Ingeborg Halvorsdtr. Bergva and their 4 children to their "Vesterheim” (western home). Amund was 46, Ingeborg 45 and Helga 12 when they arrived in America. The following year at least part of the family settled near Calmar in Winneshiek Co. To date no further trace of Amund and Ingeborg has been found. It is likely they died in southern Wisconsin in 1850 or 1851.

The Bekkhus place on the Seljordheia near Seljord, Telemark, as it looked when Jorgen Olazsson Bekkhus and family emigrated in 1850. Brook from which Bekkhus (brook house) gets its name in foreground. Painted by Kari Dale, rural Seljord.

Helga remained in Winneshiek Co. from 1851-1856. On 18 Aug 1855 Helga married Soren Nilsen Bliksrud (b. 1834, Hakadal, Norway). They were married by Pastor Vilhelm Koren. Soren left Norway 2 Apr 1853 and settled in Winneshiek Co. Soren and Helga are listed as living in Washington Twp. in the 1856 special census.

Soren and Helga left Iowa for River Falls, Pierce Co., Wl in 1856. In Wisconsin Soren and Helga Americanized their names to Sam and Caroline Helga Nelson. Sam had learned the shoe and leather trade in Hakadal. He set up a thriving boot and shoe business in River Falls in 1860.

Sam and Caroline Helga had 12 children: Alfred Martin (9 May 1857-17 Apr 1929); Clara Nelson Brown (b. 1859-d. Wilkes-Barre, PA); Nellie Nelson Nott (b. 1861-d. Rochester, MN, m. Wm. J. Nott); George (b. 1863, lived Kensal, ND); Willie (b. 1865-died young); Ida Belle (b. 1867, lived Rice Lake, Wl); Annie Nelson (b. 1869-drown 1873); Eva Sarah Nelson (13 Jan 1871-16 Sep 1942, m. Gilbert Norseng); John Herbert (b. 1873, lived Minot, ND); Theodore (8 May 1875-13 Mar 1905); Norval (b. about 1877-died in infancy); and Ruth Besse (b. 4 Jul 1878-d. 1950's Rice Lake, Wl). All the children were born in River Fails.

The Nelsons were members of the Methodist Church. Sam Nelson died 11 Sep 1894; Caroline died Sep 1909.

Sam and Caroline Helga’s oldest son, Alfred Martin Nelson, spent his entire life in River Falls where he had a painting and decorating business. Alfred married Anna Davis Baker Pierce (b. 1858, Gilman, IL). Anna was an artist. Their first child, Sarah Lillian, was born 8 Jul 1891. Lillian attended Normal School in River Falls and then taught in Jackson, MN, North Dakota, White Bear Lake, MN, and Austin, MN. In Jackson Lillian and some friends attended a dance one Saturday night. The following Monday they were summoned to the Superintendent’s office, reprimanded and told their employment would be terminated if they repeated the offense.

Lillian married Doty George Rupert (b. 4 Apr 1887, River Falls) 1 Dec 1928 in the chapel of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, Minneapolis, MN. George had farmed for 20 years before marrying. After he married, he had an auto repair garage in River Falls. In the 1940’s George started his own plumbing and farm water system business. He ran this business until retiring at 65.

George and Lillian’s son, James D. Rupert, was named 'Jimmy Davis Rupert” after a friend, but the individual who registered the birth at the Pierce County Courthouse in Ellsworth apparently did not think Jimmy” was an appropriate first name, so he became James.”

From an early age James had a passionate interest in and a superior aptitude for foreign languages. He has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in French, German and Norwegian. His most recent degree is from the University of Minnesota. He has also participated in graduate work in French at Laval University in Quebec and in German Summer School, Middlebury College, VT James’ 2 years in the US Army were spent as a teacher and Battalion interpreter in Germany.

At Korsmyr (a marsh where a cross was set up) above Bekkhus near Seljord and Kviteseid, Telemark, Norway. On left is Olga Nordboe dressed in 150-year-old dress such as emigrants to US might have worn. Jim Rupert's hand rests on remains of the tree which fell on and killed his great great great grandfather, Jorgen Olavsson Bekkhus in 1846 at Korsmyr above Bekkhus place.

On 23 Jun 1962 James married Alberta “Bert” Louise Luke  at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Eveleth. Alberta attended high school and junior college in Eveleth. She graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth with a degree in elementary education. Alberta continued her studies in Library Science at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. She is on the