Christ and Minnie were married 2 Oct 1901. They settled on a homestead in CalmarTwp. about 3 1/2 miles north of Calmar where they lived out their lives.

The oldest of their six children was Mabel (4 Apr 1902) who lived in Highland Park, IL for a number of years then returned to the home farm. She died 5 Sep 1990 and was buried in Calmar City Cemetery.

John (22 Jul 1903) married Esther Hill in Decorah, IA and they lived in Rockford, IL where she preceded him in death in 1961. They had six children: Raymond, Marilyn Griffin, Virgil, Donald, Sandra (m. Glen Turnbull), and Gary. John died 18 Jun 1991 and was buried in Rockford. Esther (29 Nov 1904) married Herman Fretheim and they farmed near Ridgeway. They were the parents of Harlan, Dean and June (m. Milton DeBuhr). Upon retirement, they moved to Decorah. Herman died in 1983 and Esther lives in Decorah. Eleanor Thelma (8 Mar 1907) married Arnold Kolaas and lived in Hartford, SD for ten years. Returning to Iowa they farmed near Calmar. Arnold died 19 Apr 1953 and Thelma 28 Nov 1975. Both are buried in Calmar Lutheran Cemetery. They had five children: Shirley (m.Karl Hanson), Elaine (m.Edward Halse), Kenneth, Rita (m.Keith Groth) and John. Clara (14 Jan 1908) married Eugene Hove and lived in Decorah. She died 17 Mar 1977 and Eugene 26 Nov 1984. They are buried in Calmar City Cemetery. Born 24 Sep 1910 Clarence lived all his life on the home farm. He was not married. He died 20 Aug 1992 and is buried in Calmar City Cemetery.

Minnie died 10 Mar 1935 and Christ 29 May 1947. They rest in the Calmar Lutheran Cemetery.

Falnes, Daniel and Gunhild (Flaskerud)

(Ruth J. Bjonerud)

Gunhild Flaskerud was never a physically strong person. She contacted diphtheria when she was 11 years old which was complicated by cold and rheumatism and resulted in lung problems. Her education consisted of public school through the second reader. She started parochial school when she was four. This was conducted in the Norwegian language. Reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic were included with the teaching of religious subjects. Following confirmation she remained at home to help with housework as her 2 older sisters had left home quite young. She did get out on her own before she was married and did housework at a home in Conover, IA and two homes in St. Paul, MN. She took up the dressmaking trade first with her sister Anna later with her sister Karen at Calmar, IA. She did cooking in a restaurant at Elma, IA. After she was married the sisters and brothers would gather at one of the homes for Sunday dinner. She was a good cook and her turn came often.

Gunhild was married 12 Mar 1891 to Daniel Falnes (5 Jan 1869-12 May 1944) at the Washington Prairie parsonage. Daniel emigrated to this country from Kermoy, an island off the coast of Norway in the North Sea halfway between Haugesund and Stavanger, when he was seventeen. He wanted to come the year before but the family managed to talk him out of it. His home in Norway consisted of three rooms and was occupied by two families with a total of 12 members. It was crowded. He came to this area where his two brothers Hans and Christ Falnes had come before. He was supposed to go to school to learn the English language. The second day he got into a disagreement with the teacher which ended his English education. He worked on farms in the area until 1888 when he and some friends decided to make their fortune in the Wisconsin pinery at Cameron Junction. One winter of work there convinced these men it wasn't the way to get rich. The farmers in the area would hold debates and my grandfather was one of them. To prove one of his points he quoted from the Bible and was informed “that are not allowed.’’ Politics was one of his interests - he took out nominating papers in 1926 for the State House of Representatives but never carried it through.

After Gunhild and Daniel Falnes were married they farmed near Cresco for two years. They then rented the Flaskerud homestead which they later purchased. Their children were: Lottie, Edna and Lydia.

Lottie (22 Jan 1892-24 Jun 1971) married Ted Hillesland (29 Apr 1896-23 Jan 1987). They farmed first near Mahnomen, MN and later on the Flaskerud homestead. Edna (23 Nov 1901) married Robert Bjonerud (23 Dec 1893-23 Jun 1988) (These are my parents.) They farmed the Bjonerud homestead. Lvdia (19 Sep 1904-28 Dec 1976) married Alfred Whiteside (22 Jul 1899-11 Jan 1969). He worked for International Harvester in The Dalles, OR and General Electric in Hanford, WA.

Fayne, Harriet (Steele)

(Harriet Fayne)

Harriet (Steele) Fayne with her husband, Burlin Fayne, taken in 1987.

Harriet, fourth of seven children born to Harold Steele and Amanda Stegen, was born in Glenwood Twp.  Harriet fondly remembers country schools and especially one teacher at the Lake View School, Miss Gulbrandson, who gallantly met 10 new students at the schoolhouse door (after a March first move by the Steele family with 5 students and the Roney's who also had 5). She smiled and happily announced, “Now we will have two good ball teams!”