Name/Title
Kamphaug family: Olaus (Ole Eriksen) and Inger (Johannsdr.) Kamphaug, early settlers by Hatton, Dakota TerritoryEntry/Object ID
2025.244.1Description
This family history folder documents the story of Ole Eriksen and Inger Johannsdr. Kamphaug, early settlers by Hatton, Dakota Territory. A Inger and Olaus Kamphaug (or Kamphaugh) story is told in a 23-page "The Kamphaug Family" document (cover page photo, left) written by a granddaughter and contributed to the TCHS Plummer House Museum in Hillsboro, ND, by a descendant, Graeme Matichuk. This document is attached to this Catalogit entry. Other Kamphaug family history stories and detailed family information is available in the Public Member Ancestry.com Rose/Menzer Family Tree compiled by GG (ggransberg2).
Olaus 'Ole' Eriksen was born on 29 September 1856 in Oppland, Norway, to parents Erik Pedersen and Anne Helgesdatter. From page 8 in The Kamphaug Family document, we know that Olaus Eriksen immigrated to America in 1882 with two brothers, Anders and Hans Erikson, and a sister, Marte Eriksdatter. They all settled in the Hatton area of Dakota Territory. All three Eriksen brothers changed their family names. As noted below, Olaus took his wife's family name, Kamphaug. Anders Eriksen took Bjorgo as his family name, and Hans Eriksen used the Aaker family name. Marte Eriksdatter married Julius Kamphaug, a brother to Inger Kamphaug, creating a double brother-sister family connection.
From a story in a Ancestry.com Rose/Menzer Family Tree (below), Ole Eriksen came to America in 1882 and was employed to help build a bridge over the Missouri River by Bismarck, Dakota Territory. Ole then worked on farms in the Hatton area, where he met and married Inger Johannesdr. Kamphaug on 6 June 1884 [ELCA Marriage Rec.]. Inger was born on 18 March 1863 to parents Johannes and Olea (Pedersdatter) Kamphaug in Hedmark, Norway [profiles, Rose/Menzer Family Tree].
As the story goes, following a common Norwegian tradition, Ole Eriksen bought land from Inger's father, Johannes Kamphaug, and took the name of his wife's home farm: Kamphaug. In April 1918, Ole Eriksen petition the Court of Grand Forks County to legally change his name from Eriksen (Erickson) to O. E. (Ole Erickson) Kamphaug [news, Hatton Free Press, 25 Apr. 1918, below].
Ole E. and Inger (Johannesdr.) Kamphaug farmed near Hatton in Washington Township in Grand Forks County and had 13 children. By the time of the 1900 US Census, Ole and Inger had eight surviving children: Oline A (born Oct. 1885), Edward J. (b. May 1889), Albert O. (b. May 1891), Peder Hilbor (b. Mar 1883), Ole A (b. Nov. 1894, Anna M. (b. Jul. 1896), Josephine H. (b. 13 May 1898) and Ida O. (b. May 1900). Sadly, twins Edvard J. and Anna M. had been born on 21 April 1888 and died as infants, 8 Oct. 1888, and 27 Sep. 1888, respectively). Their daughter Anna M. born 8 July 1896, was named after their first Anna M. daughter. A daughter, Josephine Helmine Eriksen (Kamphaug) born on 13 May 1898 died on 12 November 1900, at the age of only two-and-a-half [ELCA Death Rec.]. After 1900, Ole and Inger had three more children [1910 US Census data]: Josephine M. (b. 1902, named after the first Josephine M), Adolph Waldemar (b. 4 Mar. 1904), and Hilda Emilie (b. 26 May 1907). Ten of Ole and Inger's 13 children reached adulthood who are shown with Olaus in a photograph (below) taken at the home farm.
For more information on Ole and Inger Kamphaug's children, see their profiles in the Public Member Ancestry.com Rose/Menzer Family Tree created by GG (ggransberg2). However, additional information is available on their son's Ole Kamphaug and Peder Hildor Kamphaug (Catalogit family history entries 2022.383.1 and 2025.?, respectively).
Inger Johannsdr. Kamphaug died of Pneumonia at the age of only 44 on 31 January 1908 [obituary, Hatton Free Press, 6 Feb. 1908, below]. After funeral services at St. John's Lutheran Church in Hatton, Inger was interred at the St. John's cemetery [grave-marker photo, below].
After the passing of his wife Inger, Olaus 'Ole' Eriksen Kamphaug. continued to raise his young children on the family farm near Hatton, ND [1920 & 1930 US Census data]. As a elderly man, Olaus remained active in the community (photo, below). Olaus Kamphaug died, age 78, on12 September 1935 [US FaG info]. Funeral services were held at St. John's Lutheran Church in Hatton [obit, Hatton Free Press, 19 Sep. 1935, below]. Olaus was interred next to Inger at the St. John's Cemetery just north of Hatton, ND [Monument & grave-marker photos, below].Acquisition
Accession
2025.244Source or Donor
Graeme Matichuk, Traill County Historical SocietyLocation
* Untyped Location
Resource RoomBuilding
Plummer House
