[next] [previous] [content] [main content] [printable]

Andreas (Andrew) Herlaugson Oksendahl

Written by Arthur (Arth) Oksendahl b. 1903, son of Andreas (Andrew).
Collected by Hugo Solhaug

Introduction:
In America Andreas called himself Andrew. One of Andreas's grand children, Robert Finnegan, has written a message in the guestbook. See also the page "Oksendahl bruk #2 in America", the Introduction. Here more about the brother Torbjørn (Tom), here more about the brother Johan Carl, here about the sister Dordei (Dina), here about the half sister Ingebjørg, here about the half brother Knut, here about the half brother Lars, here about the half brother Nils.
The story:
	Andreas (Andrew) Herlaugson Yksendal was born Feb. 5, 1865, died March 7, 1953. He came to the United States from Norway in 1883. At that time he got as far west as Grant County, Minnesota. Spent a couple of years throughout there, then pushed on westward to North Dacota or wat was then Dakota Territory. Came to what is now Pierce County in 1886 driving overland from Hillsboro, North Dakota with oxen. Took about a week to make the trip. Squatted on a preemption claim.
Among other things, he worked for a time down in Mississippi and Tennessee on the levees. Also worked on the railroad. taker in 1900.

Assisted in surveying the townships etc. like his brother Tom. He was an active politican, held various offices in school and townshipas well as state. Served as representative in 1917, also as senator in the 1919 and 1921 sessions. He was Pirce County's first sensus He married Sophia Gustavson of Varmeland, Sweden, Nov. 1901.	Andrew and fam. about 1915, house on the farm at back
Thei got eight children, Emma (stillborn), Arthur, Ester, Selma, Alice (died when an infant), Viola, Victoria and Justin Ferdinand. Lived on farm south of Tunbri dge until 1939, when they moved to Rugby where they lived until their deaths. Mrs. Oksendahl died Des. 1945.
Harvesting at Andrew's farm early in the 1920s.

Newspaper article from the Pierce County Tribune June 5th 1952 There are those who consider themselves pioneers who came to this country 40 or 50 years ago. And we think they are right. But there is a difference among pioneers. Few, if any in this area, can top Andrew Oksendahl. Now approaching .fourscore and ten., he is living out his remaining time moving about among his children. But his health loses a little ground with the passing years, he is spending more and more of his time in Rugby with his son and daughter-in-law's family, Mr. And Mrs. Art Oksendahl. Don't anyone get the idea he is an invalid. Far from it, for a man of his years, his mobility is good indeed. Born in Norway Oksendahl was born in Norway and came to Herman, Minnesota when only 17 years of age. He came over with his brother Tom whom many of the people here will readily recall. They knew people at Herman, Jacob Leraas, for one, father of Louis Leraas , himself a pioneer in this community. But Andrew stayed at Herman only two years. After that he came to Hillsboro, N.D., and worked on a large farm. This was in 1886 and this year also marked the time when Oksendahl first came to this community! That's 66 years ago. He didn't stay here then, and he came because his employer and his relatives wanted Andrew to come up here to improve land on which they had filed. I believe it was in the Barton vicinity. Oksendahl and his brother Tom made the long trek from Hillsboro with 4 oxen, some equipment and supplies. The supplies consisted mostly of guns and ammunition with which to rustle wild game for food. All kinds of game were very plentiful then, he says. But even in 1886 there were some people in the area. He recalls that Welcome Holbrook and a man named Mendennall were already set up at Pleasant Lake. Pam Cruden, Sr., Billy Hamilton and a man named Williams were in the Barton area. To build a shack, lumber had to be hauled from Minnewaukan which was the closest town. A good team of oxen, Mr. Oksendahl recalls, was better in some than horses or mules. Feeding them was a cinch. You relieved them of their yokes at the end of the day and they made out for themselves. Unless somebody scared them away. That happened once to the two brothers. A small souled neighbor didn't want the oxen on his land and chased them off. They retrieved them miles away, where Rugby now stands. Oksendahl says he broke about 40 acres with the oxen for the first year 1886. He squatted on land for himself the first year up. The second year, he had only two oxen. Indians Friendly Often on his trips, Indians camped near him at night, but they never bothered him and he was in no hurry about getting sociable with them. Oksendahl explained the difference of tree claims, homesteading and pre-emption, but it didn't register too well with us. At any rate, by a combination of two such privileges, a man could get a half section of land. But there was a time limit and a man had to make some improvements. He was farming here in 1888 to 1891. The years were dry so he practically sold out for nothing to Emil Seel. He went to Minneapolis planning to work in the woods, but because of the heavy snows, no men were being hired. So Oksendahl ended up working on the levees in Mississippi. In 1895 he went to Roseau County, Minnesota, and the Red Lodge Indian Reservation. He fished and hunted and all the while also looked for land to homestead. The law was that all swamp land belonged to the state. In the dry spring of that year, settlers moved into the lowland and contested the state's definition of swamps. Then the heavy June rains flooded out the would-be homesteaders, including Andrew. He walked a mile to dry land. After that experience he came to this community again and homesteaded land in Tuscorora Township. This was 1896. Married in 1901 In 1901 he was married to Sophia Gustafson, who herself had come here to homestead land in 1899. The couple had 8 children, 4 girls and 2 boys living. The sons still live here but the girls are scattered over a wide area. Mrs. Oksendahl passed away in 1945. Oksendahl had serious operation at 74 and another about 7 years ago. On the last deal, he almost didn't make it. He was in a Bismarck hospital for 6 days. Said he didn't know what all they had done with him but a lot of it he didn't know about until he got his bill. He complained of illnesses he suffered more than 50 years ago. He doesn't feel in the pink now either, but it could be that some of his trouble is due to not being used to North Dakota's variable weather. His Obituary His cause of death was cancer and pneumonia. He was a former state legislator, serving both the house and the senate. He served in the house at the session of 1917, and was a member of the senate at the 1919 and 1921 sessions. Andrew Oksendahl was born in Exingdalen, Voss, Norway Feb 5, 1865. He came to the US in 1883 with his brother Tom.

Copyright © kaare@trefall.com 2004-2023 (pgp)
Last updated 17th of April 2023