 The below is from the publication Dauntless Dunn, 1970, Page 179 (Author is Unknown):
"Ole Kittilson was born June 30, 1881 at Rundskogen, Norway — a son of Kittil Kveinspladsen and Martha Gulbransdatter. He was confirmed into the Lutheran faith in 1896.
On March 10, 1902 he left his native country and sailed for America. He sailed on the Cunard-Nener, Ivernia. He arrived in Boston, Massachusetts on March 23rd and came to Hatton, N. Dak [Traill County], five days later.
He attended schools at Ada, Minn. [Norman County] and also attended Concordia College at Moorhead, Minn [Clay County]. He learned the English language and it is believed that he learned about electricity and telephone line while at Concordia. He was the oldest and tallest of the students.
Following his schooling, he worked as a telephone man at Bemidji, Minn. [Beltrami County]. In the year 1908 he came to Taylor, N. Dak. [Stark County] and worked on the telephone lines which were being built between Taylor and Emerson [Dunn county] and east along the Knife River to Marshall [Dunn County]. He filed his homestead - The N.W.1/4 - 34-143-93. [Unnamed Township 143, Range 93, Section 34] [160 Acres, Filed Claim on 11 March 1914 in the Land Office at Dickinson].
On January 17, 1910 Ole Kittilson was united in marriage to Igna Holm at Ada, Minn. [Father; Torger, Mother; Amalie.] Four children were born to them. Kenneth and Ingvald of Dunn Center and Alma and Edna of Washington state. They lived on their homestead on the Knife River. Some farming was done and Ole continued working with the telephone line.
Ole skied to and from work on the telephone lines, many times because snow was sometimes too deep for horses. They had a buggy and a horse name "Pete." Their chief transportation. Pete was also used as a saddle horse. They also had a team of horses and a few head of cattle. Ole won two prizes for skiing. One a silver beer stien and the other a shaving kit of silver and red velvet.
Inga Kittilson passed away Feb. 11, 1919, the result of the flu and childbirth. She and the baby were buried at the Ridgeway Church Cemetery. That church is still [1970] active and the cemetery is still being used.
After Inga's funeral all of the children went to Halstad, Minn. [Norman County], where they stayed with their grandparents, the Torger Holms. Ole stayed on at the Knife River. After a short time the children all came back to live with Ole.
In the summer of 1919 they lost their home by fire. Ole’s two youngest Ingvald and Edna were playing with a toy iron stove in the attic. Built a fire in it and that started the house on fire. Ole and his two older children were in the field when they noticed fire and smoke coming from the house. They hurried home and found Ingvald and Edna safe but lost most of their personal belongings—having saved very little. They moved into a grainery where they lived for a short time.
In the year 1920 Ole and his four children moved to
Dunn Center. He purchased the 1st post office building of Dunn Center, and moved it just west of Dunn Center where they made their home. They lived there until one by one the children made their own individual homes. While the children were young, they always had a housekeeper to care for them.
During his life at Dunn Center, Ole operated a private telephone company. One office was in Dunn Center, one in Werner and one in Halliday. He had three operators working for him, one in each office. He managed this exchange until the late 30’s.
Some farming was also done on the section of land. Also raised a few cattle and horses. Harvesting was always a joyful time. A woman was always hired to do the cooking during this time. The children enjoyed taking lunches to the men both forenoon and afternoon. Meals were always on time. Dad raised Poland China pigs, lots of them, close to one hundred at a time. Built separate pens for the sows and their litters. If one couldn’t find Ole, one could be sure he would be at the pig pen. He would sit down on the ground beside a sow, scratching her back and cuddling the piglets and watching them. He enjoyed animals and always took good care of them.
Ole did several things during his life time and was never afraid to try anything once.
He ran for County Sheriff once and lost and he had said, "I learned just how many friends I really did have, by that venture". He worked for the Bank of North Dakota a number of years, as land appraiser and hail adjuster. As a hail adjuster he had to color and shade the different losses of a district in the county - according to amount of loss.
This he had to do accurately and neatly as was put on record.
One time while helping a friend campaign for an office, they went to Elbowoods and wanting to cross they found a boat tied to a stake. They took the boat across and upon coming back an Indian buck was waiting for them. The Indian said, "was fifty cents to go and fifty cents to come.” They paid the fee and each went their own ways, happily.
He was a salesman for the first Pullman car in the
community in the year 1916.
Working on the pardon board at the State Prison at
Bismarck was another of Ole's adventures. He managed to shorten the terms of some of the prisoners. As results of these he received letters from several families thanking him for helping them.
Thrashing for neighbors in the community was also done by Ole and his machine for several years. He was the first man to get a New Way Harvester in Dunn County. It made round stacks of grain ready to be thrashed. However, the combines soon took over as the most popular means of harvesting and still [1970] is.
Ole was director of the Farmer’s Union Grain Terminal at St. Paul and Minneapolis for a period of time and was a steady Farmer’s Union customer.
In the late 20’s Ole ran the movie machine for the silent movies in D.C. His children got in free while he was running them. Some of the movies they enjoyed mostly were Jackie Coogan as one of the "Dead End Kids," also Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow, etc. Dad was strict and wanted discipline. Believed that there was a time for joy and a time for seriousness.
We wouldn’t dare laugh at him when something funny
happened to him, anyway not so he would see or hear us. This one time he was cranking his ford, a gust of wind blew his hat off. He stopped cranking to retrieve his hat. Just as he was about to pick it up, another gust would come and blow it a bit farther. After the 3rd attempt he finally got hold of the hat. By this time he was so angry he was almost furious. He took ahold of both sides of his hat and pulled it down over his head, ears and all, and then back to his cranking. We were in the house looking out the window really having a laugh, as he looked so comical.
Ole was a life-time member of the Elks and one of the first members of Normana Lutheran of D.C.
[Note: the following descendants and location information was written in 1970]. Ole’s oldest, Alma, is living in Tacoma, Washington [Pierce County]. She has one daughter and two granddaughters. His second oldest, Kenneth lives in Dunn Center. He has three children and seven grandchildren. His third, Ingvald, has seven children and eight grandchildren. He also lives in D.C. His youngest, Edna of Renton, Washington [King County] has six children and six grandchildren.
Ole Kittilson and Irma Perfett were married at Wibaux, Mont. [Wibaux County] on July 7, 1942. Ole’s children were all married. Irma had three children, Vera, Richard and Irene.
Irma was a school teacher for several years and she continued teaching after marriage. Teaching in Werner and Dunn Center and Plentywood, Montana [Sheridan County].
Getting Lake Ilo built was another of Ole’s dreams
and when it did come to be made he worked at the dam sight. A part of the land which was once his is now [1970] where the dam and spillway are built. He later bought three lots on the north shore of the lake, where he and Irma built their home. They first built a garage and lived there until the house was built. Andy Roosendahl and Ole were chief carpenters for these buildings.
Ole and Irma went west to Seattle to visit Ingvald
and Edna. They enjoyed the coast so much. Irma worked as waitress at Kress’s Dime Store for awhile and then
got a good job in the Mail Order Department at Sears. However, the damp, salty air soon became too much for
Ole in the winter and they then came back to N. Dak. Irma continued to teach school and before her retirement in the year 1962, she received a 25 year pin award for teaching.
Irma was not only a teacher of reading, writing and arithmetic, but also taught chorus in schools and taught piano lessons.
Ole and Irma played for many community events, such
as school programs, Ole Settler picnics, Farmer’s Union meetings, etc. Irma was a wonderful piano player and Ole loved to play the violin. He won an Old Time Fiddlers Contest at Dickinson on the 75th Anniversary on July 3-7, 1957. He played the violin by ear.
They also worked at the Mental Institution at Jamestown, N. Dak. They had many mixed experiences here. One of their outstanding and enjoyable experiences was when asked to play for a dance there. He was to dress as a Hillbilly.
He really enjoyed the event, watching the people dance and enjoyed playing for them. As he said, "We really had a ball!"
During the last two years of teaching they lived at
Plentywood, Mont., during the school months.
They sold their Lake Ilo home to Ingvald and Agnes
Kittilson in June of 1961.
In the late summer of 1962 they went out west and
spent the year. They stayed at Edna’s and Alma’s homes. They enjoyed the weather and climate and it didn’t disagree with Ole as in earlier years. They planned to just relax and travel and enjoy life.
The latter part of June in 1963 they came back to N.
Dak. to visit by jet to Bismarck. They visited two weeks at Ingvald’s and went to Hettinger, N.Dak. [Adams County] and visited Richard Perfetts and Irene Chapins [two of Irma's children by her first marriage to Jacob Martin Perfett for two weeks.
However, on the morning of July 11th, they were involved in a one car accident on Highway 8 near Mott [Hettinger County]. Irma was dead upon arrival at St. Joseph’s Hospital at Dickinson and Ole died on July 13th at St. Joseph’s Hospital. They were on their way back to D.C. to pick up their mail and then they were going to go to Vera’s at Park Rapids,
Minn. [Hubbard County] before returning to Seattle.
Interment for Irma was at Hettinger Cemetery, Hettinger, N. Dak. beside her first husband and interment for Ole was at Ridgeway beside his first wife and baby daughter."
Alma Mary (1910-1996) married Harry Curtis Hull (1908-1952) of Dunn County and they had at least one daughter, Floryce. Alma died in Washington state in 1996 and this writer could not find her burial.
Theodore Kenneth Kittilson (1912-1992) married Louise Kind (1907-1996). Their children included at least Clair, Ardis, and Donald.
Ingvald Oscar (1914-2001) married Agnes Rasmussen (1920-2003). Their children included at least Donna, Gary, Peggy, Ritchie, Jimmy, Bonnie, and Larry.
Edna Goldie (1916-2006) married Conrad Emil Knudson.
Their children included at least Mark, David, Larry, Jane, Gerald, and Dennis.
Inga's Burial Irma's Burial Kenneth's Burial Louise's Burial Ingvald's Burial Agnes' Burial Edna's Burial Conrad's Burial |
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