bought the farm in 1836 but he got America fever and sold the farm. In 1840 he set sail on the Emily a creaky old ship. During a storm some timbers came loose, dropping the upper berths on the lower ones. Passage from Drammen to New York cost 33 Norwegian specie dallers and meals cost 12 spd. It cost $13to go to Milwaukee by canal boat and lake steamer. Ole first settled in Wl. His mother Kari and half-brother Helge Nilsen came the next year. His other half-brother Asle Nilsen came and worked in the lead mines; however he went back to Norway and was married there. Ole used the name Ole M. Aslesen then. He donated logs and helped to build the Muskego Church. He was one of the signers of the Muskego Manifesto. During the cholera epidemic of 1849 Ole tended the sick, made coffins and helped to bury the dead. He married Turi, a widow with 3 children, whose husband Petter Blekeberg died of cholera.

Ole Myran family, taken late 1880's. Standing Helge, Ole, Gunder and Andres. Seated: Asle, Ole, Ingrid and Eli.

In 1851 Ole went on foot to Winneshiek Co. When he bought land in Madison Twp. he knew of no white man to the west of his farm. After he had cut down trees to build his log house he planted corn between the stumps. He used an ax to cut a gash in the sod. Then he dropped in 3 or 4 kernels of corn which he had soaked overnight for faster germination. He carried water from a spring a quarter of a mile away.

Ole and Turi had a son Asle. Turi and a baby daughter died in 1854. In 1856 Ole married Ingri Helgesdtr who was born in 1825 on the South Skare farm in Eggedal. She had come to America in 1852. Ole’s brother Helge bought the adjacent farm. Ole’s half-brother Asle came back from Norway along with his wife and family. Their sister Ingeborg came with her husband Ole Saueton and 2 children. After living in IA a few years Ole started using the name Ole A. Myran. Helge and Asle changed their name from Nilsen to Myran. Turi's former brothers-in-law also settled there. The Myrans and Blekebergs had been neighbors in Norway and now were neighbors in IA.

Church services were held in Ole’s cabin whenever the circuit minister came. Ole helped to build the Madison Lutheran Church on the high hill where he had pitched his tent when he first arrived. Several times Ole and his family were frightened by Indians. One time they heard of Indians coming their way and fled, leaving the farm in the charge of a hired man. He was willing to stay and take care of the stock because he had found a good hiding place. The Indians were turned back in MN so the family returned to the farm.

During the Civil War Ole’s step-son enlisted in the Norwegian Regiment, He used the name Syver Pederson and was 15 years, 4 months old. He was out in the sun and rain, heat and cold, dust and knee deep mud, often with no tents, fire or food. He was captured at the Battle of Chickamauga 7 days after his 17th birthday. He died of exposure and starvation at Andersonville Prison 8 days before his 18th birthday.

Ole's step-daughters married and lived in MN. Boel married Halvor Slette and Gunhild married Bjorn Aslesen. Asle, Ole’s son from his first marriage, married Mari Braaten. They lived in Ridgeway for a while. They lived in the states of IA, MN, SD, ND and WA.

Ole and Ingri had 6 children. The first Eli died at age 2. Helge married Kjersti Ramstad. He homesteaded in Dakota Territory a few years but came back to the home farm. Ole and ELdid not marry. Gunder married Gunda Hartz and lived in Manchester, MN. Anders did not marry. He lived in Ridgeway.

Ingri died in 1892 and Ole in 1894. They were buried at Madison Lutheran Cemetery.

Myren, Halvor and Ottilie (Clement) and Maud (Van Wey) (Peck)

(Ruth Allen)

Halvor Myren was born 20 May 1879 in Kristiansund (Oksendal) Norway, the son of Erik and Margrethe (Meisal) Myren. Halvor had one brother Peder born 13 May 1877. Peder worked in the gold mines in Alaska and also for a shipping company in Seattle, WA. He died in Seattle about 1914. Halvor and Peder had one sister Kari born 23 Nov 1887. Kari and Amt Helland were married in Glendive, MT 3 Nov 1909. She died 27 Sep 1910, one day after the birth of their daughter Carrie.

Halvor came to the United States in Apr 1899. Rev. Vilhelm Koren was his sponsor; he lived with the Koren family for some time. He made one return trip to Norway to visit his parents in 1909. His return to the United States in Mar 1910 was aboard the ship Lusitania. Halvor became a citizen of the United States 30 Jan 1906. He lived his life in Winneshiek Co.

On 8 May 1912 he was united in marriage to Ottilie Clement. She died 19 Feb 1923. Halvor was a butter-maker in Nordness. There he met Maud (Van Wey) Peck who had moved there to work as a telephone operator and raise her 2 young sons, Roland and Upton Peck. Their father Dan had died 5 Feb 1921. Halvor and Maud were married 4 Aug 1924. They then moved to a farm near Frankville and lived there for 18 years. Halvor and Maud had two sons and one daughter: Howard Erik (28 Apr 1925-20 Dec 1925); Hartley Milo (9 Apr 1927-31 Mar 1928). Howard and Hartley are buried in the Washington