Melvin also assisted in repairing telephones and telephone lines when needed. He made skis and other toys for his children and repaired and resoled their shoes. Melvin loved history and was an avid reader.

Ethel’s parents, Melvin and Clara Sandbeck Wedding photo

Melvin married Clara 0. Scholl at the home of her parents in Winneshiek Co., rural Decorah in December 1911. Clara’s parents were Olaus and Deoline (Skinderviken) Schjoll.

Melvin and Clara remained on the Sandbeck farm (on the Allamakee-Winneshiek Co. line) where they raised 8 children: Ethel (1-Shattuck, 2-Kvammen); Dagny (Smorstad); Hartvig; Cora (Krumme); Philip; Helen (Seiple); Aria (Stuckman); and Sophie (Kubitz).

Front row, left to right: Aria, Dagny (holding Sophie), Ethel and Cora. Back row, left to right: Philip, Hartvig and Helen.

Melvin Sandbeck died 21 Jul 1956; Clara Scholl Sandbeck died 31 Dec 1966. Both are buried at the Glenwood Church Cemetery, rural Decorah.

Sande, Levi and Irma (Opfer)

(Irma Sande)

Irma (Opfer) Sande was born 10 Jan 1904 in Ludlow Twp, Allamakee Co, the daughter of Fred and Clara (Ludeking) Opfer who are buried in Allamakee Co. Irma’s siblings are: Paul, Albert, Carl, Clarence and Helen. Irma remains a member of the Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, but attends Decorah Lutheran when possible. She clerked at Hale’s Department Store in Waukon before marriage. Irma has always enjoyed various kinds of handiwork.

Irma married Levi Sande (b. 6 Dec 1900) in Cresco, Howard Co. Levi died in May 1971 and is buried at Springwater Cemetery. Irma was president of the Springwater Ladies Aid for 26 years. Levi and Irma lived in Springwater except for one year when they ran the store at Locust. Levi’s parents were Bert and Sarah (Thompson) Sande. Bert was born in Winneshiek Co and Sarah in Norway. Levi’s siblings were: Amanda (m. Theodore Berg), Marvin, Alder, Selmer and Ben.

Levi was a cream hauler until his son, Howard took over in 1975. Some of the hardships of hauling cream in cans in his early days included being the first on the road after a heavy snow and the deep ruts when the spring thaw came. Levi had a large callous on his knee from lifting the heavy cans.

Levi and Irma had two children, Charlotte and Howard. Charlotte married Richard O’Connel. They have four boys and six girls. Howard married Lorna Winger. They have four children: Pamela, llene, Lee and Harlan.

Irma now lives in a mobile home on the same site in Springwater where Levi’s parents lived. Part of the old house is log with two frame additions, one of which was the annex to the Hauge Church. Local help had great difficulty moving the annex three miles, across two old bridges and the ditch by the house.

Sanden, Tolleff Arneson

(Alice Hamre Arneson)

Tolleff Arneson Sanden was born 30 Aug 1823 at Naess, Hallingdahl, Norway. Margrete Olsdtr Rudringen (Gullingsrud and/or Gullingsvad) was born 26 Mar 1827 in Naess, Hallingdahl, Norway. They came from Norway about 1849 with Tolleff’s father, Arne Sanden, and Jorgen Brunsvold and Halstein Steen, who were first cousins. In 1852 they reached Winneshiek Co. and homesteaded near Highlandville and the Big Canoe Lutheran Church. Both were buried at Big Canoe Lutheran Church about 1900.

The Brunsvolds lived just east of Arnesons. Carl, Ed, G.E. and Norman were of the same family and moved to Mayville, ND. The name changed to Brunsdale and Norman Brunsdale became governor of North Dakota. He died in 1970.

The Steens had an older brother, then Selmer and Charlie who was a Luther graduate (1922) and was Winneshiek Co. Superintendent of Schools.