Sven Lunde came to this country from Norway June 10, 1881. His wife, Justina, had to remain a little longer in Norway because their children had whooping cough; so after their recovery, she and the children joined Sven in America. They homesteaded on the northwest quarter of Section 22-145-58 in Sverdrup Township along the Sheyenne River southeast of Cooperstown.
Five of their children were born in Norway, the youngest of whom was only one year old at the time they came to the United States. Three more children were born after they arrived here. Five of the children died at a young age, but three survived. They were: Reier Lunde, who had a real estate business in Cooperstown, Rev. Ludvig Lunde, founder of the Cooperstown Bible Camp, and Axeliana Lunde.
Axeliana married Sven Erickson, and to this union six children were born. Two daughters died, one in infancy and the other in her early twenties. Ernest, Sidney, Algot, and Alice have all made their homes in Sverdrup Township. Ernest was County Auditor for twenty years for Griggs County. Sidney served in World War 11 in England, France, and Germany. Algot worked for Reiten, Melroe, and Wil-Rich Manufacturing Companies in Cooperstown. At the present time, Algot, his wife, Joyce, and their two children are living on the homestead place.
On February 15, 1940, Reverend Lunde opened a country store on the home farm. Known as the Riverside Food Store, it was managed by Sidney and Alice Erickson during the twelve years that it was in operation. Besides buying and testing cream, they sold groceries, gasoline, and oil.
Since Sven and Justina Lunde were very concerned that their children be taught the Word of God, and there were no churches that had been built at that time, they met in various homes in the community for worship.
Since there was no town when they first arrived, they got their supplies from Valley City. One time Sven Lunde carried a sack of flour home from Valley City.
There would be prairie fires in the fall. In order to protect their home from these fires, they would burn firebreaks.
One year the river flooded and reached to the house. Grandma Justina washed some clothes out the window.
They burned limestones on an outside fireplace. Hans Braasten, a cousin of Justina's, was watching the fire at night when he heard a splash in the river. He took off for home thinking it was Indians, but it turned out to be some animal. He returned and finished the night watch,
They sometimes saw Indians come down the river in their canoes.
Life was hard for them in many ways. A lady friend of Justina's made the statement, "It's a comfort to know that we are going to get rich."
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial page 89