Wennes, Edgar and Cora (Brunsvold)

(Sylvia Wennes)

Edgar Rudolph Wennes was born in Highland Twp. on 13 Sep 1893. He was the son of Ole Lewis and Caroline Larson Wennes. Edgar had 4 brothers; Carl, Peter, Nels and Theodore, and 2 sisters; Jennie and Thilda.

Edgar married Cora Clarissa Brunsvold 6 Oct 1920 at Big Canoe Lutheran Church, Decorah, IA. Cora had 4 sisters; Julia, Lena, Olga and Alice, and 2 brothers; Truman and George.

Edgar and Cora had one son Curtis Ellsworth, who was born at Spring Grove, MN. Curtis went to school at Hesper, IA and Mabel, MN. He married Rosalind Sylvia Wirth 28 Sep 1947 at Big Canoe Lutheran Church, Decorah. Curtis and Sylvia have 4 children: 3 sons; Gary Lea, Randy Scott and Tony Dale, and one daughter, Connie Lou. Gary and Arlene E. Nelson are the parents of Curtis Alvin (deceased) and Tracy Lea. Gary and Margaret (Bratland) Amunrud were parents of Timothy Gary. Tracy's son is Jordan Wayne. Gary lives in Tigard, OR. Connie and Lyle Amdahl have 2 daughters, Anita Kaye and Terri Lynn. Connie, Lyle and girls live in Fountain Hills, AZ. Randy and Julie have 2 daughters. Sarah Ann and Kristen Kay. Randy, Julie and girls live in Hesper, IA. Tony and Janet have one son Joshua Curtis and one daughter Taylor Rosalind. Tony, Janet and children live in Hesper, IA.

Edgar and Cora farmed all their married life in the Hesper area. Edgar was a member of the ASCS committee for 20 years, a veteran of World War I, and member of the American Legion Post #299 for 60 years. He was an agent for Norwegian Mutual Life Ins. from 1951 to 1978 and a long time member and trustee of the Hesper Lutheran Church.

Edgar died 2 Apr 1980 and Cora died 25 Apr 1971. They are buried in the Hesper Lutheran Cemetery.

Edgar will always be remembered for having time for visiting with family and friends, his quiet humor, and his love for the family.

Wennes, Erik and Karen (Lindahl)

(Lois Harris Hussey)

Erik Wennes and Karen Lindahl

Erik L. Wennes was born 28 Jan 1830 on the Veines farm in Kvam and Stod Parish in Nord-Trondelag, Norway. His parents were Lars Pederson Grotan and Beret Storkersdtr. On 28 Jun 1858 he married Karen Lindahl of Lofoten, Norway. They came to America in 1859 and farmed in Hesper Twp.

Karen Lindahl Wennes and Halseth granddaughters.
Left to right, in back: Josephine Halseth, Karen Lindahl and Christina Halseth.
In front: Emelia Halseth.

Erik was a half-brother of Peder Wennes who came to America in 1850 and settled on the Wennes farm in Highland in 1854. A granddaughter of Peder remembers Erik as a kind, gentle man who used to have round, white pepermint candies with xxxx's on each one for the children. After he retired, he moved to a small cottage in Hesper. His hobby was repairing clocks and watches. Karen died in 1908; Erik died 1912.

Children of Erik and Karen were: Laura (b.1860), Eddie (b.1864) Caroline (b. 1866), Petra Elizabeth (b. 1868), Julia (b. 1870) and Heddora (b. 1877). They had 4 grandchildren: Christina, Josephine and Emelia, daughters of Laura and Ellert Halseth and Theodora, daughter of Julia Sorenson. Theodora married Ole Sanden and had two sons.

Laura married Ellert Halseth in 1877. When Laura died in 1888, Erik and Karen helped Ellert raise his children. Christina married Jorgen Dahl and lived in Fairview, MT Children were: Louella (m. Helge Helgeson), Edna (m. Louis Thorbjemson) and Jergen. Josephine married Emil Guinell and lived in Spring Grove where he had a dry goods store. They had one child: Laura (m. Eldred Rauk).

Emelia married Ole Pederson of Goehner, NE. They moved from Nebraska to Lanesboro, MN and then to the Erik Wennes farm east of Hesper when Erik retired. Emelia and Ole had 4 daughters: Lula, Christina, Josephine and Ollie, and a son Emil who died as an infant. They moved to a farm just south of Hesper after Erik’s death in 1912. Ole died from flu complications in 1919. Emelia and the girls moved to Decorah. Lula and Christina worked at the