John Swenson Aas

John Swenson Aas

Tydal, Sor Trondelag, Norway

Norman County History Book

John Swenson Aas Family History

John Swenson Aas was born in Tydal Norway on April 8, 1836. His parents

were Sven and Elizabeth Swenson. In 1860 at the age 24 he was united in

marriage to Anna Elizabeth Olson, born in Trondheim, Norway on September

26, 1837. After their marriage they lived in Trondheim in the county of

Aas. Before leaving their native land the name Aas was added to their

name.

In 1866 they immigrated to this country with their three sons, Ole, Sam,

and Engebright. The ocean voyage was rough but with their strong faith

and trust in God they come to Lansing, Iowa where they resided until

1874. They then moved to Lake Park, Minnesota and lived there a short

time before coming to Flom Township, Norman County. Here they

homesteaded in Section 32 where they lived the rest of their life. A

daughter Lena was born in this country.

John Swenson was an ardent pioneer worker with a strong and rugged

constitution. As time progressed he built a home for his family, and

then helped build a church. Before the church was built, they held

services in their homes, often without a pastor. A pastor was called to

serve their new church.

With the coming of more settlers it was easier for Anna, his wife, to

get together with other women to help sew, and shoulder each other's

trials and hardships, of which there were many. The Indians settled

there also, and when treated kindly, proved to be friendly neighbors.

Anna was the first Ladies Aid President of the Immanuel Church in 1880.

A group of ladies from the surrounding neighborhood came in lumber

wagons, walked, and carried their children, or pushed them in

pushmobiles to the Swenson home. Mrs. John Nysetvold was

secretary-treasurer, with Reverend Nykrem as their pastor. The first

twenty-five cents was given by John Homervick of Lake Park, Minnesota.

From this time the Ladies Aid met regularly at homes and school houses.

The afternoons were spent knitting, crocheting and quilting. These

articles later were sold and the money used to further the work of the

Ladies Aid.

John's and Anna's eldest son Ole, born in 1859, never married and died

at an early age in 1896. Sam, born in 1861, married Josephine Skofstad.

They had five sons, Ernest, Clarenc, Arthur, Sidney and Orin and one

daughter Edith. Sam died in 1930, Lena, born in 1877, married Edward

Syverson of Ulen, Minnesota. They lived in St. Paul, Minnesota and had

one daughter, Evelyn. Lena died in 1944.

Engebrigt (Ed), was born September 1, 1865. His boyhood days were spen

in Lansing, Iowa and Lake Park, Minnesota, where he began confirmation

instructions. Later they moved to Flom Township where he continued his

instruction, but often had to walk from Flom to Lake Park crossing the

Buffalo River to get there. He was a member of the first confirmation

class held in Ulen, Minnesota in 1881. It took place in Arne Evan's log

cabin located on a farm on the river bank a short distance northwest of

Ulen.

As a boy, Engebrigt and his brothers made friends with the Indians. The

Indians would often pitch their tents on the farm and come to the house

to ask for food. Most of them were friendly and when the boys' parents

went for supplies, which sometimes took several days, they visited with

the Indians.

Engebrigt (later known as Ed) returned to Norway because of ill health,

but came back in 1902 and was united in marriage to Katherine Veum.

Katherine was born in Aurland, Norway March 14, 1884. She was the eldest

daughter of Torsten and Ann Veum. Katherine came from a family of five

girls and three boys. She was sixteen years old when she came to America

with an uncle, aunt, and cousins. She worked for some of her cousins

until her marriage to Ed. They made their home with Engebrigt's parents

and cared for them. Engebrigt's father reached the age of ninety-eight

lacking only ten days of his ninety-ninth birthday. He died in 1935 and

Anna in 1923.

Katherine and Ed had nine children. Mrs. Eddie (Anna) Erickson of Twin

Valley, Minnesota, Mrs. Art (Cora) Olson of Santa Cruz, California, John

of Ulen, Minnesota, Mrs. Victor (Mabel) Brabender, Mrs. William T.

(Selma) Meyer, and Arnt all of Moorhead, Minnesota. Lawrence of Twin

Valley, Minnesota. Norman of Dilworth, Minnesota and Mrs. Lester (Alpha)

Gunnerson of Ada, Minnesota.

Katherine was a very devoted and busy mother, bringing up a large

family, canning, sewing, knitting, and helping with outdoor chores,

besides being a good friend and concerned neighbor. She was active in

church work, the president of her Ladies Aid, and on many committees.

In 1943 Katherine and Ed retired from the farm and moved to Moorhead,

Minnesota. Their oldest son, John, bought the farm: and he and his wife

Bernice, still live there.

After moving to Moorhead, Katherine received her Life Membership from

the Womens Missionary Federation of the N.I.C.A. In 1952 they celebrated

their Golden Wedding anniversary with an open house at the Immanuel

Church, where they were Charter Members.

Ed Swenson died March 29, 1956 at the age of ninety-one. Katherine lived

alone doing little favors for friends and her children. She loved to

help others and this is what made her most happy. In 1967, she became

ill and spent some time in the hospital. After that, she was unable to

live alone and is now residing at the Lutheran Memorial Nursing Home in

Twin Valley.

John Swenson Aas Obituary

With the death on Tuesday, March 26th of John Swenson Aas, of Flom

township, the county loses not only one of its pioneer settlers, but a

resident whose age of 98 years, 11 months and 21 days, at the time of

his death, is believed to be greater than that of any other resident of

the county now living.

John Swenson Aas was born in Tydal, Norway April 8th, 1836 and he spent

his years of childhood and youth in Norway. In the year 1860 he was

united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Olson. Six years later they

emigrated to America, settling in Iowa. they came to the state of

Minnesota in 1874, making their home at Lake PArk for two years before

taking a homestead in Flom Township where he resided until his death.

His wife and two sons, Ole and Sam, have preceded him beyond. One

daughter Mrs. Ed Syverson of St. Paul and one son Ed Swenson of Flom are

now living to mourn the loss of a dear father. There are also 16

grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Mr. Swenson had been in his usual good health until a few minutes before

his death when he had complained of felling faint. He passed away on

Tuesday morning, March 26, and had he lived until April 8th he could

have celebrated his 99th birthday.

Funeral services were conducted on Saturday March 30 at the Immanuel

Church of which he was a charter member. Many were present to pay their

last repects. Rev. A.H. Amundson officiated and preached an impressive

funeral sermon in both the Norwegian and English languages. The Aspelund

choir sang beautifully, "Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross" and "Softly the

Daylight Fadeth". A number of memorial gifts were given by relatives and

neighbors in his memory.

Six grandsons, Ernest, Clarence, Arthur, John, Arnt and Lawrence Swenson

acted as pallbearers.

Those from a distance who attended were Mr. and Mrs. Ed Syverson of St.

Paul, Mr. and Mrs. Curfman of Detroit Lakes, Minn., Mr. and Mrs.

Clarence Swenson, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Asleson and Charley Syverson of

Ulen and Mr. and Mrs. Victor Brabender of Ada.

Ada Index

Contributed by Margit Bakke