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THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE AREN'T THINGS!
The beautiful and rugged country of Norway -- with its mountains, streams, and fjords is
where the story of our family has its beginning.
Pa (Anton Skurdal) was born in Gudsbrandsdalen, Norway, on October 3, 1871 to Marit and
Per Skurdal. He had two brothers --Peter and Hans--and six sisters, Karen, Marie, Emilie,
Clara, Ragnild and Julie. Pa came to America at the age of 23 and
worked on farms in Minnesota for four years. He filed on a homestead in Benson County,
North Dakota in 1898 and farmed there until 1908 when he returned to his birthplace and
stayed two years. During this time he bought back the home place, Sore Uppigaard Skurdal,
which had been lost while he was in America, and built onto the house.
Mom (Anna Skurdal) was born April 4, 1890, in Gudsbrandsdalen, into a
family of twelve children, the daughter of Kari and Ole Skurdal. Her four brothers
were Hans, Ole, Osten (who immigrated to America) and Matthias. Her seven sisters were
Thea "the older", Maria, Karen, Thea "the younger", Karen Sofia,
Bergina, and Marit; two of whom died in infancy. After finishing grade school she attended
a kind of vocational school for six months--then worked at the home of a sister for
six months. Mom's home was Nedre Negaard Skurdal.
On their wedding day, March 10, 1910, Pa and Mom left Norway to return
to the homestead in North Dakota. During their ten years of farming in the Esmund area,
six children were born to them. In the spring of 1920, Pa planned to take his family back
to Norway so he sold his quarter of land for $45 an acre. He then found that he was unable
to obtain visas back to Norway. Since he had already sold the farm, he had to look
elsewhere for a home. He was able to buy two quarters of land in Stoney Creek Township,
Williams County, North Dakota from Sigur Hanson for less money than the sales price of his
original quarter. Their two day journey to western North Dakota was made by train, first
to Drake, ND where they stayed in a motel overnight. From there they traveled on the Soo
Line to Minot, ND and then transferred to the Great Northern Railway which took them to
Williston, ND. During the trip, Pa had to ride in the box car to care for the cattle
and horses which they were bringing with them; Ma and the six children traveled in the
passenger car.
Upon their arrival, neighbors and friends assisted Pa in getting the
animals settled at the farm eight miles southeast of Williston. After spending two nights
in a hotel, a horse drawn buggy took Mom and the children to their new farm home. For
several years, lignite coal was dug by Pa and this was their fuel for warmth and cooking.
He also cut his own wood for burning as well as for making fenceposts. Fencing of
the land was a big project because none had been done before they came. Farming was done
with horses until the Twin City tractor was purchased in 1927. Cows, pigs, and chickens
were raised for food.
Eight more children were born during this time on the farm. In 1945,
Anton & Anna moved into their home in Williston. Pa died in January, 1948 at the age
of 78 and Mom died at age 91.
Mom made her first and only trip back to Norway in June of 1953 and stayed for one year.
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