Much of what I quote concering the early generations of the family in America will be from the book Journey Back to Hawley, that was written for the centennial observance of July 1972 for the city of Hawley. Almost all the information about the Thysell family in that book comes from him and his brother John Carl Emil Thysell. Though the information is from them, it appears most of the writing was done by the people who assembled the book. My uncle Elmer Thysell said to me at one time that some of the information in the book was not correct. Keeping that in mind I will still quote it and try to organize it in a more understandable pattern, and make corrections to the best of my knowledge. To do this I will quote from more accurate sources, such as death certificates, obituaries, and feel that this document will then be closer to being correct. To assemble the history of our origins in Sweden, I have taken the information from distant relatives that live in Sweden today, and researched the actual original records. Carl (Christ) G. Thysell was a homesteader who immigrated from Sweden.
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| He was born April 1, 1849, in Boarphalt, Hörby, Sweden, in Skå;ne the southernmost district of Sweden and about 40 miles inland from Malmö on the coast.
Genealogical research finds he was born in Veberöd, Göteborg county, Sweden, and his obituary says he was born in the province of Skå;ne, Sweden. |
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The late Herbert B. Thysell, a native of Hawley and editor of the Marshall County Journal in Britton, S.D. gave an explanation for O"Donnells and his father quitting their construction job. In a letter to the Hawley Harold on Oct. 6, 1959, Thysell wrote:
"My father "Carl G. Thysell", first filed on land where the town of Litchfield now stands. Hearing of the building of the Northern Pacific Railway across Minnesota, he abandoned his homestead entry and joined the construction company crew. It happened that he was employed under Mr. O'Donnell, who was the crew boss. They worked westward until they reached the Red River where Moorhead and Fargo now stand. Here construction was stopped for some months because the government in Washington decreed that the mighty Red was a navigable stream and a draw bridge must be built to permit passage of ships up and down the river. Members of the work crew disbanded. Father, and Dan O'Donnell and his young wife, decided to locate were Hawley now stands. Father went three miles Southwest of Hawley and located a homestead in Section 22 on the north side of the Buffalo River, with part of his land south of the river where Silver Lake Cemetery now stands. O'Donnell built a house and saloon on the corner across the street west from the present Thysell Brothers store."
Settlement of Hawley was bolstered by two groups that came to the area. One was a group called the Yeovil Colony, made up of English, Welsh, and Scotch immigrants, coming from England with Rev. George Rodgers. They sailed in the spring of 1873.
Arriving at the same time were Yankees from the East, many of them from New England and veterans of the Civil war. Also there were immigrants from Norway, and Sweden.
Quoting Carl's wife Angeline Martha Burgess Thysell while she was living at her sisters home, from her diary October 24, 1909 "Sunday. ... The residents of this town (Hawley) were mostly descended from the people of the town of Wayne, State of Maine. We are now on a hill about a mile west of the Buffalo River, the river then bends west and is three miles south. It is an old location owned by some old Wayne folks. It runs (The Buffalo River) into the Red River of the North. The place was colonized by the English and Boston colonists in the early 1870's."
Now back to quoting from Journey Back to Hawley ..."Carl Thysell was married December 14, 1877, to "Angeline Martha Burgess", a school teacher who had come to Hawley from Maine with her sister, Mrs.. J. B. Stetson. The wedding was held at the Stetson farm five miles southwest of Hawley with the Rev. L. Kribs, a Congregational minister officiating. Carl applied for their marriage license 20 October, 1877, in Moorhead. The witness listed on the marriage license are Angeline's sister Josie B. Stetson, and brother in law James B. Stetson. Six children were born and three died in infancy - Winnefred in 1879, Willie in 1888 and an unnamed infant son in 1896. The three surviving sons were Herbert Bartlet Thysell, John Carl Emil Thysell and my grandfather Albion King Parris Thysell
We have excerpt from Marions Journal "On This Tree"
January 8th 1915, the Grandfolks and Harry haul us to
Edmonton to catch the Canadian Pacific Railway to the
USA.
Marion Leona Thysell and Gertrude Ruth Rogers
Our last Canadian moonlight ride. Snug under fur
robes, foot warmer at our toes, I am sad that no one
sings. We reach the city as sunrise lays a golden glow
across the snow. I'm keenly aware of the fluid grace
of team and sled in contrast the ice encrusted,
steaming clanging, snorting train as we pull up to the
station.
Edmonton is a fairy city of snow, ice, and icicles
glittering in the sun. Train wheels screech on frosty
tracks, the cars, crusted and hung with ice, clank and
groan against the frozen joints as the they are locked
into different tracks. I cannot help but notice the
fluid ease of team and sled as they glide to the
station platforms beside the hoary, puffing steaming
monster on the tracks.
Even while I am sad at leaving Grandparents and
especially Uncle Harry, I am excited by the vast city,
by the big waiting room, and the squatting waiting
people surrounded by bundles of belongings. These
immigrants have come to settle in our country and we
are leaving. Soon, that ghostly monster-the train,
will gobble us up.
Harry holds Mama as though he never expects to see
her again. I hug Grandma, stare coldly at Grandpa,
feeling again the sting of the quirt. Hustled aboard,
the door bangs shut, wheels screech, we lurch, jerk
bump, halt, and roll forward. The best of our life
gone. I feel empty and hope we never see Albion
again. The icy train inches along. Mama lights a
foot warmer, hangs blankets to shield Duretha and
Phillip from cold blasts and snow. Often Mama takes
out her watch, snaps it open, then shut. For a moment
the engraved gold case gives off a rich warm glow.
Verden, David and I prowl. We sup from the basket
Grandma had fixed, and sip the blackberry cordial Mama
gives us to guard against stomach disorders. David
and I, (who do not wet), get snug under robes in seats
further down in the car and sleep. When morning
breaks the windows are frosted over solid. With our
mouths, Verden and I steam a peep-hole, and look out
on the bleak vast prairie. Out on the unbroken,
limitless vista, snow is picked up and whirled by
fierce gusts of wind. The scene makes me shiver and I
snuggle back under the covers.
I feel that my sister, Marion, has a great gift for
describing things in a very vivid way. This is the
part of the story when Mother, and my four oldest
siblings left Canada and moved to the prairie
homestead of Carl Thysell's in N.D. I understood from
Elmer the land belonged to Grandpa, though Marion
mentions of it belonging to Uncle John the first.
Harry is Mother's brother.
Back to the boys, Herbert Bartlet, John Carl Emil and my grandfather Albion King Parris Thysell
"These boys spent their early and adolescent years in Hawley. Herbert, during most of his adult life, was editor of the Marshall County Journal in Britton South Dakota. John was a horticulturist for the State of North Dakota at Mandan until his retirement. Albion was a farmer in the Bismarck and Mandan areas."
John Thysell remembers that the family continued intermittently to live at the homestead farm (near Silver Lake). He recalls living in a log house on the north side of the river while a tenant lived across the river. This was about 1888 when John was four years old, the same year they moved to the house in Hawley that is south of Hawley Auditorium. After some 10 more years, the family moved into an apartment above the store. Carl built a furniture store becoming the founder of Thysell Brothers Inc. He enlarged it in 1884 to include hardware and farm implements when he took a partner, H. A. Myron. Carl did not sell his farm, but rented it out. It was described as "560 acres under good cultivation and with excellent building improvements."
After some time Carl sold a part of the land and the rest remained in the Thysell family until the 1960's and was sold to provide perpetual care for Silver Lake Cemetery, from which it is a part of the original land.
Carl and "his family belong to the Lutheran Church. Mr. Thysell is an honored member of Odd Fellows fraternity, and is a Republican in politics. He is an active and capable business man and is loyal to all of the best interests of the Village and county". ....End of quotation of Journey Back to Hawley Carl was known by his nickname "Christ".
Carl also had a child out of wedlock by a housekeeper, while his wife Angeline was in state institutions. From the 1900 census I found Angeline living in the state hospital in Fergus Falls
This child born to Carl and his housekeeper was a daughter named Audrey, and her mother was
On August 16, 1994 my uncle Elmer Thysell and Phylis his wife were here in Seattle to visit her sister. On this evening and the next I visited them, with us celebrating his 77th birthday on wed. the 17th. On both occasions I asked him questions about our family, and we discussed many things, that I have already written about. Some new information that was shared are:
About Albions half sister Audrey and Uncle Elmer grew up and was married for many years when on one occasion Albion was visiting him in California (if I understand correctly) or Elmer was visiting him, and he said "dad said he wanted to visit his half sister, and I said what?, because I had never heard about her". Phylis said that uncle John and Bert never acknowledged her and never would have any thing to do with her.
The first contact as far as Elmer had was after my family (Ruthann) started to visit Audrey, and Audrey wrote Elmer and Phylis.
Elmer said that Marion said one version about Audrey and his dad explained it a little different, and this is his dad's version. "Grandpa Thysell needed someone to watch his children, so he got a housekeeper, to come and live in a cabin on their
property. She had children by previous marriage, and was divorced, with her husband going back to Ireland, and remarring. Grandpa had to feed her and her kids, clothe them and of course, nature took it's course, and Audrey was the result. After this, her first husband came and took her kids from his marriage to her. (Or already had before this time.) In time the housekeeper moved on to Iowa and remarried, and her name was Josie Lundeon, with Lundeon being the married name she took after this second marriage."
This is excerpts from letters from Audrey to Elmer...
Written 28th November, 1969 Stanwood Washington;
My Dear Nephew & Family,
"I received your most welcome letter and was real pleased to get it".....
....The rest of the letter is advise about stamps....
All my love your Aunt Audrey. PS and do come & see us.
Dear Phillis & Elmer.
It was real nice of you writing all the news about the children.
With all my Love to you both,
Audrey
From the information Audrey provided in these letters I went to the National Archives, and found this information. I first looked up Carl Thysell in Hawley, in the 1900 census and confirmed what I had thought last year about who Audrey's mother was. This was when Carl was living in Hawley, his occupation listed as hardware dealer. His two sons John and Albion were living with him. This census was enumerated 26th June 1900.
"As Carl acquired money, he sent fare back to Sweden to aid his brothers and sister in coming to America. Nels Johan Thysell was the first to arrive at age 18 in April 1873. Securing passage for his family later proved to be a sideline business for Carl - he was a ticket agent for people assisting friends and relatives who wanted to come to America. A general merchandise store on the Minnesota frontier seemed a unlikely place for a steamship ticket office, but it did exist. Carl Thysell also became one of the first licensed morticians in the county after taking a summer course at the University of Minnesota."
Angeline Martha Burgess, Born November 3 1849, died January 24, 1919
All children were born in the Hawley area, Clay Co., Minnesota.
in Otter Tail co. Minn.., listing her under the name Lena M. Thysell enumerated on June 8, 1900.
Emily J. Bullion, going by the name "Josie" Lundeer. Audrey was the first woman to graduate from the University of Washington as a chiropractor. In the late 1960's, my family visited many times the daughter of Carl and her married name was Audrey Kirkpatrick, living with her husband Leon in Stanwood Washington. At that time my mother thinks their son Emry, was living in Redmond Wash. and was a policeman in Kirkland Wash.
....The next section was advice about postage stamps, as Audrey was a collector, and apparently Elmer had written her about the value of Albions stamps, after his death. She go's into great detail about the possible value.
Continuing quoting the letter... "I saw Marion at Ruthanns Thursday and she said she was coming back to Bismarck in a few days....
I cant see very good so you will have to overlook the mistakes your Auntie is getting old and have had so many faults that my eyes are giving out. I'm going blind so it wont be long I'm here whether I'll be with Albion soon. Its getting cold so I'll have to turn into a bear and hibernate.
I'll have to do some of the things I have to do and some I'll never get done if I was to do all the things I have to do, I'd have to be 100 years old. Well I don't think I'll have any where near that long. I wouldn't want to if I couldn't get around and do things. I don't want to be a detriment to any one and you know no one wants you when can't do for yourself- Albion lived quite a while and had many children & grandchildren. Well I wont have had many but I have a few and I'm thankful for that. Well Albion had a lot of grandchildren I won't have any where's near that many children But I'm glad he did. They are mighty nice to have.
I would like to have something that was Albions as a remembrance and I would like to have a picture of him. I have one when he was a young boy, but I would like one when he was older. He has several of me & he has some of me when I was a little girl, so I should have one of him as a man.
I can remember so many things of when I was on the farm with them before the house burned down. Englebrit worked for dad when I was there I called him Britches. Englebrit, Mike Ryan, and Amel and there was one more but I don't his name. I didn't like him. They were all there on the farm and Mike Ryan and his brother Philip were there and there was another one there also but I don't remember his name and that has been 66 years ago so I don't remember his name. I did not like him.
Candy was my... and lived to be pretty old and mother had a white horse called Napie, and she was a buggy horse and she lived to be real old. She was white and black spots on her.
My boy Emry just called and said they were coming up, so I'll have to put a roast on and cook some thing his two boys always want something sweet to eat. So I'll have to get my thinking cap on and come up with something. Its 12 noon now & well its hr's later now 10p.m. I had such a headache I just couldn't write or any thing. Its time to go to bed now but I got these letters to write about 50 of them. Always got something to pay. There seems there isn't any end to it, but there really is an end to everything.
From another letter written in 1974
Our son Emry Lee & Shurley sold their home in Seattle and bought a home up here on Martha Lake. They got a beautiful home & a wharf for their boat 16 feet of water where the wharf is. The house has 3 bed rooms. A front room as big as my front room twice. They have 2 fireplaces a very small kitchen, a dinning room - 2 baths & a shower, a wash room and lots of built-ins.
There oldest boy got married October 7th. The youngest boy Buster is going to collage up at Mt. Vernon. They are 20 miles from here so we see them quite often. They went hunting got a moose & 3 deer, not so bad.
Kay & Cliff and three babies Kirk 6, Kathee 4, Charley age 3. They lost one. They sold our home in Seattle and bought a home up on Capital Hill. A great big house. I wouldn't have it.
My eyes are bad and I can't see. I got an announcement of John C. Thysell III marriage in June, I was very ill then. So I could not go or do any thing. I'm working on a beautiful Afghan for him, but I can't do it so good or fast as I used to.
I've made Mike our grandson Mike that was married in October. Every body says it's beautiful but I've made many mistakes.
We haven't seen Ruthann for quite a while.
Do you know if John C. Thysell I is alive yet? John must be 90 something. It's to bad he feels the way he does about me. I asked God to forgive him that he didn't know. Well my dears I'm not to blame for what my mother and dad did. He was married and his wife was in the insane asylum and it has been a National law for a man or woman was committed nether one could get a divorce so dad had 4 boys and needed some one to care for them and he hired mother to do the work. Then she went down to the shop and besides making a casket for a million or to and she said "Oh my That's pretty help is... for she said for you my dear."
She didn't say any thing so she was going up town and do some shopping and she went up to the bank & drew every cent he had and went home packed the things and called a van to take her & her things to the depot and left for Iowa and a few weeks later I was born. She sent him word and he came down there and he went up to a saw mill there & packed lumber on his back down and boarded up the room where mother and I was. It was a log house and you could of...a dog out of the cracks between the logs and he got some other things and he went back to Hawley and sold the shop or rented it. Did not know which and filed on a piece of land deep North Dakota and built a house there and that was where she went and was there 3 years for she went to Iowa & got me and I don't know what I done but she took all my cloths off of me and whipped me and took me to the basement and tied me to one of the posts that supported the floor up and told me the mice rats toads & snakes would eat my nose ears fingers & toes off & to this day I can feel them running around. My dad came & found me wrapped his coat around me and took me into the house and bathed me & dressed me and took me some place else. Then mother and Oley Lundeon got together and they got married. Then dad took me to Iowa to grandma and I didn't see them again until I was 11 years old and Carl went to court and made out papers that I was his child. I was there I told the judge I did not want to live with my mother. He asked me why and I told him she beat me. So I was with grandma till I was 17 years old and she passed away. So you see I didn't have a very good child hood. And that hurts me for any of them to blame me for it. I've shed lots of tears over it.
Albion when he was here with me for 2 months he asked me if Leon knew and I said yes he did & it did not make any difference to him and I took him over to Claires for dinner one evening and he asked me if she knew & I said yes and I asked her in front of him & she told him it was silly of them to blame me and told him if he was half as good as I was he would have something to be proud of and that he should be glad he had a sister know matter how I came in to the world.
Well it might of been wrong but at least mother didn't get rid of me and they are my mother and father so I honor them and love them both. I was there in 1919 and dad came down to mothers to see me and mother & I was in the dinning and he sat down by the side door and I was working salt through mothers hair it was very hot day and she had long hair and it was sweaty and dad said to me..."what are you doing?" - I said that mother had got to fresh so I was salting her down. He sat there clacking his teeth and mother said she knew something was coming and sure enough he said "Audrey I want you to know that That's your mother you are talking about and its know matter what someone has said or told you about your mother I don't want to hear you say disrespectful things about her". I was shocked for he had never corrected me in my life before, so I said to him daddy I didn't say anything wrong. I am salting her down working salt all through her hair & grandma always salted the fresh meat down & that was what I thought about nothing disrespectful.
Well this has been pretty hard for me to write and made me sick to my stomach & I threw up. I think That's what Ruthann has against me. Well I did not do anything wrong and I walked to the alter with my husband clean and I'm glad I don't have any thing to answer for.
Well its a pretty day today. It don't look like a white xmas this year but never can tell.
Well Phylis who have you been kidding - That's pretty severe - Kay had it and was a long time getting over it and I'm not sure she is yet - but she can't have children. She has been very Ill from it. She has been very ill from it. She got so very thin & she was so cross - now she has quit smoking and has gained some weight. She has 3 children she adopted she had another one but she lossed her when she was a tiny baby.
The good Lord will take care of that. I pray for all of them every day.
I hope Phyllis & Elmer this don't turn you against me like it has the others.
Well my dears I love you both and hope you will come & see me.
Leon will be 80 years old January 8th and he don't like drive anymore.
I'll be 74 October 10th 1974 so we booth are getting up there and wont be around much longer.
So for now I'll go along and watch for a letter.
Born
Age
Marital staus
Where born
Carl G. Thysell
Apr 1850
50
M 22 yrs
Sweden
John Thysell
Jun 1884
15
S
Minnesota
Albion K. P. Thysell
Jan 1886
13
S
Minnesota
Emily J. Bullion
Mar 1868
32
Wd
Iowa
Audrey's mothers name was Emily J. Bullion, age 32, born March 1868 listed as housekeeper, widow, mother of 2 children, both still alive as of this census, though they are not listed with them, and her mother born in Illinois, father Ohio. I assume that its as Elmer said, and Bullion would be her married or maiden name I am not sure. Audrey stated that her mother lived on the homestead near Bismarck, so I looked up the 1920 census, and found the answer for sure. Audrey stated that her mother married "Oley Lundeon" so I found them listed right after Albion and Ruths family. Her name is listed as Josehine Lundeen age 51, born Iowa, her mother born in Illinois, and father Ohio. It appears her name was Emily Josephine, going by the name "Josie". Its interesting to note that she was living on the farm right next to Albion and Ruth. Ole and Josie had children as listed below, so Audrey had other step brothers and sisters, and Ole and her mother were married probably in 1904.
This census was enumerated 19 June, 1920
| Age | Birth place | |
| Albin K. Thysell | 33 | Minnesota |
| Ruth G. Thysell | 31 | South Dakota |
| Herbert V. Thysell | 12 | Canada, American Citz |
| Marion L. Thysell | 11 | Canada, American Citz |
| Carl D. Thysell | 9 | Canada, American Citz |
| Inez D. Thysell | 7 | Canada, American Citz |
| Philip W. Thysell | 5 | Canada, American Citz |
| Albert E. Thysell | 3 | North Dakota |
| Elmer A. Thysell | 2 | North Dakota |
| Olaf N. Lundeen | 54 | Sweden |
| Josephine Lundeen | 51 | Iowa |
| Esther E. Lundeen | 15 | North Dakota |
| Ervin Lundeen | 12 | North Dakota |
| Emery Lundeen | 12 | North Dakota |
| Margret Lundeen | 8 | North Dakota |
Carl and Angeline were divorced, possibly because of Audrey and Carl moving to the Bismarck are, and from Angeline's diary I quote "Nov. 26, 1909 I got a divorce from Mr. Thysell some 5 years ago I think."
Carl was also married for a short time to Linnie Rogers, maiden name Knowles, and widow to William Rogers. She is famous for being the first woman to climb the Devils Tower in 1895. This is how the Rogers family came in contact with the Thysell family and how my grandfather Albion Thysell met my grandmother Gertrude Ruth Rogers. This was when Linnie's brother in law Edwin Rogers and family were visiting Carl and Linnie at their homestead near Bismarck. With Edwin's family was, Gertrude Ruth Rogers, she being Linnie's niece. Albion and Gertrude Ruth met and were soon married.
There is more detail of Carl and Linnie in the Rogers section. They were married 6 Sep 1904 and later divorced on 18 Oct. 1907.
Carl died March 24, 1926, at Britton South Dakota, while living with his son Bert who was the newspaper Editor there. He is buried in Silver Lake Pioneer Cemetery.
From the Obituary of Carl G. Thysell 1 April, 1926, Clay County Herald:
The deceased came to America when 19 years of age. He came to Minneapolis when that city was a small village about the size Hawley now is and walked westward from Minneapolis to the site of the present city of Litchfield, where he filed on land in 1868. About that time the Northern Pacific railway was being built westward across Minnesota and he secured work on the construction gang, working westward to the Red river at Moorhead, where work was stopped by the necessity of constructing a bridge across the river. He threw up the Litchfield land and came to a point near Lake Park, where he again filed on a piece of land on which he erected a log house. Being short of money to equip his land, he went into the woods for the winter to work. In the spring, when he came out, he found a family had "jumped" his claim and he again moved westward. This time he filed on land three miles south of Hawley, the land on which the Silver Lake cemetery is situated. Buildings were put up on this land and he made it his home for several years. On December 14, 1877 he was united in marriage to Miss Angeline Burgess by Father Kribs an early day preacher here. To this union six children were born, three of whom died in infancy. Those surviving are Herbert B. Thysell of Britten, S. D., John C. Thysell of Mandan, N. D., and Albion K. Thysell of Bismarck, N. D. A brother, Johannes, still living in Sweden, and 14 grandchildren also mourn his loss. Mrs.. Thysell died January 25, 1919.
Within a short time after he had settled on his Hawley township land he came to Hawley and established a hardware and furniture store on the same site now occupied by Thysell Bros. This business he conducted until 1901, when he sold out to his brother, Nels Thysell, and the three sons, Emil, Carl, and Albert, who now conduct the business. After disposing of his interests in Hawley he went to Bismarck, N. D. where he bought several quarters of Northern Pacific railway land situated about fifteen miles from that city. Some of this land he sold but retained three quarters until recently. He lived on this land for several years, making extensive improvements.
With advancing age, he decided to again embark in business, selecting this time the general store business at Bradley, S. D. as the scene of his venture. Failing eyesight and hearing began to be a handicap to him and he sold this business after a short time. He again decided to move westward and he purchased a small tract of fruit land near Portland, Oregon, where he elected to spend his declining years. He came back to this section shortly after acquiring this property and failing eyesight made it impossible for him to return. For the past three years he spent his summers and winters with his sons, John, at Mandan, and Bert, at Britton, S. D.
Mr. Thysell quickly acquired the principles of Americanism and became a staunch supporter of the country of his adoption. He made one visit to his native country, during the winter of 1887 and 1888, and was instrumental in bringing many people from the old country to America, as many in the vicinity of Hawley can testify. He advanced the passage money to many, permitting them to work it out after arriving here.
He was always actively identified with every movement destined to further the advancement and development of the country. When he first started out across the Minnesota prairies most of the state was almost unbroken wilderness overrun by Indians and wild life. The plains of North and South Dakota were inhabited and covered with Buffalo, elk and other wild animals.
No railroads stretched westward across the plains and the government maintained military posts at Fort Sisseton (18 miles from Britton, S. D. and at Ft. Abercrombie (south of Fargo) -and at Pembina. Even after he filed on the Hawley township land, Indians were constantly passing back and forth across the country and frequently stopped at the farm home on the river bank to ask for food. He was one of the advance guard of the pioneers who made this great middle west the land of unlimited opportunities which it has proven to be for the generations which followed; who started the development which made it possible for it to become the "bread basket of the world." He was a man of unlimited energy and great perseverance. These traits continued to dominate him to the last. When eyesight and hearing failed he spent much time the last three years making rag rugs.
An attack of influenza last fall at the home of his son, John at Mandan, hastened the end. A constitution already weakened by years of hard work could not stand the strain. Early in December of 1925, he was somewhat better and went to the home of his son, Bert, at Britton, S. D. After reaching there his strength slowly melted away until the end came on March 24th. He suffered untold agony at the last and death came as a welcome release from suffering. His last days were cheered by the visits of a former citizen of Skå;ne, now living near Britton, who was acquainted with his relatives in the old home. He enjoyed these visits very much.
The funeral was held here Friday afternoon from the Lutheran church with Rev. S. G. Hauge officiating. Internment was made in the Silver Lake cemetery, in ground which was a part of the homestead of the deceased. (end of obituary)
In 1901 Carl Thysell sold the store to his younger brother, Nels J. and sons Emil, Carl and Albert. Emil and Carl are believed to be the first twins born in Clay county. The firm has remained in this family to the present day.
In 1880 they were followed by a third brother of Carl and Nels named Magnus, and his wife with their three small children. They settled on a farm southwest of Hawley, about eight miles, where Herman Gruhl now lives.
Andreas Tall, a fourth brother did not emigrate from Sweden. However, his daughter, Anna, came in the late 1880's and married Jens Larson, who farmed three miles west of Hawley. Anna and Jens's 11 children grew up in Hawley and many of them are still in the Hawley area. Another son of Andreas, Carl Tall, came to Hawley from Sweden in 1889, and later homesteaded six miles southwest of Hawley and several of his children grew up in the Hawley community. Nels Tall, a third son of Andreas, came to Hawley in 1906. He brought their mother Emma with him because Andreas died in Sweden in 1901.
The parents of Carl G., Nels, Magnus and Andreas were induced to emigrate to the Hawley community in the late 1870's and homesteaded a farm near their son Magnus. The parents, John C. and Karna are buried in Silver Lake cemetery as are Carl J. Magnus, the Talls, the Larsons and many of their children and families. This cemetery is a part of the original homestead of Carl G. Thysell and was donated by his heirs with provision for its upkeep for future years. The Nels Thysell family having moved to Hawley in 1902 from the farm to enter the hardware and implement business, are buried in the Hawley Cemetery.
This is Carls family with him as a child:
Johannes C. Tysell June 20, 1819 Sälshög, Sweden
Karna Hakansdatter June 25, 1819 Västerstad, Sweden
Carl G. Thysell and Angeline Martha Burgess grandchildren children, by their three sons:
Lucy Jones, born December 24, 1880. Died January 11 1945
Albion King Parris Thysell and Ruth Rogers are listed in greater detail later in this history.
Carl G. Thysells' great grandparents:
This is Ingars family with her as a child:
Next generation back:
Kristina, born about 1707 in Sweden
Carl G. Thysells' grandparents:
Johannes C. Tysell and Karna Hakansdatter had descendants from sons and daughters in Sweden, who did not come to America. They were visited before 1960 by Herbert Thysell. In 1963 Beth, daughter of Duane and Nanette Thysell visited. In 1966 Duane and Nanette with their daughter Kathie, visited the Thysells near Hörby and Lund Sweden.
Around 1972 a medical article was found written by a Doctor Hans Thysell of Lund, Sweden. On corresponding with him, an answer was received not form him but from his father, Dr. Torsten Thysell, also of Lund. Hans specializes in internal medicine and kidney diseases and Torsten is a director of a clinic in adolescent psychiatry. Torsten is interested in tracing his family tree. He goes back 5 generations to his great - great grandfather, who worked in the village of Sälshög in Tryde parish about 35 miles east of Lund, just north of a city Tomelilla. His surname was Johansson, but in 1826 he adopted a new surname, Thysell, probably after Tryde and Sälshög. The present known Thysells related to the Hawley group live, also, about that distance east from Lund about 10 miles or less out of Horby, a town not much larger than Hawley. Thorsten's grandfather born in 1849, were cousins of the four boys Andreas, Carl, Nels, and Magnus who were all born between 1845 and 1855.
Andreas Tall (1815 - 1886) did not emigrate to America. However daughter Anna came in 1887,
son Carl in 1891, and Nels another son with his mother, Emma, came in 1906. Emma lived around
Hawley until 1936.
Emma, Born 1844. Died 1936.
Anna married Andrew Trulson who died in 1888. She then married Jens Larson, who also came from Sweden in 1887, or 1889. Eleven children were born to the Larsons, who lived three miles
west of Hawley during the years they raised their family.
Anna Tall, born January 10, 1870 in Skå;ne Sweden
Daughters Selma (Mrs.. Gustafson) lives in California and Ida lives in Moorhead and was a librarian for Moorhead Public Schools. Most of Oscar and Aquina Larson's 10 children live in Hawley area or Clay county.
Hilda married the brother of Mrs.. Albert (Caroline) Thysell, there by making her a second cousin as well as aunt of Albert Thysell's children. The three children of Hilda and Gilbert were Boyd, June, and Janice and they lived in Fargo until their father died and for some time afterward. Now they live elsewhere except Janice (Mrs.. Richard Crockett) who still lives in Fargo.
Several grandchildren and great grandchildren to the Talls exist, and add to the descendants in America of Andreas Tall who never came this country.
Ida Andersson, born February 14, 1876 in Mellby, Elf, Sweden
In a newspaper article about the Thysell - Tall family reunion in Aug. of 1972 the Andreas Tall family was represented by Rudolph Tall, son of Carl Tall, Amanda wife of Hilding Tall. Ione (Mrs. Edward Krueger) and Odean, children of Olivia and Peder Ronsberg. Beverly (Mrs. Floyd Lunder) daughter of Sigrid and Harold McDonald, from the Carl Tall family.
Also at this reunion representing the daughter of Andreas, who was Anna Tall (the Jens Larson - Anna Tall line) was Mrs. Louis Larson. Mrs.. Edward Larson, Hilda (Larson) Noe, Victor Larson, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Larson, Mrs.. Oscar Larson, Ida Larson.
Representing the Nels Tall family were his son Harold, daughters Hazel, Florence, and Betty. Nels' widow Anna was still alive in 1972 and living in Moorhead.
Great grandchildren of Andreas and Emma present included Mrs. Jean Mjolsness, Mrs. Pat Hesteness, Carl Larson Jr., Boyd Nekson, Mrs. Richard (Janice Nelson) Crockeii, Mrs. Duane Larson Keith Larson, Neil Larson.
Magnus Thysell (1846 - 1925), older than Carl G. by three years and Nels by nine years came from Hörby Sweden seven years after Carl and Nels in 1879. He and his wife, Caroline and three small children August, Albin, and Gertie came to Clay and homesteaded a farm in Skree Township just south of Hawley Township where Herman Gruhl now lives. Five more children Annie, Clara. Alice, Albert and Carrie were born to them. (Only Annie was still alive in 1970 and was past 90 years. She and John Thysell son of Carl G. Thysell were the only members of that generation of the family living when the book was written.)
Magnus and Caroline's grandchildren
Emelia Josephine Johansdotter Peterson, born November 16, 1879 in Trollhättan, Västra Tunhem, Sweden
The original homestead of the place where Albin and family lived south of Hawley, the west half of the Northwest quarter section of Section 34, Hawley Township was claimed and settled by Albins grandparents, John C. Thysell (1817 - 1899) his wife, Karna (1815 - 1886)
After Albin died his wife, Emelia and children Einar, Harry, Roland, and daughter Lillian moved to Minneapolis.
August M. Thysell married Amanda born 1871 (I don't know maiden name) and had no children.
In the 1920 census Carl G. Thysell listed as Christ G. age 70 was living with them.
One of the eight children of Magnus and Caroline had a daughter named Ellen who married a Carl Carlson and a great grandson of Magnus - Courtney Carlson, lives in Hawley as of the writing of the book.
Nels Johan Thysell (1855 - 1920) born 25 March 1855 in Sweden emigrated directly to Hawley at age 18 years, in 1873 and worked for the Northern Pacific railroad section gang and on farms in Hawley for several years. He worked in Minneapolis one or more winters. He was robbed of his winter wages and it is said he walked back to Hawley from Minneapolis.
He induced his future wife, Ingri Thorkelson, to emigrate the next year and they were married September 5, 1874. It is said that he had to borrow the money for her transportation and, also for his marriage license. He walked to Moorehead and back to obtain the licence. They homesteaded a farm six miles southwest of Hawley in 1884 and lived and farmed there until 1902. It is believed the original sodhut home was about a mile and a half from Hawley near Jacobson Mill. Mrs.. Jacobson is said to have cooked their wedding meal, which included corn on the cob. Nels was farming about 1,000 acres of land before he decided to quit farming and bought out his brother Carls hardware business in Hawley in 1902.
Nels was fortunate in having three sons, Emil, Carl, and Albert to bring into the new business in Hawley with him. They had been a big factor in his enlarging his farming scale from his original 80 acre homestead site into farming about 1,000 acres before they left the farm. The division of labor was worked out well in the new venture with Emil taking over the office and bookkeeping, and Carl and Albert handling the hardware and implement. They sold both International Harvester and Minnesota line of machinery, latter made at the State Prison at Stillwater.
Nels with such good help at the store, became increasingly interested in community affairs. At sometime during this early period in their venture, he became undertaker and funeral director. A place in the store was designated for this additional business. He was interested and active in Hawley Lutheran Church affairs and did not hesitate to express himself in his broken English accent. He acted as auctioneer at the annual church harvest home suppers, which were a village event in those days.
"I recollect as a young boy seeing him put a homemade hat or apron on him to amuse the ladies and I think it had its value in improving the sales of the goods made by the women to add money to the church or ladies aid funds," recalls his grandson Dr. Duane Thysell.
He was an active Democrat and was a delegate to numerous county and state conventions. He later served as mayor of the village for a year. He became postmaster of the village during the last years of his life before his death in 1920. When ill health forced him to resign, he was succeeded by his son in law John W. McDonnald.
Nels was in many ways a colorful character. He was a friendly, outgoing person.
"I was a child of eleven years when he died," said Dr. Duane Thysell. "I can recall several things about him - his auctioneering in church, his apple orchard with him picking apples in the grove near his house in the now Bently addition of Hawley, also, receiving nickels from him for ice cream cones with a pat on the back when my brother and I showed up down town. I recall the purchase of one of those new top-heavy Dodge sedans that came out after World War I. He had not driven a car and was learning to drive it and tipped over two miles west of Hawley on a grade where the Thorval Olson farm now is situated. While recuperating in his bandages, he stated he was through driving and did not try the car again."
Seven children were born to Nels and Ingri. Olga, their oldest daughter, later Mrs.. Charles (Axel) Johnson were parents of Esther, Evangeline and Olga. After the death of Olga and grandmother Ingri in 1903, these three small girls were brought up by grandfather Nels Thysell and their family. In the 1920 census this is how they were living: Grandpa Nels head of home, John W. McDonald son in law, Annie Thysell McDonald daughter, Forrest McDonald grandson, Evangeline Johnson grand daughter, and Olga Johnson grand daughter.
Emil and Carl, twins, the next children born to Nels and Ingri, were born in January 1878 in the sod dugout, 20 by 16 feet, which was the family's first home. They were delivered by grandmother Karna. The sod hut was converted or replaced by a log cabin. The next children were, Albert, born in December 1879 and followed by Annie, Marie and Fred.
The grand children of Nels and Ingri were:
Olga Thysell, born before 1878. Died 1903
Carl Thysell married in 1907 to Emma who was born in Norway in 1877. Emma had worked in one of the Hawley banks previous to marriage. They had no children.
Emil married in about 1909 to Helen Nelson of Minneapolis who was born in Sweden.
Albert married Caroline Nelson of Lake Park, Minn.. in Dec. of 1907. A year or two previous, she was met at the railroad station by the livery barn man to be taken to the Nels Johnson farm two miles or more north of Hawley where she was to stay and teach school in the nearby school north of the Simmons farm. The livery man was busy and asked Albert to meet the train and bring her to her destination. This trip began a courtship which ended in their marriage.
To this point most of what has been written, has been spent on the generation of Carl G. Thysell, and I wish now to focus on Albion King Parris Thysell and Gertrude Ruth Rogers, my grandparents Gertrude Ruth Rogers and Albion King Parris Thysell.
Albion King Parris Thysell was born on January 4, 1886 in Hawley area of, Clay Co. Minnesota. His parents were Carl G. Thysell and Angeline Martha Burgess, as explained in the first parts of this history. He was named after a relative of his mother who she called uncle - Albion King Parris Burgess. The full details of this person and Albion's mothers youth is covered in the Burgess section.
Gertrude Ruth Rogers was born 28 October 1888 in Bell Fourche, Lawrence county, South Dakota area. Her parents were Edwin Barnett Rogers and Nettie Paulina Bundy. Her family history is listed in the Rogers section.
Albion's father Carl had a homestead near Hawley which he sold part of and rented the rest to start a furniture business in Hawley, until he sold that business to his brother Nels in 1901. Albion was raised for a time by his aunt Josephine, Angeline's sister, and her husband James B. Stetson. It is my understanding that after Carl sold his store in Hawley he moved west and staked a homestead near Bismarck, in Naughton Township, where he farmed. By September 6, 1904 Carl had remarried to Linnie Knowles Rogers. Her brother in law Edwin Rogers, with his family were going north to move to Canada and stopped at this Naughton homestead, in the fall of 1905 and this is where Albion and Ruth met and married. Albion was 20 years old and Ruth 17 and they were married on Mar. 21, 1906 in Burleigh county, by a county Judge M. J. M. Keuzie. Their marriage certificate lists them both from Baldwin, Burleigh county, North Dakota, and also on the certificate it lists witness as M. J. M. Keuzie and Mrs.. Linnie Thysell. In 1906 the families of Edwin and Nettie with Albion and Ruth moved to Edmonton, Alberta Canada to homestead. They settled in an area Northwest of Edmonton called Manola, near Westlock. Here along the Pembina river is were Edwin, Wayne, Harry, and Albion made their homesteads. Edwin had a Hay and feed stable in Westlock called Rogers and sons.
Albion and Ruths first child Verdon Herbert Thysell was born in Edmonton. They moved after this and started their homestead and their goal was to qualify them to own it by living on it for 5 years, and then gaining Canadian citizenship. This was from 1907 to 1912, and here is were Marion, Carl David, and Duretha were born.
The following memories are from Marion as told to me: "I remember the homestead very well, even as far back as 2 years old. My grandmother Nettie gave this description of my birth.
"Born on a frigid November night in a log cabin in the forest beside the Pembina river in Desoldorf County, Alberta, Canada."
"When I was born my mother had no milk to nurse me with so to keep me alive, they ground up bread and poured venison meat juices on it and let me suck on that."
"One time mother was washing cloths and hanging them up on the line, and it was very cold. With her hands wet, she flung her hand towards the cabin for me to go in and her wedding ring went flying off, and we never found it."
"To describe the homestead, I remember how so much snow would cover the evergreen trees and how beautiful it was and how the animals that lived under the trees would come out and play in the snow. The sun would glisten like diamonds on the snow. One time I got close to the river and saw some logs fall into it and by the time they passed me, the force of the water had torn all the bark of the logs. Because I was by the river were I wasn't supposed to be, I got a spanking. I remember mother singing me and my brothers and sister to sleep at night. One activity we did together as a family was to ice skate."
"I remember that dad was not always around to take care of things and in the winter of 1912 he hadn't cut any firewood for the winter, so uncle Wayne came to our cabin in November and found us all under blankets trying to stay warm. He gathered us up and took us to grandpa Rogers homestead ranch and we stayed until spring. Then we went to Westlock to live in a house owned by a man named Wright, and this is when I got to start school."
"After five years we were qualified to own the homestead, but dad sold it for a giveaway price of $400.00. Grandpa Rogers tried to talk him out of it as the trees and lumber on it were of great value. World War I was starting in Europe and there was a growing demand for Spruce to build airplanes. He sold it anyway, and the people who bought it made a lot of money."
"We moved back to Grandpa Carl Thysell place in North Dakota traveling by train. (From the 1920 census: they were living on a farm in Naughton township just North East of Bismarck.)
Eventually we moved into Bismarck and lived in two different homes." (they returned from Canada in 1915 and moved to Bismarck in 1926.) end of quotation of Marion
This is where the rest of the kids were born. Ruth died in 1932, and they were living in the home that Albion continued to live in until his death in 1969.
With Ruth's death my mother Ruthann, who was age three, went to live with her sister Marion and with another family for a short time. Her older brother Verdon was working for Lawrence and Sarah Madland who had lost their 12 year old son who drowned. This was in the Bismarck area. Mom went to live with them the rest of her growing up years. She was not adopted but was their foster daughter, and had the blessing of having the love of the Madlands and to still have the association of her Thysell family. Eventually my mother and the Madlands moved to the northwest corner of Minnesota, so my mother grew up at this distance from her family, but still kept contact with them.
I can remember Verdon, Duretha, who have passed away, and James, Elmer, and Marion who are still alive. I don't remember any of the other uncles and aunts.
I remember Albion's second wife Ann, until they were divorced. (They might not have been divorced) They came several times to visit us while we lived on our Aastad farm. Albion came and stayed with us one Christmas, and for several months when we lived on the farm near Wendell. In the early 1960's we went to Bismarck to visit Grandpa several times. His daughter Duretha and husband Ted Anderson with their children were living upstairs in the home and Albion in the basement. He was working as the night janitor of the museum by the State Capital, and he took us on a tour of the place. He showed me some of his favorite things that were displays about Indians. One of his hobbies was stamp collecting and he got me interested in it, so I began to collect stamps until I lost interest in it. After his death I received and still have two of his stamp books.
This is from Albions newspaper obituary:
Albion K. Thysell Pioneer Bismarcker
Albion K. Thysell, 83 pioneer Bismarck resident, died Thursday morning at St. Vincents Home. He had been custodian of the Liberty Memorial Building at the state capital for many years, retiring in 1963.
He was born at Hawley, Minn.., Jan. 4, 1886, to Mr. and Mrs.. Carl Thysell and grew up there. In 1901, he accompanied his father to Bismarck and they homesteaded north of the city. In 1907, he went to Canada returning to the family ranch in 1914. He moved into Bismarck in 1926.
He leaves five sons, Verden H, Bismarck; Philip, Chester, Va; Albert, Moorhead, Minn..; Elmer, Vallejo, Calif. and James, Holliser, Calif. and three daughters, Mrs.. Edward (Marion) Jenkins, Bismarck; Mrs.. Duretha Anderson and Mrs.. Richard (Ruth Ann) Hanson, both of Seattle, Wash.
He also leaves one brother, John, Bismarck; 46 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Bolter Funeral Chapel with the Rev. David Walters officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Archie Burkhart, Edward Ryberg, Harold Goodman, Bill Allen, John Anderson, and Dean Johnson.
This is some of the information I have on the children of Albion and Ruth Rogers:
Helen Nelson, born 1882
Caroline Nelson, born 1881 and died somewhere between 1946 and
1948, on Christmas day
Read Interview with Dr. Vernon Duane Thysell Interviewed by Dr. John R. Holten for the Heritage Education Commission Interviewed on February 1, 1985
Annie Thysell, born December 1882
Marie Thysell Jan 1888
Myrtle, born 1895
Gertrude Ruth Rogers, born October 18, 1888. Died May 3, 1932
He married June Johnson born 15 Jan. 1917 in Cooper, Iowa. They were married on 24 june 1935 in Minot, North Dakota.
Marion was born 17 November 1908, at the homestead cabin that was in the Manola area along the Pembina River. I have visited her since I was a young boy, but only once at their home in the last 20 years. I have talked to her on the phone and written her and received so much help on the research about our families. She has a wonderful memory, and can recall things even from the time she was two years old. Much credit should be given her for her efforts to preserve our family heritage.
On 4 March 1930, she married James Edward Jenkins who was born 7 Sep. 1904 in Santa Rosa, Davis Co., Mo. He is a very fine man and everyone will remember him with fond memories. A very intelligent person.
Marion Leona Thysell, born November 17, 1908
About Beverly Grace Jenkins:
She graduated from St. Alexius School of Nursing in Bismarck North Dakota, and Trinity Hospital School of Anesthesia, Minot North Dakota. She married Adam J. Dilger, until their divorce in 1962. They had three children Rebecca, Paul, and Donald.
In 1979, my father remarried and to explain, my mother Ruth ann Thysell is aunt to Beverly, but when my dad remarried to Beverly, She went from being my cousin to my step mother, and her children to being my Step brothers and sister.
Rebecca Ann Dilger was born 20 Jan 1954 in Seattle, Wash. After highschool she attended one year of college, and then joined the Marines, where she met her husband Thomas M. Chapman. They were married 31 Mar. in Willmar, Minn.. They have three children, Tara, Amy, and Lisa.
Paul Edward Dilger was born 19 May 1955, in Burleigh Co. North Dakota. He finished two years of college in Wilmar, and then joined the Coast guard and became a signal man. He is still with that as of 1993. He has been stationed in Hawaii for many years. He has not yet married.
Donald James Dilger was born 3 Feb. 1961 in Burleigh Co., North Dakota. He went to one year of college in Wilmar. He worked as a manager of a gas station, but has worked in several different jobs the past several years. He married Valora Anderson 14 Dec. 1982 in Wilmar. They had one child Christine born Aug 1982, but were soon divorced. He continues to help raise her and in June of 1993, I visited them for a few minutes at the Seattle airport when they were on a flight change over. Chrisine was so excited about everything going on.
About James Barth Jenkins:
After graduating from Bismarck high school he served 4 years in the Navy during the Korean War. He then attended 2 years of Engineering at Bismarck Jr. College, and a B.A. in teaching from Valley City Normal in Valley City, North Dakota and graduate of William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul Minnesota. He them worked his way through law school doing legal work at Remington Rand and later Gould Battery Co. He then went to Tyler Minnesota as a legal clerk to E. T. McEvoy. In 1966 to 1969 he had a private law practice. He then moved to Houghton Michigan, where he for social services until 1971 when he was asked to finish out a term of county attorney. He was elected to that post in 1972 and was defeated for that position in 1974. He then moved to Rockland in Ontonagan co. then back to Houghton. He opened a law office and built a home on 40 acres of timber land.
He married Wilma Liebl born 1937. They were married 3 Sep. 1960. She was a graduate of nursing school in St. Cloud. Minnesota. She has worked as a registered nurse.
Gregory served in the Army. Juli worked in her fathers law office after High school. She is in demand to sing with her mother and brother. Mary also worked in her fathers office.
About Patsy Ruth Jenkins:
And you can find more Thysell's
at Barbs site: Barbzie
q.com
And that's not all, you
can also find other Thysell at Mr. Högberg's Homepage:Hogberg-Thysell
Tommy
Högberg hogberg.be
