Mary Margretha Nelson was born on 13 September 1857
on the Island of Borge in the North Islands of Norway. There is no written
information regarding her physical characteristics or her growing up years that
I know of, but she must have been a very lovely, young woman if she looked
anything like her brother, Nels and sister, Anna (Julia). They both had
stunning blue eyes and she most likely did as well. She was only 11 years of
age when she and her family embarked on the great adventure of living in a new
land, the U.S. It was full of opportunities for those who were willing to work
hard and persevere. Her father, Anders, was now crippled from a fishing
expedition which must have been difficult for the entire family. I hope that he
still had his sense of humor and obviously he didn’t lack for ambition since he
was taking his family away from familiar surroundings, family, friends and
loved ones- left behind in Borge, Norway.
When they arrived in the U. S., they lived for a time with
her Aunt Ingeborg and her family the Elias Larson’s in Lake Prairie, Minnesota.
They had two daughters, Martha and Sophia who were close in age and they must
have been her friends during that time. There might have been a bit of a
language barrier though as Mary would have known no English and these girls
along with their cousins the Norman’s, had all been born and raised in
Minnesota. But the Larson girls most likely knew some Norwegian and probably
taught Mary English. She would have had many cousins in adjacent farms there in
Lake Prairie and I’m sure it was lots of fun.
In 1869, a year after their move from Norway, her family
packed up and left Lake Prairie for land in Lake Lillian. It was a few days
journey of about 72 miles northwest. I’m sure there were tears shed over the
friendships she had gained with cousins and family there, but there would be
cousins from her father’s brother, Bryngel, that would have helped. For over a
year they lived with her Uncle and family and then they moved to their own
property just a short distance from them. She did have a cousin Minnie who was
her same age and they must have been friends along with others in close by
farms. She also would have attended school which was held in various homes and
taught by an older gentleman named Mr. Pitman. He opened every morning with a
reading from the Bible and a prayer. As we might remember, one of the reasons
these Norse came such a far distance to live was for religious freedom from the
tyranny of the state church in Norway. So this was probably a wonderful way to
start out the day and not unusual in the least. The Hanson girls were also
attending this school, and lived on a close farm, so most likely she was
friends with Bertha who was also 13 and Sophia 15. These girls would all be
sister in laws when her brother and their sister married a few years later.
Later, the Hanson girls would all go to Minneapolis to work but we don’t hear
if Mary did as well. She must have as life on the farm could be dull for a
young girl and her older sister, Julia had lived in Minneapolis and found her
husband, John there. But we find Mary or Maria as she is listed, living with her
family in Lake Lillian; she is 18. The Hanson’s are living nearby.
Sometime in 1876 or 1877, she married a young man named
August F. Kunze. How they met is a mystery. But they were courting in 1876 as
they were signed witnesses to the marriage of my great grandparents, Nels
Neilson and Paulina Hanson. He was from Saxony, Germany and about 4 years older
than she. In 1880, they are living on a farm very close to her brother Nels’
farm in Danielson. These must have been good times being close to her Mother,
who she was certainly close to. They have one child, Alexander William and he
is 1. Prior to 1885, the family has moved to Litchfield which is a couple hour
buggy ride to Danielson. She would have 3 more sons, Frank William, August
Frederick and Albert Frederick.
Mary passed away in about 1888, cause unknown but possibly during
childbirth or of consumption. Her mother passed away that same year. I can only imagine what it must have been like
for her husband August and four young sons. The Kunze boys frequently lived
with their Uncle Nels and family in Danielson on the farm. Grandma Annette talks
of them being there often and helping her father and brothers on the farm. I
believe their father tried to keep his family together but having to support
them all and work surely was difficult. August worked some in St. Paul in the
1890’s and in 1895 he married a spinster from New London, Minnesota named Hilma
Stam. They had three children and lived in Kittson County, Minnesota, then in
Three Forks, Montana by his son August and family. Mary’s husband August passed
away in 1918 in Three Forks, Montana.
In the following post, I will briefly tell about the four
Kunze boys.
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