On Sunday, June 29, 1952, relatives and friends gathered at the Ringsaker Church to honor Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Hilstad on their fiftieth anniversary
Lars, better known as Lewis Hilstad, was born September 29, 1877, at Narud, Velere, Norway, and baptized at Velere church. In May 1887, he emigrated to America with his parents Lars and Martha Hilstad. The journey across the ocean took three weeks. They arrived at Cooperstown and stopped overnight at Elling Nelson's place, one mile north of Cooperstown.
His uncles, Mathias and Bent Hilstad, met them with a team and wagon, taking them to the Bent Hilstad place, where they lived for some time. His father took out citizenship and filed on land in Greenview Township, where the family made their home.
Lewis was confirmed in the Sheyenne Valley congregation, which met in a schoolhouse, with Reverend Elliason in charge. He got a job herding cattle at the John Olson farm the first summer and later worked for his brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Bjugstad, where he remained until his marriage in 1902.
Anna Maria Olson was born November 20, 1882, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Olson. Her elder brother died in the diphtheria epidemic the night she was born. Pastor Lundeby came through on one of his trips and conducted funeral services for her brother and a son of Bent Olson, and baptized Anna Maria. She was the third child to be baptized after the founding of the Ringsaker congregation.
She grew up on her parents' homestead and attended school at Wayzea Special School District, created by the Territorial Legislature, and including parts of Griggs and Steele counties. In May 1897 she was confirmed by Reverend O. K. Quamme in a class of seven, and in the spring of 1898, her family moved to another farm, where she lived until her marriage.
Lewis Hilstad and Anna Maria Olson were married at the Ringsaker church by Reverend O. K. Quamme June 26, 1902, under the arch of roses fashioned by the bride's aunt, Mrs. Emma Anderson, and her cousin, Mrs. Lena Skramstad. The couple had six attendants all of whom were present at the Golden Wedding.
In the summer of 1902, they bought a farm in Romness. Their son Leonard was born in 1904. In 1907, the Hilstads filed on a homestead in Bowman County where they made their home until 1910 when they returned to Romness. There they spent most of their time until they bought a house in Finley where they retired.
In 1919, Esther Fors came to make her home with the Hilstads, living there until her marriage to Andrew Dronen in 1931. The Hilstads had twelve children. They were the first members of the new generation in Griggs County to celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Lewis Hilstad passed away in 1958, and Mrs. Hilstad in June 1965.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page