religion was a very important segment in the Ufe of these
early pioneers.
On Sept. 22,1879, Rev. B. A. Harstad of Goose River
conducted the organizational meeting at the farm home
of Tom Knutson, eight miles west and one and one-fourth
miles north of Grafton on the farm presently owned by
Ethel Clemenson Page who is a granddaughter of Tom
Knutson. The pioneers gathered in homes every couple of
weeks for the next two years to hold worship services.
The first members of the congregation were: Mr.
and Mrs Ellend Johnson and six children; Mr. and Mrs.
Isreal Anderson and six children; Mr. and Mrs. Kittil
Aaneson and six children; Mr. and Mrs. Hans Sorenson
and one child; Mr. and Mrs. Syver Anderson Lee and
four children; Mr. and Mrs. Hans J . Onsrud and one
child; Mr. and Mrs. Niels Ellevson Mastrei and nine
children- Mr and Mrs. Evend Knudson and one child;
Tallev Olson Ivesdal; Hans N. Vig; Tallev Tallevson;
Mr. and Mrs. Jorgen Bjornson; Ole Olson; Mr. and Mrs.
Hans Thorson Midboe and two children; and Tom
Knudson.
In 1880 Rev. 0. H. Aaberg assisted with services and
in the summer of 1880, C. A. Flaten, who did missionary
work in this area north of Grand Forks, received a call to
serve this area in 1881 upon his graduation from
seminary In the fall of 1881, Rev. C. A. Flaten and his
wife, Bodil, filed for a homestead in what is now section
four in Fertile Township, which became their home as
long as they both Uved. Rev. C. A. Flaten served the
parish untU his death Nov. 7,1889, at 36. He is buried at
Zion. Flaten's first home was a log cabin and thus served
as the first parsonage. A new wood frame home was buUt
on the farm in 1887.
In October, 1882, plans were made for the bunding ot
a church, but due to lack of funds and materials, it was
not ready for dedication untU July 17, 1889.
The congregation had to secure a building site. On
Feb 12, 1885, three acres of land was purchased from
George Gunder SoU TaUackson in two parcels - one acre
for twenty-five cents and two acres for three hundred
doUars. Later in 1892, Zion, Park Center, Concordia and
South Trinity purchased ten and three-fourths acres
from George TaUackson for $236.50 and accepted two
acres from the Zion congregation. Not until 1958, were
these two acres deeded back to Zion to enlarge the Zion
Cemetery •
Several pioneer famiUes had to bury their loved ones
on their homesteads because a cemetery had not been
estabUshed. So in 1880, at the thud meeting of the
congregation, John Grovom, father of Mrs. George
Tallackson, offered land for a cemetery and it was accepted.
At the time that Zion Ladies' Aid was organized, the
congregation had just built their first church and owed
what at that time seemed a large sum. One of the main
projects of the Aid was to help finance the interior furnishings Missions, church schools, and orphanages were
other projects. Throughout the history of the church, the
Ladies' Aid has been the most active organization within
I the church and has served a most important function.
The Aid served not only as a financial arm of the church
for various projects but for Christian feUowship, inspiration and social interaction. Meetings were held in
homes of women in the congregation. The Aid was
organized by Rev. C. A. Flaten, May 14, 1885, six years
after Zion congregation was organized. The first meeting
was held in the parsonage and the following officers were
elected- President, Mrs. Gunerius Bjorneby; Vice
President, Mrs. Gunerius Walstad; and SecretaryTreasurer, Mrs. C. A. Flaten.
I
4
Zion Lutheran Church—Hoople
The log house was our first parsonage, built in 1881, and
the new one was built in 1887. The third was built in 1891.
Zion Lutheran Church, rural Hoople and South Trinity.
In 1921 when the new church was built, again the Aid
assisted in providing finances for furnishing and
equipment for the new house of worship. The church
suppers served by the Aid were a time of Christian
fellowship enjoyed by people in the community.
Religious training of the chUdren was important. In
June 1881, T. G. Midboe took over the parochial school
and supervised the organization of the Sunday School.
For the reUgious instruction of the youth in the
congregation was divided into districts and the instruction was held at homes. For several years Mrs. C
A Flaten supervised the Sunday School and taught
parochial school. During the winter of 1887 and 1888,
parochial school for the congregation was held at the
home of Rev. and Mrs. Flaten. Since many of the
children lived too far to commute daUy, a dormitory was
made of an old log house at the Flaten farm. The boys
were housed in the upstairs whUe meals were prepared
downstairs from food sent by the children's parents. The
girls slept in a room in the parsonage at Flatens. Classes
were held in a schoolhouse one-quarter mile west from
the parsonage with Ole Grovom assisting Rev. and Mrs.
404