HELGESON-BERG FAMILY
THE CHILDREN OF ANDRINA AND KARL HELGESON BERG
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This photo was taken at the time of their fathers funeral
L to R front row: Bennie, Harry, Clarence, Lillian
L to R middle row: Viola, Amanda, Bessie, Virgie
L to R back row: Clara, Bertha
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While preparing this collection of family stories and photos, I asked
my mother, Clarice, to tell me what she remembers of her aunts and
uncles. Clarice moved away from North Dakota in 1939, so most of her
memories are from her childhood. Through the years, she has kept in
touch with Clarence, Amanda and 25 years ago had a wonderful reunion
with Viola.
Please help us with more stories and corrections. Enjoy !
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Harry Bernados Berg, born October 12, 1892 in McLeod, Ransom
County, North Dakota. He was the eldest son and a World War I
veteran. They say he was affected by mustard gas and after the war
was a changed man. He lived with Bertha in Enderlin for awhile and
worked on the railroad. Then he was a salesman. He met and married
Faye Beath Waddle of El Reno, Oklahoma in 1938. They had no
children. Harry died March 16, 1967 and is buried in El Reno.
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Bertina (Bertha) Cornelia was born May 23, 1894, in McLeod. She
married Tolof Dybdal who was also of McLeod c. 1912. They had two
daughters, Alyda and Clarice. They lived in Enderlin and Tolof worked
on the railroad. He was taken sick and died during the Flu Epidemic in
1918. Bertha and Clarice also had the flu. The young widow worked as a
met her second husband, Arthur R. Shaw. They had two children,
cook for threshing crews and then in Hadigan's restaurant where she
Janice and Arthur Jr (aka Tarzy). After Arthur died in 1945, she
moved back to Walcott where many of her relatives were living. She
met and married Amund Amundson and they lived many happy years in
Walcott. She was very active in the Lutheran Church there and after
his death, she lived with her son, Art, Jr and helped take care of his
son Shawn. When Art moved to California, where her three daughters
were living, she moved also. She fought Hodgkins cancer for several
years. She died in 1968 and is buried in Enderlin with Art Shaw and
next to Art and Cora Ford, their good friends.
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Bessie Amanda, born December 14, 1985 in McLeod. She married
George Jorgenson and lived near Whapeton, North Dakota. Mother
remembers the children: Andrina, Clio, Phyllis and then a boy and a girl.
They were active in the Jehovah Witness church and did not gather
with the rest of the family as much. I do not have any other
information on Bessie.
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Benny (nmi) Berg was born August 9 1897 in McLeod. He married
Rose Nelson c. 1918. They had many children and farmed near Walcott.
I have seen their wedding photo, she was a darling bride. Mother said
that they spent most of their time with Rosie's family. I do not have
the names of their children, either.
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Clara Salvine Berg was born February 16, 1899 in McLeod. She
married Frank Blount and they had one daughter, Elaine. Clara died
October 3, 1970 in Seattle, Washington.
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Amanda Louise was born April 3, 1901 in McLeod. She married Jesse
Bryan Hatfield on July 11, 1921. They have 5 children, Lewis, Jesse Jr.,
Audrey, Harlan and Irene. Jesse died in 1975 in Vancouver, WA and is
buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Auburn, WA. I do not have a
death date for Amanda, but I am sure she is also buried with Jesse.
Their son, Lewis was a teacher and he and his wife visited Norway and
went to the Berg Farm in Gol, Hallingdal; they sent me a collection of
the photos of the farm. Mother remembers that she helped take care
of the Hatfield kids in the summer of 1927 when they had a cream
station in Lemore, North Dakota. Mother was 12 years old that year.
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Lillian Mable Berg, born September 15, 1904 in McLeod. She had an
illness, perhaps scarlet fever, as a child and consequently had some
brain damage. She lived with the family many years and then lived at
the State Mental Institution in Jamestown. We went there to visit
her on one of our family vacations to North Dakota, I think her sisters
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Clarence Theodore Berg...(my mothers full name is Clarice
and brothers took good care of her. She died in February 1968
Theodora...do you think Bertha liked Clarence?) Clarence was born
September 28, 1906 in McLeod. He married Mildred Haverland and
they farmed near Abercrombie. They had several children: Ronnie,
Merlin, Sonny, Dennis, Lynwood, Memory and Doreen. Mother
remembers that Bertha and Mildred were so politically active in the
Non Partisan League in the 1930's. Farmers were hoping to be in the
fields at work when those two women came collecting for the NPL.
Interestingly, Heidi Heitkamp, the former Attorney General of the
state of North Dakota is a grand daughter of Clarence. Heidi also ran
for Governor and is a popular woman in the state. I told Memory that
another of our ancestors was active in North Dakota Politics; State
Senator of the 12th District of North Dakota, A. Benson, brother of
Andrina Berg. He was elected in Richland county in November, 1902.
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Virgie Irene Berg, born March 7, 1908 in McLeod. She Married
Oliver Bolstad and they farmed near Colfax and then moved to Fargo.
They had 4 children: Oliver Jr, Donald, Joanne and Carol. Virgie was
fun loving and had beautiful red hair. She fought cancer and died March
4, 1958? (a note from Diane) I remember visiting with Virgie and her
family in Fargo in the summer of 1954. Irene Hatfield and Carol Lee
Bolstad and I had lots of fun together. Irene could whistle like a boy
and Carol and I tried and tried to learn. I finally learned....I wonder if
Carol ever did?
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Viola K Berg was born December 5, 1909 in McLeod. She was raised
by her maternal aunt, Helena Golberg, near Walcott. She married
Palmer Olson on July 6, 1930 and they had 2 daughters. They lived in
St Ansgor, Iowa and she was very active in her church, the Norwegian
clubs and in her garden. Clarice visited her and saw her beautiful doll
collection. One of her grand daughters moved to California and on a
visit there, she had a reunion with Bertha's three daughters. What a
wonderful time we had. We had three reunions and good visits before
she died in 1990. Her daughter, Audrey, sent us a photo of her in her
beautiful Norwegian costume. A very sweet lady, indeed.
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Clarence Berg Family
Taken September 4, 1978
Left-toRight: Ronnie, Merlin, Sonny, Dennis, Lynwood, Memory, Doreen, Mildred, CLarence
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Taken February 2005 for Merlin's 70th birthday celebration.
Back Row, left-to-right: Ron, Dennis, Lynwood, Merlin, Ken
Front Row: Ron's friend Linda Wanek, Sharon, Janet, Doreen, Merlin's friend Shirley Murray, Memory
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