and from there went to Manistee, Michigan and into the lumber camps and saw mills where he worked 15 winters and spent his summers at farm labor in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Mr. Hemmingsen was married in Racine County, Wisconsin in 1872 to Mary Skarie, a native of Norway. Mrs. Hemmingsen was born in 1843 and came to America when a child of 4 years. Their one son, Henry Walter was born at Manistee, Michigan, January 5, 1874. Later the family moved to Lanesboro, Minnesota where Mrs. Hemmingsen died just two years after their marriage.
Father and son came to Griggs County, Dakota Territory in 1883 and filed claim to the land on which they resided. They came to Dakota without means, but by 1900 possessed 480 acres of land.
Niels Hemmingsen was active in community affairs. He was appointed county commissioner during territorial days and served on that body for 12 years. He was also a member of the lower house of the state assembly for 3 terms ending in 1909. He held numerous offices in his Township and the honor of christening the Township was conferred upon him. He was a member of Union Lutheran Church and later a charter member of the Hannaford Lutheran Church. He died April 23, 1915 and was buried at Lanesboro, Minnesota He was an incorruptibly honest man and fought stubbornly for what he believed to be right.
Walter, his son, was one of the first pupils in the Hannaford Public School. Confirmed in Union Lutheran Church, he became a charter member of the Hannaford Lutheran Church and served as secretary of the church from 1907 until 1949. He was also Township supervisor and an officer in many organizations. Walter spent the greater part of his life farming the land he and his father had homesteaded. He grew to be highly respected in the community and held many positions of trust. He was a true friend of anyone in need. In 1951, Walter became a resident of Bethany Rest Home in Fargo. He died in a Fargo hospital following amputation of both legs on March 13, 1959 at the age of 85 years and was buried in the Hannaford Lutheran Cemetery.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 136