The Dramstad Family

In 1904, at the age of twenty-two, Hans Johan Dramstad emigrated from Norway to America.  He came to St. Paul and worked on a farm near there and went to school for two years.  Shortly after that he went to Seattle and worked in a shipyard for a short time then he went to San Francisco following the fire and earthquake of 1906.  Finding no work there, he returned to St. Paul, then made a visit back to Norway.  After returning to America that fall he came to Griggs County.  Until the fall of Nineteen Ten he worked for the late B. W. Hazard west of Cooperstown.  In Nineteen Ten he rented a farm from Mr. Hazard in Kingsley Township.  This rental agreement (oral) continued for thirty-seven years, until he purchased the farm, which is now owned by his son Martin.  He was married December third, nineteen hundred ten to Bergina Hagen of Lilliehammer, Norway.  Eight children were born to this union, all of them still living in different Sections of the country.

Albert, the oldest son, went to Montana the early part of the thirties and has made his home there since.  He was married to Etta Bryson and they now have ten children.

Esther, the oldest daughter, married Oscar Lundeen who has worked as a carpenter in and around the Cooperstown area.  They have five children, three living in Minneapolis and one at home.  Their oldest daughter, Shirley, died under rather mysterious circumstances in Minnesota.

Martin now lives on the Dramstad farm, with his wife Hulda, where he was born and spent most of his life.

Bjarne, the fourth child born to the Hans Dramstad family, married Clara Bakke of Union, North Dakota.  They have four children, two boys and two girls.

Harry a Lay minister and now working as a minister in Jamison, Nebraska married Lorraine Arneson and they have three boys.

Sigurd married to Eleanor Bonar, they have four children.

Edwin E. married Sylvia Sogn of Barnesville.

Evelyn married Darold Anderson.  They have four children, all girls.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976  Page 323