August 23, 2010:
Mervyn Nelson has given us some additional information about Hans’ daughter Martine Lillejord.
Marthine taught school and homesteaded land before she married Gust Nelson. Gust also homesteaded in the area. They lived northeast of Sisseton, South Dakota. They had the following children:
1. Harriet married Julius Jacobson and they had two children – Helen and Kenneth. Harriet passed away in 1932 at the age of 38 years.
2. Edwin married Julia Berge and they lived many years in Fargo, North Dakota. They had the following children – Robert, Carol, Gale, Janie, and Joan. Ed died in 1972 in St Paul, Minnesota at age 72 years.
3. Russell ran away from home at an early age and was never heard from again until his death in Sacramento, California in 1962 at the age of 60 years.
4. Gustie was born in 1904 and died in 1906.
5. Helen was born in 1915 and died in 1916. She and Gustie are both buried in the Concordia Emmanuel Cemetery northeast of Sisseton, South Dakota.
6. Ethel became a registered nurse. She married Cowdery and had one child Jeff. She divorced and married Eddie Lohre. They lived in Sisseton, South Dakota and then Kingston, Washington. They had two children – Suzanne and Donnie.
7. Gustave married Madeline Barker and they lived northeast of Sisseton, South Dakota. Madeline died in 1989 at the age of 79 years. Gustave died in 1998 at the age of 91 years. They both are buried in the Sisseton cemetery. They had the following children:
a. Gordon married Emojean Johnson and they had six children – Stephen, Bradley, Marita, Brian, Michelle, and Marcia. Stephen died in 1954 shortly after birth from a heart defect. Gordon died in 2006 at the age of 75 years. He is buried in Hendricks, Minnesota.
b. Mervyn married Phyllis Sanden. They now live in Surprise, Arizona. They had three children – Kathryn, Karen, and David. Merv and Phyllis have been married 58 years and have five great grandchildren.
c. Muriel married Gary Benidt and they had five children – Gregory, Nancy, Connie, Patricia, and Dale. Muriel lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
d. Gloria married James Johnson and they had four children – Michael, Paul, Elizabeth and Sonja. Gloria lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
When Marthine got married her brother Elling Lillejord gave her a parlor set. It consisted of a settee. three chairs and a platform rocker. It had black leather seats and backs. The wood was dark mahogany with lion heads and at the end of the legs, claw feet. We are proud to say that the set has remained in the family. Marthine gave it to her son Gustave, Gustave gave it to his son Mervyn, and Mervyn gave it to his daughter Karen who has it in her parlor in Hillsboro, Oregon!
Marthine Lillejord Nelson died in 1956 at the age of 83 years. Her husband Gust died in 1952 at the age of 80 years. Both are buried in the Concordia Emmanuel Cemetery northeast of Sisseton, South Dakota.
Martine and Gust Nelson with the children Harriet and Edwin (on the lap). All photos from Merwyn Nelson
The wedding of Martine and Gust abt. 1893.
From a Norwegian relative we have got a photo of Martine and Gust as old people. It seems like a daughter of Martine’s sister Marit, Stina Marie, has sent it to Norway many years ago (She was born 1877). She has written in Norwegian on the back of the photo:
‘This is my aunt Martine Lillejord Nelson who fell and broke her hip on Christmas Day. She is sitting in a wheel chair. We were visiting them a while ago, and then we took this photo. Her husband is sitting beside her. She is my mother’s half-sister.’
Gustave “Happy” & Madeline Nelson’s family
Merwyn & Phyllis’ family
Merwyn, Phyllis and daughters
Their son David and family
From a Norwegian relative we have got a photo of Martine and Gust as old people. It seems like Marit’s daughter Stina Marie has sent it to Norway many years ago (She was born 1877). She has written in Norwegian on the back of the photo:
‘This is my aunt Martine Lillejord Nelson who fell and broke her hip on Christmas Day. She is sitting in a wheel chair. We were visiting them a while ago, and then we took this photo. Her husband is sitting beside her. She is my mother’s half-sister.’
Lillejord Descendent Reunion 