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(ABOVE) Bob and Ken Larson and Cousin Audrey in front of the "Home Place" Clint Berg describes in the following article about the role a very strong woman, our Grandmother Alma played in the family at the time:
About nine months ago, I asked Kenneth to send me all of your email addresses. Shortly thereafter I started a long, detailed email, to re-establish personal contact with all of you. I was really proud of what I was writing and well into my third page..when somehow I lost it all. Remember I'm a 77 year old Norwegian, so computers are not my strong suit, anyway it's gone, but not forgotten, so here goes again.
I am the youngest, and only remaining child of Elesa Lorraine Larsen, Grandpa Krist Larsen's first born child. You may know this, but Grandpa's first wife was Barbro Hansen, from the Gonvik area. A second child was born to this couple, a boy named Hilmar. The story I heard, was that Barbro was nursing the baby, had a heart attach, pitched forward and smothered the baby. This is the child that is buried at Bethany church, next to Grandma & Grandpa's grave....the head stone is a little white lamb to the right of their graves. The last time I was there was Oct. of 2000, and that little lamb was in very bad shape. My dad, who died in 1936, when I was 5 years old is buried to the left of Grandma & Grandpa.
My siblings were Lorraine, the oldest, then Kalmer, Raymond, Charlotte ( died in Park River, N.D., at age 10 ), DeVona and then me. When dad died in 1936, we were renting a house on a farm called the Lee place, it was across the road and east of the Henry Bulstead farm. Lorry got a job as a hired on another farm, Kalmer joined the CCC's, Ray lied his aged and joined the Navy, Dee went to Thief River to live with Evelyn and Fred, and I was sent to Grandpa Larson's to live. Grandpa Krist helped my Mom get a job, as a cook, in Thief River at the "MINT". It was across the street from the Falls Movie Theater. It was a bowling alley in the basement, a tavern in the front, a cafe in the middle and a card room in the back.
Now here is where my time with your Dad begins. I was five and your Dad, I believe, was eleven. Mom eventually rented a small apartment in town, but whenever possible I was at the farm. The men slept in the bedroom over the downstairs dining room, and I slept with your Dad. My memory is that for those next five years, I was always following your Dad around, trying to help him with his chores. As we both got older, I was my big dream to be able to handle a 100 pound feed sack like your Dad.
One of the things I remember about your Dad was the way he liked to tease Grandma Alma. Of course, Aunt Vi was still at home, also Grandpa's sister Oleana, your Dad was always teasing someone. For me it was like having a big brother, remember my own brothers were away. My last Christmas at the farm was 1940...there was a real big snow storm and they had to bring a hay rack out to the county road to get everyone to the farm. This was also the last Christmas that Fred & Evelyn lived in Thief River. Fred got real tanked up, put on an old moth eaten fur coat, buffalo I think, and tried to play Santa, not to pleasant......... Through all of this I forgot to mention that Betty Lou, Aunt Lillian's daughter, also lived on the farm all this time. This was also the time that Grandpa got into raising turkeys, and I tried to help your Dad with that work. It was a big deal for me to be a part of the family and all my memories are very special. Grandma made old maid cards out of old cereal boxes and we would play after Grandpa went to bed. Then in cold times she would make hot chocolate and toast her home made bread in the oven, and play her guitar for us and sing, she was really special. I don't think anyone really appreciated how tough the wives and mothers had it in those days. My last days on the farm were in July 1941. My job was to stand in the high wheeled grain wagon, at thrashing time, and make sure the grain didn't spill over the sides. Grandpa paid me a silver dollar for the work, the first one I ever saw...what a big deal. About this time, my Mom remarried and on Aug. 6, 1941, we headed for the State of Washington. The one time I saw your Mon & Dad and you guys was when they came out to Washington, I don't remember the year.
At the time I did see your folks, I had made it through high school (1949) and married my high school sweetheart (Nov. 1905 )
Lillian and I have now been married 58 plus years.....we never have considered divorce, but has been on the table many times. We have four children Claudia 57, Julia 55, Rosie, 50 & Krist 48. Nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren, Naomi and Haydon. Lil & I are lifetime believers, and describe ourselves as simplistic, struggling Christians, sinners saved by grace,
