Ole's Blog

I recently learned that I can search US census records for free using HeritageQuest.com by logging into my account with the local public library (from home). This was a great discovery, as I have used up my “free trial” at Ancestry.com, and a subscription with them is too expensive.

It took a few hours of frustration searching the 1880 census for Wisconsin, but I finally located Anne Larsdatter! I tried “Anne Larson;” there were a few in Vernon County, but none near the correct age (approx. 79). I had already found Ole and “his” Anne Larson, along with their eldest children, Smith, Louise, and Magnus; but mother Anne was not with them. I suspected she may have been living with daughter Mari and her husband Hans Hanson Stigen (she is buried next to them at Brush Creek cemetery). I tried “Hans Stigen;” there were none in all of the US. I tried “Hans Hanson;” of course there were a zillion of them, 14 in Vernon county alone, but none that matched the family I was looking for. I tried “Mari Hanson,” no success.

Finally, exploring alternative spellings, I tried “Anna Larson” (the more phonetic spelling of the first name). Well, there was one of the approximate age (80), so I went right to the image:

1880, Whitestown township, Vernon county, WI

Shucks. I have never heard of any Martin Larson, wife Metta(?) or daughter Ella. But something didn’t look right. Martin was 23 years old, and “Mother” Anna was 80. Well sure, those Norskie women were tough, but 57 years between mother and son?! Fishier than lutefisk. So I took a broader view:

Bingo!! I hadn’t thought to try the alternate spelling “Hansen!” Nor “Mary” for Mari. There was the whole family, exactly as depicted in “Larsons and Slettens.” Apparently Martin Larson was a hired hand, and the census taker just confused whose mother Anne was.

So there we have it. As usual, I didn’t check with Aline first; chances are she already had this info. Maybe she even knows who those other young Larson’s were. I don’t think they’re in her book though. Hoping to make more progress today on Helene Olsdatter’s immigration.

Here are two clips from the first filmed trip to N. Dakota, by Walt and family, approx. 1942. The first must be of a Nelson boy(?) with Lois, then Irene and sisters, and ends with some good old-fashioned family fun.

43-id-1

The other clip has two or three other families – I have no clue who.

43-id-2

I think I recognize the school building (Squaw Gap?) from the still photo below, and the nearby badlands also look familiar. The still was taken at the time of Grandpa’s funeral in Skaar, 1969. It was just months before Lovell died, & is probably the last picture of the five brothers together.

So, if you recognize the folks in the videos, especially the second one, please chime in. Lots more of these ND folks awaiting recognition.

From approx. 1948, Myrna, Marcia, Irene and her parents (I think), Kenny and George in parade costume, etc.

49-Walt

Then about 1956-57, Walt, Marcia, Myrna, Lois, Kenny. Cut to the only picture I know of, of Grandpa Larson with a big grin on his face, followed by some more showing-off by George, with Ron, Marcia, and Ivan in the background. Never let it be said that I only embarrass others with these clips, and spare myself!

56-walt

Coming next: some more identity questions. Sharpen your memories, cousins.

Up until very recently, my parents’ home movies were the earliest I had seen. That was until I got the DVD disk from Cousin Myrna. So, sue her, not me, if any of these put you over the edge as one of the stars. Uncle Walt was on the job as videographer by approx. 1942. In the earliest scenes: Lois, Kenny, and Darlene:

1941loisken-3

Next, Darlene & Duke the dog on July 4, and Kenny et. al. in Autumn Leaves:

1942daruncle

Finally, Irene with birthday cake (?-don’t know whose; Lois’ 6th is coming later); Lois & Ken’s tea party, and some men smelting on the Cowlitz River. I think the one in the hat is my Dad(Lovell), age about 27. Enjoy.

1942_irene_e_al

Here are some movie clips from 1949-50. First, a family reunion at 4316 Pacific Way, 1950. Featured are Isaac, all five sons, plus Aunt Irene and her sister Vera (? – help me out on this, cousins), and some horseplay by Darlene, Lois, Kenny and Myrna. I inadvertently left the sound on this one – mostly just noise, sorry.

50-reunion

Some of you remember how my Mom loved to make costumes and dress up the kids. Parades were a cherished opportunity. Here are a couple of examples from 1949-1950 featuring me, Kenny, Myrna, Marcia, and some other kids, all outfitted by Reatha.

49-50-parades

Here is a video from the very first reel of my parents’ home movies. The year is 1948. Most or all of the clip is from a camping trip to the Mt. St. Helens area.

The dog is one of Harry Truman’s. In case you didn’t follow the Mt. St. Helens saga, Harry Truman (not the President of that name), obstinately stayed at his lodge in 1980, and was buried alive by the eruption, along with his dogs, the same breed as the one in the video. Of course the toddler on the snowbank is yours truly.

Other featured performers are my Dad (of course), Aunt Audrey, baby David, Joyce, Linda, Uncle Delmont, and Uncle Vernon (?- may be Ivan) roasting his sock. Enjoy.

48-st-helens

Well, maybe I have it together now. From Reatha’s home movies, Summer of 1957, at home in Longview. Same occasion as the still photo I posted earlier. Incidentally, this was the last all-inclusive Larson reunion. The digitized movies came out clearer than they show up here. The added graininess is from compressing the files for Internet use.

57 reunion

Please let me know if these won’t play for you. Next one is of each son’s family.

Families

Finally, another clip from the same summer, different occasion. I think it’s my 10th birthday party. Definitely my first guitar – I couldn’t play a note, but seemed to have the Elvis thing (or was it Buddy Holly?) down pat.

57 hams

I’m digitizing highlights from all of Mom’s movies and videos. Currently up to 1968 (the first 20 years), about 2 hours of highlights that I had already selected and spliced back in 1981. About 30 years left to go, probably 100-200 hours to review and select from. If you like these, I’ll be posting some more.

Uncle Ivan sent me this picture:

Lovell on Harvey the horse, 1939

Inscription on the back says “Thanksgiving 1939.” So, my dad was 25 years old, and apparently at the homestead on vacation. In his letter, Ivan told me all about that particular horse. Quite a good story.

Lovell bought or traded this horse from his cousin, Harvey Larson. By coincidence, the horse already had its name before cousin Harvey bought it. Dad got it prior to his moving away in 1934-35, but it stayed at Grandpa’s afterward. I’m pretty sure Lovell never had any horses in Washington.

Harvey was a fast, high-spirited horse, and very smart. One of his favorite tricks was somehow slipping out of his bridle while tied up. One evening, Lovell had ridden Harvey to a ranch 4-5 miles away to visit Reatha. After dark, the horse showed up at home, alone.

Fearing there had been an accident, Isaac sent Uncle Ivan on a work horse  to a neighbor about one mile away for help. Before Ivan reached the neighbor’s, Lovell caught up with him, riding Harvey. Lovell had returned on foot after Harvey rubbed off his bridle and made his own beeline for home.

On another occasion, Harvey got out of his bridle while tied up in the corral. As he escaped into the pasture, the boys started yelling at him. As if to make up for his offense, Harvey circled the pasture, herding all the milk cows toward the barn. It was hours before milking time, but maybe Harvey thought that doing the boys this favor would put him back in their good graces.  Like Ivan said, pretty smart horse.

After studying that photo, I am sure it is the same horse pictured below with Isaac and a girl about four years old (which Darlene would have been in 1939). Darlene says it isn’t her, and I have to agree the likeness is not perfect.

Isaac, Harvey, and (Darlene?)

So, if it isn’t Darlene, then who? And, isn’t that wacky outfit just the kind of thing my Mom loved to dress her kids up in? One more time, tusen takk to Uncle I for the  top picture and fine stories.

I was most grateful to receive this week the autobiography of Uncle Ivan Larson, the youngest of Isaac’s five sons. It is a fascinating 20-page document, filled with pictures, and a summary of his 85 years, up to now. Among other remembrances was the detailed account of his service in World War II, where he saw combat in the famous and decisive Battle of the Bulge. That will be coming in a future post, along with the WWII experiences of two other Larson brothers, Bob and Vernon.

For today, I would like to quote from Ivan’s account of his early life, which offers some new facts about the time just after his mother’s death, described earlier in Ike and the Boys.

My mother died on August 2, 1927, one month before my fourth birthday. My Dad had made arrangements during the early part of the year to move the family to Parkland, Washington and had sold the livestock and leased the farm to a neighbor. After my mother’s death he couldn’t bear to leave for Washington and since he had leased the farm we had to find a new place to live. We moved to the Erickson farm about a mile away and about a quarter of a mile from the Shadwell School. My Dad’s sister, Lucy, spent two summers with us to keep house and do the cooking while the farm work continued. We lived on the Erickson place for about three years and at the end of the lease on our original home, about 1930, we moved back.

This picture was taken in 1928 while we were living on the Erickson place:

While on the Erickson place I started school in September 1928 at the age of 5 years. It is said that since there was no one at home to care for me during the day I kept following my older brothers to school and the teacher finally said I might as well start school as long as I was there anyway. Thus, I got an early start in school and finished high school in 1940 at the age of 16.

After moving back to our old place I had a little over a mile to walk to school. Shadwell School was a one room school with no electricity or plumbing, as was our home. I completed elementary school in 1936. In all those eight years the total enrollment in any one year was never more than 12 students—some years there would be some grades with no pupils.

In 1937 I was confirmed at Scandia Lutheran Church at Skaar, North Dakota. The confirmation class consisted of: Ivan Larson, Ray Amundson Virgil Woodkey, Mary Ann Larson and Esther Risdal.

(End qoute) We’ll leave it there for now. Once again, “Tusen Takk” to Uncle Ivan.