Thorbjorn K. born October 14, 1820 and Ellen, born December 6, 1824, Hemmerstead, emigrated in 1861 from Skein, Telemarken Norway, and located on a farm in Fillmore County, near Rushford, Minnesota, and changed their name from Hemmerstead to Thompson. Knute Thompson was born May 15, 1861 at Highland Prairie, Minnesota, and moved with his parents to Barnes County in 1880. A daughter, Carrie, and her husband, Motts Mason, came to Valley City in 1879. Other children included Sophie (Stienerson); Millie (Larson); Tina (Christenson); Julia (Nelson) and a brother Hans.

Thorbjorn died November 19, 1891 and his wife Ellen, died December 18, 1910. They are buried at Hillside cemetery, Valley City. A contract for deed between M. E. Mason and Ellen Thompson, Hans and Knute Thompson for the Northwest ¼ of Section 10, in township 141, N. Range 60 containing 160 acres was for the sum of $1143. There was a 10% annual interest and it was dated December 6, 1897.

Knute Thompson and Anna Vigaard were married February 17, 1897 at the Methodist parsonage in Valley City and made their home in Anderson township. Anna was born in Norway on January 27, 1867 to Nels (Johan) Vigaard (changed from Johanasing) and Karen Pedersdotte Vigaard. Anna was two years old when her parents came to America. She came to Valley City around 1893 from Rushford and was a dressmaker before her marriage to Knute. Knute and Anna lived on a farm known as the Hans Thompson farm on Section 10 of Anderson township. Their children are: Clarice Eleanor (Brock) born March 15, 1898; Nellie Theresa (Gerntholz) born August 2, 1899; and Kenneth Archie born December 8, 1903.

In 1905 Knute built a home for his family, on Section 17. This was a cement block home and the youngest member of the family, Dorothy Luella (Reid) was born January 26, 1911. This home remained until 1971 when Duane Thompson (grandson of Knute) built a new home. Knute Thompson died June 18, 1931 at the age of seventy. Anna died in 1918 at the age of 52.

Kenneth Thompson married Helma Frahm of Wimbledon on October 22, 1932 and they continued to live on the farm till 1971 when they moved to Valley City. A daughter Janice Marie, died at age of 6 and a son Duane Kenneth lives on the farm. He married Mary Fornes in 1957 and they have one son, Dana Duane and a daughter Deanne Marie.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 247