Andres Hegna and his wife, Anttonette, came here from Telemarkan, Norway. They first lived in a hay field south of Kasson, Minnesota before coming to Portland, North Dakota. They came by covered wagon along with others. The men and boys walked most of the way to save the strength of the horses. When they arrived they had one cow, one pig, and some chickens and less than one dollar left. They homesteaded in Lenora Township, SW quarter of Section 18, by the Sheyenne River in 1881. Their first home was a log cabin. There were antelope here at that time and they made their money trapping.

Andres and Anttonnette had a family of eight children:

Ingeborg, Kare, Ostie, John, Ole, Kristian, Halvor, and Andrew.

Andrew married Anne Lee who came from Lom Gulbransdal, Norway in 1920. They had four children:

Alice, Melvin, Edna, and Arthur. Melvin owns and operates the home farm.

Andrew Hegna lived on the homestead all his life, living close to the age of 85 years.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 340