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in honor of Maj. Norman K. Arvidson
Chapter 9 As a fourteen-year-old, Hans Arvidson left his homeland of Sweden in 1887 starting a heritage that continues today through second and third generations. Leaving Sweden by boat, Hans came to Minnesota where he worked for his Uncle Ole Arvidson for a year to pay back the $365 that he borrowed for his passage here by boat and train. Once he had paid Uncle Ole back, he headed to Argusville, North Dakota where he worked in the grain fields driving six horses and two mules on a big plow. Because he was expected to make eight miles a day, (long rounds) with the plow, he started early in the morning. He often related the story of how the mules wouldn’t move after 12 o'clock or 6 p.m. as they knew when it was time to quit. Hans found his way back to Eastern Township and Spruce Centre, where he bought a share of the flour mill with Ole Arvidson and Jens Nelson. They hauled flour by ox team to Eagle Bend, Minnesota, where it was put on the train. Coming home, Hans would get the ox team headed toward home on the trail, tie up the lines, lay back to take a nap and when they stopped, would find himself back home at Spruce Center. Water power was the source of energy for the Mill and often they would work day and night making flour. A replica of that Mill now sits on Hans' homestead, made by his granson, Jim. Wanting to farm, Hans traded his share in the mill to the Merickel brothers in Wadena, Minnesota. He obtained the 120 acres of land that is still a part of his grandson’s farm of today. A log cabin was built on the land, and this is whre he brought his bride Sophie. She had come from Sweden at the age of 5 with her parents, Tuve and Hannah Anderson. As a young lady, she walked 8 miles to a Swedish church by Parkers Prairie for her confirmation.
The Early Years: This was the beginning for the Hans had met this young seamstress from Parkers Prairie at Argusville, North Dakota. Eventually they got together and married. Nine children, Clifford, Henry, Reuben, Gertrude, Reynhart, Elvin, Signe, Edna and Norman, were born to this union.
L to R:Signe, Gertrude, & Edna Sophie & Hans, on the farmstead. Eventually a house replaced the log cabin as home and was paid for with the wheat crop that year that sold for $1 a bushel for $1,650. This modern house had a furnace, toilet and running water. Elvin, Signe and Norman were the last of the nine children when the Arvidson Clan chose to have a reunion in 1990.
Members of the family serve a Swedish Pancake breakfast Reunion hosts, Norman, Signe and Elvin End of Page 2 of Chapter 9 — Go to Page 3
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