Ludvig Stokkeland was born July 15, 1883, near Brusand Jaren, Norway. He was a fisherman, fished lobsters and herring, living only a mile from the ocean. He left his home and went to America the spring of 1906. He worked for a while on farms around Cooperstown, North Dakota.

Then his brothers Lauritz and Teodor also came to America. The three then rented the farm from O. B. Westley and started farming in 1910. In 1911 they also took over and finished harvesting the crop on the Torval Fosholdt farm, after Torval's death in August. The Stokkeland brothers also rented the land, the widow remaining on the home place to care for the cows and ponies.

In the spring, Ludvig was married to Sophie Gunderson Fosholdt. Three children were born to them:

Torval, Lillian and Arnold. They went to school in Tyrol school No. 4, District #10. In October 1946, Torval took a trip back to Norway to visit his homeland and his four brothers and five sisters. His father and mother had passed away. He returned from Norway the first part of May, 1947, just in time to take care of the sheep that were due to lamb.

In 1954 he took sick with coronary heart trouble and could do little or no work, so they decided to sell the farm and move to Cooperstown.

In the spring they sold the farm to Raymond Monson, and bought a house from Mr. Hook, where they resided until Ludwig's death November 26, 1965.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 80