Am Autobiography to our Children
by
Isaac Ellefson
Christmas, 1936
It was on July 1, 1851, at Eifjord, Norway, some 14 Norwegian miles NE of Bergen, that I first opened my eyes to view the land of my forefathers. My good father and mother, Ellef and Tena Isaacson were the parents of seven children, Ole, Sarah, Isaac, Betsy, Ed., Peter and John. The latter two, residing in Wisconsin, survive.
Confirmed in the Lutheran Church at the age of 15, I left two months later for the land of the Mid-night sun in Northern Norway, and remained there three years engaged in the fishing industryl Returning home I tried to get work as an apprentice to a shoemaker but was too young. Then I went to sea as a sailer on a steam vessel and continued 8 1/2 years in that service. During that period we visited almost every port of Europe.
Followimg a visit home I decided to go to the United States, and in 1874 landing in New York City. There I worked for three months and applied myself to learn the English language, going to Ithica about 200 miles west of New York. I worked for about a month on a farm and at railroading. Proceeding to Buffalo I continued railroading work and then hired out on a Great Lakes boat making a regular run to Chicago and return. On the 7th trip, seeing no future in that work, I jumped off the boat at Milwaukee, forfeiting the pay I would have received upon arrival at the home port. That, however, would have been about the same as the fare back - $9.10. I wanted to get more practical experience in the work I would be interested in and settled down. Going to Baldwin, Wisc. about 30 miles east of St. Paul I worked on a farm several years. I then married Anna Dale of Hardanger, Norway.
Hearing about government homesteads in Dakota, we came in 1882 to Valley City where I had work one year on the railway for two years in a warehouse. I located a claim on SW 1/4 Section 34, Dover Township, Griggs County and we resided alternately there and in Valley City, where Josie, my eldest daughter was born. The other five children were born on the homestead.
Josie, now Mrs. Hadlock of Portland Oregon has four children - three girls and one boy.
The second child, Clara, now Mrs. Peder Pederson of Van Hook has eight children living and two dead.
Agnes, married 1st Mike Michaelson, many years a rural mail carrier, and to them were born 6 children. One, with the father, are now dead. She married 2nd to C.H. Smith of Iowa and they live in Glenfield.
Willie residing at Okreck, Oregon married Liva Younch and they have two sons.
Elmer, age 23, died Jan 20, 1913. Ida, our youngest, married Clarence Wilde and they have one child Elaine. They live in Uxbridge Township near Wimbledon.
For the greater part of twenty-three years we have made our home in Wimbledon. For 55 years we have resided in Barnes and Griggs Counties, North Dakota.
We commend to you, our children,
Faith in Our Fathers.
Bibliography Typed auto biography owned by Mrs. C.W. Smith.