Fjeseth*
Kjersti Fjeseth and Ole Pederson Digrehagen: Original Hendricks Settlers
In the spring of 1870, Kjerstie and Ole emigrated to the United states. They were shipped on a cattle boat from Trondheim Norway to Hull England and then by rail across to Liverpool where they took a steamer of the Allen line. After 3 weeks, they landed at Quebec, Canada. They then went by rail to a point on the east side of Lake Michigan. Crossing this lake they landed at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They then went by rail to Lansing, Iowa, where they were met by friends. While they were going up the St. Lawrence river, the ship collided with another boat, which sank with the loss of a man and boy. The ship that Kjerstie and Ole were on received a big hole, so the load had to be shifted in order to keep the hole above the water line. After the meeting with their friends, they were taken to Waterloo Ridge where they lived 3 years before going west. A house was built in Allamakee County, Iowa, which was shared by another family. There a daughter was born. In May 1873, they journeyed behind oxen to Dakota Territory. On July 14, 1873, they arrived in Lake Hendricks Township, Brookings County, and filed on a quarter section of land which became their home. There a semi-dougout sod house was built. This dugout was about 12 by 14 feet and was shared by another family of 3 members. In December a daughter was born to her and a daughter was also born to the other family so eight human beings lived there for 2 years.
In 1975 the family moved to a log house in size about 12 by 16 feet with a wood floor but a hay and sod roof.
Ole (wife Krist), Lars (in the early church records the name was written as Fjseth)
Ole Pederson Digrehagen married Kjersti Fjeseth. He took the name Fjeseth and together they had the child Petra Fjeseth.
Petra Fjeseth married Gustav Nygaard and had a child Ingvald Nygaard.
Ingvald Nygaard married Marcella Hanson and had a child Joyce Lorenchia Nygard.
Lorenchia Nygard married Irvin Lloyd Scott.
In the spring of 2003, Lorenchia did a web search on Singsaas and found the websites of Jim Winsness and then she sent him an email asking about the connections of Jim to Singsaas. A real series of emails followed in which the family connections between the two lines started to mingle! Jim told Lorenchia of his plan to go to Hendricks in September 2003 to find more connections and that started the discussion and planning of this Hendricks Family Tree!
Lorenchia contacted Gail Kvernmo who had been married to Lorenchia's cousin Glen who had died about 10 years ago and together they offered to host Jim and Bev during the visit to Hendricks in September. They organized a visit to the care facility in Hendricks and the family meeting after the church services in the park.
Much more to come on documenting these families and their common links but a real thank to Lorenchia for her communication that led to so much of this.
Top Left - Ole and Kjersti Fjeseth family with neighbors.
Bottom Left - Ole and Kjersti Fjeseth's 50th wedding anniversary. Nils Winsness is on front left sitting and wife is on front right sitting.
Top Right - location of farms
Bottom Right - photo of Singsaas Lutheran Church, Singsaas Norway, 1913