The History Of The

City Of Cumberland

Chapter 5

-- Compiled by the Cumberland Women's Club and Published by the Cumberland Advocate
1874-1974

(used by permission of the Cumberland Advocate)

Donated by Linda Mott

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Comstock and Bethany Area

by Myrtle Knutson

As early as 1874 some immigrants arrived from Norway to take up homesteads in the densely wooded area south of Cumberland which later became known as the Bethany community. Some of the pioneers settled in and around Comstock. They came seeking opportunities. In spite of many hardships they were undaunted in their efforts to establish homes. They were neighborly and contented; their interests were their churches; their families, and later their schools. Often women would walk between neighbors and relatives knitting as they walked. They made their own yarn also. Most of them lost some of their buildings in the fire of 1898 as well as livestock and crops. In 1910 they suffered a severe drought and many were short of feed for livestock, but those who had feed shared with others. Hay was rolled into large bunches and weighed on an open beam hanging scale.

The first settler on the site that is now the village of Comstock was Andrew P. Swamby who arrived in 1874. He opened the first general store there, and in 1875 he became the first postmaster. He was one of the charter members of Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Congregation which was formed in 1882. The first meeting was held at the A.P. Swamby Hall in Comstock. Mr. Swamby died as a result of an accident on the day of the funeral of Mrs. Swamby's uncle, John Rosten. In 1892 Mrs. Swamby married Andrew Jerdee and they located on a 120 acre farm in Section 34, Town of Crystal Lake and 40 acres in Section 4 of Almena Township. They were the parents of Ingle Jerdee who resides in Cumberland.

Theodore Jacobson came to America in 1870 and to Crystal Lake Township in 1876 where he homesteaded a tract of land in Section 28. He built a house and barn and started clearing land and worked on the railroad and logged. He was a charter member of the Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1902 he sold his land and went to Dallas, Oregon where he bought a fruit farm. He died in 1904.

Hans Howe came to America in 1874 and to Cumberland in 1880 and was employed by Mansfield and Lang Lumber Company until 1881. He was married in 1880 to Susannah Foss. In 1881 he purchased 80 acres of wild land in Section 35 in Crystal Lake Township. He was also a charter member of Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church and for many years was "Klokker" (one who read the Scripture for the Sunday). He was also school clerk of District 4 Comstock for 24 years. He was the father of John and Helmer Howe.

Mr. and Mrs. Amund Moen came to America on their honeymoon in 1879. They had been encouraged by the Swambys to come. They bought 66 acres in Section 6, Clinton Township. He cleared land and built a house and barn which were destroyed in the forest fire in 1898. They didn't give up but rebuilt and added other buildings as needed. They were charter members of the Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mr. Moen was the first secretary. They continued in faithful service during their lifetime. They donated a parcel of land for the erection of a church building which was built in 1893. In 1931 the name of the church was changed to Bethany. The Moens were parents of Mrs. Lynn Toynbee, Carolyn Jacobson, Peter Moen (who served in WWI), Marie Barganz, and Emma Moen.

Mr. Moen was later joined by a brother and four sisters. His brother Esten Moen came to the Cumberland area in 1897 and located on 80 acres of land in Section 32, Cumberland Township. Their first house was built close to Hay River because of the availability of fresh spring water. In 1899 they built a house further west and a log barn which they used until 1910 when they built a modern barn 20' by 40'. It was a very dry year when they built and all neighbors were asking why they needed such a large barn! Clarence Moen is a son of the Esten Moen. Carrie, a sister, was the wife of Ole Eide and they located on 80 acres in Section 31, Cumberland Township. They were the grandparents of Warren Neby and Mrs. Edgar Wanner. Mary was the wife of Ben Wold who settled on 80 acres in Section 31 and 32, Cumberland Township. For several years Ben worked in the saw mill in Cumberland and walked back and forth. They were charter members of the church. They were parents of the late Adolph Wold. Johanna was the wife of Elef Wold who set up a homestead on 40 acres in Section 8, Township of Clinton in 1882. They farmed with oxen and put up a log cabin near Hay River. Mr. Wold died in 1916 and their son Peter took over and farmed with his mother,. He now lives in Seattle, Washington and is 92 years of age. A sister, Ella, was the wife of Charles Pederson who came to America in 1879 and to Barron County in 1881 and purchased 80 acres in Section 31, Township of Cumberland. He was a charter member of the church and also served several years as town chairman and County Board member as well as serving several years on the school board.

A sister of Mrs. Amund Moen, Sigrud Dolplados, came to America and was married to Torger Knutson in 1883. He had come to American in 1879 and to Barron County in 1880. He spent several months in St. Paul and worked on the railroad. He worked for Greggs and Foster Lumber Company near Comstock and in 1882 he bought 80 acres in Section 31, Cumberland Township. He built a log house and barn--the barn burned in the fire of 1898 and was rebuilt. He later added 80 acres in Section 36, Crystal Lake Township and 80 acres in Section 5, Clinton Township. He was a charter member of the church. One son Peter served in WWI. A son Martin has 120 acres of the original farm. Sig Knutson is a grandson.

Another sister, Maria Dolplados, came with Sigrud and married Ole Wold. The sisters stayed at the Amund Moen home until their marriage which was a double ceremony. Wolds established their home on Section 30, Cumberland Township. Mrs. Wold became well known as a mid-wife throughout the area.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Nyhus came in 1880 and settled on a homestead of 80 acres in Section 6, Clinton Township. They were members of the Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church. They are the grandparents of Richard and Marvin Nyhus.

Christ Tyvoll came to America in 1881 to Iowa where he clerked in stores and worked on farms. As a youth in Norway he worked for 5 years in a drugstore. He came to Cumberland in the fall of 1885 and was employed by O.A. Ritan as clerk and later employed by S.W. Hines Company, spending a total of 20 years as clerk. Having this knowledge of people and their
mercantile needs, he saw the possibility of Comstock as a trading point. In 1905 he bought out R.E. Smaling and established a business which has continued as C.P. Tyvoll and Son and operated by Martin until January of 1974. From 1905 to 1915 he was postmaster and kept the office at his store. In 1910 he purchased a farm of 120 acres in Section 31-32, Cumberland
Township from R.C. Finley where they made their home with their son Leonard, Jr. Many of the family are in the area yet; Mary (Mrs. Helmer Howe), Martin, Leonard, Helen (Mrs. Douglas), Edna (Mrs. George Poukey), and Doris, (Mrs. Ole Flottum).

Tom Troan came to America with his brother John in 1883 and bought 160 acres in Section 7, Clinton Township. In 1907 he sold his interest to John and bought 116 acres in Section 4, Almena Township. He served as treasurer of the Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church at one time and in 1897 helped organize a Young People's Society. He never married. In 1908 he
returned to Norway to visit and on his return to America brought his niece Anna Troan back with him and she continued as his housekeeper. John, his brother, came to Barron in 1888. As a youth in Norway he learned tailoring and shoe making trade. He located first at Comstock where he worked in the mills. In the fall of 1887 he built a log cabin on his farm and started
farming with one cow and a few chickens but built up a prosperous business of farming. They were members of the Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Erick Neby came to American and Barron County in 1881 and settled on 80 acres in Section 31, Cumberland Township. Besides farming he operated a community blacksmith shop on his farm. He served in several civic offices and the family was very active in the Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church. Mr. and Mrs. Neby, Knute, Martin and Elmer operated the farm. One evening Mrs. Neby went to bring her cow home for milking. She could not get the cow started for home, so she let her go her way and the cow led Mrs. Neby home; she had her directions turned around out among the tall tress where one could see only the sky and the ground. Of the 10 children several served in the service of the country, namely; Martin , Knute,
Theodore and Peter. Theodore was one who gave his life for his country as did Peter, who died of influenza shortly after being assigned to service in France. Warren Neby is a grandson and operates 40 acres and Marvin Togerson the other 40 acres. In 1883 Andrew Dramdahl came to Barron County and bought 80 acres in Section 36, Crystal Lake Township and later 80 acres adjoining. He didn't begin developing it at once, but he worked for several years for Beaver Dam Lumber Company. He was married in 1885; in 1889 he cleared land and built buildings. He served as supervisor in Crystal Lake for several years ad chairman of the board six years, was treasurer of Jt. 9 school district Towns of Cumberland and Crystal Lake 12
years. They were members of Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church. There were two sons, the late Henry Dramdahl and Alvin who resides in Cumberland.

Ole Torgerson came in 1884 to Prairie Farm. He worked for Knapp, Stout and Company at $20 a month. He worked in hay fields in summer and lumber camps in winter. In the spring of 1885 he started on lumber drives for a time, but he left to work in hay fields in Arland Township. In the fall he entered the employ of Beaver Lake Lumber Company and Cumberland, and in 1886 went to work in the mills in Comstock. That winter he worked for Miller and Waterman in the woods, and in 1887 worked for the Omaha Line with headquarters at Perley and then Comstock. In 1898 he bought 64 acres in Clinton Township and later 40 acres more all located in Section 5 and 6. He cleared land and built up a fine home. He was married in 1897 to
Louisa Anderson. Theodore and Leonard are their sons and Caroline and Alma daughters of Mrs. Torgerson. They were members of Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church and he was janitor of the church for many years. Theodore and his son Marvin still operate the farm.

About this same time Rasmus Johnson, grandfather of Paul Hilton, purchased the Windsor House, a large rooming house, now owned by Abner Odden. Mrs. Johnson served many hearty meals in this place.

P.D. Jacobson was born and educated in Norway, coming to American in 1879 and to Cumberland in 1882. In 1886 he erected a large building on the southeast corner of 2nd Avenue and Elm Street. He was engaged in furniture business and funeral directing. He had a large family and all were members of the 1st Lutheran Church. In 1913 he sold his business in Cumberland and moved with his family to Rice Lake where he engaged in mercantile business in partnership with his sons John, Carl and Hans.

Three brothers of P.D. Jacobson came from Norway to Cumberland. Claus and Jacob farmed east of Cumberland and Andrew worked in the saw mills.

In the early 1880s many fine Norwegian families lived on what was called "Cabbage Hill", a part of Western Avenue and Water Street. They were members of 1st Lutheran Church and a very active group. These families were Mr. and Mrs. Gust Hogness, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Holm, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Rovie, Mrs. Anton Aanstad, and Mrs. Hattie Ritan.

Albert Johnson was born in Norway in 1861. He completed his education in Norway and at the age of 18 years came to America coming to Cumberland in 1893 and started a large store in partnership with Ole Ecklie. Mr. Johnson was a director of the Island City Bank and member of 1st Lutheran Church.

Ole Ecklie came from Ironwood, Michigan in 1893. He and Albert Johnson were interested in the growth and progress of the city. In 1917 they built the brick building which was used for many years as a post office, now occupied by Schneider Drug. The Ecklies had four children. One son Wilbert survives and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Another son, the late Anton Ecklie,
was well known in Cumberland for his civic activities. He enjoyed music and directed the 1st Lutheran choir, played in the Legion band and sang in the Legion quartet.

Bennie Johnson came to this city in 1881. He worked for O.A. Ritan in his general mercantile store until 1884, when he was appointed postmaster. Later he served as county clerk for two terms. He came back to Cumberland and went into partnership with Johnson-Ecklie and Company. His only child, the late Bessie Johnson, worked in the store and later was employed
in F.L. Lampson's law office. She was a dedicated Christian and a member of 1st Lutheran Church.

Lewis Larson came here in 1901 and purchased one-half interest in the Island City State Bank with Ole Ritan.  He and his family lived in the house now owned by Mr. Frank Peichel. Mr. Larson was a lover of music and sang in the choir of 1st Lutheran. One daughter, Mrs. Agnes Hunt of Frederic survives.

H.O. Jacobson who married Olive, the daughter of Carl Hanson, was a well known business man of this city. He operated a jewelry shop for many years on the northwest corner of 2nd Avenue and Elm Street. He later built the brick building now occupied by his son Dr. Ray and grandson, Dr. Lee. Another son, Howard, is the owner of Jacobson's Men's Store. They are all active citizens of the city and members of 1st Lutheran.

Andrew Jorgenson came to Barron County in 1883 and worked on the railroad and in the woods. He bought 40 acres in Section 2, Almena Township from Knapp Stout in 1886; later added 80 acres and started building in 1887 and continued work in woods and as a carpenter to get enough money to make improvements. The timber was so thick he lost his way on his own farm one day. They were members of the Comstock Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Solomon Stocker arrived in Iowa in 1883 from Norway and came to the Cumberland area in 1897 traveling from Iowa in a covered wagon. They homestead 80 acres in Section 32, Town of Cumberland now occupied by Robert Whitmans. Mrs. Martin Tyvoll and Mrs. Jennie Nystrom are daughters of Stocker.

Charles Eckland homesteaded 73 acres in Section 1, Town of Almena. They, along with many others, lost their buildings in the fire of 1898 and a brother Peter was burned severely. He spent the entire winter recuperating. A great grandson Ronnie Olson lives on the original farm.

Ole Eides came from North Dakota in 1910 and settled on 80 acres in Section 31, Town of Cumberland.
 
 

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