| Summary: | A history of Finley, North Dakota including family biographies. 141 pages : illustrations 29 cm. was organized they met for services in homes and the children were taught their Sunday School lessons by their parents after services. Sunday School was officially organized in 1892 with P. J. Hanson as the first Sunday School Superintendent. Other active organizations were their Young People's League and a good choir. During the depression the Ostervold Choir was to go to Cooperstown for a joint choir rehearsal for the Circuit Luther League Choral Union. They couldn't afford to take cars so they put some hay in the bottom of a truck which they sat on and off to Cooperstown! MRS. ANNA BERGE became widowed in Vinze, Telemarken, Norway in 18% and came to the United States to Dakota Territory with her children, Torger, Halvor, Sigurd, Ole and Gro. Her son, Ole Berge, married Anna Oakland, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peder Oakland on October %, 1909. Torger, Halvor and Ole farmed their mother's farm until Torger and Halvor moved to Finley upon retiring. Mr. and Mrs. Ole Berge continued farming on the home farm. To this union four daughters were born: Clara (Mrs. Mons Stordahl), Hannah (Mrs. Alvin Anderson) Thelma (Mrs. John Kleven), and Esther (Mrs. Nels Soderbloom). The Berge brothers were the first in their community to plow with a gas tractor—a Rumely Universal. They were members of Beaver Creek Lutheran Church. Mr. and Mrs. Berge are both deceased. LEWIS SAMPSON was born in Allamakee Co., Iowa on September 22, 1%9. In 1889, he homesteaded in Finley Township, on the farm now known as the Sampson Farm. On Sept. 15, 1894, Lewis Sampson married Anna Nelson at the farm home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rasmus Sampson. Anna Nelson was born in Bergen, Norway, on January 15, 1871 and came to the United States around 18%. They had fourteen children: Robert, Lena, Clara, Stella, Nels, Ole, Anna, Josephine, Melvin, Peter, Betty, Arthur, Phillip and Garfield. Mr. Sampson farmed until his death on September 11,1921. Upon his death, his oldest son, Robert, took over the farm. Mrs. Sampson died August 2, 19%. Their son Peter died at the age of five months. Their daughter, Josie (Mrs. Enoch Berg), died in 1943. Robert passed away on August 6, 1%7. Ole passed away on June 19, 1969. JOHN EVEN TORKELSON was bom February 10,18% at Stewartville, Minn. His parents were Even and Anna Torkelson. They were born at Nes, Norway. They homesteaded near what is now Hatton, North Dakota in 1882. John Torkelson married Sophia Wilhelmina Guttormson in October 1895. Sophia was bom June 18, 1870 at Brevik, Norway. Her parents were Carl and Maren Christensen. Carl was born in Kobenhavn, Denmark, and Maren was bom in Brevik, Norway. John and Sophia Torkelson had six children, namely, Agnes )Mrs. Clyde Taylor of Portland, Ore.); Irene (Mrs. Earl Kline of Portland, Ore.); Selma (Mrs. Ivan Hayes, of Portland, Ore.); Elmer of Wilmington, N. C; Otto of Fargo, North Dakota and Adolph of Los Angeles, California. Torkelson's farmed his father's farm at Hatton until 1907 when they moved to the city of Hatton. In 1909 they moved to Grand Forks and then moved back to the farm in 1912. They were active in the community and in Ostervold Church. Torkelson served on township and school boards for years. In 1932 they moved to Portland, Oregon, where John passed away January 27, 1945 and Sophia passed away December 17,1951. MR. and MRS. MATT JOHNSON arrived in America from Sweden in the 18%'s. Christine, his wife, was a sister of Peter Wedin. For a few years he worked on the railroad. He farmed the Strandness place about 5% miles east of Finley, more recently known as the Oliver Shogren farm, and also south of town, and later on the present Ida Archer farm. One child died in infancy. Hjalmer was their only child (deceased). OLE T. THOMPSON was bom in Hedalen, Valdres, Norway July 10,1%7. In 18% in Hedalen he married Kjersti Ellingson who was born in Fla, Hallingdal, Norway on October 17,1872. Here were born Kari, Ole, and Thorvald Thompson. In 1897 Ole came to Quebec, Canada along with his father Thomas Anderson. In the fall of 1897 Ole rented a farm in Finley Township (Irving Anderson farm) and settled his family. Their children of the Finley area were Thorvall, Olivia, Elisa, Ole, Clara and Artha. In 1919 Ole and his family moved to Moor head, Minnesota. Ole died there February 2, 1952 and Kjersti died March 16, 1933. Their name was Perlesteinbakken (Pearl-stone-ground) but as nobody could spell it, Ole had it changed at Finley to Thompson which is a Scotch name. The picture was taken in Honefoss, Norway in 1897 of Ole and Kjersti with their son Thorvald, two years old. 87. Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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