Halfdon M. Wahl (Holm) born in Gjovik, Norway, October 6, 1867, son of Mattheas and Kari Holm. Halfdon left Norway in January 1893 and landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia. From there he went to home of a friend in Windom, Minnesota. He stayed until March when he left for Cooperstown, where he lived with his Uncle Ole Stromme and family. Ole was a brother of Halfdon's father, as was Andrew Holm who also lived in Cooperstown. Andrew was Mrs. Ole Halvorson's father. Halfdon also had another uncle, Hans Holm, in Cooperstown, but he later went to Minnesota. Agnes Jacobson, Alma Riste of Cooperstown, Edwin Olson of Jessie, and Olga Evers of Binford are descendents of Ole Stromme.
In those years it was customary for Scandinavians to take their surnames from farms, towns, etc., where they lived, hence several surnames amongst sisters and brothers.
The first one and half years in Dakota, Halfdon Wahl worked for Ole Feiring and Ole Halvorson, as a field hand. Next year he worked for Ole Thorson. After that he worked on the H. P. Hammer Farm, later known as the Theodore Moe Farm, north of Cooperstown.
Mr. Wahl had left his 'sweetheart' in Norway and was saving up money for her passage - Jensine Christiva Sundby, was born in Sundby, Saltdal, Norway, March 4, 1871, daughter of John and Josephine Sundby. She arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in March of 1896 and came to Cooperstown where she also worked at the Hammer Farm. Early 1897, she developed trouble with her mastoid glands, and surgery was performed by Drs. Platano and Warner, at the residence of a Mrs. -Dahl, using her kitchen table as their operating table and light being furnished by several kerosene lamps. The operation was a complete success, but later in life, Mrs. Wahl became deaf in that ear. After surgery Jensine recuperated at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Halvorson, and she and Mr. Wahl were married at the Lutheran parsonage on November 30, 1897 by Reverend Quamme.
They worked till spring of 1898 for Ole Thorson and then for W. P. Hammer till 1899 when they bought a quarter Section of land (NE 21 Range 59 Township 60) in Tyrol Township. The railroad having been completed past Lovell and Jessie Area, the workers had moved out of the house where they had lived at Lovell, so Mr. and Mrs. Wahl bought and moved the 12x18 foot house onto their property and set up housekeeping. The house had a rounded roof like a railroad car, so they changed the roof and made a half story and two very nice bedrooms upstairs. They were lucky to find good water near the buildings. In a well 16 feet deep there was 8 feet of good water and the well never went dry.
The Wahl's took part in affairs of the community and were members of Ottowa Lutheran Church.
They were parents of two children, John Martin, born July 28, 1901 baptized at home by Reverend Quamme, confirmed at Ottawa, August 1, 1915, and Clara Christine, born April 18, 1908, baptized also in April 1908 in Esten Olson Home by Reverend Valdahl (or Vikingstad) confirmed in 1922 at Ottowa.
Halfdon Wahl's father, Marthias Holm and two brothers and a sister followed him to North Dakota. Anton (father of Osmund) Holm brought his family in 1905 and stayed several months with Halfdon till they found a place near Ringsaker Church. Matthias, their father, came in 1898 and bought a quarter Section of land 5 miles southwest of Section 5. He was a good cabinet builder and built a set of kitchen shelves for Jensine, which John and family use as a whatust stand in South Carolina. He also made a beautiful "center table" without benefit of lathe. It too, is still in use and prized by John's family. Mr. Holm walked the 9 or 10 miles from his place to the Wahl's carrying the table across his shoulder as a gift for his Grandson. Later that year, Mr. Holm left for Norway, where he was re-married and did not return to the United States A. He sold his land to Gust Golden. John and wife also have and use the trunk used by Jensine to bring her possessions to this country. It was made in 1875 by her father.
Axel Holm became widowed after he settled in Canada and brought his 11-year-old daughter, Martha (Mrs. Martha Nogard Goplen) to be reared by the Wahl's. He went back to Canada where he died some years later.
Mr. Wahl's sister, Sarah Holm married Robert Perchert and lived in Cooperstown until her death. Another well-known Cooperstown woman Nellie (Mrs. Albert) Johnson was born at the Wahl home. Her parents Mr. and Mrs. Christian Myhre had come from Norway to Michigan and from there to the Wahls. Several months after Nellie's birth, her mother died and she was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Knutson - a brother was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Idsvoog, and her father and another daughter, Esther, continued staying at the Wahls till 1905 when they went to Palermo.
Clara married Andrew Urness January 18, 1928 and they had two children, Harlan Arthur, still at home and Beverly Joanne, married to Earl Palmer. They have four children and live near Sharon.
John married Clara Slater of Rock Hill, South Carolina February 1, 1945 and they lived on the Wahl Farm till 1957 when they moved to Landrum, South Carolina. They have one son, Lindsey Martin, married to Elizabeth Shedon and they live in Norfolk, VA with their daughter Amy.
Halfdon and Jensine Wahl bought a house in Cooperstown after John was married but most of their time was spent at the farm till Mr. Wahl's death on October 9, 1954 at age 87. Mrs. Wahl spent a little of her time in town, but mostly on the farm till it became necessary for her to go into a nursing home. She died on January 26, 1957 at age 86.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 466