Ole Jorgen Omundson Soma was born on October 28, 1853, in Stavanger locality near Sandness, Norway. His mother and father were Omund and Agnethe Soma.
Jorgen left Norway in 1882 because he had read that there were good chances of getting land in America.
Mr. Soma looked for land south of Cooperstown where he took a homestead. He erected a frame shanty where the Shepard Farmers' Elevator now stands. His land is located in Range 159, Township 145. He dug his barn four feet deep into the ground. The dimensions were 24' x 40', and it proved to be very efficient. The nearest town was Valley City, to which he made his trips on foot.
Cooperstown was then a village of a few dwelling places. His neighbors were Elling Johnson, T. T. Fuglestad, Andrew Benson, Messrs. Montgomery, and Zimmerman. All the machinery he had was one plow, one drag, and one wagon. He also had some oxen. For fuel he used cow dung and grass seed. There were no schools or churches when he came to this locality. In the winter he had to drive his oxen 11/2 miles every day to water them because there wasn't any water nearby.
In 1885 he married Gurina Froiland. They had four children:
Omund was born October 10, 1885, and passed away July 1, 1971. He married Kirsten Tangen, and they had two children:
Nettie was born August 17, 1890, and died September 6, 1968. She had one child, Erle.
Jonas was born August 17, 1893, and passed away August 10, 1969. He married Helga Otterson Flick on October 12, 1937. Their children were:
Judy works at the First State Bank in Cooperstown.
Oscar Jergen was born October 27, 1896, and died July 25, 1956. He married Tora Lauretsenn Larson on November 11, 1919. Their children were:
Joyce and her husband farm in Steele County, Leila lives in Seattle, and Ovidia lives in Cooperstown with her children, Suzanne, Lisa, Gina, Laura, and Russell.
Mr. Jorgen Soma was married for a short time to Lena Lee. In 1902 Gina Kydland came to America from Norway. In November of 1903, she and Jorgen Soma were married. She was born on January 14, 1877, and died on November 6, 1959. Their children were:
Lise married Carl Johnson and they have one son, Charles. Lise and Carl live in Cooperstown.
Torger married Inga Njaa. They had six children:
Torger was born February 6, 1906, and he was killed in an airplane crash on July 2, 1955.
Gurina married Carl Jordahl. They have a daughter, Mary Ann (Mrs. Warren Waytossak). Gurina and Carl live at Lidgerwood, North Dakota.
Ingvald is retired and lives in Cooperstown.
Mildred married Ray Campbell, and they live in Springfield, Oregon. They have a son, Peter.
Judy married Ev Vermilyea, and they reside at Kenyon, Minnesota. They have three children, Cheryl, Susan, and Bruce.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 210