with a degree in Communication in 1994. She has been employed since that time by the Association of Surgical Technologists in Englewood, CA.

John was born 28 Jul 1975. He graduated from the Decorah school system and currently attends Gustavus Adolphus College where he is pursuing a degree in History.

Bio Photo

Lindermalen, Tranas, Sweden: home of Calvin’s grandmother, Christina. John, Jennifer, Betty, Calvin Anderson family visit in June, 1993.

Calvin attended Iowa State University and graduated with a degree in Agricultural Business in 1963. He spent three years as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Field Artillery and then attended the University of Iowa Law School, graduating in 1969. Betty graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, in 1965. She was employed as a Medical Technologist at Hennepin County Hospital in Minneapolis and later at the Veterans Hospital in Iowa City. After graduation, Calvin and Betty moved to Decorah where Calvin joined Paul Strand in the practice of law. Betty worked as a medical technologist at the Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital. Calvin served as Winneshiek County Attorney from 1973-1978 and has continued to practice law in Decorah. He is a partner in the law firm of Anderson, Wilmarth, and Van Der Maaten which also has offices in Ossian and Waucoma, IA.

Anderson, Charles and Karen (Hoye)

(Jim Skurdall)

Charles (Kittel) Anderson was born on 4 Jul 1847 in Boone Co., IL, the fifth of 8 children of Ole Anonsen and Helga Olsdtr. Aakre. Ole and Helga emigrated to the Jefferson Prairie Settlement from Hjartdal, Norway, in 1843. Kittel was named for a son who died as an infant. The Aakre family came to Winneshiek Co. in 1854. Ole had intended to homestead in southern Minnesota, but he died of cholera on 21 Jul 1854, and Helga settled with her family in Glenwood Twp. They were members of the Washington Prairie Church where Kittel was confirmed

by Rev. Vilhelm Koren. (See Ole Anonsen Aakre story.)

On 28 Jun 1870, Charles married Karen Mortensdtr. Hoye, with Professor FA. Schmidt, pastor at Plymouth Rock Lutheran Church and a faculty member at Luther College, officiating. Karen was born on 6 Apr 1846, on the Hoye farm in Ringebu, Norway, the eldest of 10 children of Morten Hansen and Anne Olsdtr. Hoye. For 21 years her world had been her farm, situated high on the east slope of Gudbrandsdalen, and the “steer” farm in the Ringbu Mountains, with its magnificent views of the Rondane and Jotunheimen mountain ranges. In 1867 she emigrated to Fillmore Co., MN, the first of 6 siblings to come to America.

Less than 3 weeks before they were married, Charles paid $1200 for a 120 acre farm in Orleans Twp., Sec. 35, not far southwest of the Orleans Church. Eight children were born at this farm, the first 2 dying in infancy. In 1885 Charles purchased a 200 acre farm in Sec. 13 northeast of Ridgeway for $4500. He sold it in 1914 to Louis Biel, and it is now owned by Bob Ryan. The Andersons continued to prosper here at this farm, and 2 children were added to the family. Charles was very fond of horses. Once when firecrackers exploded at a Fourth of July celebration in Ridgeway, his team bolted and thundered down Main Street, scattering everyone in its path, before making a beeline back to the farm. The story was still told at family celebrations 75 years later.

Bio Photo

Karen Hoye Anderson (1846-1912), ca 1870's.

Karen made 2 return trips to the Hoye farm in Ringbu, Norway, and she is remembered to this day in stories told there by descendants of her sister, Ahne, who inherited the farm. A clothes mangle she bought for the family during one of these visits still stands in the attic of the old farmhouse. Karen died on 28 Feb 1912, and Charles on 10 Jun 1915. They are both buried in Orleans Church Cemetery.

Their oldest son, Ole (1873-1935), raised a large family on a farm near Glasgow, MT Morton (1875-1966) founded a bank in Warwick, ND and spent his last year in Port Angeles, WA. He had 2 daughters. (See Morton

A-18
Complete OCR transcription. See the associated scan to compare with the published information.

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this page was last updated on Sunday, 28 March 2021