Oskar Thompson Farm ~ 1915

Asbjorn Torkelson Hammersmark was born on the Hammersmark farm in Sirdal, Vest Agder, Norway, on October 6, 1848. He married Else Kristine Jonasdatter Indre Sanstøl who was born in Bjerkreim on October 21, 1859. They were married in their native Norway on June 18,1879. Realizing that in order to own their own farm they must leave their beloved Norway, they immigrated with Elsie’s sister Lettie to the “land of opportunity”late spring 1880. In order to assimilate as quickly as possible, Asbjorn assumed his American name, Oskar Thompson. It was a derivative of Tomson. (Tom was the English form of Torkel.) Oskar, Else, and Lettie made their way west to the prairies of Illinois where he found work for the first winter. By spring they found it necessary to move west to Strand in Adams County, Iowa, to get work. The family settled there temporarily to make enough money to help them head further west to the newly opening Dakota Territory. At the age of 21 Elsie bore their first son, Thomas, on July 3, 1880. During the pregnancy she had endured the sea voyage, traveled to Illinois, and then to Iowa. Lettie married Andrew Thompson in Strand. In the fall of 1881 Oskar and Andrew traveled by team and wagon to settle and stake claims in Aurora County, Dakota Territory. The two brothers-in-law used their overturned wagon for shelter while they secured materials and built suitable housing for their families. They returned to Iowa for them in the winter of 1881 and moved them west the following spring. Anna, called Annie by her family, was born the following fall. Oskar and Elsie had five more children on their farm in the NW 1/4 of Section 14 of Belford Township: Lottie, born in 1883, died in infancy; John on July 10, 1887; Lewis on April 7, 1890; Peter on June 10, 1892; Lisa on January 26, 1895; and Ella on November 18, 1897. The family moved to the adjoining quarter (SW 1/4 of section 14) where Alida (Letha) was born on June 3, 1901.

Oskar Thompson Farm ~ 1920

This glaciated prairie land was rich in black topsoil. Because it was located near the margin between farmland and ranch land and because of the extremes in winter and summer temperatures, farming was sometimes challenging. Oskar raised grain and cattle. He also built and ran a community granary on his farm.

Threshing ~1920


Threshing ~1930

Threshing into Barn ~1930