Torkel Njaa, pioneer Griggs County farmer, was born in Thime, near Stavanger, Norway March 17, 1870, and came to the United States in 1892. When he first came here he worked for Jorgen Soma, an early settler in Bald Hill Township. He later bought some land on the SW quarter of Section 9 in Sverdrup Township. One day when visiting a neighbor he returned home to find his house and belongings burned. He then bought some land in Section 16 in Sverdrup Township, where he lived the rest of his life.

In 1894 he was married to Thea Aarestad. There were five children born to this union, Clara, Otto, Arthur, Halvor and David. His first wife passed away and in 1911 Mr. Njaa married Minnie Angelshaug. Two children, Mrs. Inga Krogsgaard and Mrs. Esther Froiland were born to this union.

He was engaged in farming all his life in the Sheyenne Valley southeast of Cooperstown. He was well known for his interests and experiments with cereal grains and livestock. For many years some of the counties finest horses and cattle were raised there. Another animal that also brought fame throughout the country was his raising of German Shepard dogs. The industry had its beginning in 1914 when Mr. Njaa imported a German Shepard for a watchdog. He was very pleased with this animal, and imported more of them, which led to an industry that reached its peak in Griggs County in 1924, and it became a nation-wide fad. Mr. Njaa shipped them to all parts of the United States, the Philippines and Hawaii.

Mr. Njaa passed away in 1939 while en-route home from a trip to the west coast.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 437