Martha Anderson (Markuson) was born October 9, 1867, in Oslo, Norway. Her mother died when she was three months old and she was reared by her

Uncle Evan Evenson. As a young girl she came with them to the United States and to the Standing Rock community. Here they lived in a sod house as she grew up. In 1881 she came to Valley City to work as a waitress in the famous and newly built Kindred Hotel.

On December 7, 1890 she married Norman Markuson who was born July 29, 1864 in Trojan, Norway. He came to Barnes County in 1883 and worked on the railroad. In 1900 the family moved to Kathryn, North Dakota, where Norman was the section boss on the branch line of the Northern Pacific.

Seven children were born to Norman and Martha, three of which are still living. Herbert and Cora (Willson) and Norman J r.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 150