by Marie Olson
Seventy one years ago, Jan. 4th, 1921, there was a baby girl born to Anna and Rasmus Domsten, at Ortonville, Minnesota. They named this roly poly, Marie Julia.
They said, I was named after Grandmother Mary Domsten. I didn’t meet my Grandma as she had passed away.
Before she died, she had a vision of Jesus coming for her. She told her family to open the curtains and asked them if they could see him, then she was gone. I would have loved very much to see her someday, I will. Their homestead was about 1 1/2 miles east of the farm. Grandpa Domsten died years later.
Mom and Dad came back to North Dakota when I was nine months old. Guess they liked N.D. better. Guess we lived several places but can only remember when we lived in Waydels a few roads from No. 50 highway along the Palermo road. We moved the house from there, to what we called “Jen’s Place”, and then the house was moved to where it is now. They moved it with horses.
My sister Myrtle was born June 17, 1922. We were the only siblings for sixteen years, so we got to be real buddies – we worked and played together. We practicly [sic] lived on our riding horses, herding our cows and sheep. We also worked in the fields with horses. I remember walking behind the drag using four horses. Then coming home, putting them in the barn, feeding and caring for them. We could harness them and unharness them as well as Dad.
We always got up early to milk ten or twelve cows before we could go to school. Then the same at night. I remember we would have our tin cups and would drink milk as it was separated. Now we have to have it cold. We liked it warm then. Maybe it was better for us. We were never sick – guess we spent most of our time outside in the wonderful fresh air.
Mom was always by our side – she was our mom but also our wonderful friend. We worked together, we learned together. She was the greatest!
Dad was always busy working in the fields. He had a threshing machine so every fall he was threshing for people. Many times he would sleep out by the machine to have it ready for the next day. Haying time was a busy time for everyone.
Then August 22, 1938 a beautiful girl came to bless the Domsten household. They named her Carol Jean. She attended the Sidonia school, where Myrtle and I attended. It had been moved further north. She attended high school in Coteau and Stanley. She taught school and then went to college in Minot for further education.
Marlin Clarence was born August 19, 1940. We were real excited, the first boy was born. It was great having a brother. I was still home so I had the joy of taking care of my big brother – he’s a great guy! Marlin is a welder in Plentywood, Montana.
Shortly after, I went to work for the Modin’s. They were nice to work for – it was my first time away from home so they had to put up with me. There were lots of things to learn. I would get lonesom [sic] sometimes but was pretty busy so it went okay.
Then Jan. 13, 1942 another boy was born – Eugene Ronald. Boy, now the girls wouldn’t have to work outside anymore – only thing, we’d have to wait for them to grow up so they could replace the “old ones”. Eugene is an engineer for DeBurugh Construction in LaJunta, Colorado.
Dec. 19, 1945 – Dean Lowell was born – two beautiful red curly heads – we didn’t know it at the time, but our family was like the “Waltons”. Dean is in the mining business in Hawthorne, Nevada.
Nov. 17, 1948 – What?! Another redheaded boy!! Great! Why weren’t some of us girls so fortunate? Dale James is in the store business – he has a store in Scottville, Michigan.
I’m so proud of all my brothers and sisters. they’ve all been such great inspirations to me. I love every one of them and their families. God has been so good to each one of us.
In the fall of 1940 I went to Minot Bible Institute until 1943. Wonderful school!
In the summer of 1941, Mildred Kalstad and I had meetings in the Westhope area.
Met Oliver at M.B.I. – he left for the Army Medical Corp in April 1940. He was stationed at Camp Crowder, Missouri. While at school he sang in men’s quartet, they traveled many places to sing.
He spent two years at Camp Crowder. Then he was sent to Camp Ellis, Illinois near Ipava Illinois for about six months. I got to be with him for two months, then he was sent overseas – he was over there for 16 months in the European Theater.
We have many happy memories from Ipava – we met so many wonderful people. One young couple especially became our buddies – we still correspond. After his tour was over, he went to school and became a pastor and has been one for 39 years.
In our times together in Ipava – our friends Doris and Herman Callahan and the Olsons had a quartet – we sang in the churches there. Lots of good times to remember. We were called the “Olson and Johnson” Quartet.
In the fall of 1943 Mildred Kalstad and I went to Minneapolis to the “Trinity Seminary and Bible Institute”. Had many good experiences there. It was a wonderful school. We worked and went to school – we had the privilege of singing together in school and several churches. We are thankful for those times.
In 1945 Mildred went as a missionary to Parguoy [sic] for 39 years. She’s now retired and lives in Florida.
Oliver came back to the States November 1943 and April 23, 1944 we were married in Plentywood, Montana. Before we got that far, we didn’t have anyway to go out there – we prayed about it – got a ride to Bowbells, checked at train depot but wouldn’t work out so Oliver walked over to the Chevrolet garage – there was a salesman who told him he was going to Plentywood by way of Crosby. He told Oliver he would like company so we could ride with him out. Who could believe our story? We got out there before the courthouse closed – got our license and went to the Lutheran church. The pastor, Rev. Anderson, married us by candlelight – his wife and the salesman were our witnesses. Who says God doesn’t answer prayers?? We’ve been married 48 years this April 21, 1992 – by the way, we took the train to Stanley.
Oliver keeps busy singing at church and at the Mountrail Bethel Home a couple times a week.
Oliver was born at his folks’ homestead farm near Coteau N.D. April 23, 1913. His folks were Ingeborg and John Olson.
They lived 4 years in Luck, Wisconsin where they attended school and had a dairy farm. They moved back to N.D. in 1922 to the homestead by Coteau.
Oliver said they used to go all over the countryside and pick up bones and sell them to the elevators to be used for fertilizers & etc. He doesn’t remember how much they got for them.
He remembers picking cow chips for heat. I can remember that too. Those were the good ol’ days – eh? Well its pretty nice to have our oil and gas heat.
I remember our oil lamps for light – cleaning the chimneys every day – filling them with oil every day to have them ready for the next day. And to keep the lanterns ready so we could see to do chores.
About every week, we had to take our cream and eggs to town to buy groceries. Many times, we’d have to buy clothes and machinery repairs with it too. We’d make our own butter, bake our own bread.
We were very happy in July of 1948 – we were able to get our beautiful boys. Pat was 3 1/2 yrs. old and Ron was 1 1/2 yrs. old. They were so precious. They have been wonderful!
They are now grown up and have families of their own.
Pat has a wonderful wife, Marvonne and two beautiful daughters, Sherry and Julie. They live near Stanley. Sherry goes to Sioux Falls College in S.D. Julie will be working in Minot. Pat works for the State Highway Dept. (he also has cattle, his babies).
Ron has a wonderful wife Carol, a beautiful daughter Rhonda and a handsome son Michael. He works for St. Paul Post Office. They live in Farmington, Minnesota.
We live each one of them and thank the Lord for them. He was so good to let us have the priviledge [sic] of raising them. They have been a real blessing to us. God is so good!
We thank the Lord for Rosemary and Bill – half brother and sister of the boys – they were with us for awhile. Bill is so good to come and see us. Rosemary is at Flaxton and Bill is in Larimore. We love them all – they’re all precious to us. We thank God for them all.
Our farm home is 15 miles west of Kenmare. We have been in Stanley for 3 years at the Golden Acres Manor.
We go out to the farm in the summer time to plant our garden and potatoes. I love to be out there in the wide open spaces and all that good fresh air. We do a lot of canning in the fall – our winter’s supply of vegetables, jellies from our chokecherry tree, rhubarb, and strawberries.
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