| Summary: | A history of Watford City, North Dakota including family biographies. 303 pages : illustrations, portraits 28 cm. Greaker, Norway. They moved to Kilesund and five years later, June, 1887, they and their three children sailed on a freighter for America. Their home this time was at Horace, North Dakota, where they lived until 1905 when they homesteaded in Tobacco Garden Township. Mr. and Mrs. Rikustad helped organize the Tobacco Garden Lutheran Church. Mr. Rikustad was a "jack of all trades" and even pinch hitted as a dentist when a tooth needed pulling. He was a great-nephew of Hans Nelson Hauge, Norway's noted lay-preacher. They had five children, two of whom are deceased; Louise, (Mrs. Jens Walla), and Ludvig. Three sons are still living; Nels, Christ and Carl, all of Watford City. Carl lives on and operates the farm adjoining his parent's homestead. Christ continues to operate the farm he homesteaded on in Ideal Township. Nels lives in Watford City. There were eleven grandchildren; two of whom are deceased, and eighteen great-grandchildren. Mrs. Rikustad died January 13, 1913, and Mr. Rikustad passed away in May of 1938. MR. AND MRS. NELS RIKUSTAD Nels Rikustad was born March 10, 1885, at Smaal- ene, Norway. At the age of three years he came to America with his parents. He grew up in the Tobacco Garden Community and in 1907 homesteaded in Far- land Township. This land he farmed until recently when poor health required his retirement and he and his wife moved to Watford City. On December 10, 1918, he married Astrid Volger, who was born in Oslo, Norway, April 19, 1898. They had four sons; Alfred, who lives on his parents' farm; twin boys, Elmer and Willard. Elmer resides in Glendive as does the youngest son, Kenneth. Willard passed away in 1960. They have one grandchild. 1876. His father immigrated from Ireland and his mother came from Quebec, Canada. Mr. Maloney married Mary Fjeldahl in 1904, and they moved to Lakota in 1908 and on to McKenzie County in 1910 where he filed on a homestead. A year later the family moved to the farm which was located fifteen miles northeast of Watford City. Three children were born to them: Eddie, now in a Veterans' Hospital; Gladys, (Mrs. Calkins), Watford City); Florence, who passed away at the age of nineteen. Mr. Maloney purchased four acres of land on the outskirts of Watford City in 194<8, and moved in a house, he has continued to live here for the past sixteen years raising berries, corn, and other garden crops both to sell and to give away. The above picture shows Mr. Maloney guiding the plow; Stan Juktza guiding the oxen. ED MALONEY Ed Maloney was born in Bird Island, Minnesota, in 124 WILLIAM EWEN William Ewen, in 1899, came from Canada with his father, Tom Ewen and the latter's young counsin, another Tom Ewen. Tom Ewen homesteaded by the Big Missouri near Mendenhall. Since the two young men were not old enough to file, they worked on ranches until the time came when they could homestead, and this was two years later, in 1901. They chose land about seven miles north of Schafer. A little later William's brother Jack filed on adjoining land. In 1909 William Ewen was married to Miss Francis Fitzgerald whose parents were the Peter Fitzgeralds. They and a son, Gerald, had homesteaded in 1900, a few miles farther north. William Ewen helped organize the first Presbyterian Church in Watford City, and was an elder in the church. He passed away in December of 1928. Mrs. Ewen remained in this area several years and then moved to Tacoma, Washington, where she still resides. Their children are: William J. of Watford City; Francis, (Mrs. Ted Austin), Minot, N. Dak.; Martin, Gordon, and Kenneth, all of Tacoma, Washington. Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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