Pioneer Biography
John Helmer
The names of the pioneer's parents were Ole Helmer and Sigrid Helmer. The pioneer's name is John Helmer. He was born in Drangedal, Norway, July 30, 1873. His closest town was Kargo in Norway. The reason for the pioneer leaving home in Norway was for hard times and for a good prospect of making money here in America and the reason he came to North Dakota instead of any other state was for the free land here and its rich soil for farming. John Helmer came from Norway to Minnesota and from Minnesota to North Dakota. John Helmer and his father shipped a carload of cattle from Minnesota to Valley City. John Helmer and his father drove the cattle from Valley City across the country for 31 miles to present home of Iver Hanson's farm. John Helmer and his father took up land three miles north of Karnak in Broadview township. Their first house was a sod house. They made the roof of the house out of bark of trees by the river.
The fuel of early days was wood which they got from the river. John Helmer was not married. The name and address of the pioneer was John Helmer, Hannaford, Route #1, North Dakota.
The present home of the pioneer is three miles north of Karnak on the west side of the road. John Helmer was also a trapper.
--Alf Jonasen