Sigurd Romsaas was born December 15, 1890, in Ringebu, Gudbrandsdalen Norway. Born the fifth of seven children of Laurits and Gunhild Flyen Romsaas on the Sygurd Romsaas farm, an old family farm from the early middle ages.
As a young man he decided to come to America. He boarded the ship Oslo on April 16, 1910, and landed in Canada. He headed south to Duluth where his brother, Hans lived.
While in Duluth he had many jobs. Sig first worked as a lumber jack until summer layoffs, then he started working for the railroad company. Sig prepared and helped clear the way for the railroad tracks. He received $5.00 a day which was one of his best paying jobs.
In the fall of 1910, one of his friends was going to Hannaford to court his gal and he asked Sig to go with him.
Sig left his journey chest in Duluth sure to return, but he never went back.
He worked on farms in the Hannaford area until he came to Mikal Mogaard, where he worked for many years, until he was called to fight in WW I.
Sig was sent to fight in France in 1918. He was always proud of having fought for peace and justice in Europe. Upon his honorable discharge in 1919, Sig also received his U. S. citizenship (Uncle Sam figured Sig earned it).
He came back to Hannaford where Mogaard had Sig's job waiting for him. In the early '20s, Sig rented some land while working for Mogaard. The first year he had a good crop, the second year they had a crop failure. He stayed with Mogaard until the late '20s, when Sig rented another farm.
In 1931, Sig married Emma Woldahl, born in Ashby, Minnesota, in 1890. Her family came from Salvevolden ner Roros, Norway. They bought their own farm in 1935. After a storm had taken the barn on the farm they rented in 1936, they moved to their own home one mile west of Revere.
During their years together Sig raised the cattle and farmed, Emma took care of the house, her turkeys and sheep.
In 1948, Kaare Romsaas (Sig's nephew), came to work for Sig and Emma. Before coming to the U. S., Kaare was wounded during WW II in 1940. It took five years to recover from his injuries. After working for Sig 10 years, Kaare bought the neighboring farm from Earnest Taxdahl in 1958.
April 25, 1959, Kaare married Marit Hagen from Hundrop, Norway. Their wedding took place in Rosendale Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Emma died February 1, 1975. In June, Sig went back to Norway for the first time in 65 years. He was 84 years old.
Sig's last years were spent living in Kaare's home. He died September 18, 1985. Sig never forgot his family in Norway, but he was always convinced he made a good choice when he came to the United States of America. He always said, "Uncle Sam is a good man."
Source: Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 227