As a young man, Laures McCallson came from Lansboro, Minnesota, to work in his Uncle Thinglestad's hardware store at Binford, North Dakota, for a while. In 1905, he came to Hannaford, North Dakota, and found employment as a clerk at the Claus Jackson store.
Laures father, Conard McCallson and his mother, Johanna came from Hardingar, Norway. They settled near Lansboro, Minnesota, on a homestead of 80 acres. Conard was a Methodist minister and preached throughout that area in the pioneer homes. The offering usually consisted of pennies from the families.
Conard and Johanna had eight children. Both parents passed away while the children were still very young. The oldest boy, Albert, continued to farm and the oldest girl, Amelia, took care of the children and house. That way, they kept the family together.
Ida Efteland came from Shelly, Minnesota. Some of her friends from Shelly had come to Hannaford a few years before. Ida found employment as a waitress at the Nording and Alm Hotel.
Ida's parents were born in Norway. Her father, Enock Efteland, was born in Helleland, Norway. He came by ship to Canada and then went to Coon Prairie, Wisconsin, where he spent three years doing various jobs. He came to Norman County, Minnesota, where he took a homestead of 160 acres. A part of his home became a part of the townsite of Shelly, Minnesota. He acquired and farmed 320 more acres of land.
Enock married Helene Hetland from Stavanger, Norway. When she was a young girl, she came to Quebec, Canada, in a sailing vessel as they were used by the poorer class of immigrants who wanted to come to America. They were packed in these vessels like herds of cattle. Helene went to Wisconsin where she found work and lived until her marriage to Enock.
After Enock had established his homestead in Shelly, Minnesota, in 1876, he went to Wisconsin for his bride. She was one of the first women to live in a log cabin on a homestead.
Church was an important part of their life. There were no churches and services were held in the homes. Enock helped build a church and pews. It was called the Zion Church and Enock and Helene were members until their death. Zion Church was built in 1883.
Enock and Helene had nine children. One son, Henry is living in Shelly, Minnesota. Because of their firm Lutheran faith, they had considerable part in founding of Concordia College and contributed to the college at various times. Helene passed away in 1919, and Enock in 1932.
When Ida and Laures McCallson were married in 1906, they lived upstairs in the house then owned by Oscar Ashland, the former Omen Westley house, and Rasmus Olson and his wife lived downstairs. Mr. Olson was a blacksmith.
Laures worked at the store for about a year, then he changed jobs. He sold Dr. Wards medicines in a medicine wagon around the country.
In 1909, he built a house which is now owned by his son, LeRoy and wife, Mae. That same year, he became a rural mail carrier, a position he held for 34 years. The pay was only $60 a month. He had mules for the mail route. His slogan was, "The mail had to be delivered, rain or shine, even in snowstorms in the coldest weather." He had an open cutter in winter and the only heat was a foot warmer, but he had good horse-hide robes and mittens. He drove his 32 miles a day. In the winter, when he had gone half the route, he stopped to feed the mules and had a hot dinner. There were so many kind patrons on his route, some of the older women knit wool wristlets and mittens which helped to keep him warm during the winter months. It is recalled that the Hetlands and Swensens and many more were so kind to him.
When Clarice was a child, she remembers her father, Laures, coming home in the dark of the winter and he was chilled to the bone. Then he had to put the mules in the barn and hurry to the post office with the mail bag. When he came home, supper was ready and then he had the chores to do.
When son, LeRoy got older, he always did the chores for his dad and Raymond did likewise when he became older. The mules had to be led over to Jackson's well for water. That was about a block away.
Laures had to haul mail on Christmas Day in the early years and on Christmas Eve when the children had their program at the Lutheran Church, which was located about a mile from their home, Laures would take Ila and the children in the cutter to the church program after he had been on the route all day. He was a very kind father. Then he would go home and wait until the program was over to come and get them.
Ida and Laures had five children: Claris married Bert Kent in Casselton, North Dakota. Edna, passed away at age 15. LeRoy married Mabelle Cederson and they are living in Hannaford. Mildred married Earl Sager at Anaconda, Montana, and Raymond, who lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ida passed away in 1955, and Laures died in 1967.
Source: Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 202