Anna: The Valentine Birthday

In 1879, Sigrid and Tosten's first child, Anna, was born on Valentine's Day.  Anna was known for meticulous housekeeping, beautiful dishes, and the twinkle in her eyes. 


When I was a child, I loved letters. Great Aunt Anna was in her late 80s when we began writing to each other.  I'm not sure what she thought about my attempts, but I remember how exciting it was to walk up the hill to the mailbox and find one of her letters inside, addressed to me!


One summer afternoon when I was about 7, we had a coffee party for Aunt Anna, Aunt Selma, and Almeda. My favorite photo from that day shows what good sports they were:  we're all standing in front of the lilac bushes holding kittens. 


A year or so later, Anna and Almeda moved permanently from their house in Michigan, ND. Mom and I went to see them while they were sorting and packing, and I found  a treasure -- hats! Anna let me put two or three on her head to see which looked best, then said the magic words: I could pick one and take it home!


Anna and Almeda lived at the top of a long flight of stairs at 1021 Broadway in Fargo.  Inside their apartment, it was bright with sunlight and plants.  Every visitor drank coffee from a china cup, ate cookies on plates with a history.  


Twenty-one years old when the 20th century began, Anna faced the disruption and excitement of the decades with humor and grit. 


Happy Birthday Anna!

Images of Home, 1893

The table where Sigrid wrote letters still sits in her house, in front of a south-facing window. When I read these lines, I imagine her there with the photos fanned out in front of her, smiling.

October 24, 1893

Dear Father!

Because yesterday I had the big satisfaction to get a letter from you I will send some words back to you in return. I thank you heartily for the letter and all the pictures. It was so much fun for us to see everybody again, Anna and I had often wished we could have pictures and now we got that satisfaction too. I hardly know my brothers again they have gotten so big and handsome men since I saw them.

Yes, dear Father, I got to know you now the way you are. I often thought of you as an old gray-haired man but now I see you are as young and handsome as you can be. Old age hasn’t gotten hold of you yet. It is so good to see you this way.

Little School on the Prairie

Sigrid weaves the theme of education throughout her letters, frequently describing what the children learned, books they read, and the teachers' praise.

Lars Gjeldaker was likely (and justifiably) skeptical of the educational opportunities in Dakota territory. If the family had stayed in Norway, the grandchildren would have studied with him. Instead, an ocean separated them.

In 1892, Anna, the oldest grandchild, sent Grandfather some details:

"Micheal has now read in the Forklaring, and then we have read in the Bible History and are reading in the Testament. Then we have the Sunday School papers and newspapers. Micheal and Lars have the China Missionary paper. Last fall we borrowed one of Ole Skjervem's books and it was so much fun to read in that. Could grandfather please send one with Knud Jallo? Lars reads in the catechism, and Birgit [Cecelia] in the ABC. She spells and makes words. Clara is a little of each. She reads the ABC and sings a little of each song she hears from us."

Anna also assures Grandfather that he would like Clara. "She is a good girl. You should hear and see her. I think you would like her. She is a comfort to us all. Papa and she are very good friends. One time she said she liked whiskers, butter and bread."

Anna realizes her life would be different in Hallingdal. "I hear in your letter how cozy you have it. It would be good for us to get to go to school at your place and if we did that we would be satisfied--and we would really try to learn to read and be smart."

She closes with a postscript on behalf of her little sister: "I shall greet you from Birgit that she is good to take care of little brother and to read."