Bertha Marie Knudson

According to some writings by Alma Knudson, she wrote that Bertha was about to be born on July 10, 1874 and the day before Lars and Olianna had been out cocking hay on what was known as "the Old field" and on the way home as they approached the barn gate Lars dared Olianna to jump the four rail gate. Olianna replied that she would if he did and so Lars sailed over the fence with mother right behind. The next day Bertha was born and all was well.

Some years later as Bertha was making beds up stairs, she looked out the window and saw what she thought were some pigs out on the front lawn. She called to mother, Olianna, to come see the funny pigs. Upon investigation, Mother found it was a mother bear with two cubs. Mother shooed them away eastward over the road and it was later learned that Ivan was in the same woods herding some cows.

In 1890 Mom and Dad bought an organ for Bertha and she took lessons from John Berger. As it later developed , the family was musically inclined and so all were supplied with musical instruments in the late 1890's. We had a family band.

Dad built a band stand and concession stand across the road fom the house. It was used for band practice, and many religious and po;itical meetings were held there.

Augsburg Seminary Students from Minneapolis were almost always there to give inspiration and they stayed at the Knudson residence. Bertha was very popular with these ministers to be and her brothers teased her unmercifully.Two of her suitors were Quamman and another young fellow whose name is not recalled.

Bertha attended Detroit Lakes High School along with Carl and Emil. Bertha taught school from home and in Callaway.

Alma recalled that one time when Bertha was ninteen years old, dad was very sick with what Dr. Engstad from Grand Forks called Erysipelas, a very high fever, and Bertha had made some mush called,"Villing" for him to help him gain strength. She had set in on the window sill to cool and later learned that her sister Anna had devoured the whole dish. When Bertha confronted her about the missing dish, she replied," Je spur ikke dei etter lov." Which means (I dont have to ask your permission).

One time Bertha took Anna with her upstairs to keep her supervised while she made the bed. This was about in 1890. Bertha spotted a revolver in a drawer and unable to leave it alone, she took it and pointed it at Anna who was lying on one of the beds. Something stayed her hand on the trigger and then she pointed it at her own temple, again she thought better of it and then she pointed it at the cieling and pulled the trigger and it fired. Olianna rushed upstairs and found Bertha with the smoking gun and found her petrified as to what she had almost done.

Alma recalled that indians stopped by the farmstead and demanded to be shown the cupboard where they helped themselves to something to eat They did no harm, but the children had been taught to scatter and hide when

ever they came.

In 1899 Lars bought a farm North of Audubon and he gave it to his twosons, Oscar and Ivan as they did not want to go to school. Bertha moved north with them and took Elma with her to make it easier for Olianna who had an infant born in 1898 and five others under ten yeas f age.

Bertha had been "confined" and she died on August 16, 1911. She left behind her husband, Martin and five Children, Vernon, Myrtle, Lydia, Evelyn and Hartvick.

Bertha was ill for seven weeks before her death and mother and Anna with a nurse from Fargo were with her constantly.

Each of us girls got a fine gold watch from mother and dad at the age of sixteen for refraining from dancing and playing cars until we were twenty one years of age.

Alma writes more about the family.