son Cemetery. When he was in Norway, he served in the Norwegian Navy or Army.

Magnus came from a large family. Those who came to the United States, in addition to Magnus, were: Benedict, Elais, Johannes and Christina Nelson of Lime Springs, and Johanna Hillesland of Bowbells, ND.

Magnus married Marie (Horgen) Haaland in Jan 1915. Marie died 28 Jun 1961. Magnus and Marie did not have any children.

Skogstad, Andre and Mari

(Dorothy W. Anderson)

Borgund Stave Church near Laerdal was built in 1138 and is one of the finest and best preserved examples of this type of building.

Inga Wepler’s grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Andre Skogstad, emigrated from Skogstad, Norway with their sons Trond and Halvar and their daughter, Mari to Springfield Twp, Winneshiek Co.

The following information on Andre Skogstad’s ancestors is from the Borgund Register - History of Laerdal Valley - Sogn in Norway: Inga's Grandmother Mari married Andre Skogstad Quaslet...Inga’s Great-Grandmother Mari (b.1880) married Halvar Bordan Nedrel (1774-1883)...Inga's Great-Great-Grandfather Einor Jensen Nesset (b. 1720) married Marie Bordsdtr Lysen in 1753...Teus Bordson (b, 1686) married Uni Roarsdtr Horge in 1714...Bard Einorson Husum (b. 1649)...Einar...(See Trond and Guri [Oelson] Skogstad Anderson story.)

Trond’s sister Mari (m. Iver Opdahl) had one son, Edward and five daughters: Emma (18 Jun 1891 -4 Nov 1982) married Ernest Granger and moved to Eau Claire, Wl — interment in Forest Hill Cemetery. Tina (1889-1973) and Mina (1886-1974) who lived in Decorah. Tina was especially endeared by Inga Wepler’s children and Mina by the Ronan family. Ida (m. John Gundersen) moved to Oakland, CA. Marie (m. Peter Beffell) moved to Milwaukee.

Mari E. Opdahl: Fodt Skogstad 25 Dec 1845 - Dod 23 Aug 1914. Iver E.: Fodt 9 Apr 1850 - Dod 16 Dec 1918. They are buried in the Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery. Buried with them are Edward (14 Aug 1876-27 Jul 1906), Tina and Mina.

Places in Norway that have been visited by Andre Skogstad's descendants are the Andre Trond/Skogstad home (now the Hugali Penspona) and Guri’s homeland Telemark Nystuen (now a hotel), Vang in Valdres....Voss in Quaslet....Mari's homeland - Borgund....Laerdal Valley....Sogn in Norway.

Recently when family members visited Norway, they were especially pleased to search in the cemetery at the Borgund Stave Church near Laerdal that was built in 1138 and is one of the finest and best preserved example of this type of building.

Slepicka, Vaclav and Katerina (Vitovcova)

(Mary Richmond)

Vaclav and Katerina (b. 8 Jan 1812) married in Bohemia. At least four children were born to them there: Katherine (b. 1835), Wenzel (b. 1839), Mary (b. 1843) and Barbara (b. 1852). In the late 1840’s the Bohemian peasants revolted against the government which, to appease the people, abolished feudalism and allowed them to migrate to other countries. Vaclav and Katerina were among thousands who brought their families to the United States.

The Slepicka family landed in New York in 1853 and made their way to Pittsburgh, PA where Vaclav worked as a boot-maker for about a year. Through frugal living and hard work, he saved enough coins to take his family to the Czech settlement in Spillville.

In 1854 they took passage on a riverboat to Saint Louis, then headed north up the Mississippi. They planned to hire a team and wagon at McGregor’s Landing to take them into Winneshiek Co. The first evening out of Dubuque, Vaclav (who was carrying half of their cash) was pushed or fell into the river. Several people shouted to Katerina who ran out; but all she would see was his hat floating on the water. Despite her screams, the captain would not stop the riverboat.

At McGregor's Landing the distraught Katerina and her children, unable to speak English, wandered up and down the river bank. A local woman finally helped her unload the family's belongings and found transportation for them to Winneshiek Co.

Katerina homesteaded in Section 34, Calmar Township. In the 1856 census she was listed as Catherine