My Maternal Grandparents

Wedding Picture of Grandpa Andrew and Grandma Josefine - November 17,1917, at the Jacobson Homestead near Parkbeg, Saskatchewan

Fitjar Church Austevoll, Hordaland, Norway

Andreas Mikkel Nilson 1890-1948

Andreas Mikkel Nilson, was born December 30, 1890, to Nils Jenssen Vikestøl(born April 22,1860 and his wife Andrina Mikkelsdatter Kvaren (born October 13,1870) in Vikestøl, Fitjar, Austevoll, Hordaland, Norway. He was baptized January 18,1891 in the Fitjar Church, Fitjar by Pastor Thomas Fryknell, and confirmed September 10,1905, by Pastor Christian Larsen Dahler in the Bekkjarvik Chapel on Selbjørn. Andreas was the firstborn of a family of five (two boys and three girls). He grew up on the Vigestol farm which was part of Grasdal, Baatevik, and Sætre. The Vigestol farm was the harbour for the local area. This family grew up looking out to sea from every part of the farm. The school that Andreas attended was down the coastline to Gauksheim. After his confirmation Andreas became a full time fisherman, shipping out of Bergen and Haugesund. With these fishermen he travelled up the coast of Norway and as often as far as Iceland. Part of the money he made as a fisherman was used to build a new house on Vigestol so the family could have a more comfortable place to live. The house was probably built by his Dad, who was a good carpenter. This house was still lived in on Vigestol in 1968. The lumber and supplies were likely purchased in Kvalvaag on Stolmen and brought to Vigestol by barge or boat. It could easily be carried from the dock to the building site. In 1908 Andreas decided to visit his Aunt Synneve, who had emigrated to Geddes, South Dakota in 1901, and had married Olaf Johnson. Andreas knew his Auntie well from her frequent visits on Vigestol during his first eleven years. He sailed on Steamship Stjerne on December 12,1908 and landed in New York on January 1, 1909. He travelled by train from New York to Geddes and stayed there for five years until 1914. While in South Dakota he worked on the farm with his uncle Olaf, planting and harvesting corn. He spent most of his time off the farm working for Peter Norbeck, drilling wells in the south west corner of South Dakota. These were deep wells, many of which were artesian wells and provided much needed water for farmers in the area. It should be noted that Peter Norbeck later became the govenor of North Dakota and was instrumental in the establishment of Mount Rushmore National Monument. The Norbeck family was very politically astute. Peter's father the Reverend Georg Norbeck, was a member of the first General Assembly of South Dakota, and his brother Enoch wasa member of the General Assembly for two terms. The father Georg Norbeck was an active Pastor of the Norwegian Synod of the Lutheran Church. Andreas returned to Norway in 1914 with the intent of staying in Norway. The farm Vigestol had a mortgage which he was prepared to repay. The firstborn son had 'Odelsrett', the right of inheritance, and Andreas wanted to have his father honour this for him but Nils wouldn't do it. As a result Andreas decided to return to Canada. On November 17th, 1917 at the Jacobson farm north of Parkbeg, he married Josefine Jacobson. They spent their wedding night in the hotel in Mortlach, Saskatchewan. They farmed on the homestead north of Parkbeg and began their life together on this farm. Four children were born on this farm: Dorothea Amanda, Melinda Josephine, Norman Melvin, Obert Wilfred.During the winter of 1922-1923, the family resided on Princess Street just north of Pasqua Hospital in Regina where Andrew attended barber school. After returning to the farm for a couple of years, they sold the homestead and moved to Secretan, Saskatchewan in 1925, where they established a restaurant and barber shop. They lived in Secretan for three years where the fifth child arrived: Lester Thomas.After the time in Secretan, they purchased the Kelly farm north of Parkbeg and went back to work the land. They lived on the farm and raised their family there adding three more children: Arne John, Florence Nina, Evelyn Viola Andreas passed away on April 2, 1948 at home at Parkbeg from a heart attack. The funeral was held at Central Lutheran in Moose Jaw and he was buried in the Rosedale Cemetery in Moose Jaw.

Josefine Karoline Jacobson 1895 -1994

Josefine was born not far from DeLamere, North Dakota on the Sisseton Indian Reservation in North Dakota on September 23, 1895. The Jacobson family moved from DeLamere to Hamar to Finley and to Kenmare, all in North Dakota before emigrating to Canada in 1912 to take out their homestead at Parkbeg, Saskatchewan. They became a part of the community and lived in Parkbeg and Moose Jaw where the family stayed for most of their lives. In Parkbeg, Josefine Jacobson met Andrew Michael Nilson (Andreas Mikkel Nilsen Vigestøl), a Norwegian emigrant from Bekkjarvik on the island of Selbjørn, just south of Bergen, near the area where the Jacobson and Baardsen families had lived. They were married on November 7, 1917 at the Jacobson farm near Parkbeg, Saskatchewan. They farmed on a homestead north of Parkbeg and began their life together on this farm. Four children were born on this farm: Dorothea Amanda, Melinda Josephine, Norman Melvin, Obert Wilfred,.During the winter of 1922-1923, the family resided on Princess Street just north of Pasqua Hospital in Regina where Andrew attended barber school. After returning to the farm for a couple of years, they sold the homestead and moved to Secretan, Saskatchewan in 1925, where tey established a restaurant and barber shop. They lived in Secretan for three years where the fifth child arrived: Lester Thomas.After the time in Secretan, they purchased the Kelly farm north of Parkbeg and went back to work the land. They lived on the farm and raised their family there adding three more children: Arne John, Florence Nina, Evelyn Viola. In the fall of 1949 Josefine moved to Moose Jaw to establish Florence in teachers college and Evelyn in high school. She returned to the farm in the spring to plant a garden and raise chickens. This pattern continued until 1956 when she moved to Moose Jaw permanently. In 1965 she purchased a house on Clifton Ave and established a boarding house. Josefine enjoyed travelling and visiting her family all over North America. She was always active in the Lutheran Church, first in North Dakota, then at Bethany Lutheran, Parkbeg and at Central Lutheran in Moose Jaw. She passed away Feb 16,1994 in Union Hospital, Moose Jaw and was interred in Rosedale Cemetery beside her husband.