Helmer, Charles and Mildred

 

Charles Hetland, Alfred's only son, was born December 13, 1915.  He and his father farmed together many years.  In 1929, Alfred bought one quarter in section 17, and two quarters in section 25, Helena Township, Griggs County.  Charles bought his fathers farm in 1944, and purchased more land in later years.

Charles married Mildred Knutson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ole Knutson of Hannaford, North Dakota, on April 12, 1936, by Rev. E. O. Lee, at the Hannaford Lutheran parsonage.  The first year they were married, they never took the binder out of the yard.  What grain the gophers didn't eat was shriveled up by the drought.  Gopher poison was passed out to farmers and many a day was spent putting poison down gopher holes.

The first year of marriage has many memories for them, such as putting up Russian Thistle for hay.  A type of silo was dug in the ground and the thistle was put in it.  The cattle were fed this that winter.  The dirt storms were so dense that many times they had to light the kerosene lamps to see what they were doing during the noonday meal.

Charles got the job of driving the school bus and kept the family with food and the horses with oats.  Only good advice and common sense kept them from losing their lives in the March 15, 1941 blizzard.  They had the horses all hitched up to the covered sled ready to go visiting at a neighbor's house.  There was a coal stove warming up in the enclosed sled and they were ready to climb in and go when Charles remembered the advice his father always gave.  Alfred Hetland had always warned against leaving home when there was so much loose snow on the ground.  At that time, there were eight to 10 inches of loose snow covering the ground.  Charles decided to put the horses back in the barn and while he was doing this, a terrible storm struck.  By following the father's well remembered advice, all were safe inside the house in a few minutes.  Many people lost their lives in this storm, as it came between 6:30 and 7:00 on a Saturday evening, just at the time farmers were returning from town and others were walking to their neighbors for a social visit, and most were lightly dressed as the weather was fairly warm, but when the storm struck it became very cold -much below 0.

In the height of the storm there was a knock on our door.  It was Alvin Ramsey and he was on his way home from Hannaford when the storm hit.  He lost his way so got down and felt where the tracks led and finally got turned back on the track and found our farm.  At 3:00 in the morning, the storm had let up some.  Alvin left for home.  He had a very anxious family awaiting him as we had no telephone.

We finally got some crop in 1941.  That was our best year and we bought our first rubber-tired tractor, an 'M' International.  From that time on we really didn't see a dry, hot summer until the year 1988.

Charles and Mildred had three sons.

Charles, Jr., born October 31, 1941, at Fargo, North Dakota, graduated eighth grade from Helena School No. 2, and Hannaford High School.  He attended Wahpeton School of Science and the Greer Technical Institute in Illinois after which he worked construction in Montana for some time.  While in the U. S. Navy, he spent some time in California and one year at Adak, Alaska.  In July 1970, he married Dianne Peterson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Peterson of Hannaford.  She is a graduate of Concordia College and taught school in St. Paul, Hannaford and presently Cooperstown, North Dakota.  They have two daughters, Lynette, 14; and Stephanie, 12.  Charles, Jr., and Dianne were active in Eidfjord Lutheran Church, both holding offices and Dianne being organist, Sunday School superintendent and teacher.  Charles, Jr., is chairman of Helena Township's board and is Commander of the Gordon Lindgren Post 143, of the American Legion at Cooperstown, North Dakota.  Charles, Jr., and Dianne built a new home in Helena Township in 1971, where they farm.

David Richard Hetland, born June 23, 1944, at Sharon, North Dakota, graduated eighth grade and Helena School No. 2, and Hannaford High School.  He married Dorothe Jean Anderson of Dazey, North Dakota, daughter of Donald Anderson and the late Dorothe Anderson.  They have four children: twins Dick and David, age 24; Dale, age 20, second year at North Dakota State University in Fargo; and Karoll, age 18, senior at Cooperstown High School.  David Hetland's built a new home in section 17 NE, Helena Township.  David and Dorothe Jean have one grandson, Jonathan David, son of David, Jr., and Ann Ruesch Hetland of Fargo.

David, Sr., is presently chairman of the Sheyenne Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc., at Finley, North Dakota, is clerk of Helena Township board, officer on the church board of Trinity Lutheran Church, Cooperstown, North Dakota, taught Sunday School several years and is precinct committeeman for Helena Township.  He is also director of Square Butte Electric Cooperative, Grand Forks, North Dakota.  Dorothe Jean is presently employed at Almklov's Pharmacy, Cooperstown, North Dakota, has been active on church boards, taught Sunday School, and been advisor for Luther League several years.

Allen Hetland, born April 20, 1956, at Valley City, North Dakota, graduated from Hannaford High School and attended Wahpeton School of Science.  He worked construction and with Melroe Manufacturing Co., in Cooperstown.  He has one son, Danny, age 12, from a former marriage.  Allen and Danny are now the third generation living on and farming the Hetland farm, plus land he owns and rents from others.

Allen is an officer on the Faith Lutheran Church Council at Hannaford, North Dakota, and relief driver for Farmers Oil fuel delivery at Hannaford, North Dakota.

Charles Hetland has been in the excavating business for 20 years and still continues.  Charles served on the Griggs County Commissioners board for 10 years and served 10 years on the Social Service Board of Griggs County.  He also served on Helena Township Board and the Helena Township school board for 13 years (also boarded and roomed teachers), and was member of Faith Lutheran Church board and Faith Lutheran Cemetery board.

Mildred taught Sunday School for 14 years, held several offices in the Faith Lutheran ALCW and the American Legion Auxiliary of Hannaford, was secretary and treasurer of the State County Commissioners Auxiliary, was an officer in the Hannaford School PTA, taught vacation Bible School and served on the committee for the Hannaford community and school reunion in 1976.

After 48 years of marriage and living on the same farm (Charles 52 years), we moved off the farm and Allen and son, Danny, took over to be the third generation there.  Needless to say, part of us will always remain back there.

We purchased a home in Valley City, North Dakota, and are enjoying retirement.

Charles and Mildred celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary April 12, 1986, and also in June 1986.

Source:  Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 153