Gust Fliflet was born at Forberg, a small village located in the center of Norway, surrounded by high hills and deep valleys. He attended eight years of school and was confirmed there. At the age of 17, he decided to come to America.
He took a small boat from Norway to England and a larger boat, The Sextonia, from England to Boston, Mass., where he landed the latter part of April 1905. The journey took about a week and the boat trip plus railroad fares in this country cost him about $72. From Boston, he traveled by train to Golden Valley, Wisconsin, which was inhabited by both Norwegians and Germans. He lived with a Norwegian family and worked for a German family.
From Wisconsin he went to Sisseton, South Dakota, where he worked on farms in that area for four years. In 1914, he and a friend took a trip to the Peace River Territory in Canada. The friendship stayed, but he came back to the states and came to the Hannaford, North Dakota, area.
In 1917, he began working for the Great Northern Railway, which is now a part of the Burlington Northern system. He retired in 1953. He had three brothers: Sigvard and John, who farmed near Revere, North Dakota, for many years; and Carl, who settled at Appleton, Minnesota. One sister, Bertha, who married Carl Gustafson. They lived east of Hannaford.
Clara (Kaashagen) Fliflet was born, went to school and was confirmed at Veldre, near Brumurfddal, Norway, and came to the United States in 1909, at the age of 20. She had three sisters and one brother who all remained in Norway. She came directly to the Hannaford, North Dakota, area where she worked on various farms. She helped with the cooking and house work during threshing and haying seasons. Gust Fliflet and Clara Kasshagen were married July 27, 1917, in Moorhead, Minnesota, and lived all of their married life in Hannaford. Gust died November 26, 1975, at the age of 86. They are both buried in Faith Lutheran Cemetery, one mile north of Hannaford. They had seven children:
1. Lawrence was born February 7, 1918, and died January 13, 1983, at the age of 64. He married Mabel Okerland at Hannaford, July 18, 1970, and they lived at Wildrose, North Dakota, until his death. He was employed by the Great Northern Railway, later a part of the Burlington Northern system.
2. Selmer was born February 7, 1918, and died September 13, 1982, at the age of 64. He married Sara Bjor on June 16, 1946, and they had five sons, and one daughter. Mike, Steve, Joseph, Debra (Mrs. Bill Doremus), Russell and Scott. Sara died March 13, 1979, at the age of 55.
3. Bernice, was born November 7, 1919. She married Algot P. Aalgaard August 23, 1942, at Hannaford and have lived here all their married life. They have three children: Clair, Ginger and Gerry.
4. Laura was born October 4, 1921, and passed away July 27, 1969, at the age of 48. She was married to Clarence Stromme and they lived at Eugene, Oregon, where her husband, their two children, Lynne (Mrs. Warren Monroe) and Curt still reside.
5. Evelyn was born June 17, 1923, and is at present living in the family home in Hannaford since retiring from Northwestern Bell Telephone Company (U.S. West) in Fargo in 1979.
6. Oscar was born August 27, 1925, and died August 20, 1976, at the age of 51. He was employed at the Clinton Brown farm for many years and for the last few years of his life he was employed by Butch Baird as a bartender.
7. Palmer was born September 19, 1928, and died November 6, 1983, at the age of 55. He married Peggy Barclay while in the Air Force and after his tour of duty in Korea and his discharge from the Air Force, they moved to California. His wife and three daughters now reside at San Jose, California.
Source: Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 112