Martin Dahl was born at Toten, Norway in 1860, the son of Andrew and Karen Dahl; and came with his parents and two brothers, Christian and Nels, in 1864 to Wisconsin, and later to Sioux City, Iowa, where they obtained land. Four-year old Martin hated the small, round hat he was forced to wear, so into the ocean it went. He never forgot the resulting humiliating punishment, when his mother made him wear a kerchief on his head.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Dahl with three of their sons: Martin, Carl and Bernard, took a homestead in Norma Township, Barnes County. Andrew and two sons returned to Iowa, while Mrs. Dahl and Bernard stayed on the Norma Township farm to maintain their "rights."
Mrs. Dahl died in 1884, and the two boys stayed on the farm. Martin Dahl married Agnetta Hanson, the daughter of Karen Anderson, who came with her mother from Ringsaker, Norway in 1876 to Fillmore County, Minnesota, and then to Barnes County, Dakota Territory. Karen Anderson filed on a claim near Eastedge, North Dakota. Pioneer life was hard for the widow, she walked from Eastedge to Valley City and return, carrying wheat to be ground into flour. Karen died in 1928. Her daughter worked in Valley City until her marriage to Martin Dahl. They lived in Valley City for a short time, then went to Norma Township where they farmed. Later, they returned to Valley City where Martin ran a wood yard. They built the family home which still stands, and raised a family of eight sons a daughter.
The daughter, Hilma, died in 1900, and two sons, Edgar and Edwin, died in infancy. August, Manuel, Adolf, Melvin, Kembel and Harvey grew to manhood. Manuel died of the "Flu" in an army camp during World War I. August married Minnie Fredrickson, and they had six children; Julian (deceased), Marvin, Rolland, Mildred, Doris and Ronald. August died in 1969. Adolf married Clara Christenson, and they had one son, Robert. Both Adolf and Clara have passed away. Melvin married Bertha Hoffman. They raised two children, Vernon and Janet. Kembel married Laurel Kuecks. Their family consisted of four sons: Kenneth (deceased), Kembel, Jr., Erling and Francis. Harry and Selma Holter were married in 1924. Their family was four sons and two daughters: Ernest, who died in infancy, Donald, Gordon, Beverly, Larry and Dorothy. This family moved to Minnesota in 1936.
Bernard lived with the Martin Dahl family until he married.
Mr. and Mrs. Martin Dahl and Mrs. Dahl's mother, remembered and recalled the rigors of pioneer days. Hard work and frugality were the key to their independence. We would hope some of the fortitude and hardiness of those pioneers would be part of our make-up and heritage.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 53