Name/Title
Larson family: Hon. Lars H. and Ingeborg (Halvorson) Larson, 1879 pioneers of Bloomfield Township, Traill County, Dakota TerritoryEntry/Object ID
2022.424.1Description
This family history folder contains documents describing the life of Hon. Lars H. Larson (photo) and his wife Ingeborg (Halvorson; photo) Larson, and their 12 children.
As described in a biography published in 1976 in the Traill County History book, Vol. I, Lars H. Larson was born in Norway on 7 May 1853 to parents Lars and Christie Herbrandson. Lars H. came to America in 1854 with his parents and siblings; they settled in Fillmore County in southeastern Minnesota.
In the 1860 US Census, Lars was age 8 and was being raised on his parent's farm in Newborg Township in Fillmore County, MN. In this 1860 census, Lars had three older sisters, Julia (age 21), Christi (age 18) and Margarite (age 12), and one younger brother, Ole (age 5), who was born in Minnesota.
On 15 February 1873, Lars H. Larson married Ingeborg Halvorson of Spring Grove in Houston County, MN [moms.mn.gov]. Ingeborg Halvorson was born on 22 November 1851 to parents Halvor Svenson and Ingebor (Teige) Halvorson in Eggedal Parish, Sigdal Kommune, Buskerud Fylke (County), Norway. At age 10, in 1861, Ingeborg came with her parents, Halvor and Ingebor (Teige) Halvorson, to settle by Spring Grove, MN. After Lars H. Larson and Ingeborg Halvorson married in 1873, they settled on a farm by Houston in Houston County, MN.
In 1879, Lars H. and Ingeborg Larson came north and settled on a farm near the north-branch of the Elm River in southern Traill County, Dakota Territory. Lars H. homesteaded land in what was East Blanchard Township, now Bloomfield Township.
In the 1880 US Census for East Blanchard Township, Lars H. (age 27) and Ingeborg (age 27) were listed with three children, all boys, including Henry C. (age 6), Helmer O. (age 5), and Julius L. (age 3).
As shown in an 1892 Atlas map, Lars H. Larson farmed land 320 acres in the west-half of Sect. 24, 320 acres in the west-half of Sect. 25, and 160 acres in the NW Qtr. of Sect. 36.
In the 1885 Dakota Territory Census for Traill County taken for 1 June, Lars H. (age 32) and Ingeborg (age 32) Larson were recorded on the Thore and Kari (Larsdatter) Halvorson farm in Hillsboro Township [Although on the boundary with Hillsboro Township, the Thore Halvorson farmstead was actually located in the NE Qtr. of Section 24 in East Blanchard Township (later Bloomfield Township)]. Thore Halvorson was Ingeborg (Halvorson) Larson's brother. Lars H. and Ingeborg Larson established their farmstead nearby in the SW Qtr. of Section 24 (see 1892 Atlas map). In this 1885 census, Lars H. and Ingeborg had six children: Henry (age 11), Helmer (age 10), Julius (age 8), Edward (age 4), Emma (age 1), and Leonard (age 1 month).
In 1889 or 1890, a family photograph was taken of Lars H. and Ingeborg Larson with seven children, including Helmer, Julius, Edward, Emma, Leonard, Ida, and Mathilda (see Skrivseth Studio photo).
In the 1900 US Census for Bloomfield Township in Traill County, taken on 12 June, Lars H. (age 47), and Ingeborg (age 47; 49 and named 'Bell' in census) were listed with seven children, Helmer (Elmer, age 25), Edward (age 19), Emma (age 17), Ida (age 13), Tillie (age 11), Lena (age 8), and Henry C. (age 6, named after a brother Henry who had died).
When the 1910 US Census was taken on 7 June in Bloomfield Township, only sons Helmer (age 35), Edward (age 29) and Henry (age 16) remained on the home farm. By 1910, Lars H. and Ingeborg's son, Julius Larson, had married Clara Christianson, they lived on the farmstead in a separate dwelling with their four children.
As noted at the beginning of this family history folder, Lars H. and Ingeborg (Halvorson) Larson had 12 children of which 9 survived to adulthood. The basic life statistics for 11 children are presented below and are based on data in records such as church birth-baptisms and death certificates. Although Lars Larson family information can be found by exploring names and 'profiles' in the public member Ancestry.com family trees, I found that these trees have many inaccuracies.
1. Henry Cornelius-1 Larson (born 27 Jul. 1873 in Fillmore County, MN; baptized 12 Oct. 1873 at Trinity Lutheran, Spring Grove, MN; died age 19, 19 Jan. 1893 in Bismarck, ND; buried in Hillsboro Cemetery #1),
2. Helmer Olaus 'Elmer' Larson (b. 21 Dec. 1874 in Fillmore County, MN; bap. 14 Mar. 1875 at Trinity Lutheran, Spring Grove, MN; single; d. age 66, 2 Apr. 1941; bur. Hillsboro Cemetery #1, Hillsboro, Traill County, ND),
3. Julius Lucien Larson (b. 22 Sep. 1876 in Fillmore County, MN; bap. 12 Nov. 1876 at Trinity Lutheran, Spring Grove, MN; m. Clara Christianson on 12 Aug. 1899 in Hillsboro, ND; nine children: boys Louis, Howard, Clyde & Morris, and girls Mamie, Hazel, June, Alice & Florence; d. 8 Feb. 1950, age 73; bur. Riverside Cemetery, Hillsboro, Traill County, ND),
4. Emma Christine-1 Larson (b. 9 Nov. 1878 in Fillmore County, MN; Bap. 22 Dec. 1878 at Trinity Lutheran, Spring Grove, MN; d. age 1 & 11 mo. of "lung fever" in Oct. 1880 in Traill County, DT; bur. Arnegard Cemetery, Bloomfield Township, Traill County, DT),
5. Edward Bernard Larson (b. 26 Jun. 1880 in Traill County, DT; m. Marie Bjornstad on 14 Dec. 1910 at Lake Park in Becker County, MN; four children: Edward Leighton, Malcom Jean, Celeste Marie, & Virgil I. Larson; d. age 72, 10 Aug. 1952 at Larson farm in Bloomfield Township, Traill County, ND; bur. Riverside Cemetery, Hillsboro, Traill County, ND),
6. Emma Christine-2 Larson (b. 10 Oct. 1883 in Hillsboro, Traill County, DT; m1. Henry Cornelius Knudson on 18 June 1902 at United Lutheran Church, Hillsboro, Traill County, ND; four children: Irene N. Knudson, Loretta W. Knudson, Earl Howard Knudson-1, Earl Howard Knudson-2; m2. Earl Franklin Corbin on 11 Mar. 1922 in Moorhead, Clay County, MN; one child, Harold Everett Corbin; d. Nov. 1968; bur. Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson County, CO),
7. Leonard Ingebrigt Larson (b. 17 May 1885 in Traill County, DT; bap. 19 Jun. 1885 at Norwegian Lutheran, Hillsboro, ND; d. unknown, but before 1900).
8. Ida Louise Larson (b. 22 Nov. 1886 in Traill County, DT; bap. 26 Dec. 1886 at Norwegian Lutheran, Hillsboro, Traill County, ND; m. William Anderson on 17 February 1909 at United Lutheran Church, Hillsboro, ND; five children: Ida M. Anderson, Lloyd N. Anderson, William I. Anderson, Donald Anderson and Dolores Anderson; d. age 86, 27 Jul. 1973 in Fargo, Cass County, ND; bur. Cemetery, Fargo, ND),
9. Thea Mathilda 'Tillie' Larson (b. 13 Oct. 1888 in Traill County, ND; bap. 4 Nov. 1888 at Norwegian Lutheran, Hillsboro, ND; m1. Elo Engel Hanson on 22 Nov. 1911 at United Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, Traill County, ND; one child: LaVerne E. Hanson; wid. 13 Jun. 1914; m2. Walter Lloyd Thompson on 7 Sep. 1918 in Clifford, ND; five children: Doris Victoria 'Dot' Thompson, Wesley Walter Thompson, Eidel Marcella Thompson, Donna Marie Thompson, and Winnifred Jean Thompson; d. age 99, 8 Mar. 1988 at Hillsboro Nursing Home, Hillsboro, Traill County, ND; bur. Cemetery, Clifford, Traill County, ND),
10. Lena Amelia Larson (b. 28 Feb. 1892 in Traill County, ND; bap. as Lina Edmelia Larson on 8 May 1892 at Norwegian Lutheran, Hillsboro, ND; m. Walter W. Hage on 31 Mar. 1911 at Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hillsboro, ND; four children: Leona, Violet, Webster and David; d. age 76, 11 Sep. 1968 in Anoka, MN; bur. Riverside Cemetery, Hillsboro, Traill County, ND), and
11. Henry Cornelius-2 Larson (b. 6 Mar. 1894 in Traill County, ND; bap. as Hendrick Kornelius Larson on 10 Jun. 1894 at Norwegian Lutheran, Hillsboro, ND; m. Laura M. Lindeman; two children: Earl H. Larson & Phyllis Mae Larson; d. age 62 on 28 Sep. 1958 in Hillsboro, ND; bur. Hillsboro Cemetery #1, Hillsboro, Traill County, ND).
From census records we know that Lars H. and Ingeborg had another child who was born and died before 1900, most likely in about 1881 or 1882. A name for this child, and its birth and death, have not been found so far.
Lars H. Larson farmed until about 1890, when he and Ole A. Johnson established a farm machinery business in Hillsboro. Lars H. and Ingeborg's son Julius Larson took over much of the family farming operations in Bloomfield Township. Also in 1890, Lars became president of the Hillsboro Banking Company, and later broadened his interests into other businesses, and into politics.
In 1892, Lars H. Larson was elected representative to the North Dakota State Legislature. He worked towards securing Hillsboro as the county seat in a fight within Traill County.
In 1907, Lars H. Larson purchased the Hillsboro Community Hospital, and equipped the building for lease to doctors, such as Dr. E. Haagenson and Dr. Busch.
On Tuesday, 22 March 1910, Lars H. Larson died at the age of 56 at his house in Hillsboro after suffering a paralytic stroke while in Bohnsack Township [see obituary, Hillsboro Banner, 25 Mar. 1910]. After a funeral service held at the United Lutheran Church, Lars K. Larson was interred at the Hillsboro Cemetery (see monument photo, courtesy US Find-a-Grave). His obituary stated that "He leaves a large estate"..."estimated at from eighty to one hundred thousand dollars and consists of 1600 acres of land in this vicinity, city property here and elsewhere, stocks of goods and other property".
From Traill County Recorder's records kindly copied and summarized by genealogists Jim and Linda Cullen, we know that Lars H. Larson owned 1520 acres, consisting of all section 22, the west half of section 24, the west half of section 25, and the northwest quarter and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 36. A "Partition Deed and Agreement" dated 18 April 1916 partitioned deceased L. H. Larson's lands as follows: widow Ingeborg, 1/3 value, and her 8 surviving children 2/3 value, divided equally. The 8 children included Henry, Helmer (Elmer), Julius, Edward, Emma, Ida, Lena and Tillie.
This partition agreement allocated widow Ingeborg two parcels, containing 240 of those acres (which is less than 1/3 in land but most likely 1/3 in land value). Specifically, Ingeborg received: the southwest quarter of section 24, and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 36. The southwest quarter of section 24 included the family home, so Ingeborg could remain in the family home. Notably, daughter Thea Mathilda 'Tillie' Hansen (in 1918, Mrs. Walter Thompson, after her husband Elo Hanson died in 1914) received 160 acres, consisting of the northwest quarter of Section 24.
On 19 September 1917, Ingeborg (Halvorson) Larson passed away, age 65, of heart troubles at her home in Bloomfield Township, as noted in her obituary in the Hillsboro Banner newspaper. After funeral services held at United Lutheran Church in Hillsboro, Ingeborg was interred next to Lars at the Hillsboro Cemetery (see monument photo, courtesy US Find-a-Grave).
From a Traill County Court record, kindly copied and summarized by genealogists Jim and Linda Cullen, we know that after Ingeborg's death that the Hon. Judge J. E. Bagstad filed on 3 May 1919 a "Final Decree of Distribution" for the estate of Ingeborg (Halvorson) Larson, deceased. A final account and report by daughter Thea Matilda 'Tillie" (Larson) Thompson, Administratrix, had been filed in the court on 12 October 1918 stipulating that all estate debts had been paid in full and satisfied.
This court decree confirmed the earlier 1916 Partition Agreement that Helmer and Henry Larson, West-half section 25 in common and undivided, Julius Larson, Southwest quarter of section 22, Edward Larson, Northwest quarters of section 36, Emma (Larson) Knudson, Southeast quarter of section 22, Ida (Larson) Anderson and Lena (Larson) Hage, North-half of section 22 in common and undivided, and Thea "Tillie" (Larson) Thompson, Northwest quarter of section 24.
Further, real estate within the City of Hillsboro sold, including for example the west-half of subdivision B of lots 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 in Block 20 to Mathew Martenson, and subdivisions C and D of lots 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 in Block 20 to Theo T. Jahr.
Also, personal property in the form of cash and shares in capital stock, such as in the Traill County Telephone Company, were distributed by the "Final Decree of Distribution" judgment of the court.
This folder also has handwritten, and typed, accounts of family information compiled by Lars H. and Ingeborg Larson's granddaughter, Tillie (Larson) Thompson, wife of Walter Thompson of Clifford, ND.
This folder also has a photo of threshing on the L. H. Larson farm in 1905 (see photo). This photograph was described in the book "Grass of the Earth" by Aagot Raaen. Lars and Ingeborg Larson's daughter, Tillie (Larson) Thompson, wrote this descriptive information. As noted before, the L. H. Larson farm was in Bloomfield Township (see 1892 Atlas map), and the farmstead is currently owned by the Tim and Sandra Wright family. Sandra Wright is a descendant of Lars H. and Ingeborg Larson.
Also included in this folder is a completed biographical data questionnaire by Tillie Larson (Mrs. Walter Thompson), a daughter of Lars H. and Ingeborg (Halvorson) Larson. Tillie noted that she arrived in Traill County on 13 October 1879 with her parents and siblings, and that they settled in Bloomfield Township. Tillie married Walter Thompson of Clifford, ND, on 7 September 1918. They had five children, LaVern, Wesley, Eidela, Dona Marie and Winnifred.
Also in this folder is a brief biography printed on page 112 in the Traill County History book, Vol. I, for Lars H. and Ingeborg's son, Julius Larson, who was born on 22 September 1876 in Spring Grove, Minnesota. Julius came to Traill County with is parents and siblings in 1879. On 12 August 1899, Julius Larson married Clara Christenson, and they farmed in Bloomfield Township, where they raised eight children, Louis, Howard, Clyde, Morris, Mamie, Hazel, June, and Florence. A daughter Alice died young.Cataloged By
John (Jack) LudwigAcquisition
Accession
2022.424Source or Donor
Tillie ThompsonLocation
Location
* Untyped Location
Resource RoomBuilding
Plummer HouseCategory
Exhibit
