Lars Dragland 1863 - 1907

Lars Olai Olsen Dragland was born July 16, 1863, at Hols Sogn i Tjeldsund, LP, Norway, and his wife Karoline Amalie Gregusdatter (Gregussen) was born January 12, 1863. They were married July 17, 1883, in Norway. Their sixth child, Emil Atlanteen (AKA. Emil Larson), was born as they crossed the Atlantic Ocean to come to the United States to start a new life as land owners. They first homesteaded in Steele County, North Dakota, but soon moved to another homestead in Field Township in nearby Nelson County.

The house Lars built for his family on the farm is still standing, but barely. The house has not been occupied since Chris Dragland, Lars' second-born son, had to sell the farm in 1954 to satisfy some bank loans. No other original buildings remain; there are only foundations for the barn, garage, grainery, and chicken coop. North Dakota has expereinced much more rain than normal in the last decade or so, and as a result, about half of Lars and Karoline's homestead is now what North Dakotans call sloughs. The land was very marginal, at best, for farming.

Both Lars and Karoline, plus their daughter Hilma, are buried at the Our Saviors Luthern Chruch graveyard which is located about 2 miles south and east of where they homesteaded. Committing suicide, Lars died in 1907 at the homestead and Karoline died in 1935 in Fargo, North Dakota; where, for years, she had been in the care of their youngest son, Kaare Dragland.

Their Children were:

1. Olaf Marselius Dragland, 1884 - 1964
2. Kristian (Chris) Adolf Dragland, 1885 - 1973, married: Ansoph Krogh, 1897 - 1964
3. Lotte Kaspara Olsen (Dragland), 1887 - 1890
4. Daniel Mikal Nikolai Dragland, 1889 - 1965, married: Ethel Mae Thomas
5. Lind Kristofus Dragland, 1890 - 1966, married: Genna Bakke
6. Emil Alanteen Dragland, 1892 - ?, married: Marie
7. Ragnhild Nikoline Dragland, 1894 - 1975
8. Hilma Dragland, 1896 - 1919
9. Lydia Kristofa Dragland, 1898 - 1975, married: Thorvald Andersen Bjerke
10. Agnus H. Dragland, 1900 - ?, married: Calvin Sheerborn
11. Karrol (Karre) Dragland, 1902 - 1992, married: Ruth Hegerberg
12. Emma Dragland, 1904 - ?, married: Frank Huckins



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