Qualley, Christian & Berit L. (Hamre)

Alice Hamre Arneson

Christian C. Qualley was born 30 Aug 1878 in Valdres, Norway and died 17 Jul 1944 in Decorah. He married Vesta (1875-1916). Vesta had a sister Edre married to Ivar Oraker who lived in Canton, MN and had a daughter Marie (now Martin) in Cresco. When Vesta died she left a son Raymond who was in high school and a daughter Edra who had not started school yet. Chris’s brother Nels Qualley was a carpenter and built the home for him at 507 Winneshiek Avenue in 1905. Chris worked at Ben Bear’s Men’s Clothing Store for many years. He was a friend of Jake and Anna Hamre. Chris married Berit L. Hamre on 25 Jun 1919. (See separate article.) They had a son Eivind C. Qualley 15 Jan 1923 - 2 Mar 1991. Berit L. Hamre became known as Bertha Qualley to avoid confusion with Berit J. Hamre, her mother, who lived with them until she died in 1942.

Nels Qualley was born 17 Mar 1867 in Vestre Slidre, Valdres and died 13 Nov 1946. He married Marit Olsdtr. Hamre born 25 Jan 1874, who was a cousin of Lars H. Hamre (Haugland), Berit L. Hamre’s father. Nels and Marit had Christine 7 Nov 1899 and Albert Olaf 7 Apr 1902. Nels, Marit,, and Christine owned a grocery store on West Water Street (and lived upstairs) across from the museum. In 1946 they sold the store to Lauritz J. and Kathryn (Thompson) Hamre and moved to 401 Winnebago Street.

Son Raymond married Emma and had a son Raymond. Emma died. Berit and Chris raised Little Ray who was a year or two younger than their son Eivind. Raymond later married widow Georgia Miller who had a daughter Bonnie. They lived in Chicago, and Chester, IA where they had a restaurant, and then Miami.

Chris Qualley and Berit L. Hamre wedding portrait.

Chris and Berit entertained often. Orakers, Qualleys, and John and Tilla Hillestadt were often included as family. Games played were whist (cards) and making shadows with fingers on a sheet stretched across a doorway. Chris loved to fish. He kept a minnow tank in the basement. Knut L. Hamre lived at 501 Winneshiek. His family was often there to visit "Tanta” and Chris and Grandma.

Quandahl, Harry and Vera Walter

(Marvin Wicks)

Harry Quandahl was born 10 Jan 1903 in Canoe Twp., the youngest of three sons born to Julius and Inga (Korsen) Quandahl. His brother Clifford was born in 1899 and died in 1954. Olaf Leonard was born in 1901 and died in 1967. Both of his brothers and his parents are buried in the Hauge Cemetery, Canoe Twp.

Harry grew up on the family farm in Canoe Twp. and was confirmed in the Hauge Church near their home. As a young man he did farm work including summers in the Dakota grain fields and in a sugar beet plant in Manly, IA. He also farmed with his brother, Clifford, along Hwy. 52, 2Vz miles south of Burr Oak.

Harry Quandahl married Vera Dorothy Walter 6 Mar 1927 in Winona Co., MN. Vera was born 23 Nov 1907 in Howard Co. to Fredrich R. and Edith Mae (Bronner) Walter. Harry and Vera started farming south of Decorah, along Hwy. 52, in Decorah Twp. and their two daughters were born while they lived there: LaVerne Doris (Mrs. George Ibeling) and Virginia Fern (Mrs. Marvin Wicks). Their sons, Arthur Morris was born 30 Nov 1933 and died 4 Feb 1994 in Eyota Twp., Olmsted Co., MN, with burial in the Burr Oak Cemetery, and Robert was born 13 Dec 1938 and died 26 Jan 1995 of cancer at Lutheran Hospital, LaCrosse, Wl, with burial in the Henrytown Cemetery, Amherst Twp., MN. The three older children were born at the home of Vera’s parents in Bluffton Twp.

On 1 Mar 1933 they moved to an 80 acre farm in Section 35, Burr Oak Twp. Vera's father had given her the land for the work and care she had done for her mother. March 1st was moving day for most farmers at that time and it was common to see wagons or sleds, depending upon the weather, loaded with possessions. Livestock were herded to the new farm if the distance was not too great. Harry got a truck to move and as they turned the corner at the Four Corners south of Burr Oak with a truck load of household goods, the truck rack broke. A comment recorded at the time states that It smashed all of their furniture into kindling wood except for three chairs. This was some of the worst years of the depression and they had to clear much of the land before they could raise crops. Trees were cleared with a grubbing machine, a cable wrapped around a drum by horses, and then land was turned with a breaking plow. Vera raised poultry, 200 to 300 chickens, some ducks and geese, and sold dressed poultry and eggs to grocery stores in Decorah and Cresco. They also established a small herd of milk cows, kept 10 to 12 sows and about 25 ewes. Harry hauled cream in the winter with horses and sled for additional income. They remained on the 80 acre farm in Section 21, Preble Twp., Fillmore Co., MN.

Harry died of a heart attack at the farm on 7 Jul 1960. In the morning he had moved the wheels on the tractor so they could mount the corn plow. After dinner he laid down to rest and passed away suddenly. Arthur was released from the Air Force to carry on with the farm work and he and Vera remained on the farm until 1973. Vera