Name/Title
Hjalmer (Jalmer) Rognstad (Rongstad)Entry/Object ID
2021.256.1Description
Photograph of Hjalmer Rognstad, with his name written on the back.
Hjalmar Rognstad was born on 12 September 1876 to parents Anders and Goro (Olson) Rognstad in Lillehammer, Norway. Hjalmer came to America with his parents and siblings (family tree, below), John, Ole and Sarah Rognstad, in 1884. From an 1896 US land ownership records, we know that Anders and Goro Rognstad and their children settled on a 120-acre farm in Section 14 in Grant Township, Dunn County, Wisconsin (see Catalogit entry 2021.374.1). As a young man, Hjalmar Rognstad may have attended the University of North Dakota as indicated by a 1907 City Directory for Grand Forks.
When Hjalmar Rognstad registered for WWI on 12 September 1918 in Cando, Towner County, ND, he gave his home address as Leeds in Benson County, ND, located south of Cando. Hjalmar declared that he was operating his own farm, and that his nearest relative was Mrs. Martin Leet of Leeds, ND., who was Hjalmar's sister Sarah (Rognstad) Leet.
Hjalmer Rognstad's oldest brother, John Rognstad, after being head of the Rognstad family farm in 1900 [US Census data], unfortunately ended up in the Wisconsin State Hospital for the Insane [1910 US Census data]. John Rognstad died on 5 March 1935 and was interred in the Running Valley Lutheran Cemetery in Chippewa County, WI [US FaG info].
Hjalmar Rognstad's brother, Ole Rognstad, married Julia Isakson (see family tree, below), and they had a daughter Elaine Rognstad (see Catalogit entry 2025.212.1).
Hjalmar and Ole's father, Anders Rognstad had a sister, Ingeborg Rognstad who married Ole Halvorson (see Catalogit entry 2025.211.1). Ole and Ingeborg had two children, Mathias and Stina Halvorson, who were first cousins to Hjalmer because they were children of Ingeborg (Rognstad) Halvorson, a sister to Anders Rognstad. Mathais Halvorson became a merchant in Buxton, ND (see Catalogit family history entry 2025.10.1). Stina Halvorson married Ole K. Hovet of Buxton and as a widow was a long-term resident of Hillsboro, ND (see Catalogit family history entry 2024.499.1).
By the time of the 1925 ND Census, Hjalmar Rognstad, age 48, was married to Amanda Osteno, 46, and they resided in Springfield Township in Towner County, ND. The Cando Record newspaper reported on 15 March 1934, that on their farm in Section 22 in they could plant a maximum of 82 acres of wheat on their 220 acres of farmland.
Hjalmer Rognstad lived to the age of 62, passing away on 30 May 1939 in Towner County [ND Death Certif.]. Hjalmer was interred with Ostenso family at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemtery in Chippewa County, Minnesota [US FaG monument, below]. After her husband's passing, Amanda returned to Montevideo, MN, to be closer to Ostenso family.
Amanda (Ostenso) Rognstad passed away, age 89, in June 1967 [news, Towner County Record Herald]. Amanda was interred next to Hjalmer at the Immanuel Lutheran Cemtery in Chippewa County, MN [US FaG monument, below].Cataloged By
LeAnn BeckAcquisition
Accession
2021.256Source or Donor
George Olson, Thelma HovetAcquisition Method
GiftLocation
Location
* Untyped Location
Resource RoomBuilding
Plummer HouseCategory
Exhibit
