Gulbrand O. Mellem

MELLEM

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 1/29/2019 at 16:21:48

Gulbrand O. Mellem

In the early summer of 1853, a party of four men left the infant settlement of Scandinavians, that was about to be planted in Mitchell County, that year, by the Rev. C. L. Clausen, at St. Ansgar, and journeyed westward. Bold Vikings, of that northland race, that centuries ago overrun all medieval Europe, and left their trace on all our later civilization, these adventurers came into Worth County and settled on the land, making the first settlement within its boundaries. These men were Gulbrand O. Mellem, Aslak Larsen, Lars Aslaksen and Ole Faergerbaken. Lars and his son, Lars, took up a claim at or near the grove above Northwood, and after helping Mr. Mellem to put up his house, got out the timbers for their own cabin, dug the cellar and did some breaking. But growing discontented, went back to St. Ansgar, to work on the saw-mill, at that place, and never returned. Faergerbaken did not make any claim, but being unwilling to settle so far in advance of the actual settlements returned to Mitchell County, settling at Rock Creek. But G. O. Mellem had come to stay, and taking up a claim on section 32, which embraced a portion of the present site of the town of Northwood, and the water power adjacent, with the intention of opening up a farm and improving the power when circumstances permitted. Here, with the aid of his two or three companions, he built a large cabin, comfortable and commodious within, strong and secure without. That summer he did some little toward tilling the land, ploughing up the virgin soil of the prairie that had lain untouched through the lapse of centuries. After the department of the co-voyagers, who had come with them, for the settlement at St. Ansgar, Mr. Mellem and his young wife settled down to pass the long and dreary winter far from the haunts of man, far from the companionship of their fellow creatures. Here in his log cabin, eighteen miles from their nearest neighbor, was born to them a son, the first child in the county. The little stranger was warmly welcomed and the name of Ole given to him. Now these fond parents no longer dreaded their loneliness, for they had the companionship of this child, whos infantile movements were a constant source of joy and content. The wind blew and whirled the snow in wreaths and drifts without, throughout that long and cheerless winter, but they heeded it not, for they were warm within and were content to watch, with tenderness, the growth of their boy.
Mr. Mellem is a native of Norway, and was born in Hollingdahl, in that country, the 13th day of November, 1829. For a few of the earlier years of his life he was a shepherd, among his native hills, but his parents having emigrated to this country, in 1845, set him thinking that he would like to follow suit, so in 1849 he set sail for the New World. His parents had, in the meanwhile, settled in Rock Co., Wis., and thither he directed his steps. He stayed with the old folks about a year, when, having a desire to see the world, he, during the winter, worked on the lower Mississippi River, rafting, etc., visiting the southern states of Mississippi and Louisiana in particular. During the summer months he was back in Wisconsin, working on a farm. In the fall of 1852 he united in marriage with Caroline Evanson, also a native of Norway, and in the following spring he came, with the Rev. C. L. Clausen and the Scandinavian colony, to St. Ansgar. Not liking the show for a farm, he, in company with his companions, as stated, came on about eighteen miles further west and settled. He had made several removals since he has been in the county, but has always resided within its limits. He is still living on section 31, in Northwood Township, as fine a specimen of a landed proprietor and as genial a soul as one would wish to meet. Fortune had dealt fairly with him, and as the result of many years of toil and exposure, he can point to his many farms scattered throughout the county with pride. Source: History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1884, p.540-541

G. O. Mellem and wife were the first pioneers of Northwood and Worth coun­ty. They set­tled on a claim which now com­prises the south­west corner of the city of Northwood in the summer of 1853 For the first year the nearest white neighbor was 18 miles away. Their son, Ole Mellem, was born, in 1853, being the first white child born in Worth county.
G. O. Mellem was born in Hollingdal, Norway Nov. 18, 1829. He came to America in 1849 and spent one year in Rock county, Wiscon­sin, after which he worked for a time as a rafts­man on the Miss­issippi river. He was married to Caroline Evanson in 1852.
Mr. and Mrs. Mellem were alone in Worth county at the time of the indian massacre at Blue Earth, Minn. The indians invaded the lone cabin and for a time it looked as though the family would be wiped out, but they finally departed, having done nothing more serious than to make some grewsome demonstrations.The Mellem home was the nucleus around which the first settlement was built. New comers were generally from their native Norwegian province or from Rock coun­ty, Wisconsin, where the had formerly lived. If the set­tlers were able to build all well and good, if not they were welcome to dwell in the Mellem home. And the fact that little ones came to bless that home at least every other year, did not abate the cheerful hospitality of these big hearted pioneers.Mr. Meilem died on the 31st day of August, 1891, and Mrs. Mellem on the 14th day of September, 1904.
There were 10 children as follows: O. G. Mellem, Chas. Mellem, Lewis Mellem, Mrs. G. A. Lee, Mrs. T. C. Rone, all of Northwood: Andrew Mellem, St. Paul, Minn.; Minnie Mellem, Minneapolis, Minn.; E. G. Mellem, Glenwood, Minn.; Gus Mellem, Wynmire, N. D.; Mrs. H. A. Frycelie, Flasher, N. D.
Source: The Semi-Centennial Souvenir of Northwood, Iowa, 1907, page 4.

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