Ole T. Botnan born April 19, 1850, at Lyngdal Numdal, Norway
Jarand Holton was born November 5, 1849, also Lyngdal, Norway
Ole and Jarand were married in 1874 and lived on the Botnan place in Lyngdal Numdal. Seven children were born to them, three died in infancy.
In the Spring of 1893 Ole T. Botnan and son Ole O. Botnan came to the United States. They came first to the Cooperstown area, then to Ole Moen place, who had sent for Ole T. Botnan to come here. They stayed there for several years before filing a claim on NW quarter of Section 28 Greenwood, now being Pilot Mound.
A year later, on April 14, 1894, his wife, Jorand T. Botnan, and three daughters, came to Cooperstown, North Dakota
Jorand (Jenny) age 14 (Mrs. Louis Trostad), Guri (Julia) age 9 (Mrs. Joe O. Boyer), Marit (Mary) age 7 (Mrs. Palmer Nelson). Four tickets from Christansand, Norway, to Cooperstown, North Dakota, two adults and two children cost $145.00.
They came to stay with HENRY MOEN in his log cabin, on South East Quarter, Section 28. This was to be their home for some years before moving to where Ole T. Botnan homesteaded.
Ole T. broke land with one horse and a walking plow. Their first home was one large room, and additional rooms were added later. He also built a barn and granary.
Later years the son, Ole O. Botnan, left to work at a lumber camp in the winter months, during the summer months he worked on a farm near Hope, North Dakota. One day while planting potatoes, he was killed by lightning, at the age of 21.
Ole and Jarand Botnan continued to live on their original homestead until 1922, when they built a home near their daughter, Mrs. Louis Trostad, where they lived until Ole's death in July 1930. His wife Jorand died January, 1934. Both are buried at West Prairie cemetery where they were members of the church.
Jenny married Louis Trostad and lived in Pilot Mound Township. Julia married Joe O. Boyer and she continues to live in Pilot Mound Township, she was 90 years old last November 23, 1974, with her son Oswald Boyer, a grandson of Ole T. Botnan, who now owns the original homestead. Mary married Palmer Nelson and moved to York, North Dakota.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 366