Arne Luckason is one of the early pioneers of Griggs County, born December 6, 1858 in Ness Halingdall, Norway.
He came to America on April 25, 1877. He came to America for the purpose of bettering himself and for better prospects of making a good living for himself and his mother. He left his home in Norway because he was the strongest in the family and had to get out and support the family for his father died when Arne was twelve years old. He thought he would come to this country. On the steamer he was sick almost all the time. He was fourteen days on the ocean. When about half way across there came a terrible storm. It lasted for four days. He landed at Quebec, Canada. From there he went by train to Iowa where he had a brother.
At that time Iowa was a prairie, too, and people residing in town had cattle and hired a herder at so much a head to herd them out in the country. Mr. Luckason, being only 17 years, got such a job and good wages by securing a large number of cattle to herd each day. He stayed at a farm just outside of town, and milked two cows morning and night for his room and board. During the daytime he herded the cattle for the people in town. He remained here for three years and then he went to Minnesota. There he worked for a homesteader and finally started to buy and sell oxen and horses.
Later he immigrated to North Dakota, still continuing to trade and buy. He was then known as a peddler, selling all kinds of commodities to the homesteaders. This was of great service to them because there were no cars and railroads and the closest town was Valley City. They had only oxen and lumber wagons to drive in.
On June 10, 1881 he squatted on a homestead the northwest half of Section 10, range 58 in Griggs County, six miles southeast of Cooperstown but was too young to file. He lived in a dugout at first. His neighbors were Ole Halvorson, John Dahl, and Christ Bolkan.
The farm implements were few. He sold his oxen and bought a breaking plow and some other younger oxen. They sowed only wheat and feed oats.
In the fall of 1884, his mother and sister came from Norway to keep house for him. His mother was 66 years and his sister was 13. They built a larger house and barn.
The next year he bought more land. In 1902 he moved to Aneta where he built a store and lived for 16 years. He then sold his store.
Mr. Luckason married Gunhilda Brekke of Aneta, February 25, 1905. They farmed at Church's Ferry. After his retirement he resided in California. Mrs. Luckason died in 1927. Mr. Luckason in 1949.
Their children are:
Lillian Burgess, Fresno, California and Wilfred Luckason, Littleton, Colorado.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 435