Ole and Marie Stokka came to the United States from Norway in 1881. There were quite a few emigrants that came to America at this time. They felt that America had promising prospects. There was over population in Norway, and there was severe requirements for military services. It was difficult in making a living. There was little chance of ever becoming wholly independent.
Many were compelled to leave their farms because they were unable to pay the mortgages on them.
The emigrants that first settled in Griggs County settled in Sverdrup and Bald Hill Townships. On April 10, 1881, a group of emigrants set out from Stavanger. They had knowledge of the country through their agent and through letters from some of their friends who had come some years earlier to Minnesota. When they started out they had no idea where they could settle. They bought tickets from Stavanger to St. Paul, Minnesota. They knew of Dakota and its free and unoccupied land and their intentions were to go there. They were all neighbors, friends and relatives and they numbered about 35. They included: Ole Westley and family, Valdemar Klubben and family, Sven Loge and family, Sven Lunde and family, Betuel Herigstad and family, Ole Stokka and family and others.
When the emigrants came from Norway they had trouble with the propeller shaft. They got pulled to St. Johns, Newfoundland to work on the propeller. This took nine days to fix but eventually got to New York on May 20. The relatives in Norway were feeling sad; they hadn't heard from them yet.
From New York they went by train to Chicago and stayed three days and arrived in St. Paul on May 28. The trip so far cost them each $50.
From St. Paul they took the train to Granite Falls, Minnesota. It was here they bought oxen and wagons. They paid $160 for a team of oxen. They went in covered wagons to Benson, Minnesota, and left the women and children at Granite Falls. From Benson they took the train to Fargo, Dakota Territory and then went in wagons again. They traveled along the Northern Pacific tracks to Valley City and turned north following somewhat by the Sheyenne River. They found it was real wilderness the further north they went. They continued northward until they reached section 22 of what is now Sverdrup Township. Here they set up camp on June 12, 1881. They lived in wagons until they built huts on the land that they had chosen as their homestead or tree claim. The women and children came in July and October.
Each farmer broke up about seven acres the first year besides make hay and build buildings. They were very sociable and held religious services in the homes. The land wasn't open for homesteading until April 1882, so they kept the land by "squatting" on it. If two people selected the same piece of land, the one who first moved on there would get it. They did not get a crop the first year.
Ole Stokka was a farmer and school teacher and continued the profession after coming to America. Maria was a trained mid-wife and was very busy as there were few doctors. Their children were Jacob, Hans, Olof, Bernard, Arnt and Martin.
Arnt Stokka lived in Sverdrup Township until 1939, when he moved to Broadview Township where Allan Stokka and his family live now. Arnt Stokka has two other children, Rueben Stokka in Santa Monica, California; and Lydia Rangen at Brainerd, Minnesota.
Allan Stokkas have five children. David and Lauri and their three children Melissa, Joshua and Heidi, farm near Cooperstown. Louise and Bill Rindy live in St. Paul, where Bill goes to seminary and Louise works as an RN at St. Mary’s Hospital. John goes to school in Bemidji. Sylvia is at Mayville State and Peter is in sixth grade in Hannaford. Allan has always farmed. We raise beef and grain. Mrs. Allan Stokka is the former Margaret Liljenquist. Her parents are Axel and Inga Liljenquist who farmed 4 1/2 miles west of Cooperstown.
Source: Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 235