In Norway Ivar drove tourists and mail into the mountains and helped on the farm. His brother, Lars, sent Ivar a ticket when he was 16 or 17 years old to come to America. He took a ship from Oslo to NY a train from NY to Chicago and a train to Calmar. All the family met the train and went to Ole’s home.

Ivar first worked on Decorah area farms: Engle Mickelson, Knutsons near the Madison Church and Andrew Istad. Then he worked for the Great Northern Railroad as a fireman. He also worked as an engineer for 8 years during WWI with runs into ND, Manitoba and MN. He shook hands with James J. Hill, the Empire builder. He moved to Crookston and in the fall of 1918 to Seattle where he was a carpenter of buildings and docks. He and his brother Jake helped build fish canneries in Alaska during summers for GOOD pay. The next 10 to 15 years he was in the cabinet-making business.

He visited Decorah several times. He brought inlaid table tops as gifts for family members. He arranged to have black walnut wood sent to Seattle from Decorah for more projects.

Ivar was a fun, jolly man—possibly to hide his sorrow. He outlived 3 wives and his oldest daughter. Ivar’s first wife was Johanna Wangen from Oslo and died about 1920 when the girls were small.

Daughter, Olga Louise, was born 11 Apr 1915-d. 27 May 1945. She married Russell Musick 1 Mar 1935. He was a professional soldier. They had one son, George Ivar, born in 1937. George is married with several children and is also a professional soldier.

Daughter Gladys was born about 1917. She married Clarence Oie. They have 3 children: Ronald born about 1949: Lillian and Claire, and 10 grandchildren.

Ivar Hamre and Johanna Wangen

Ivar’s second wife was Anna whose father was from Valdres. She had a large baby born Jan 1943 and both died soon afterward. The third wife was Nane Scolat, his first sweetheart in the U.S. They married in the late 1960's. She was a widow with a grown son. Ivar lived with her in MN about 4 years before she died. Ivar then lived with his daughter Gladys in Seattle.

Hamre, Jakob L. and Anna (Aspmo)

(Alice Hamre Ameson)

Anna, Edward, Louise, Olga and Jake Hamre.

Jakob L. Hamre (b. 12 Mar 1883 - d. 1954) was the 3rd son of Lars H. & Berit J. Hamre. At age 15 Jake made his own living traveling around Valdres making shoes. He saved his money and at age 20 in 1903 he had enough for passage to Decorah and a friend coming with him. They worked on farms near Decorah. Jake got a job in the tailor shop of Lars Nesheim and learned tailoring . (Nesheim’s daughter Martha married Thurst Kjome.)

Anna Fredrika Aspmo (b. 1879-d. 1953) had just come from Tromso, Nordland, Norway and was staying with the Nesheims. She was a seamstress with her aunt and later owned her own shop.

Jake and Anna married, saved money and got a shoe shop. (Later Lars, Olavand Knut bought in). Jake and Anna lived at 609 East Broadway. Most of the Hamres lived with them at one time or other.

Jake had rheumatism and thought a change of climate would help him so in early fall of 1918 he sold his store to Jake Winger. The family moved to Sumatra, MT northeast of Billings. Jake bought a large parcel of land in the Rosebud Valley where Jake's mother’s brother lived. They farmed crops and raised livestock. It was hard work for little return. They moved to Seattle in 1936. In the summers Jake and brother Ivar worked as carpenters building fish canneries in Alaska.

Jake and Anna had 3 children born in Decorah: Louise, Edward and Olga. Louise (b.1905-d. June 1992) lived in Seattle and never married.

Edward (b. 18 Mar 1907) sold real estate and insurance in Seattle and is retired. He has 3 sons: Leland has 4 children. He is in real estate and insurance in Seattle. Philip and Douglas.

Olga Cecilia was (b. 1912 - m. Donald Ross Phillips in 1940). They had one child: Sandra Ann (m. Neil Pryor). She has 3 sons and lives in Alliance, NE. Jake came back for Decorah’s centennial.

Hamre, Knut L.

(Alice Hamre Ameson)

Knut L. Hamre was born in Valdres, Norway, 7 Jan 1892 and died in Decorah, Iowa 29 Aug 1977. He was baptized Knut Larssen 12 Oct 1895. When he was 7 years old, Knut