JOHN MARTIN THOMPSON
John Martin Thompson, more commonly known as J.
M. or Johnnie Thompson, was born in Goodhue County,
Minn., on Dec. 28, 1880, the oldest child of Thomas and
Louisa (Okelbo) Thompson. He came to Grand Forks
with his mother in September, 1882. They were met in
Grand Forks by his father who had preceded them to
North Dakota and homesteaded in Vesta Township in the
spring of 1881. Like ad farm boys, he was required to help
with the farm work at an early age, and had only four
years of elementary education, attending school in Vesta
Township District No. 63. Occasionally he was able to
spend some time with his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs.
John McCarthy at Milton and enjoyed helping his uncle
in his photo studio, and this interest developed into a
hobby for him after his retirement.
He also assisted in the budding of St. Peter Church in
Vesta Township, and recaded being sent to Edinburg
with a wagon and team of horses to get the church bed.
This was a very hot day and he was overcome by "sun
stroke" and lay in the shade under his wagon until after
sunset, when he made the return trip to the church with
the bed.
A trip to Park River to purchase whatever food items
could not be grown at home usuady took two days, and
finding food and shelter for the horses was the first order
of business upon arriving in town. The next day the
purchases were made and the travelers returned to their
home.
J. M . Thompson and his brother, Louis, farmed
together in Vesta Township untd 1917 when they divided
their land and farmed separately. From 1902 to 1917 he
also operated a steam threshing "rig" which he owned
together with his brother, Louis, and a brother-in-law, L.
C. Thompson.
In February, 1917, he married Ldlie Carlson of
Mcintosh, Minn. She died in February, 1919. In 1923, he
married Emelia Kraft of Plummer, Minn., and she died
in June, 1942. J. M. Thompson and his famdy moved to
Park River the fad of 1930 where he remained untd his
death, Feb. 17,1967. Descendants of J. M. Thompson are
two daughters, Helen (Mrs. Clinton 0. Berg) and Ruby
(Mrs. Henry Green), three grandsons, David and Jeffrey
Berg and Henry Green, Jr., and four great grandchddren.
year they settled, planted their garden, and Thor hired
out as a hired hand. They put up hay out of the slough cut
by a scythe, and dragged it out by hand to dry. They both
worked together at it and carried their baby in a clothes
fociskct
That fall Thor had to accept his pay in wheat. They
hired a yolk of oxen and a wagon to haul the wheat to
market and got 38 cents per bushel. From the proceeds
they purchased the yoke of oxen and lumber for a floor
and walls of their sod house. They then papered the walls
with the "Decorah Posten" and "Home and Hearth."
They broke 10 acres of land and that winter was spent
hand-picking wheat seed for planting.
Their second son was born in December, 1885. In a
stormy period in December, 1887, both little boys died
within a few minutes of each other. With the aid of neighbors a coffin was made. It was blackened and sealed with
a mixture of soot and lard.
In 1891 they moved into Park River with two young
sons, Clarence and Seymour. Mr. Thompson operated a
general store there untd 1912 when he sold out to Joseph
Kowalski. While in Park River they were active in the
Lutheran church. Mr. Thompson served on the budding
committee in March, 1895, when the congregation
decided to budd a church. Mrs. Thompson served 27
consecutive years as treasurer of the Ladies Aid. Mr.
Thompson also served on the Park River City Council for
several years. Mr. Thompson died Jan. 25, 1929, at 71.
Mrs. Thompson died Oct. 17, 1951, at 89.
Submitted by Harold Harris.
Front Row: Thor T. Thompson, Alma, Ida, Millard
[seated], Jennie. Standing: Seymour, Thurman, Juel,
Clarence. [1911]
MR. AND MRS. THOR T. THOMPSON
Mr. and Mrs. Thor T. Thompson, their two months
old son, Clarence, and Thor's 11-year-old brother, ThoUef
T., migrated to Dakota Territory from the Spring Vadey,
Minn., area in Aprd, 1884. They traveled by train through
Grand Forks to Michigan, N. D. They recaded that
before getting into Grand Forks the train was barely
moving as the tracks were in water as a result of the Red
River overflowing its banks.
After they got off the train in Michigan City they
traveled by hired wagon to a tract of land located along
the Forest River on which they settled on pre-emption.
They had brought their possessions with them which
included a bed, spring, table, chairs, a stove and a
bureau. The foodstuffs they brought included two large
hams, potatoes, flour, lard, butter, salt and sugar. Since
there was no way of obtaining potato seed for their
garden, they planted the thick peelings from the potatoes
and ate the inside. They built a sod house 12' x 14' the first
REV. N. S. THORLAKSSON
Rev. N. S. Thorlaksson was bom in Iceland,
emigrated to this country in 1873, studied at Luther
Codege, Decorah, Ia., where he graduated in 1881, then
studied theology at the University of Christiana, Norway.
In 1887 he was ordained at Mountain and became
pastor of the Icelandic Lutheran congregations in Lyon
and Lincoln counties, Minn., and in 1895 of the Scandinavian Lutheran congregations of Park River and the
Golden Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Garfield.
OLE J. THORSON
Ole J . Thorson, pioneer Park River merchant, was
born in Rio, Wise, Jan. 10,1859. Coming to Walsh County
in 1882 he farmed near Park River for several
years. Later he moved into town where he operated a
dray line. Fodowing that Mr. Thorson was in partnership
with his brother, Halvor, in the confectionary business.
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