| Summary: | ARNT The Clifford Arnt family moved to Sheldon in the fall of 1956 from Enderlin, ND. Their three children, Karen, Ronald and Joleen, all attended Sheldon School and graduated from Sheldon High School. In 1956 Karen started school here as third grader. Mr. Arnt did construction work in Fargo. His wife Phyllis worked as a cook in the school cafeteria from 1963-1970. Karen graduated with the class of 1966 and upon graduation attended Weber Data Processing School and took up training; in keypunching. Karen worked for Fingerhut Mfg. in St. Cloud, Mn. until the spring of 1967. In May of that year she married Marlowe Swanson of Lisbon, ND. At that time Mr. Swanson was in the service and for a time they lived at Fayetteville, N. Car. Mr. Swanson was discharged from the service in 1968 at New Cumberland, Pa. Since that time he has been employed by Roadway Express, Inc. He is currently an over-the road driver with Roadway. Karen worked several years as a keypunch operator but has not been employed for the past eight years. They have one child, a son Scott Marlowe, nine years old. Currently they live at East Stroudsburg, Pa. in the Pocono Mountains. Ronald graduated with the class of 1971 and was employed as a carpenter by Wayne and Fritz Construction of Lisbon for two years. He's been driving truck for the last seven years. Ron still calls Sheldon his home, guess he never had the urge to roam! Joleen graduated with the class of 1972. In 1974 she married Arlin Vanderwerff of Leonard, ND, where they have lived since then. Mr. Vanderwerff works for Mobility Inc. in Fargo and Joleen is self employed and also works in Fargo. They have one child, a daughter Danica Jo, eighteen months old. Phyllis has been kept busy the past several years at many jobs. The phone was always ringing-someone needing a baby sitter. She was even asked a month ahead in some cases. She has also been a waitress at Ida's Cafe and other cafes. For the past six years she has been working for the Dale Kraig family. ERIK ARNTSON Erik Amtson homestead which is now the Bohnsack Ranch. Nicolay Edward Arntson was born February 27, 1875 on the island of Tro in the district of Helgeland, Norway. When he was six years old Nicolay set sail for America with his parents, Erik and Peternelle Arntson and his two brothers Ingebrigt E. (who later married and lived NWW-8 Owego), and Andrew who remained single. The Arntsons recognized the limitations of opportunities in Norway and looked forward to possible new opportunities in the New World. Erik Arntson was a skilled cabinet maker and did carpentry work while in Norway. Grandfather clocks were made by him there, and they were decorated with rosemaling. Many early pioneers rest in the handiwork- caskets made by him before they were able to purchase them here. The Arntson's were also fishermen in Norway, and they would leave home at Christmas time for the Lofoten fishing grounds and return about Easter time. With the ever-changing tides and the boats of that time, one can understand it was a life full of hardships and dangers. They were hoping to escape this occupation by coming to America. They first came to Kindred, ND, where Nicolai, a brother of Erik Arntson had settled Erik Arntson about 1914. before, then on the homestead in Owego (NWW-4 Owego) on land that is now part of the Bohnsack Ranch. The Homestead Certificate was signed by Benjamin Harrison, then President of the United States on October 10, 1889. While living on this homestead, Erik and Peternelle had three more children: Arnt who remained single; Peter who married Gertrude Samuelson of Horace, ND and had three children (Edward of Bowbells, ND; Erik of Dickinson, ND; and Mrs. Charles Aim of Christine, ND); and Peternelle Arntson. Mrs. Erik Arntson, mother of Nicolay E. Arntson, had an experience in the Owego timbered wilds. They had a fine calf in a strong pen or room built onto the side of the stable. One night they heard the crash of lumber being broken, and the calf blatting, and she and her husband Erik rushed out to ascertain the trouble. In the darkness she saw the outline of a supposed man dragging the calf toward a small creek that flowed close by. She rushed into the brush after the calf, but the darkness prevented her from finding it. In the morning the partially-eaten 188 carcass of the calf lay by the creek and the tracks of a large BEAR were plainly visible in the mud. Mrs. Arntson had been within a few feet of the bear. He must have lain very quietly while she was groping in the darkness as she heard no noise. Four brothers: Nicolay, Ingebrigt, Arnt and Andrew Arntson. In 1884 the first public school opened in Owego Township and Nicolay was one of the first pupils. After receiving his education at the Owego Public School, the Hope Academy in Fargo, and Concordia College in Moorhead, he bought a farm in 1901 (SWW-18 Owego) ten miles southeast of Sheldon which was called the Riverdale Farm. Mr. Arntson spent his entire married life on this farm except for the winter of 1918 and the spring of 1919 when he lived in Sheldon just south of the present United Methodist Church where he had bought a house. He also owned land in Coburn and Greene Townships. In 1903 he married Mary Ylvisaker, who was also an Owego resident. They both attended the same local school and Concordia College. They were both life-long members of the Owego Lutheran Church. Mr. Arntson served as treasurer for many years, and Mrs. Arntson took an active part in the Ladies Aid. Active in public affairs, Mr. N.E. Arntson served on the township board as chairman and clerk. He also served on the school board, took a keen interest in the welfare of the school and he also served on the Board of Directors for the Anselm Elevator for many years. In 1918 he became a member of the Sheldon Masonic Lodge. Mr. Arntson was one of the organizers of the Sheldon-Owego Telephone Company which was formed in 1913. Later it became a part of Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. Other people who helped organize the company were Henry Ylvisaker, Louis Howell, J.F. Adams, Al Ward and W.C. McConnell. Nicolay Arntson passed away on August 31, 1941 before the swather and combine were in common usage in this area. In 1902 Nicolay and his brother-in-law Henry Ylvisaker had a "Buffalo Pitts" steam threshing outfit, and an "Aveiy" separator that they used for threshing. They burned straw for fuel. The crew at threshing time consisted of the engineer, fireman, separator man, water wagon man, two or three grain haulers, and eight or ten bundle haulers. This meant that they had to recruit extra help. If local help wasn't available they would often go to town to get men that were riding the freight trains. Sometimes five or six men would be brought Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited in Multi-page TIFF Editor.
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