member, she was an early member of the Joan of Arc Club started in the early 20’s by women of the Burr Oak area. The club is still active today in 1995.

Florence and Albert had 2 children: Shirley Ruth and Norris Norman. Shirley married Carl Benson. He died 1 Jan 1989. She married Ralph Greenslade 7 Dec 1991. (See Ralph and Shirley Greenslade history.) Norris married Linda Drake 27 Dec 1958. They divorced in 1987. Norris and Linda had 3 children: Wendy, Tracy and Todd, (see Norrie Erickson history.)

Erickson, Andrew and Carrie (Lynne)

(Jerrine Osenga)

Both Andrew (15 Jun 1862-10 Dec 1931) and Carrie (Lynne) (9 Jun 1866-7 Dec 1937) Erickson were born in the Hadland area in Norway, just north of Oslo. There was widespread poverty in Norway in the late 1800's causing families to emigrate. Andrew was 9 years old when his family came to America. His father, Tosten, immigrated the year before and sent for them in 1871.

Tosten's brothers, Oliver, Halvor and Eric, had already settled in Burr Oak. Tosten’s farm, still owned and farmed by his great-grandson, Carroll Jacobson, is in the E 1/2 of Sec. 36, T100 R9, south of Burr Oak on the east side of Hwy. 52. Andrew grew up here. When he married Carrie Lynne 29 Apr 1889 he bought out his brothers’ (Magnus and Thomas) shares of the farm immediately north of Tosten's farm. Both Tosten’s and Andrew’s homes still stand and are occupied by actively farming families.

Andrew and Carrie Lynn Erickson Wedding picture, 1889.

Carrie Lynne was 18 when she came alone to America in 1884. Her family were landowners in Norway. However, her father died at a young age and her mother moved with 3 young daughters to a small cabin in a wooded foothill area north of Oslo. Carrie had heard stories of the wealth and opportunities in America. She was very disappointed at the sight of shacks along the train route as she rode west. She went first to Hartland, Wl, where she had relatives. She came to Decorah in 1886 to be a maid for a family where the mother had died. Three years later she and Andrew were married in the Hesper Lutheran

Church by Rev. T Eggen. They traveled to Minnehaha Falls near Minneapolis on their honeymoon.

Andrew and Carrie had 8 boys and one girl. One son, Fritjof (5 Apr 1899-13 Jan 1911) died at age 11 of rheumatic fever. The other children were: Carl Thorwald (27 Mar 1891-12 Jan 1976), Leif Ferdinand (9 Oct 1892-27

Andrew and Carrie Erickson family, about 1925. Front row, left to right: Palma, Andrew, Carrie and Paul Sherman. Back row, left to right: William, Silas, Carl, Otto, Leif and Albert.

Mar 1961), William Axel (17 Apr 1894-18 Jan 1950), Albert Calmer (12 Apr 1897-31 May 1993), Silas Victor Norman (6 Mar 1901-28 Nov 1988), Palma Elizabeth (19 Mar 1903), Otto Lee (1 Mar 1907), and Paul Sherman (25 Jul 1909).

Carrie dreamed of and worked towards providing her children with a good education. Five of the children attended college. All were confirmed by Rev. Ivar Havneros of the Hesper Lutheran Church. Each had a Sunday dress or suit that they wore for their confirmation lessons at the minister’s home which was 6 miles away. They drove a horse and buggy large enough for only two. One would be old enough to handle the horse. Carrie was a member of the Churchwomen’s Cemetery Group. She would bake the night before having the meeting at her home and her daughter helped her. Carrie and Andrew raised their daughter, Palma, to be a lady. Palma’s grandfather Tosten often had candy money for her when she went out to meet him as he came for tea. Because she was musical the family had a piano. Her cousins, Selma and Clarence Jacobson, often gave her lessons. Because her brothers farmed Andrew’s farm Andrew was able to take Palma fishing in their creek and to visit Grandpa Tosten at Andrew’s sister Ingeborg’s home just across the fields.

Andrew trained his sons well on the business of farming, instilling in them initiative, adventurousness and pride. They raised horses and cattle. Silas told of taking the cattle by train to sell in Chicago. They always had colts to train. They also had dairy cows, chickens, fruit trees and vegetables for their own consumption.

Carrie was quiet and reserved, partly because she was not skilled in the English language. At home she and Andrew spoke Norwegian. He would read the newspaper out loud to her as he sat in his rocker in the kitchen. Andrew was outgoing. After retiring to Decorah he be-