In the year of 1897 August Abrahamson took out a homestead claim near Leal, North Dakota, what is now known as Edna Township; Barnes County, North Dakota. Some time later he was joined by his brother Peter. They both came from Sweden. They both stayed on this homestead for some time. August went to Wisconsin to work in the lumber mills and Peter stayed to improve the homestead. August also worked in Chicago. He was married to Emma Johnson, in 1898 and they came back to Leal, North Dakota in 1902 and again lived at the homestead site until 1904 when they moved to a farm seven miles northeast of Rogers, North Dakota.
The land they moved to was owned by Ed. Leallander of Sanborn, North Dakota. There were two children born to this marriage. A daughter, Bertha and a son, Arthur.
After living there about 10 years they bought land near Leal, Edna Township, and put buildings and etc. on the farm and moved back. The daughter and son received most of their education in the Leal School. Bertha attended Valley City and taught school for a few years. She is married and has three children, and lives in Washington State.
After a few years August's health failed arid he passed away in May, 1923. His wife, Emma, lived a good normal life and she passed away in November 1936, at the age of 72.
Arthur has lived on this farm all these years and still is along with his wife, Irene Steinborn, whom he married in 1942. We have two daughters, Faye and Shirley.
They received their education in the Leal School system and also business College. They are both married and live in Fargo, North Dakota.
In closing I will say we have had good health, and went through the first depression, the Thirties, hail, rust, and hordes of grasshoppers that destroyed crops in one night. But we still think North Dakota is a good place to live even with a January blizzard thrown in. The grass is green and the air is fresh; most of the time.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 13