Biography of Gustav M. Arneson
June 1, 1927
--Alfred Kruschwitz
Mr. and Mrs. Ole Arneson came to Iowa from Norway; she from Numidal, and he from Valders, Norway.
In 1975, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Arneson came to North Dakota to take up a homestead and make their home here.
On April 8, 1876 Gustav M. Arneson was born to Mr. and Mrs. Ole Arneson. He was the second of seven children.
Gustav went to school in the little dwelling house of Reverend Omen, which was used for that purpose during the absence of Rev. Omen. This little house was located on what is now section 2 in Romness Township. In 1882 his parents had moved from the Goose River country into Griggs County, which is now Steele County. His first teacher was Mr. Thomas.
As Gustav was a small boy in the earliest part of the pioneer days, he is not able to tell everything as it happened, but he tells of the experiences as well as he can, although some things are omitted. He went through many hardships with his parents. His parents first house was made of sod.
Gustav and his brother, Invall, used to ride horseback and herd cattle and horses. The pastures or herding grounds were quite extended. They covered many sections. The railroad lands were free but they rented the school lands for a small sum of $15 a section, just enough so as to have possession of them.
The first church that Mr. Arneson attended was the Lutheran; the preacher was Rev. Lundeby.
When Mr. Arneson was about twenty-two years old, he went out to Wells County and took up a homestead. It was required by the law at that time to be there every six months to do some work, also to make his home there. As to the work, not very much was required. Mr. Arneson did not stay there all the time. But he made it his home. When he was away, he was working to earn some money so that it was possible to improve his place. He only kept his homeste4ad for three years; then he came back to Griggs County and bought a quarter section of land in Romness Township 147, Range 58, Section 28.
The teams of the early days were oxen. The oxen could not be worked like our horses. The men had to get up about four o’clock in the morning and begin to work quite early - - then work until about nine or ten o’clock, depending upon whether the day was hot or cold. The oxen could not stand much heat. Then ready to unhitch, they would just unfasten the collar and harness, which were fastened together and let the oxen go and eat grass until the cool of the afternoon. When ready to go to work, they would get the oxen, hitch them up and work until just about dark.
The main machinery was a breaking plow, a drag, either bought or hand-made, a broadcast seeder, or sometimes the grain was sown by hand. They had either a reaper or a wire binder, that is, it tied the grain with wire. There were some binders used.
The chief grain was Scotch Fife wheat, although some feed grain was raised. The price of wheat was from 50¢ to 55¢ a bushel. The grain which was not very much at that time, was hauled from the Goose River country to Wheatland. That from Griggs (or what is no Steele) County was hauled to Valley City or Hope. This grain was hauled with oxen and a four-wheeled wagon. The two-wheeled ox carts were not used for this purpose very long. Three or four of the neighbors would go together with their loads, so that they could protect themselves better. On the return trip they bought provisions.
The fuel of the pioneer days was wood from the timber of the Sheyenne river. This was the only fuel they had. Coal was not used because it was too far to haul it; and also very little shipped in to North Dakota.
The main occupation of the time was breaking new land which is done very little nowadays in this part of North Dakota. Herding was also done in this part of the country, but it is not at the present time.
Mr. Arneson still has four brothers and one sister living. Mr. Carl Oscar Arneson of Binford, North Dakota; Invall Arneson of Cooperstown, North Dakota; Mrs. Ed Iverson, Cooperstown, North Dakota; Clarence Arneson of Saco, Montana and Albert Arneson of Saco, Montana.
Mr. Arneson is a the present time a member of the Ringsaker Church in Romness Township; Rev. Estren, pastor.
Mr. Arneson’s present home is in Romness Township 147 Range 59, Section 28. He gets his mail from Cooperstown on Rural Route #1.