Twp. and rented his uncle’s farm. A year later he moved to Howard Co. where he rented another farm. Two years later Henry moved to Chickasaw Co. After 2 years he again returned to Madison Twp. and his uncle’s farm. Henry worked his uncle’s farm for 4 years and then went to Texas to look after his father’s interests there. Because of losses incurred in the Galveston flood, Henry returned to Winneshiek Co. He rented a farm for 9 years and then traded a farm he owned in Minnesota for 270 acres in Sec. 21, Madison Twp.

Anna and Henry H. Fretheim

In April 1886 Henry married Annie Severson (Nesheim) (b. 1869). She was the daughter of Ole and Sarah Severson (Nesheim). Ole and Sarah were both born in Norway. They emigrated to America and settled in Allamakee Co. Henry and Annie were the parents of 9 children: Clara Severine (20 Jul 1886-31 Mar 1972), John Olaf (24 Jun 1889-19 Apr 1893), Ida Amelia (4 Dec 1890-16 Apr 1894), Sander Adolph (19 Apr 1893-17 Jan 1914), John Olaf (27 Sep 1895-3 Apr 1971), Henry Alert (9 May 1898-25 Aug 1906), Myrtle Geneva (17 Jul 1901-25 Feb

Married 60 years

Left to right, front row: Olaf Fretheim and John Fretheim of Decorah, Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Fretheim and Myrtle Woolridge, a daughter, of Ridgeway.

Second row: Darlene Fretheim, Lois Mae Woolridge, Arlene Fretheim, Olive Sims of Decorah and Herbert Fretheim.

Third row: Mrs. Robert Wetzel, Bertha Hellen, Lou Woolridge, Mrs. John Fretheim, Mrs. Olaf Fretheim and Harold Sims.

Back row: Robert Wetzel, Mrs. Ed Fretheim, Ed Fretheim and Miss Nettie Fretheim.

1978), Gerhard Melville ( 1 Sep 1903-27 Sep 1904) and John Edgar (5 Nov 1905-3 Nov 1985). Clara married Gilbert Larson (ca.1881-3 Jan 1961) on 14 Feb 1906. John Olaf married Ruby H. Loney (5 Sep 1899-9 Sep 1982 on 25 Nov 1920. (See John Olaf and Ruby Fretheim story.) Myrtle married Louis Woolridge (22 Nov 1897-1 Dec 1963) on 10 Nov 1926. John Edgar married Edrie M. Anderson (b.1 Jan 1908) on 10 Nov 1926.

Henry was a member of the Republican Party. He was a stockholder in the Farmers Hog Buying Company, Decorah. Henry and his wife were members of the Madison Lutheran Church. Henry died in 1949: Annie died in 1956. Both are buried at the Madison Lutheran Cemetery.

Fretheim, Herbert and Ruth (Bjerkvig)

(Ruth (Bjerkvig) Fretheim

Herbert Fretheim milking a cow in the barn, 1950.

Herbert Leander Fretheim was born in Madison Twp., the son of Olaf and Ruby (Loney) Fretheim. His father ( 27 Sep 1895) and mother (5 Sep 1899) were married 27 Nov 1920. Herbert’s sisters are: Olive (m. Harold Sims) and Arlene (m. Ervin Rasmussen).

Herbert married Ruth Carola Bjerkvig 17 Mar 1951 at the United Lutheran Church, Zumbrota, MN. Ruth was born in Goodhue Co., MN, the daughter of Joseph and Inga (Berg) Bjerkvig. Her father (30 Oct 1888) and mother (16 Jun 1896, Goodhue Co.) were married 20 Sep 1921 in Red Wing, MN. Ruth’s brother is Jannes and her sister is Shirley (m. Everett Cage). Herbert and Ruth have 6 children: Wayne, Carol, Warren, Constance, Ruth Ann and Wesley.

Wavne Alan graduated from Decorah High School in 1970 and Iowa State University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture and Community planning. He lived in Berkeley, CA for 5 years and worked for Blue Cross Insurance. For the past 5 years Wayne has lived in Minneapolis, MN and been employed at United Health Care. Carol Ann (10 Nov 1953) graduated from Decorah High School in 1971. She went to a school in Minneapolis and graduated as a Medical Assistant. She works for the Iowa Department of Human