Klemesrud Brothers first threshing rig was purchased in 1896. Sons of Knud and others are identified as follows…
* Nick Johnson married Caroline Norby, so their descendants are related to some of the Klemesruds. The descendants of Martin Klemesrud, Stanley Klemesrud, and Kalmar Klemesrud have a Norby connection.
Knud, family, and friends?
The children of Liv Klemesrud with the children of her Grøv sisters, Johanna Fosholdt & Inger Nordbyhaugen
Top Left: Mary F, Martin K, Herman K, Kari K, Syver K, Harold N, & John F. 2nd Row: Gabriel F & Thorvald F. 3rd Row: Sarah F, Harald F, Harald K, Christopher N, ?, Malla F. Front Row: Isabelle F & Elizabeth F
At the home of Knud & Liv Klemesrud
TOP L to R: man’s shoulder, unknown woman, Herman S.K. and wife?, Lauritz & Rachel Norby, Harry Fosholdt & wife (Nubsen), Iver & Mary Nelson, Molla & Chris Christiansen
FRONT L to R: Herman K, Harald & Ingeborg, Knud K, Syver & Ella K, Martin & Elizabeth K
Knud & Liv on their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1908 with many of their children and grandchildren
BACK ROW: Ina Carlson, Lillie Klemesrud, Ella (Shoger) & Syver Klemesrud, Martin Klemesrud, Carl Carlson, Herman Klemesrud, Cora Klemesrud; 2ND ROW: Ingeborg Klemesrud holding Lorin, Ruth Klemesrud, Harald Klemesrud, Theodore, Knud, Liv, Kari Carlson holding Gladys, Knud Arthur with mother Lise (Dynna) Klemesrud, Irene Klemesrud; FRONT ROW: Kinley Klemesrud, Christina Carlson, Helen (Klemesrud) Maakestad, Alice (Klemesrud) Sponheim, Lena Carlson, Olaf Klemesrud, Herbert Klemesrud, Knut Carlson, Kalmar Klemesrud, Clarence Klemesrud
Golden Anniversary with family and friends
In 1912 Herman and Syver Klemesrud and their families made a trip from Meroa, Iowa to visit their brother, Martin, in McVille, North Dakota. Their Klemetsrud cousins, Ole, Herman, and Adolph were there as well.
left to right] Back Row: Adolph Julius, Herman (b.1868, son of Knud) holding Louise, Lise (wife of Herman1868), Herman (b.1871, son of Herman1838), Amanda* (wife of Herman1871), Anna (wife of Ole), ?*, Ella (wife of Syver), Syver (son of Knud) holding Ellsworth, Elizabeth (wife of Martin), Martin (son of Knud). Front Row: George (son of Herman1871, in front of AJ), Daughters of Herman & Lise: Alice, Helen, Irene. Hazel (daughter of Ole), Sons of Herman & Lise: Kalmer & Knud. Kinley (son of Syver & Ella), Children of Martin: Hiram Clifford, Melvin, Theresa, Kenneth
[left side of photo above]
[right side of photo above]
FRONT ROW BOYS: Kalmar, Knud Arthur, Kinley, Clifford, Melvin, Kenneth
2nd ROW: Herman Klemetsrud’s son, Helen, Alice, Irene, Hazel, Theresa
3rd ROW: Herman Klemetsrud*, Herman Klemesrud, wife Lise holding Louise, ?*, Mrs. Herman Klemetsrud*, ?*, Ole’s wife*, Miss Klemetsrud*, Ella, Syver Klemesrud holding Ellsworth, Elizabeth & Martin
*The two 1912 photos each have identification notes on the back, but there are some discrepancies. The bottom photo identifies the man with the tilted hat as Herman born in 1871. However, that is most likely an error. That man is probably Adolph as identified in the top photo. He does appear younger than the other two men in question in the bottom photo. The tallest man might be Ole, and the man near him with the bow tie is identified as Herman in the top photo. “Mrs. Herman Klemetsrud” might be their mother, Gunhild, born in 1842. If that is true, than these photos would have been taken before she died on April 28th that year. So then the woman identified as “Miss Klemetsrud” next to Ella might actually be Amanda making her incorrectly identified in the top photo.
Kalmar, Knud Arthur, Helen, Alice, and Irene are children of Herman & Lise. Herman Ludvig would be born two years later. Alice is wearing her confirmation dress made by Lise. Hazel is Ole & Anna’s daughter. Kinley is Syver & Ella Klemesrud’s son as is Ellsworth. Clifford, Melvin, Kenneth, and Theresa are the children of Martin & Elizabeth.
Rock Creek Lutheran Church Photo used by permission of Jon Sparrow Photography in Osage, Iowa
Docken Cabin and the old school house
When people first moved to Meroa they would often live in the Docken Cabin until they had a chance to obtain some land and build a home. In 1868 Knud & Liv Klemesrud lived there with their children, Harald, Kari, and Herman who was born earlier that year. As you can see in the older picture, it used to have an upper level.
The Mitchell County Historical Society provides more info.
Rock Creek joins the Cedar River five miles south of Osage. The Cedar River goes through Cedar Falls, Waterloo, and Cedar Rapids before joining the Iowa River which runs into the Mississippi.
This is the location of the Klemesrud homestead just a few miles from Meroa and Rock Creek. This group of trees surrounds the remains of the original barn.
Many Klemesruds are buried here, some Klemetsruds,
and many others with connecting family names.
Many Klemesruds are buried here, some Klemetsruds, and many others with connecting family names.
Knud & Liv with their five children Clockwise from top left: Martin, Harald, Kari, Herman, & Syver
Knud & Liv outside their Iowa home (completed in 1878)
Knud & Liv inside their home Notice the desk behind Liv that Knud built. He built one for each of their children.
Liv
Knud sits with his daughter Kari in January of 1916. Liv passed away on January 2nd that year. Notice the calendar on the wall that must have come from his son Martin who owned an auto business in McVille, North Dakota.
Left to right: Martin, Kari, Herman, Harald, and Syver
Left to right: Syver, Martin, & Herman
Harald Klemesrud
It’s assumed that he was visiting his cousins in Twin Valley MN when this picture was taken
Click here for a video showing a photo of Harald’s house as it appears in 2013 (the home of Bob & Nancy Klemesrud). It transitions to an old photo of Harald and his family in front of the house many years before.
Wedding Day of Harald
Klemesrud & Ingeborg Maakestad May 25, 1890
Harald & Ingeborg’s first four children
(Lillie, Cora, Herbert, and Olaf)
Harald, Ingeborg, and six of their children
Harald, Ingeborg, and all nine of their children
Oldest to youngest: Lillie, Cora, Herbert, Olaf, Clarence, Theadore, Ruth, Lorin, and Eleanor
All nine children
The Boys –
Oldest to youngest:
Herbert, Olaf, Clarence, Theadore, Lorin
Kari
Herman & Lise (Dynna) on their wedding day in 1892
Herman & Lise with their children
Back: Alice & Helen
Front: Irene, Kalmar, & Knud Arthur
Herman & Lise with all seven children
The two youngest are Louise & Herman Ludvig
Agnes (2nd wife), Herman Ludvig (Herman’s youngest child), and Herman (sometime between 1936 and 1940)
Elizabeth Norby and Martin Klemesrud’s (son of Knud) wedding picture. They were married May 30, 1900. In Norway the Nordby farm is just south of the Klemmetsrud farm, so their families both migrated from Hedalen. Nordby Page
Martin & Elizabeth with their children. Oldest to youngest: Hiram Clifford, Melvin, & Theresa (Kenneth wasn’t born yet so it must have been about 1907)
Kenneth, Theresa, Melvin, and Clifford in 1913
This historic picture was taken in 1919 in McVille, North Dakota on Armistice Day. The troops are returning home from WWI. In the background is Martin Klemesrud’s auto mechanic shop. His son, Melvin, used to say how he loved to help Dad in his shop, and that’s where he learned how to fix cars … as did Clifford and probably Kenneth as well. You can see a part of the Klemesrud name on the front of the building in the upper left-hand corner. This business appears to be a different location as compared to a 1914 venture called McVille Auto & Supply Co.
NOTE: On the Photo Gallery page for Harald is a postcard that Martin sent to his nephew Herbert after he got back from WWI.
(Hiram) Clifford, his wife Lela, his son Clifford, his mother Elizabeth, Theresa’s daughter Joan, and Kenneth
Kenneth, Clifford, Theresa, and Melvin
reunited at Clifford’s house in Chatsworth CA (1972)
Wedding Day of 1898
Syver & Ella with Kinley
Syver & Ella’s youngest child: Stanley (born 1919)
Stanley documented stories about his
Grandparents, Knud & Liv
Ella Shoger-Klemesrud
The woman on the left is Gunhild Brager, wife of Herman Hermansen Klemetsrud (Knud’s brother). The picture is from the mid-1890s. The women on the right might be the same person before she died in 1912. Family notes also indicate that the woman on the right might be Knud and Herman’s mother, Kari Knudsdatter Kamben-Dølve who died in 1891. It is thought that the photo on the right was used at the woman’s funeral, and that it was altered in an attempt to show her in a heavenly setting.
