At one time he owned the lot about where Motel Midtown now stands in Decorah.

Martin settled near Harmony after he attended Breckenridge College in Decorah. At one time he worked in Tacoma, WA shipyards as a draftsman. On 8 May 1907 Martin married Louise Nelson, the 4th child of Austin and Carrie Nelson of Harmony. Austin and Carrie’s children were: Augusta (Mrs. Edwin Maland), Bessie, Henry, John, Anna, Aleada and Louise (b. 27 Dec 1876).

Martin and Louise Bergan had 3 sons: Haldor A., born 1 Sep 1908, R. Allard, born 11 Dec 1911, and Kenneth N., born 24 Mar 1915.

Louise and Martin Bergan

After WWI and a recession the family moved to Decorah, IA in 1923. There they rented the Stovewood house, now at Vesterheim Museum. Martin was custodian of the Luther College gymnasium until his retirement. During WWII Martin worked at Ingvolstad Lumber yard as a carpenter and later as a repairman at Luther College. All 3 sons of Martin and Louise are Luther College graduates.

Hal was band director in several schools and had his bands in at least 2 inaugural parades in Washington, D.C. His wife is Lucille Aird, also a teacher. They have one son Clifton Aird Bergan. Allard married Feme White 10 Jun 1938. Allard attended the School of Mines, Soccoro, NM, was an officer in the Navy in WWII and after the war got an electrical engineering degree from Texas Tech. Ken graduated from Luther College in 1938. In Dec 1938 he married Vivian F. Hamre, a senior at Luther. After graduation in spring 1939 Ken taught in Garnavillo, IA for 2 years-then on to Chicago, Boston (U.S. Navy WWII) and eventually Minneapolis, MN.

Louise in her later years became very frail and nearly blind. She died 7 Jun 1953 in her home. Martin lived on in their home making violins and violas. He sang in the Luren until 1967. In Dec 1967 he was hospitalized and died 23 Jan 1968.

Bergan, Ole and Kari (Skroviken)

(Michael Bergan)

Ole Larson Bergan came to Winneshiek Co. with his brother Knud Larson Bergan from Dane Co., Wl in the fall of 1850. They followed the path of their cousin, Anders O. Lomen, who came with the first group of Norwegians to Winneshiek Co. earlier the same summer. They settled on Washington Prairie on the northern edge of Spring-field Twp. Ole and Knud eventually purchased land next to each other and established their farms. They and their families became members of the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church and were part of an active Norwegian community.

Ole was born in Vestre Slidre, Valdres, Norway 16 Mar 1825. He was the son of Lars Alvson (Lomen) and Ingeborg Knutsdtr Loken. Ole was engaged to Kari Knudsdtr Skroviken in 1847. Karie was the daughter of Knute Olson Rebne and Ragndi Olsdtr Ulven, born 7 Apr 1828.

On 10 Apr 1848 Ole left Valdres with his brother Knud, his sister Berte and her husband Evenson Hoyme and other members of the Hoyme family. The party from Valdres traveled north over the mountain to the Sognfjord and then on to Bergen. Seventy-five passengers departed 4 May 1848 on the ship Statsraad Vogt and arrived in New York 3 Jul 1848. The immigrants traveled the Hudson River, the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Milwaukee. From Milwaukee many traveled to the Koshkonong area near Madison, Wl. At the time Ole left Norway Kari was expecting a child. A daughter was born 10 Aug 1848 in Vestre Slidre, Valdres and named Ingeborg Olsdtr Bergan.

Ole Larson Bergan (1825-1905)

Ole joined the earlier Norwegian immigrants in the area, working and learning about farming in America. In 1850 a group of Norwegians made plans to find land in western Wisconsin. The group made an exploration west and