Jacob and Mary Druschba Pella moved to Griggs County from Morrison County, Minnesota, in 1907. They resided north of Jessie for a short time, and then moved to the Perchert farm west of Cooperstown. For a few years they lived on the Paul Doll farm in Nelson County. In the 1902's they lived on the "Johnson Farm" in Pilot Mound Township.
Jacob Pella was born July 24, 1868 in Germany and came to the United States in the 1890's. Family legend says that he left hurriedly to escape court-martial for taking part in the whipping of a hated army officer.
He married Mary Druschba Peschel, a young widow, at Buchman, Minnesota
The winter after arriving in Griggs County, Jake's Norwegian friends told him how good lutefisk tasted. Liking fish, he decided to buy some but neglected to ask how to prepare it. Mrs. Pella had never seen anything quite like it before, but she prepared it for dinner like other fish, by pan-frying it! Later she learned how to serve it and the family included lutefisk, along with other Norwegian foods, in their diet.
There were eight children in the Pella family:
Louis, Barbara, Anna, Margaret, Caroline, Elizabeth, Emma, and Sophia.
Jacob and Mary Pella lived in Jessie after leaving the farm. Jake died in 1945, and Mary died in 1954. They had fourteen grandchildren, only one, Mrs. Gerald Dahl, lives in Griggs County.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 377