(Belenda, Ida, Berent and John died of diphtheria); Ivar (14 Sep 1891-29 Apr 1952).

Knut was born in 1856 on board the ship Hebe bound for Quebec, Canada. He married Jane Christine Thune 13 May 1884. Their children were: Lawrence, Beulah, Oscar, Sylvan, Melvin, Kenniston and Jessie.

Martin was born 15 Apr 1859. He married Susan Ellefson 2 Sep 1883 in Dell Rapids, SD. He died 11 Nov 1936.

No information available on Johannes.

Ole died in 1881 and is buried in the Norwegian Methodist Church Cemetery, Washington Prairie, Springfield Twp, Winneshiek Co. Some time after the death of her husband Barbra went to Sherman to live with her daughter Emma. She died 9 Oct 1894 and was buried in the Highland Church Cemetery, Minnehaha Co, north of Sherman, SD.

Martha Graue, sister of Ole, who emigrated with the family in 1856, was born in Voss, Norway in 1824. She married Engel Sverkeson. They had one daughter Mary who died young. Engel died and was buried in the Big Canoe Church Cemetery. Martha then came to live with her nephew Knut Graves. Martha died Sep 1909. She is buried beside her brother in the Norwegian Methodist Church Cemetery, Washington Prairie. Ole and Barbra's land is still in the hands of the Graves family. Knut and Jane bought the land from the heirs and stayed on the homestead. They added 40 acres from Martin Stor and 40 acres from the Tabor timber. Knut and Jane lived on the farm for the rest of their lives. Then Sylvan, their son, purchased the farm from the heirs. Sylvan and Martha lived on the 200 acre farm. Their son Spencer and his wife Darlene now own the farm and are farming with their son Randall.

This history of the Graves family was written by Oscar Thurman Graves of Bowman, ND. He received some of his information from a letter that was written by Emma J. Henrikson and sent to relatives in Norway. It returned to the United States from a Norwegian cousin by the name of Lars Helleve, Sivlevegen, 5700 Voss, Norway. No dates were given.

Graves, Spencer and Darlene (Stendel)

Darlene (Stendel) Graves)

Spencer Duane Graves was born at Decorah, IA to Sylvan Horatio and Martha (Rosendahl) Graves. His grandparents were Knut (Graue) and Jane (Thune) Graves. Spencer’s great-grandparents were the immigrant ancestors.

Ole Olsen Leidal Graue was born in 1811 at Voss Vangen, Norway to Ole Ellefson Leidal and Kari Olsdtr Askelberg. In 1843 Ole married Barbra (Meringen -Helleve). This family emigrated to the United States in 1856. About 1863 Ole Graue changed his name to Graves. He became a citizen 28 Feb 1876 during the centennial year of the United States.

Spencer was educated in the rural schools of Glenwood Twp. and graduated from Decorah High School. He learned to farm at an early age as he worked with his father Sylvan. Spencer and Darlene Stendel were married 12 May 1956 at the Castalia United Methodist Church.

Darlene was born in Bloomfield Twp, Winneshiek Co, IA to Hyles and Iva May (Burns) Stendel. Darlene attended rural school near her home and graduated from Ossian High School.

Spencer and Darlene farmed with Spencer's parents and later became owners of the farm that has been in the family since Ole Graves homesteaded the land in Glenwood Twp.

The children of Spencer and Darlene are: Randall Duane  farms with his parents and Nancy Darlene married Jeffrey Cronin 12 Jun 1989 and lives in Minneapolis, MN. Their children are Nora Maye  and Philip Jeffrey.

Graves, Sylvan and Martha (Rosendahl)

(Darlene Graves)

Sylvan Horatio Graves was born 31 May 1892 in Glenwood Twp to Knut and Jane (Thune) Graves. Sylvan was educated in the rural school near his home. He served in France during World War I.

On 25 Aug 1921 Sylvan married Martha Rosendahl at the parsonage of First Lutheran Church, Decorah, IA. Sylvan and Martha farmed in Glenwood and Pleasant Twps. until his retirement in 1957 when they moved to Decorah and lived at 605 Center Ave.

Martha S. was born 8 Jan 1897 to Hans and Emma (Hattlestad) Rosendahl. She was baptized and confirmed in the Glenwood Lutheran Church. Martha had 7 brothers and one sister: Oscar, Palmer, Olger, Herman, Nels, Elmer, Lawrence and Ellen (m. Jordahl).

The children of Sylvan and Martha are: Spencer, Leonard and Donald H. (b. 25 Mar 1932).

Donald H. died 21 Apr 1980 due to a farm accident. He was clearing land on his farm and was pinned by the trunk of a felled tree which rolled unexpectedly as the branches were being trimmed. He was a veteran of the Korean War. Donald farmed 4 miles west of Decorah on Highway 9. On 17 Jun 1956 he married Sarah Jane Hovden, daughter of Myra Hovden Nordsvig, at Madison Lutheran Church. Donald and Sarah had a daughter Judy (m. Gordon Snitker) and 2 sons Jay and Joel.

Sylvan died 1 Jun 1977 at Decorah. He is buried at Phelps Cemetery, Decorah. Martha died at the Eastern Star Home in Decorah 27 Jan 1979. The funeral services were held at the Canoe Ridge Lutheran Church, rural Decorah.

Green, Allen and Grace (Sphar)

(Helen Green)

Stephen Allen Green (also known as “S.A.") was born 5 May 1884 in Sec. 12, Bloomfield Twp., Winneshiek Co. He was the son of Melvin and Ann Eliza (Allen) Green. Allen received his education at the Oak Hill (or Red) School south of the Green farm. He also attended Valders' Business College, Decorah.