WAMSTAD, Ole [b: 1846]

WAMSTAD, PETERSON, FIELD

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 8/2/2010 at 15:29:11

Ole Wamstad was born October 9, 1846 at the Wamstad farm near Jaren, Norway the son of Ole Larson Wamstad and wife Berthe Thorsteins daughter Gagnum. He left Norway in 1864 at the age of eighteen to come to America. First settling in Wisconsin, then to Minnesota and Iowa, working on farms during the summer and attending school during the winter.

He came to Mitchell County, Iowa in 1869 in company with his sister and family the Gulbrand Gulbrandsen's from the Decorah Iowa area. He was one of the first settlers in the western part of Cedar Township, purchasing eighty acres of land June 24, 1869, section 16-97-18, from the state of Iowa.

On June 2, 1872 he was united in marriage to Carriene Peterson, daughter of Peder Bjorn Olsen an wife Kari Isachs daughter. She was born on the Roseland farm near Kragero, Norway on October 14, 1846. She came to America in 1860, residing in Michigan and Wisconsin until she came to Iowa. In America she changed her name to Peterson.

They were parents of six children: Berthe Marie, born May 23, 1873; Carl Oscar, born March 13, 1875; Lawrence O., born January 26, 1879; Clara Olive, born October 25, 1884; and Milton Bernhard, born February 3, 1889.

When they retired from farming they moved to Osage, Iowa. After the death of his wife on January 29, 1930, Mr. Wamstad moved to Parma, Idaho where tow of his children were living, his remaining years were spent there.

His youngest son Milton Wamstad, became the owner of the farm after the death of his father. Milton Wamstad was united in Marriage to Mina Field on June 10, 1914 the daughter of Martin and Gunhild Field. They were parents of two children, M. Eugene and Adelaid, who married Vernon Larson on June 19, 1939.

M. Eugee Wamstad became the owner of the farm in 1963 after the death of his father and is the present owner. Eugene Wamstad was united in marriage to Ruth McDonald, daughter of Judson and Nora McDonald on February 5, 1946

[ By Ruth Wamstad, "Mitchell County History," p. 451, published 1989 ]