Leona

Photo: John, Larry and Leona sledding in the driveway. 1940

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Leona’s Family History

About 30 years ago Leona wrote down a one page family history. Most of the information seems to be from the book “Pioneer History: Minnehaha County's Norwegian pioneers: history from the year 1866 to 1896.” by Emily Brende Sittig and Clara Brende Christenson.

There are several new bits of information she added, but first, a quick note about one of the book’s authors. Emily Brende Sittig was Leona’s teacher for three years at the Eggers School one room schoolhouse. There are photos of it in the Erickson_Photos link.

“Emily Brende Sittig was my favorite teacher because she was my first

for three years.” -Leona

Here’s a few interesting things she adds:

• John (Erickson) died Sept. 1929 age 55. Stroke or heart attack suddenly in Doc office. Karen April 28, 1943 coronary thrombosis age 68.

• Guru's mother Kari Wolden died in Goodhue, Minnesota. Her husband Esten Jonson came to SD, homesteaded a quarter of land by the side of his son in law Esten Egen. Where the Berg cemetary is now located. Esten froze to death in a snowstorm that started in the morning of Jan. 7, 1873 and lasted 3 days. He was the first one buried in Berg Cemetary.

The photo at left is of Esten Eggen.

Click the image for a larger view.

LINK to more information from the Siouxland Heritage Museum.

• A brother, Severt (Sevirt?) of Mrs. Karen Erickson was killed by lightning August 16, 1876. He was 15 years old. Another brother Esten died of pneumonia at the age of 1/2. Also 2 babys died in infancy. Anne Maria was married to Joe Evyen. She died young, left two small sons Severt & Martin. Severt was brought up by his mother's parents and Martin by his fathers. Severt lived in British Columbia, Martin lived in Montana.

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I sent for my wedding dress out of

Sears Catalog and it came bright blue.

I wanted pale blue, but folks wouldn't send it back. So that's what I wore.

There are some pages from a 1934 Spring Sears Catolog on the left.

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Memories of Growing Up on the Wehde Farm

Here’s a link to the handwritten pages, or just read a transcription below.

http://marko.digiterica.com/Mark_Dianne/Leona/memories.zip

Memories of Leona Henrietta Wehde written in 1990

I was born on a farm near Holstein, Iowa June 4, 1909. Moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to a farm a mile east and 1 mile north of Renner Corner with my family in February 1911. Mother, Dad, Walter, Hulda, Edna, Lawrence, Herbert, I and Alma. Alma was the baby, born February 9, I wasn't very old as I don't remember the move. They moved by train, Dad's brother William helped Mother with the family, while Dad went with livestock train, lay over in Sioux City. What sold Dad on the farm was that there was a school house at the intersection just across corner from farm house, they could see us children going & coming from school.

My first memory was when I was 3 years old. Dad took me to Doctor up an elevator, scared stiff, with big clanging doors. Doctor took me into a dark room to X-ray my arm. I did a lot of crying as I didn't know what it was all about.

Family told me that my older sisters were pulling me in a wagon and it tipped over on my arm, cracking my elbow, so I had it in a cast. Dad said every time he took me back to the Doctor I didn't want to go in the elevator. Doctor gave me a rattle to quiet me. Dr. Keller was our family doctor. He even drove out to the farm and checked on Dad's family. Then he was drafted into service. World War I.

(*Note: Dr. William F. Keller b. 9/22/1864 d.10/15/1935. Served as a Captain in the

Army Medical Corp. Buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Sioux Falls, SD.)

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sdsvgs/index49.html

Lawrence passed away in the spring the year we moved up. Then there were four more boys in South Dakota. Clarence, Edward, Harold and Raymond. There is only Alma, I, Clarence and Raymond left now in 1990. Clarence passed in 1994.

I can still see the big long table in the dinning room. A big long bench in the back, where the boys sat. We were 12 of us at the table for meals. It sure helped mother that we were close to school, never had to pack lunches, we always ran home, but corn picking time we had to do dishes before we could go back. There was an hour off at noon, but by the time we got back, recess was over. The teacher had all eight grades in the one room school house. Which is standing in James Wehde's yard now.

(*Note: Link to photos of the school are here)

The first piece I spoke, went like this, it must have been my first year in school. "My friend mister tongue, he lives in my mouth, he's red as a rose and warm as the south." I was plenty bashful, but made it.

My oldest sister sewed Alma and my summer dresses in the winter time. Alma's was pink & mine blue plaids and we would try them on many times before weather got warm enough to wear them. We four girls had one room together, no closets. Clothes hung on nails or hooks on wall, then a sheet covered them. We didn't have many clothes then either. Had long leg underwear in winter and what a job to get them smooth under long stockings. It looked pretty baggy. There was no slacks at that time. Alma and I wore braids a long time before folks let us cut our hair, we were the last ones in school to have that done.

Back to the big table. It was I and Alma's duty to wash up the four little brothers before meals. Sometimes we had quite a job. Then think of all the dishes. Was no sinks or running water. Just two big dish pans. One to wash in and one to rinse. Heated water on kitchen stove and Oh those out-door toilets with Sears catalogues and peach wrappers.

I must have been 6 years when I'd hear my dad get up in mornings, I'd get up and walk with him after the milk cows. I started grade school when I was 5 and was so proud of my six color crayons. Catherine Bangasser our neighbor girl who was in the 8th grade had a 16 color set, I was so fascinated over the pink color and would always borrow her colors. She never refused me. I must have wore out her pink color.

There would be box socials to raise money. Ladies would decorate a box and fill it with good things to eat, and it would be auctioned off and you ate with the one who bought it. Sometimes it would be pie socials. At Christmas program the parents would bring lanterns to light the school house.

We had candles on our Christmas tree, only lite them on Christmas Eve. Dad would sure keep an eye on the tree, to be sure there wouldn't be a fire. Electric lights for Christmas tree was the first thing we got when we got electricity on the farm. The house was wired two months before they turned on the electric on Christmas Eve. Was pull chains for all the lights upstairs. Us kids had pulled the chains many times before that night and when the electricity was turned on, there was light in every room. A beautiful sight. We had kerosene lamps in every room before and it was an every Saturday chore to gather all the lamps, wash the chimneys, fill them with kerosene, and trim the wicks.

There were no graveled roads then. Just one track where they drove with horse and buggy or wagon. Dad would mow hay along road sides. Always got a few loads. I was 10 years old when Dad got his first car, a Ford Touring, no heater, guess it was always air conditioned. Put side curtains on when it rained & in the winter Dad took out the battery and put it in the house. Went by horse and sleds.

Remember when the car salesman came out to demonstrate the car and took us for a ride around the section, which was four miles and Boy, did we think we had a long ride. You see we didn't get far in those days. Walked to the neighbors and played cards or by horses and sled. It sure wouldn't have worked now with the winter we had in 1989. No snow, only used the blower once.

The Highway 115 north of town was just a dirt road and when it rained it was just like (gumbo they called it). Horses had all they could do to pull a buggy or wagon thru it. Was just farm places along there and now it's all commercialized buildings.

Then we had gravel, thought that was great. In the Twenties it was paved all the way to Del Rapids. It was called the Del Rapids road, then Highway 38 North and now it's 115. How proud I was when Dad started me out corn cultivating with a team of horses on a single row cultivator. I must have been 15 years old. We were 5 single row cultivators in the field and thought we were really covering the ground.

Photo: 1938 Dells Corn Picking Contest

When it had rained then Dad would take us all out in the field to pull find weeds and cockleburs. The best part of that was barefoot in the mud. Corn picking was really a chore throwing one ear at a time into the wagon. Mornings were cold and frosty, mittens would get wet. We were ready for bed at night and out early next morning before daylight. Could hardy find the rows.

I think how my mother raised chickens, had a room for setting hens. Every night she would go to the chicken house to see if there were any "Clucky Hens". They would be on the nest and move them to this room with a whole row of nests with clean straw and 15 eggs in each nest. Was a cover to keep hens on nest and every day she would let the hens off to eat. Some were good setters and others would make a mess. When it came close to hatching time, Mother would put the eggs in a pail of warm water. The ones that wiggled had a live chick and put them back in the nest. Others were put in a pail and we had to bury them. We dug a post hole, then dumped the pail over the edge and ran, as they were really rotten & sure stink & popped. Mother had goose & duck eggs setting too. A hen could only cover 3 goose eggs. It was always a thrill to find the first goose egg in the spring. She always took the little chicks, ducks and geese into the house by the cook stove in a box when first hatched. They were such cute little fluffy things.

We kids had to gather little sticks out of grove for mother to start the fire in cook stove in morning. She would crumple up paper and sticks on top then some cobs. We had to keep the cob box by the stove full, which was carried in by basket from the cob house. Sometimes a mouse would get in with a basket of cobs.

Mother washed wool which she bought from neighbor Frank Bangasser when he sheared his sheep. What a job. Took many washings and all by hand. Then in winter we would card the wool to make quilts. We slept on corn husk or straw mattresses. They had to be "fluffed up" once in awhile. After corn was picked we went with sacks and gathered the white clean husks and re-stuffed mattresses. Had these until folks could afford to buy real mattresses. There was a "potty" in each room and was Alma and my duty to take each pail and empty them each morning. Then on wash days, gathered them all up and washed them in the soapy rinse water.

Another job I hated was wash the separator. We milked 15 cows by hand, and carried the milk to the wash house where the separator was, turned it by hand, run the milk through, which separated the cream from the milk. Then carried the skim milk back to the hogs. We churned the cream when it was soured just right. Had a big barrel churn turned by hand. Would wash the butter with water, working it into a big wooden bowl with a wooden paddle. Butter was churned until water was clear and all out of the butter. Then salted, then put in one or three lb. crocks and sold to customers in town.

With that and egg & cream money bought our groceries & extras. Bought our groceries at a little Nessan store on North Main Street. You gave him your list and he would put them together. The only eat place was Dinty Moore and a little waffle shop along Main Street. Was no malls then.

(Note: Link to Nessan store photos.)

http://sodcity.dakotabranch.com/main.php?g2_itemId=6958

http://sodcity.dakotabranch.com/main.php?g2_itemId=10076

When we went to town in buggy or sled, Dad put the horses in the "Livery Stable." There was a small room heated with a wood stove burner, where we waited until Dad got the horses hitched up. In the summer time you tied your horses to hitching posts which were by the store. Us kids only got to town unless we had to go to a Doctor or Dentist. Silver fillings were only a dollar and gold five dollars.

We took our baths every Saturday Night in a tub set by a hard coal heater. Started baths from youngest on up and poor Dad was the last one and had to carry out the water. We added hot water from a little tea kettle heated on the stove. In the kitchen it got so cold at night the water froze in the tea kettle.

In the old house, was a wooden porch floor outside the entry door. All the wash water was poured off that porch, which ran down the driveway. Boy was it good sledding from there. That all changed when they built the new house in 1924. The folks celebrated their 25th anniversary the first winter in there on January 25. When they got married in Ida Grove, small town east of Holstein, Iowa, they had a double wedding with Dad's brother and they farmed together the first year. Was no honeymoon trips then, now they fly to Hawaii.

Back to the new farm house. Us four girls did all the lathing and back lathing too for the plastering. Now it's all paneling. Then when plastering was done we did all the painting, staining and varnishing. We all enjoyed our big bedrooms and clothes closets. Two beds in each room. Harold and Alma moved there to take care of mother, and when she passed away, they bought the farm.

Back to horse and buggy days. The folks visited Adolph Andresens would go by horses & two seated carriage, no doors on them. They had a daughter Minnie, Alma & my age, so we got to go along and Mother always had a baby on her lap. We had to carry in the cobs & wood on Saturday so we could leave early Sunday morning. Had two buggy teams named Tom & Polly and Kate & Fanny. Often wondered how they kept us in the buggy as we must have been sleepy going home. There was a little kerosene lamp on each side of the buggy. I remember how dark it was. Not a light anywhere. Farm houses had kerosene lamps and that didn't show very far. Once in awhile we would meet a car and the horses would "kinda spook" and now you see lights all over the country. Every farm has yard lights, even reflectors on fence posts.

Passed time in the winter with card parties and house parties. Would clear out a room and dance to Old Time music. Someone played accordion or piano then got acquainted with the Ericksons. Johnnie, Peter and Schjodt brothers had a band they called "Dakota Serenaders". They played house parties for the collection that was taken. Which wasn't much.

At card parties, it was 500. Was four tables, then kept score and in spring the low ones treated the high ones. Usually was some good jokes played then too.

I married John Erickson September 30, 1933. Alma and Peter were our attendants. Went to First Lutheran and got married at the altar by Reverend Glenn, then home to family dinner with the Wehdes and Ericksons. Our "Honeymoon" was a trip to Holstein, Iowa to visit my sisters Edna and Hulda and families.

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Grandmother's Memories

These memories were written by: Leona in 1990.

WHEN I WAS A BABY

Born on: June 4, 1909 on a farm in Ida County, Holstein, Iowa.

When I was born our family included 3 brothers & 2 sisters. Walter, Hulda, Edna, Herbert, Laurence, Dave, Irene, Wilamena, Harry. Laurence passes away the year the folks moved to South Dakota. I was just 1-1/2 years old then. Mother said I was the best baby of eleven children, because I was a thumb sucker.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD

My earliest childhood memory is: when I was about 2 years old. I had my elbow cracked, and screamed when they took me to Doc, and took me up in those steel clanky elevator doors. I started school at the age of 6. My favorite subjects were drawing and spelling. I was less fond of history. Emily Brende Sittig was my favorite teacher because she was my first for three years. When I was a child I liked to: play house with my sister Alma. I made lots of mud pies. Some of my childhood friends were: Bessie Peterson and Lily Wilson.

WHEN I WAS A TEEN

My favorite age was: 16 because then I got a birthday card from a boy. I was allowed to date at age: 17, and my first real boyfriend was Roy. Some of the rules my parents set for me were: get home early. To earn my spending money, I: worked for $1.00 a day for a couple who had a new baby and a girl 2 years old.

SPECIAL FIRSTS IN MY LIFE

Time away from home: When I went to work for this couple and didn't get home for a week, that was a long time. Job: I did everything. Picked up cobs, baked, washed clothes and watched the 1-1/2 year old girl, even washed the baby diapers. Major Purchase: When I sent for my wedding dress out of Sears Catalog and it came bright blue. I wanted pale blue, but folks wouldn't send it back. So that's what I wore.

Other: (I think this is who was at their wedding)

Were his folks, Grandma Kare and her daughter Gertie husband Jim Lofgren and two sons Jack & Jerry. Sister Edna Bremer and husband Albert and daughter Betty. Sister Hulda and Bill Walker daughter Mary & Dorthy and son Kenneth. There was a bunch that came to chivis? rest us, but we were in bed already so they didn't drive in.

YOUR GRANDFATHER & I

I met your grandfather for the first time on: December 1928. He played violin at a house party. On dates we usually: went to a movie or he played for dance with his brothers & cousins. Neighbor boy Marvin Moe & 3 cousins Ed Lawrence & Glenn Schodt.

We were married on: Sept. 28, 1930 at First Lutheran in Sioux Falls. He was 27 and I was 24. He wore a dark suit and I was dressed in a blue satin dress. Our wedding day was: very windy and we had a flat on the way home. For our honeymoon we: visited my two sisters and other relatives in Holstein, Iowa. Our first home was at: John's mother's place in the country between Renner & Sioux Falls. I remember it as: a houseful as his mother and two brothers lived there too, so I felt like a hired girl.

Some of the things that made our first year special: nothing special. Just a dry year, dust storms and poor crops. For a living, your grandfather: farmed with his two brothers Sivert and Peter. While I: cooked for them. For entertainment we liked to: play cards, had a 500 card party in the neighborhood.

Mother's side of the family was from Holstein, Iowa. Father's side of the family came from Germany two at a time. The folks, two brothers, two brothers, two sisters, so it took awhile to get here. Some of the things I'll always remember about my father are: We children all said "Good Morning" and "Good Night" to mother & dad. When I heard dad get up in the morning I'd get dressed and walk with him to get the cows for milking. We never said much.

My mother and father were married on: Jan. 23, 1900 in Ida Grove, Iowa. So their date was 0123. 00 for year, Jan. 1st month, 23 for day. 01/23/1900. They remembered their wedding day as: a cold day. Went by horse & buggy from Holstein to Ida Grove. Their first home together was at: Holstein, Iowa on a farm.

For a living my father: My father planted a lot of potatoes and raised hogs, cattle and farmed with horses. I don't remember the trip by train. Dad's brother William and Martha helped with the family. Dad had to go by train with the cattle thru Sioux City, Iowa.

I REMEMBER WHEN

When I was growing up, I thought I was very fashionable when I wore: a voile dress I had embroidered and lots of lace all hand made. The most important historical event I remember happening in my lifetime was: Lindberg landing in Renner and Old Settler's picnic.

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Assorted Links

1) “Esten froze to death in a snowstorm that started in the morning of Jan. 7, 1873 and lasted 3 days.”

http://www.fairmont.org/mchs/pages/art_blizzards.htm

“The Worst Blizzard,” as reported by then Mayor Swearingen in the January 8, 1903, Sentinel, was January 7, 8, and 9 of 1873. January 7, 1873, started out as a very warm day for that time of the year. The two feet of snow on the ground was rapidly melting. People were out working and away from home visiting neighboring towns, many without their overcoats due to the warm conditions. At about 2:00 p.m. a rumbling sound like distant thunder was heard coming from the northwest until it became a white mass a hundred feet high bounding across the prairie at a terrific speed. Those unfortunate individuals that were out in the prairie found themselves facing an avalanche of whirling, blinding snow coupled with an intensely cold wind. Hundreds of people and livestock in the Minnesota prairie were frozen to death by the sudden storm. Although Martin County was a sparsely populated region at the time, there were several deaths and many were seriously frostbitten. In closing, this article states “There will probably never be such a storm again in our beautiful well settled state, and all should sincerely thank God that the possibility of such a calamity is forever passed.” I think that was wishful thinking.

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2) Sivert and Guru Berg moved to Minnehaha Co., South Dakota

July 26, 1869 and homesteaded in section 29 in Mapleton township.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sdsvgs/index104.htm

BERG, SIVERT, is a native of Norway, and was born March 3, 1823. He emigrated to the United States in 1867, and settled in Minnesota for a short time. From there he removed to Mapleton, this county, and took up the west tier of forties in section 29, where he has since resided. He has a good farm and is an industrious, good citizen.

Other homesteaders of interest in this link are:

INGALLS, JAMES L. (he was a first cousin once removed of Laura Ingalls Wilder) Just for giggles, here’s an old Photo of the real “Little House on the Prairie ” Family. The Ingalls Family: Seated from left: Ma (Caroline), Pa (Charles), Mary, Standing from left: Carrie, Laura, Grace

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3) JOHN NELSON’S “INDIAN SCARE”.

A riveting tale of ...well nothing. It would be interesting to hear the Indian’s side of the story. “We were camping along the river when three armed Norwegians jumped out of the woods and started yelling at us. We gathered up our belongings and hastily left the place.” Still an interesting link about homesteading in Mapleton township. John Nelson was on Section 5 just north of the Bergs.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sdsvgs/index87.html

As will be seen from this biography, Mr. Nelson settled in Mapleton during the summer of 1866. At that time his only neighbor was John Thompson, who lived about two miles up the river on his claim. Mr. Nelson had erected his cabin in the woods near the Big Sioux river, where he thought himself safely hidden from the pioneer’s most dreaded foe, the roaming Indian. Everything was quiet for a few months, and no unusual sound disturbed the stillness of the prairie. But one evening during the fall, just about sundown, while he was chopping wood near the cabin, unearthly yells and howls suddenly reached his ears. In shorter time than it takes to tell it, he dropped his ax, ran into the cabin, and gathering up what valuable papers he had, brought his frightened wife and baby out of the cabin and around the bend of the river, where they remained until quite dark. They then crossed a little valley to a small lake surrounded by tall grass in which he hid his wife and child. Having placed them where the thought they would not be discovered, he shouldered his rifle and started for John Thompson’s place. Upon arriving there he was surprised to find the family quietly eating their supper, while he had expected to find them all butchered by the Indians. After having briefly told of the approaching danger, he returned for his wife and child, whom he safely brought to Mr. Thompson’s house. During this trip he heard something moving through the grass near him. He cocked his rifle and quietly awaited the approach of the stealthy steps of what he thought to be an Indian, but fortunately was found to be only a deer. It was temptingly near for a good shot, but for fear of attracting the attention of the Indians he did not fire.

The next morning, in company with Mr. Thompson and Ole Gilseth, he went down the river, and nearly opposite his cabin he discovered two Indian tepees. They then got behind a tree and called to the Indians, which seemed to greatly surprise them, and gathering up their belongings, they hastily left the place without further trouble.

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