Arne Nevland was born in Gjesdal, Norway on June 21, 1882. He was the youngest of four children born to Lors Torkelson Nevland and Ingeboro Oftedal. She died when Arne was two years old. His father remarried. His second wife was Marta Haye. To this union, five children were born. She died in 1920.
After the death of his mother, he spent most of his childhood with relatives who later came to America to make their homes. In the early 1900's, he said farewell to his father and families, and joined others who settled here. He got a job working for the late Sam Langford who lived on a farm near Cooperstown. He couldn't speak a word of English or understand the language. He became discouraged and homesick for his native land many a time, but as time went on, more friends and acquaintances began arriving. Then he and a few of his friends started working on the Northern Pacific railway. Charlie Cederson was Section foreman at the time. They were neighbors and friends in the country and in town until his death.
Arne decided to go into farming and farmed the O. M. Westley place east of Hannaford, now known as the Melvin Haugen farm.
On February 6, 1909, he married Tina Marie Samuelson of Sandnes, Norway. She came by boat, but luckily missed the one she was to sail on which was the Titanic, and that sank at sea. She arrived at Rochelle, Illinois, where she worked for some time, then came to Cooperstown where she worked for the Greenlands. (There was a Nora Greenland in that family.) It was at that time Arne met his future wife. They were married in Union Church, each having three attendants. It was a very cold day and the janitor had forgotten to heat the church. The celebration lasted three days.
Two daughters, Mrs. Dan (Emily) Larson (Griggs County Nursing Home), and Mrs. A. L. (Signe) Brown of Livingston, Montana were born on that farm.
Four boys were born on a farm north of Hannaford
Gust, of Wilton and Tom, of Miles City
Montana. Two have passed away.
Mrs. Nevland's mother, Mrs. Gretts Samuelson, one brother William Samuelson and a sister Mrs. Ingvald (Karina) Arneson, came later to reside in Griggs County. A sister, Mrs. Rachel Brown remained in Chicago. One brother Ingvold was a sea captain. William is the only remaining living relative in that family, and he is a resident of a Nursing Home in Bremerton, Washington.
Arne's brother, Torkel Nevland also came to the United States A. and remained until his death. Two half brothers spent some time here, but returned to Norway. A brother, Martin Nevland, visited here in 1974 and also in 1967 along with his sister Lisa Hegre and husband who visited Arne. Torkel had passed away shortly before they arrived.
Arne was a rugged pioneer. He worked hard all his life.
During World War I, Mrs. Nevland knitted countless numbers of sweaters and socks for the service men.
As an added income, Arne started raising pure-bred German Police Dogs and was sent overseas for Military purposes.
Arne was told he had a gold mine when he lived north of Hannaford. He sold hundreds of loads of sand and gravel. Many never paid him. He also dug a large number of graves by hand at Union, St. Olaf, and Hannaford cemeteries.
He retired from farming in the mid-forties and moved to Hannaford.
After years of hard work, he wasn't content to remain idle. so he started a dray line, hauling coal for one thing. He never did forget the time when he hauled a load to the wrong house (Dr. O. H. Hoffman and Mrs. Hoffman - Winifred), who had just finished house cleaning. Later he started gardening not only for himself, but for others. He kept their trees and landscaped areas weed free and also the park where he spent many hours digging and weeding. He also helped plant many trees.
Mrs. Nevland suffered a stroke and was bed-ridden for almost seven and a half years. She died in 1957.
Arne who was the oldest citizen in Hannaford, became a resident of the Griggs County Nursing Home in 1974 and died in October that same year at the age of 92 years. He and his wife, one son, one grandson and grandmother Samuelson are buried in the Hannaford Lutheran Cemetery.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 150