Anfin Berdahl 1846-1933

BERDAHL, JOHNSON, BERGDAHL, KRUSE, PETERSON, SWEET, STOEFFEL, STOFFEL

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 8/26/2011 at 22:45:40

Anfin O. Berdahl, a pioneer resident of this community, passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Chas. Stouffel Sunday [October 29, 1933] afternoon at 5 o’clock. Mr. Berdahl had been a sufferer from cancer and uremic poisoning for several months but prior to that time had been very active in spite of his 87 years.

Born on April 19, 1846, at Sogen, Norway, Mr. Berdahl came to America 63 years ago. He came to this part of the country with the arrival of the railroads and he had been wont to tell of the times when he drove a team in constructing the right of ways for the lines as they built on across Iowa and into South Dakota. He was for 43 years a farmer in this community retiring about 10 years ago.

He is survived by six children, Ole Berdahl of this community, Mrs. Peter P. Peterson of Forest City, Mrs. Fred Kruse of Graettinger, Mrs. Lewis Sweet and Mrs. Stoeffel of Estherville and Martin Berdahl of Forest City.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at one thirty from the home and at two thirty at the Estherville Lutheran church with the pastor, Rev. L. A. Mathre in charge. Interment will be made in the East Side cemetery. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, October 31, 1933)

Here for Funeral
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Peterson of Forest City, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kruse of Ringsted, Rev. and Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Ed Faell of Emmetsburg were here Wednesday for the funeral of Anfin Berdahl. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, November 2, 1933)

Anfin Berdahl, Last of Stage Coach Drivers
The last survivor of Emmet county stage coach drivers, Anfin Berdahl, 87, was buried this week in the East Side cemetery.

For 11 years when this was still a pioneer country, Berdahl regularly made one trip a day from Estherville to Emmetsburg, carrying mail and passengers in his stage. The trail which he followed was only a faint blaze and in winter it was completely obliterated by snow.

Occasionally an especially severe storm made it impossible for Berdahl to take his coach over the route but every effort was made to maintain his schedule since this was the only means of communication and passenger service between the two towns. Under favorable weather conditions it required about 12 hours to complete the trip.

Only a Settlement
At the time he first started to drive the stage, Estherville consisted of two general stores, a mill, a drug store, a saloon and a few log houses. Berdahl ran a string of traps in a slough which is now Ninth street.

In one winter, Berdahl and Thomas Graham caught more than 7,500 muskrats. The pelts brought an average of eight cents apiece.

During the years that he drove the stage, the thermometer often dropped to 45 degrees below zero. Blizzards, lasting for days, made it virtually impossible to go outside the house. Sometimes Berdahl had to wrap the legs of the coach horses to keep them from freezing.

Born in Norway
Anfin Berdahl was born in Sogen, Norway, April 19, 1846. He came to America in 1886 and settled in Allamakee county. After successive moves to Black Hammer, Wisconsin, Fillmore, Minnesota, he worked on the St. Paul and Omaha railroad at the time wood fired engines were used on the road.

When he came here to drive the stage, he received a dollar a day to take it through all kinds of weather. Passengers were charged two dollars per trip.

Married in 1879
He was married to Una Johnson, of Blue Earth in 1873 and bought a small farm in Center township. Later he entered the livery and dray business in Gruver. Following that he managed a hotel in Odin and after that he entered the junk business. He lived in Sherburn until the death of his wife in 1911.

For six years following the death of his wife, Berdahl lived with a daughter, Mrs. Fred Kruse, and then moved to Estherville where he made his home with another daughter, Mrs. Charles Stoffel until his death.

He is survived by six children, Ole, Martin, Mrs. Peter Peterson, of Forest City, Mrs. Fred Kruse of Jack Creek, Mrs. Lewis Sweet and Mrs. Stoffel, both of Estherville. Three children preceded him in death – Estherville Daily News

(Ed. Note – The trail used by Mr. Bergdahl [Berdahl] was on the east side of the Des Moines river. He passed over the hills east of Graettinger. Near Wallingford he passed the Myhre homestead. Mr. Bergdahl made trips from Estherville to Jackson as well as from Estherville to Emmetsburg. (Graettinger Times, Graettinger, IA, November 9, 1933)