| Summary: | A history of Watford City, North Dakota including family biographies. 303 pages : illustrations, portraits 28 cm. MR. AND MRS. OLAF BECKEN Olaf Becken was born in Gudbransdalen, Norway, in 1883, and at the age of 24 came to this country, after working in Norway as a shepherd boy. He spent five years in the lumber camps of Wisconsin, Idaho and Washington and came to McKenzie County in 1907. His first night in this community was spent in a shack of Mr. Westeberg and the second night in the Hilde- brand Hotel in Schafer. The thrill of finding unclaimed land was before him on a May morning, at which time herds of cattle could be seen, the owner of which later settled at Wibaux, Montana, naming the town. A shack must be built and lumber costing $26 was hauled from Williston, but it made a 10x10 shack, leaving enough scraps left over to build a bed, table, and three legged stool. A stove, skillet, kettle and water pail completed his household equipment. For his beginning farming, he bought a plow and a two-section drag, but flax broadcast by hand, produced the first harvest. Olaf Becken was married in 1913 to Rebecca Rudrud, who was born in Westby, Wisconsin, in 1885. She taught rural schools in Wisconsin and also came to McKenzie County and proved claim to a homestead adjoining her husband's. Three sons were born to this couple, Elmer, Carl, and Oliver, all of whom served their country on foreign soil in the second World War. Mrs. Becken died in 1938, and in 1940 he married Carla Bergh from Westby, Wisconsin. Olaf Becken died in 1958 and Mrs. Becken is residing in Watford City. Mr. Becken loved to recall his pioneer days and although many of the hardships such as drought, hail, and grasshoppers had an impact on him, it seemed that fighting the humble mosquito was about the worst. Life in a shack on the prairie did not bring boredom to this pioneer, and reading afforded him much pleasure and later he developed the hobby of writing. Reminiscing thoughts and nature appreciation were touchingly and beautifully expressed also in many poems which he wrote in his native language. MARTIN IVERSON Martin Iverson was born in northern Norway on August 11, 1873. He received his education there and was a fisherman until he came to the United States in 1899. He lived with relatives near Aneta, N. Dak., and worked on neighboring farms for the next four years. In 1903 he sent for his bride to be, Gurine Torgerson, from Norway, and they were married Nov. 26 at Aneta. The same year they moved to Twin Valley Township and filed on land on the Tobacco Garden Creek. They built their own one-room house in the spring, which was to be their home for some years to come until a two story house was added. For a while Martin operated a ferry several miles east down the river. Before he acquired a team and wagon, he thought nothing of carrying many pounds of supplies on his back from the ferry to his home. MR. AND MRS. MARTIN IVERSON AND EDGAR Before long he began farming like his homesteader neighbors. Their son, Edgar, was born June 1, 1905. A neighbor's daughter, Julia Thompson, and Edgar were tKe first babies baptized in the Garden Valley Congregation, of which the Iversons were charter members. Mrs. Iverson was also a charter member of the Ladies Aid. After the church was built Martin was "Klokker" for many years. Mrs. Iverson had been a practical nurse's assistant in Norway, so when she came to this new frontier, where doctors and hospitals were so many miles away and impossible to reach at times, her services as a nurse became a very important part of life in the community. Whenever there was illness, death or birth, the first thought was to send for Mrs. Iverson. Upon being questioned about how many babies she had assisted into the world her answer was "I've lost count, but it must be dozens." A farm accident in 1945, with a runaway team, caused serious injury to both Martin and Edgar. A broken leg and complications made it necessary for Edgar to rent out the farm for the next seven years. That same fall the family moved to Watford City, where Edgar was employed at several business places, and sold Farmers Union Insurance. He was married in 1950 to Ruth Dahl, and in 1952 again went back to farming at the old homestead. Several years later the land was purchased by the Government for the Garrison Reservoir. To replace this Edgar acquired other land near Watford City. Mrs. Iverson passed away at the new hospital in Watford City on March 31, 1953, and three years later, on Nov. 31, 1956, Martin died at the Mercy Hospital in Williston, after a few months stay at the Bethel Lutheran home there. The fall of 1956 Edgar had surgery at Rochester, Minn., from which he never fully recovered, and was in ill health for the next six years. He passed away Sept. 12, 1962, after several months stay at the McKenzie Memorial Hospital. His wife, Ruth, resides in Watford City. 116 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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