Mr. and Mrs. Elling Froiland emigrated to the United States from Stavanger, Norway, in 1882; but they did not come to North Dakota until the spring of 1883. He homesteaded the northeast quarter of Section 10 in Ball Hill Township when he arrived here. A son, Hans, was born in 1884. Elling farmed until 1907, when Hans married Louise Carstens, who had come to Fargo in 1905 from Trysil, Norway.

During the early years, they endured many hardships. Dorthea, Elling's wife, died in 1893. In 1918 Elling came to live with Hans, who was on the farm; and he lived there until his death in 1935.

Hans continued farming until 1941, when his son, Irwin, took over the farming operation; and he farmed until 1972.

Mr. and Mrs. Hans Froiland had four children: Elwin, Irwin, Ovidia, and Lloyd. Elwin lives in Mesa, Arizona, Irwin in Cooperstown, and Ovidia and Lloyd in California.

Irwin married Esther Njaa in 1934. They have three sons: Edward, Kenneth, and Stephen. Edward is married and lives in Seattle, Washington. Kenneth lives in Sierra Vista, Arizona, and has two children, Sheila and Timothy. Stephen and his wife, Berniece, have two children, Melinda Jo and Blair; and they live on the farm in Ball Hill Township. Stephen is the fourth generation to live where his great-grandfather homesteaded.

Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial page 75