Anderson, Ellen Marie (1865-1950)

ANDERSON, TJERNAGEL, CHRISTENSON, THOMPSON, REISETTER

Posted By: Colleen Ossman (email)
Date: 8/1/2007 at 19:22:53

Mrs. B. A. Anderson Passes Away after Lingering Illness

Mrs. Bendick Anderson died Friday at her home in Randall.

Funeral services were conducted Monday afternoon by the Rev. A.J. Bringle at North St. Petri Church and interment was made in Mamreland Cementery. Casketbearers were Ed Erickson, S.M. Teigland, P.J. Okland, Willie Wicks, Halvor Okland, and Manley Hetland.

Mrs. Anderson had been ill for about a year, and bedfast about five weeks. She was the last to pass away of a family of eleven children.

Ellen Marie, daughter of Endre and Julia Christenson Tjernagel, pioneer School township residents, was born Sept. 22, 1865. She was baptized by Rev. Nils Amlund, and confirmed by Rev. C.B. Jacobson at St. Petri Church.

She attended rural school and had a term of study at Jewell Lutheran College, then took a short course of musical instruction at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. Later she had vocal instruction for a year from the noted singer, Mrs. Valborg Hovind Stub, in Minneapolis.

Having a fine soprano voice she took active part in congregational singing and choir work, assisting occasionally at concerts. She served as the first organist in North St. Petri Church.

On April 17, 1892, she was married to Bendick Anderson Tjernagel. They continued to live at the homestead until 1905 when they bought and established a home at the Ole Sandness place, east of Randall. Having no children of their own they adopted Amos Thompson, 4 and later Beatrice Anderson,2. Those children received good home training and opportunities for local schooling, both public and parochial. Beatrice died a few years ago. Amos continued operating the farm after his adopted parents moved to Randall in 1926. Their labors having met with success, the foster parents were enabled to live in comfort during their declining years, even to the extent of making two pleasurable trips to Norway.

Mrs. Anderson is survived by her husband, her adopted son and family, and the children of Beatrice Reisetter.

[Obituary (May 1950) found among Anna Olava Hia Buckels’ papers.]