Peter T. Trana

Kindred, North Dakota

is a farmer. He was born on October 12, 1847 near Stenkjaer and emigrated to America in 1869 to Portland, Maine. From there he went to Fillmore County, Minnesota where he was for two years. He came to Norman, North Dakota in 1871 and was only the third settler in section 25 at the Sheyenne River.

He married Kari Olerud from Hadeland in 1882. They have seven children, six daughters and one son: Anna, Emma, Thora, Nette, Palmer, Julie and Alvilde.

Peter Trana was with the School Management from the beginning and drove lumber to the school house the entire distance from Fargo, North Dakota. and must carry the lumber over the sloughs. He broke prairie with oxen where Fargo’s main street on Broadway now lies. In 1872 he drove with his oxen to the first grocery store, which came to Valley City for the Northern Pacific Construction Company of 2 men, who stood in their tent door across in front of their wares with loaded guns, for they were fearful of the Indian War which was nearby. Trana bade them thanks for the load and so he went out and talked with the Indians, who presented themselves as civilised Indians out to hunt. He let them appreciate that a knowledgable customer could purchased the ware good, and would not be harmed. There they found that there were no roads, only mosquitos where the railroads should go, no bridges over the sloughs and rivers. It was harder times than now.

Source: Norwegians and Norwegian Homes in America by Hans Jervell - 1916 - Page 34

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