Liffengren

Letter From South Dakota

2012-01-29T05:07:00.000-08:00

The Teenage Mind

The Workings of the 17 Year Old Mind – Excerpts From a Letter from Craig Hullinger to Clif and Louise

I came across an old letter of mine written to my parents. I have no idea where it came from – it was just there. My mother must have saved it and put it into a book and it fell out. At any rate I found it amusing to see what I wrote and how it compared with the way I remembered it. One of the snakes is much longer in my memory then what I wrote in the letter. I was working on my Uncle Luverne’s ranch in western South Dakota in the summer before my senior year in high school.

Excerpts

Cow Fighting Craig

One of Luverne’s cows broke her leg when we were chasing them. It was dark and they were on the road. Luverne was in the pickup and I got out on foot to move them along. The cow fell and I think she thought I was responsible. She almost got me then and several times afterwards when we were feeding her on the prairie. Two days ago Luverne decided to get her in the barn. He tried to drive her by horse and I on foot but she ran me out of the country and she butted the horse out of the creek.

At last I took off my shirt and bull (cow) fought her up to the barn (1 mile). I would wave my shirt and she would charge. I could just barely outrun her, but always managed to do so. When she gave up I would jump around her head, and twist and waive until she charged again. She almost got me several times when I was careless. It was really good cross-country practice.

Snake Charming

Last week we finished putting up the hay. I rode the sled behind the bailer stacking hay bales into small piles before pushing them off the sled. A rattlesnake came out of the bailer partially in the bailer, with the business end of the snake sticking out. The snake was unhappy and he made me nervous.

The next day I was stacking hay. I was on the top of the very tall stack and Luverne was using the stacker tracker to lift hay up to me. As he lifted the small stack up to me I could see a very large rattler hanging below the small stack. The thick tines of the stacker had ran through the snake. The snake was striking at everything that moved. Luverne could not see the snake. I kept yelling for him not to give me the snake. I was preparing to bail out and jump when Luverne spotted the snake. It was over three feet long (6 feet long in my memory) and had 7 big rattles with probably that many more broken off. Luverne told me I did not have to stack any more if I was nervous but of course I said no problem. But every stick I saw in the hay for the next couple of days made me jump.

Model A

Craig and Neal in the Rumble Seat, Luverne and Herman the Dog in Front

I bought a 1930 Model A Cabrolet Coupe (Roadster with convertible top and rumble seat. Ray Boe and I rebuilt the engine and put it back in the car. I still haven’t got to do much body work on it but hope to have it painted by the time you arrive. I plan to run it back in perfect exterior and running condition. (as you can see from the photo she was not exactly in perfect condition, but I still loved her)

The Model A and I back in Chicago

More about the Model A Trip at:

http://modelahullinger.blogspot.com/

Liffengren Reunion June 22-24, 2012

2012-01-03T19:36:00.000-08:00

WHAT:

Liffengren family reunion

June 22-24, 2012

Sioux Falls, SD

When:

Friday evening, June 22, 2012

through Sunday noon, (or later?) June 24th

Where:

Country Inn and Suites (by Carlson)
200 E. 8th Street Sioux Falls

http://www.countryinns.com/sioux-falls-hotel-sd-57104/sdsfalls

Reservations: 1-800-596-2375 US/Canada Toll-free

Telephone: (605) 373-0153 Fax: (605) 334-3410

Email: cx_soux@countryinns.com

We have reserved a gathering space and a block of rooms at the above hotel for the weekend of June 22-24, 2012 at the Country Inn & Suites, Sioux Falls. You need to confirm your reservation by May 31, 2012.

The hotel overlooks the Big Sioux River in downtown Sioux Falls. All of the rooms will have been renovated by next June. There is a small pool, a restaurant/bar with a patio overlooking the river, and complimentary breakfast. Rooms start at $99 per night and include a refrigerator and microwave.

R.S.V.P. to

Floyd & Sylvia Fuoss

4409 Creekside Drive

Sioux Falls, SD 57109

605-271-3491

sfuoss@sio.midco.net

ACTIVITIES:

Friday night laser show at Falls park after dark

Saturday: Private tour of EROS (U.S. Geological Survey

study site-does satellite mapping of the globe, courtesy of

Mike Budde

Saturday pontoon cruise, designed by and for Norwegians

and those who love them.

If anyone has a pretty good idea that they do intend to come, please let Sylvia know at sfuoss@sio.midco.net so we can get an approximant count for the cruise and EROS tour. Thanks! I hope to see you there.

Mary Ann would like us to share pics and stories from trips to Norway (if any).

Thanks! I hope to see you there.

Anne Hullinger

sdanonline@gmail.com

From I-229

(closest), exit at 10th Street (Exit 6), go west on 10th Street. At Cliff Avenue, turn north (right) and go two blocks to 8th Street. Turn left on 8th, go to hotel (on your right)
(shortly past the railroad tracks. If you cross the river, you missed it.)

From I-29

Take Exit 79 at 12th street/Hwy 42, go east.

Follow this road to the downtown area (it will meander and turn into 11th and become one-way). Turn left (north) on Phillips Ave. Follow Phillips to 8th Street, turn right (east) on 8th about a block, until you see hotel on your left, just over the river.

2011-09-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

Magazine Cover Illustrated by Ida Liffengren Jansen

Art and Ida Jansen

http://artjansen.blogspot.com/

Murdo

2011-09-02T12:12:00.000-07:00


The City of Murdo is located at the crossroads of Interstate 90 and Highway 83 in the middle of South Dakota where the Central Time Zone meets the Mountain Time Zone.	Jones County Population Data
Murdo has several new businesses that nicely compliment our already existing services. We welcome you to browse our web site and stop in and visit.

click below for more info:

http://www.murdosd.com/

Medicine Creek

2011-09-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.medicinecreek.com/

Boom Times in North Dakota

2011-09-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

The state's unemployment rate hovers around 3 percent, and "Help Wanted" signs litter the landscape of cities such as Williston in the same way "For Sale" signs populate the streets of Las Vegas.

"It's a zoo," said Terry Ayers, who drove into town from Spokane, Wash., slept in his truck, and found a job within hours of arrival, tripling his salary. "It's crazy what's going on out here."

Click to Read More

Why We Like 40 degree winters in Dakota? It keeps the riffraff out.

Lindsay Liffengren

2011-08-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

Lindsay Liffengren

http://www.lindsaysellstucson.com/

Jim and Opal Cartney and Family

2011-08-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

There are many more great photos on individual's Facebook Page. To look at more photos, click on the Liffengren Facebook page in the left column. Then click on the "Like" button. You will then see our individual member Facebook pages where you can view their photos and read their posts. If we don't have your Facebook page listed send me an email and I will add it. Craighullinger@gmail.com

Facebook - Liffengren Page

2011-08-27T05:11:00.000-07:00

We have a Liffengren page on facebook where it is easy to post photos and write short messages and stories. The page is on the top of the left column of this blog.

Fifty-one percent of Americans ages 12 and up have Facebook accounts, says Edison Research.

You have a pretty good chance of finding relatives and friends on Facebook. Start by joining Facebook.

Then you can click on our Facebook page in the left column of this blog. You can read our Facebook page.

You can also click on the "Like" button so that posts on our Facebook page will go to your page.

You will also see the Facebook pages of our relatives who have indicated they"Like" our page. Then you can see what they have been doing and look at their photos.

You can also search for anyone you want to find.

Liffengren Farm in Bagn, Norway

2011-08-24T15:07:00.001-07:00

2011-07-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

Jim Cartney

Happy Birthday

The Cartney Family celebrated the birthday of Jim Cartney. Happy Birthday from all of your Liffengren relatives.

From Louise and Clif Hullinger

Did our birthday greetings get sent correctly? Anyhow belated happy birthday if they didn't. I have either lost my mind, my brains, my finger dexterity and/or memory because I have such a time every time I sit down at the computer. I think maybe it is too full of news. Any way sure hope Jim's birthday was great. Our 65th anniversary still has us shaking our heads over how they could do it. The pianist must have played every song which was popular between 1846 when we were married until now, because everyone felt as though they were reminiscing those years
--

A guy went around taking pictures so I know who was there. You can't remember, and I was talking, naturally, so I wasn't in any of the pictures. He must have gone around taking a picture of everyone, even some twin babies which we never saw.

How has the weather been? Ours is still acting up, raining all morning! on some days. Nothing like the SD dustbowl. I remember when Opal was about a year old or so and she said, "Water is hitting my face." I think she didn't know about rain because it never rained.

I hope all is well with you. We don't seem to get round robins any more. Craig seems to think we can round robin by writing e mail. I think he has set up something we can add too. I'll contact him, in case no one knows about it. I don't think Gen has e mail any more.

It's late, so happy everything. Love and affection from Louise and Clif.

http://louisehullinger.blogspot.com/

Louise Hullinger
2320 W 113th Place
Chicago, IL 60643
773 253 5426

2011-05-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

We are saddened by the news of the passing of Orville Fuoss. He was a fine man and will be missed.

Published in Rapid City Journal on May 17, 2011

DRAPER - Orville Fuoss, 87, Draper, died Monday, May 16, 2011, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Survivors include his wife, Darline Fuoss, and two sons, Dave Fuoss and Bob Fuoss, all of Draper; two daughters, Carol Shepherd, Gillette, Wyo., and Sonja Booth, Draper; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; a brother, Floyd Fuoss, Sioux Falls; and two sisters Viola Lightfield, Brookings, and Mary Ann Johnson, Loveland, Colo.

Arrangements are pending with Rush Funeral Home of Philip.

Published in Rapid City Journal on May 17, 2011

___________________________

Orville James Fuoss was born November 7, 1923, at the family farm in Kolls Township, north of Draper, South Dakota, the oldest of five children born to Henry and Olga (Liffengren) Fuoss.

Orville was baptized, confirmed and married at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Draper. He knew his Bible well and attended Wednesday morning Bible class. He attended elementary school at Spears school in Virgil Township and North Kolls in Kolls Township and graduated from Draper High School in 1941 .

He married Darline Valburg on January 11, 1948, and to their union four children were born; Sonja, Carol, Dave and Bob.
He served on many local boards and was a director in several businesses. His profession was farming and raising cattle. He made the transition from farming with horses to tractors to tractors with satellite guidance steering. He easily adapted to Reduced Tillage and then No-Till conservation farming beginning in 1986. He truly loved the harvest season. His farm held conservation awards. He was proud to have been chosen for “Chamber Yard of the Week” last August 12th at his Draper home.

Survivors include his wife Darline of Draper; two sons Dave Fuoss and his wife Kathy of Draper, and Bob Fuoss and his wife Diane of Draper; two daughters Sonja Booth and her husband LeRoy of Draper, and Carol Shepherd and her husband Tom of Gillette, Wyoming; ten grandchildren Corina, Brent, Mike, Sara, Todd, Kyle, Lori, Andrew, Jennifer and Brad; eight great-grandchildren Ty, Dylan, Saylor, Rachel, Emily, Madelyn, Aspen and Ryan; one brother Floyd Fuoss and his wife Sylvia of Sioux Falls; two sisters Viola Lightfield of Brookings, and Mary Ann Johnson of Loveland, Colorado; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Orville was preceded in death by his sister Barbra in 1932; his dad Henry in 1949; his mom Olga in 1967; a son in law Ray Besler in 1976; and two brother-in-laws Dale Johnson and Ernie Lightfield .

Funeral services will be held 11:30 a.m. CDT, Saturday, May 21, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Draper, with Pastor Ray Greenseth officiating.

Private family interment will be at the Draper Cemetery.

A memorial is established.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Saturday, May 21, 2011 - 11:30 a.m.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Draper, South Dakota

CLERGY
Pastor Ray Greenseth

MUSIC
Donna Kinsley - Organist
McKinsie Simons - Vocalist
"On Eagles Wings"

REGISTER BOOK ATTENDANT
Leanne Zirpel

USHERS
Eldon Magnuson - Greg Boyle

PALLBEARERS
Brent Booth - Mike Fuoss
Todd Fuoss - Kyle Booth
Andrew Shepherd - Brad Fuoss

HONORARY PALLBEARERS
Corina Booth - Sara Olsen
Lori Nemec - Jennifer Fuoss

INTERMENT
Draper Cemetery
Draper, South Dakota

http://www.rushfuneralhome.com/cms/plugin_obituaryview.php?obituary_ID=372

2011-02-17T04:56:00.000-08:00

Hell is a village in Lånke, Stjørdal, Norway with a population of about 1500 people. It has become a minor tourist attraction because of its name, as visitors often have their photograph taken in front of the station sign. The station sign reads "Gods-expedition", an archaic Norwegian spelling of the word for "cargo handling" - godsek...

2011-01-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

Aslak Tronrud

Over a year since my last updated,so this is long overdue.

http://www.borgvinn.net/tronrud/

Have updated places, sources, added people and pictures.

If you have updates or want to contribute with images, please e-mail them to me - aslak@borgvinn.net

Have also updated my "new" genealogy site, for those interested.

Best regards Aslak Tronrud

TRONRUD - Home Page

www.borgvinn.net

2010-08-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

Stave Church in Riengly (Above Bagn)

Near Tronrud Farm

Liffengren Farm in Bagn, Norway

Tronrud Home in Reingly (Above Bagn) Norway

Visiting Norway is pretty easy. You fly into the capital, Oslo, which is a very nice town. Rent a car at the airport. The drive above shows visits to the the ancestral Liffengren, Tronrud, Anderson, and Kaasa towns. Total driving time for this trip is about 16 hours, and you see some great and variable scenery. If you only want to see the Liffengren and Tronrud sites the drive is just a few hours.

A. Oslo - nice town

B. Seljord, Telemarken - Home of the Kaasa family (Ida Kaasa married Peter Anderson)

C. Vik - Home of the Anderson Family

D. Bagn - Home of the Liffengren Family - the farm is still there

D. Reingly - Directly above Bagn - Tronrud Home

More descriptions, photos, and info in the blog archive - 2004.

2010-08-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

Evan Fuoss, the grandchild of Sylvia Hullinger and Floyd Fouss made the Chicago Tribune on the day of the Liffengren reunion. Our congratulations Evan and his the family.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/ct-sun-0808-first-day-20100808,0,2075200.story

2010-08-08T04:31:00.000-07:00

A good time was had by all at the Liffengren Family Reunion held on 7 and 8 August 2010 at the Ramkota Inn in Pierre, South Dakota. Thanks to all who to Gen and Barbara and all those who worked on making it a success.

The next reunion will be in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in late July or early August in 2012. Sylvia and Anne Hullinger will organize.

We have set up the Liffengren blog to help us stay in touch and exchange photos and stories. You can find it by searching for Liffengren, or clicking on http://liffengren.blogspot.com

If you would like to post photos or text you can email craighullinger@gmail.com and I will post the info, or get it set up so you can post directly.

Photos of the last reunion in Chamberlin.

Liffengren Farm in Bagn, Norway 2003

Stave Church Barbo Tronrud attended in Reingly, Bagn, Norway

Tronrud Farm in Reingly where Barbo Tronrud grew up - (Above Bagn), Norway, 2003

___________________________________________

Liffengren Links

Aslak Tronrud

http://www.borgvinn.net/tronrud/

Sergeant Walter Anderson

http://sgtwalteranderson.blogspot.com/

Photos of Last Reunion

http://picasaweb.google.com/tokyodcj/LiffengrenReunion72608?authkey=fDva8BfpzoY#

2010-08-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

liffengren

2010-04-06T11:25:00.001-07:00

Erik Hullinger's friend dropped him off at one of the "watering places" on their way home from Purdue. Even so they brought two cars because 4 big kids fill one normal sized car so it is too full, I guess. Didn't we gave 4 kids in the car at one time with both of us? Wasn't that when the arguing became even fiercer, but there was room. I think.

I had made cookies and they soon disappeared. I made cookies for the church Wednesday night. They had called 19 people to bring cookies so mine weren't really necessary. I thought I might be one of two or three that was called so I not only bought 3 bags of chocolate chip cookies, I also made some using up two cups of flour, one cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of oil, a box of raisins, peanuts + a box of a corn bread mix, thus using up odds and ends of items. ( I still have some sugar and some flour.) Let's see what did I write about? That's why you should send a copy to yourself, I guess. Now that my memory has gotten up and left I can understand why one should do that extra bit.

Dad turned on the oven but I was supposed to be able to figure out how to set the timer. I called in MarilynStone (neighbor) but she didn't know how. So I called Elaine McElroy originally from SD and a graduate in the Home Economics division from State College.
She had gone shopping but her kind husband offered to help. He's in a wheel chair, but he figured it out.

The cookies turned out good. I saved some to give to them, but they had gone out for the evening or something so the Scott Hullinger bunch solved that problem for me.

That is enough if my problem solving days.

Incidentally very few women arouond here claim to know how to bake with electrical ranges!!!

In talking we found out that most of them haven't used their electric ranges except to use the top burners. Neither have most of them used their dish washers. I suppose that they are provided because women would refuse to move if there weren't such equipment!

Dad goes in on Wedneday for his operation. He asked the Dr. who said that I don't need to be there. Marlilyn whose husband had the operation says there is no need to be there. However most others think I should be there. Since the Red Hats are going out to Gaelic Park that morning I am having a tough time deciding. I think we will leave about 10:00 so I may be able to do both.

Love,

Louis Liffengren Hullinger

2010-02-27T18:36:00.000-08:00

Memories of South Dakota in the 1930's

Luverne & Louise Liffengren graduated from the 8th grade in 1937.

My twin brother, Luverne Liffengren, drove us to High School in Draper. We went straight home when school was out at 4:00 pm. Most boys stayed to play basketball, mostly. Luverne had rheumatic fever when he was young which left him with a slight "hobbledy-catch in his getalong" (as Grandpa Eli Hullinger would have said.) so he didn't want to run or race, so no fuss was made about it by anyone as far as I remember. He & I began HS when Edyth Martin (Mrs. Sam Martin) drove to Teacher's Institute; she was driving right through Draper to get to Murdo (where the Teacher’s Institute for teachers was being held ) I think she & Mom got together&we rode with her. It was already the 6th week of school so we were way behind the other students.

The teachers were glad to have us (two more students made teaching more interesting) & handed each of us text books & assignments of what they'd already studied. When the 6 weeks tests were given we took them & I believe Luverne & I both of us had more answers right than most of the others, which alerted the teachers that we came to school to learn.(We’d learned a lot of history in the year after our 8th grade graduation when we attended the country school because Mrs. Martin said we could come & help her, too. (Dad believed we were too young to drive to HS) We studied history, geography, & I helped her correct papers, keep records, etc. I recall she sent us to the blackboard to learn how to parse sentences. She liked us & we liked her. Our classmates were Dale Allen, Doris Bauman, Peg Frisbie, Dorothy Gropper, Louise & Luverne Liffengren, Bill Masteller, Bernie McLaughlan, Gerald and Gene Miller, Mary & Eva Mollet, Bill Nielsen, Louis Saylor, Lillian Ziesman. For a while Donnie Harris went to Draper, as did a Gutherie. When we graduated there were 17 of us - I was valedictorian. (Because the school didn’t offer it some of us girls took shorthand by correspondence.).

I remember that once all the kids who could fit into a car skipped school & our parents had to sign that we had been told. Peg Frisbie's dad embarrassed her terribly by writing,"Excuse Peg. She doesn't know any better." I don’t know we did it but someone thought of it & none of us disagreed. However, none of us wanted to skip school again. I think maybe Bill Nielson had the car for the first time & came up with the idea during lunch. (Luverne must have had more sense.)

When we were seniors our class voted not to buy class rings (too expensive) & we voted against a skip day for the same reason. We all responded to the war effort. All farm boys were exempt from the draft, but Dale Allen enlisted. Bill Neilsen who was an only child enlisted also.

That fall (1942) my mother talked Mrs. Mollet into sending Eva to teacher's college, & she rode with us & we were room mates. Her Uncle John borrowed money to send her; & my brother Luverne paid my way which was $75 for room, board, & books (first semester.) (In the accepted way I paid Ida’s first tuition, etc. ) We stayed at the dorm. It never occurred to me that I might get lonely but I think that why Mom encouraged Eva’s Mom to send her too. (Mom had been sent to HS, & college & knew it’s not always easy to be far from home.) She was a great room mate, & we had both ordered new black coats (Sears Roebuck catalogue) for the cold months. (Since we were always together the teacher's could hardly tell us apart! )We were both in the Drama Club under Miss Lee Garrison. As I recall all boys were subject to the draft so there were literally no boys in school at Teacher's College. ‘

After college we taught rural school in Jones County. I stayed at Fuosses & walked 2 miles to school. Viola & Mary Ann Fuoss were very bright; all the kids were bright! Our school won all the math contests at the annual Rally Day.(I wrote the 45 math combinations on the blackboard & we practiced saying the answers before each recess, after school, etc. I changed a few around so they wouldn't just learn them in a specific sequence.) Our school also won the spelling contests too. The lady in charge of the contest that year had formerly taught Marshall school (which was now “my School”) & when “my” school won all the prizes she announced that she had been teacher there for several years! (Of course she deserved some of the glory!!) (but only “some!”

I remember teaching the kids how to play soft ball at recess — and I really didn’t know much about it.
Other memories, possibly best forgotten, are that the teacher before me had spent a good deal of time trying to teach the kids to play the harmonica. She had not spent enough time teaching the first grader so I spent a lot of time with her. I believe there was an eighth grader, also + 7 0thers. I spent two years in the Marshall School, then taught in Murdo=6,8. & 8 grades. That summer I worked at Magnvox in Fort Wayne, Ind., & when Hirohito got “atomic ache” I went back to school at SD State College in Brookings, and majored in Journalism, met Clif, got engaged, &* married,
Louise Liffengren Hullinger

My mother was Edna Sophia Anderson. She was born on October 13, 1901 in Ridgeway, Iowa. My father was Helmer Liffengren born in October 16, 1894 in Lake Mills, Iowa. His parents did not give their children middle names..
Louise Edna & Luverne Helmer Liffengren were baptized March 9 at Grandma Liffengren’s because it was too cold at church. (Louise married Clif Hullinger on June 6, 1946) (Luverne married Genevie Ernst); (Ida Ruth born Oct 3, 1926, baptized Dec. 26 1926,(married to Art Jansen); Opal Blanche born Feb. 29, 1932, baptized May 26, 1932 (married to James Cartney); Norman Ray born Feb. 9, 1939, baptized April, 1939, (married to Judy Roberts.)

The Liffengrens had migrated to Iowa, but went back to Norway after both my Dad (Helmer) and his sister (Olga) were quite small. After they got back to Norway they no longer appreciated it, and they returned to the USA and never looked back.

Many Norwegians emigrated from Iowa to South Dakota because they got word that free land was available. My Great Grandparents Ole and Barbro Tronrud Liffengren on land north of Van Meter (Where their youngest daughter eventually lived) and homesteaded there. My father Helmer finished his first 8 grades before they came to South Dakota.

Grandma (Barbo) canvassed the area and found there were enough Scandinavians to get a Lutheran church going. She was credited with gathering the people. I remember Egerdahls, Nordahls, Petersons, Strunks, Nelsons, Hauges, Monsons, Ankers, Andersons and others. All of us kids were baptized either there or in Grandma's house with Pastor Olson doing the baptizing.

We went to church every 3rd Sunday because the pastor traveled so far and had 3 churches to serve, so he preached each church every third Sunday. The mothers made sandwiches and cakes, and set out dishes, wiped down tables, and served coffee. The ladies sat on one side and the men on the other. Often Dad sat with Luverne; I remember how frustrated Dad was one time when Luverne kept swinging around his bow tie.

I think most of the men only had one “Sunday-go-t-meetin’ suit), which they wore only for Church, but that was important. It seems to me that we only gave money twice a year - one time was after harvest. The men walked up & around the altar, & laid their offering for that half of the year. There was communion the same day. In the spring they did the same thing but my memory is that there was very little money to give as an offering in the spring. However, whenever they butchered they would see that the Pastor's family got some of the meat. Pastor Olson was beloved by everyone.

I remember one of his daughters was named Beldora. His daughters would sing for us. Olga Liffengren played the organ at church. my Myrtle Peterson was also an organist. I remember the Monsons, Egerdahls, Neilsons, Severtsons, Peterson’s, Ankers, Strunks, Jorgenson’s, Newsoms, and others..

I remember that after church Luverne, Orville Floyd, Vic Peterson and Leonard Anchor would wrestle around. My uncles always claimed that I always stuck up for Luverne and if he wasn't winning I'd join him.

The cemetary was across the road from the church. I told you that my mothers brother Georgie was the first one buried there. Olga Liffengren's fiancee Johnson was the second person buried there. He was a soldier and died from the flu which took many lives. It was several years before Olga met & married Henry Fuoss.

Olga was a school teacher, and Donald Liffengren stayed with her so he could go to High School. Otherwise the Liffengren boys did not continue on after grade school but all were very good with tools, and Oscar took a course on repairing machinery. All the Liffengren men understand machinery and were in demand when any tractor, car, or truck needed repairing. Our yard was always filled with old cars waiting for dad to find time to fix them.

Grandma L made delicious cookies. Both she and "Dorty" worked outdoors a lot. They had an ice house the men filled in the winter. We sometimes spent the 4th of July together and would swim in the stock tank by an artesian well. I recall Uncle Oscar telling us he could make water burn and proved it by lighting the water as it came up from the spring (because it had natural gas in it.)

My Mom (Edna) had dark curly hair. She, too, was a country school teacher. They sent her back to Ridgeway and Bode Iowa to stay with relatives to go to High School. Some of the relatives lived in Decorah and she often spoke of them.

Her mother, Ida Kaasa Anderson was very education minded and it was contagious. There were many missionaries in her family (to China, etc.) and we met several of them.

When Luverne and I were confirmed Pastor Olson picked up Vic Peterson and Leonard Anchor who lived near the Van Metre church and instructed the four of us to there. We memorized the commandments, and What does this mean (all of which I think of when I'm on the treadmill.)

At the most we only went to church every third Sunday because that was when it was. But we would never have considered not attending. There was no Lutheran church to our Draper home at that time. Eventually the Andersons, the Henry Fuosses, the Kruses, the Preusses, Leirs, Scmidts and others started a "German” Lutheran church north of Draper. After Dad died mom joined that church. Ernst had always gone there. It was much closer but was Missouri Synod, while we had always gone to an Augustana church.

Whenever I stayed in town over the week end I went with friends to the Methodist church in Draper. When I was in college in Springfield there were no Lutheran churches so I attended Bible classes at a church where a favorite college instructor, Dr. Ewald, taught the Bible class. I think it was Presbyterian. I don't think we were ever hung up on a specific Christian church but we were hung up on thinking you ought to regularly attend church.

I taught the school at the Fuoss School, boarded with the Fuoss family there and walked two mites each way to the one room school house. All the kids were smart. Viola and Mary Ann were really smart but so were the Magnuson's and the Marshalls. The County Superintendent recommended me to teach in Murdo, so I did, but that was a room full of 6th, 7th and 8th graders and was still fun, but more work.

I met Muggs Hullinger at summer school. We hit it off and then decided we should work in a large city, since World War II was underway and they needed workers. Her folks thought we should stay with her Aunt Pearl in Fort Wayne, which ought to be enough adventure for her, so we got jobs at Magnaox and lived with her Aunt Pearl in the “big” city of Fort Wayne. Through her I met my husband Clif Hullinger, and the rest is history.

When the war was over that adventure to ended. I went back to College, and so did Clif. Muggs went to Washington with the Hulces.

You see how our adventures were quite "controlled."" Enough for now.

Love you all

Louise Liffengren Hullinger

My Grandparents Barbo and Ole Liffengren immigrated from Bagn, Norway in about 1895. My father Helmer was born in Iowa. Then my grandparents decided to move back to Norway. They did so, but after a short time they moved back to the United States, this time for good.

I remember my Grandma (Barbo) Tronrud Liffengren telling us about going up into the mountains in the summer in Norway where they tended the goats and (I think) the cattle and sheep. I recall she told of coming to America on a ship when she was 16 years old with her niece who was a year older than Barbo. Some one they didn't know offered them candy (I imagined it was a sack of candy which her niece accepted but she grabbed it and threw it away because "you don't take gifts like that from strangers." (I thought she was telling me something I probably would need to know).

I recall she made some kind of a pudding which she said was always served to new mothers. It was made by slowly cooking cream until it bubbled, and I think cinnamon and sugar were added. (It would "make the milk come in so nursing mothers would be able to nurse their babies. (I don't think we even had baby bottles.)

Grandpa Ole Liffengren seemed very tall, and called me Louisa with a soft "s." I remember feeling fondness for both of them. Grandma once gave each of us Liffengren kids (Luverne Louise Ida Opal and Norman) a young turkey which we were to raise and learn how to earn money. When dad trucked to Sioux City, Iowa our Mom went along once to sell the turkeys She brought me home a beautiful blue dress (which we called silk but may have been rayon). Each of us got something with the money we had earned, and I guess it taught us economics.

We certainly learned to count our pennies and not spend foolishly.

When we were kids we always spent Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Anderson (Ida and Pete) and or Grandma (Barbo) and Grandpa (Ole) Liffengren (one was on Christmas Eve and one was Christmas day).

Many Christmas days were spent with my dad's sister, Olga and Henry Fuoss (her husband) and the four Fuoss children-Orville Floyd, Viola and Mary Anne. We were somewhat older what Mom's sister Sally who married Rex Orr and we spent lots of time with them. Their kids were such fun-Richard, Kip (Clifford), Lyle, Shirley. Madge, Keith and the youngest one whom I never got to know was Ilene.

I stayed with Aunt Sally (near Bonilla, SD) after HS graduation; it was a memorable summer. They had a new baby & I was to be a helper. I told the kids stories every day.

Last summer (2009) at our Anderson family reunion the first thing Lyle Orr said to me was "And how is Louise the Good Little Girl?" (That was the name I gave myself. I had a name for each of them. Richard the Rabbit, Kippy the Kangaroo, Shirley the squirrel, Lyle the Lion, Madge the Monkey. Then they would clamor, "And what is your name?" So the only euphonious thing I could think of was Louise the good little girl." and none of them have ever forgotten it.

It's a pleasant memory. I look back at that summer as possibly the nicest I'd ever had.

Enough from Louise the good little girl for today. February 10, 2010/

2010-02-22T06:12:00.000-08:00

The videos below by Louise and I provide some information about our lives.

9:16
Back When I
Louise and Clifford Hullinger tell their son Craig about experiences from their childhood and earlier years.
by CraigHullinger | 1 day ago | 3 views

9:15
Back When I 2
Louise and Clifford Hullinger continue their conversation with their son about childhood and earlier years.
by CraigHullinger | 1 day ago | 0 views

7:37
Back When I 3
Part 3 as Louise and Clifford Hullinger continue their conversation with their son about childhood and earlier years.
by CraigHullinger | 1 day ago | 0 views

7:29
Back When I 4
Part 4 as Louise and Clifford Hullinger continue their conversation with their son about childhood and earlier years.
by CraigHullinger | 1 day ago | 0 views

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9:20
Back When I 5
Part 5 as Louise & Clifford Hullinger continue their conversation with their son about childhood and earlier years.
by CraigHullinger | 1 day ago | 2 views
7:49
Back When I 6
Part 6 as Louise and Clifford Hullinger continue their conversation with their son about childhood and earlier years.
by CraigHullinger | 1 day ago | 2 views

Video about World War II

9:10

34th Division interviews w/Clif Hullinger part 1

9:34

34th Division Interviews w/ Clif Hullinger stories & Stats

2010-02-19T03:39:00.000-08:00

Memories of South Dakota in the 1930's

Luverne Liffengren drove us to High School in Draper. We went straight home after school was out at 4:00 pm. Most boys stayed to play athletics - basketball, mostly. Luverne had had rheumatism which left him with a slight "hobbledy-catch in his getalong" (as Grandpa Eli Hullinger would have said.) so he didn't feel like he wanted to run or race, so there was never any fuss made about it by anyone, as far as I remember. He and I started when Mrs. Edyth Martin (Mrs. Sam Martin) drove to Teacher's Institute and was driving through Draper to get to Murdo where the Institute for teachers was being held. She and Mom got together and we rode along. It was the 6th week of school so we were way behind.

The teachers were glad to have us (because we looked pretty alert) and gave us the text book and assignments of what they'd already read and studied. When the 6 weeks tests were given we took them and I believe Luverne and I each came out near the top (I think I did better than any one else) which alerted the teachers that we intended to get down to work. We did and we studied that history book. Anyhow, we already knew a lot of history because Dad thought we were too young to drive to HS right after we finished the 8th grade, Mrs. M said we could come to school every day, anyhow, and we did study a lot of history, geography, and probably other things she thought we'd need. I recall she sent us to the blackboard to learn how to parse sentences.

She liked us and we liked her. Our classmates were Dale Allen, Doris Bauman, Peg Frisbie, Dorothy Gropper, Louise & Luverne Liffengren, Bill Masteller, Bernie McLaughlan, Gerald and Gene Miller, Mary & Eva Mollet, Bill Nielsen, Louis Saylor, Lillian Ziesman. For a while Donnie Harris went to Draper, as did Kennie Gutherie. When we graduated there were 17 of us - I was valedictorian. Some of us girls took shorthand by correspondence because the school didn't offer it.

I remember that once all the kids who could fit into a car Skipped school and had to have our parents sign that we had been told. Peg Frisbie's dad embarrassed her terribly by writing, "Excuse Peg. She doesn't know any better." Someone thought of it and we were all bored because there wasn't anything to do except in school, and none of us ever wanted to skip school again. I think maybe Bill Nielson had the car for the first time and decided not to go back to school after lunch.

As seniors our class voted not to buy class rings as they were expensive and we voted against a skip day because it would cost a lot and we were all into the war effort. All our boys were farm boys and exempt from the draft but Dale Allen went anyhow and I believe Bill Neilsen who was an only child wanted to be in the service.

The next year my mother talked Mrs. Mollet into sending Eva to teacher's college, and she always rode with us. Her Uncle John borrowed money to send her; and my brother Luverne paid my first tuition which I believe was $75 for room, board, and books for the first semester. We stayed at the dorm. It never occurred to me that I might get lonely but Mom thought Eva should go, Mom had gone away to school and knew those things. Eva's mother wouldn't have known. She was a great room mate and we bought black coats (Sears Roebuck catalogue) so the teacher's could hardly tell us apart! We were both in the Drama Club under S. Garrison. As I recall all boys were subject to the draft so there were literally no boys in school at Teacher's College. Then we taught school. I stayed at Fuosses and walked 2 miles to school. Viola and Mary Ann Fuoss were bright; all the kids were bright and our school won all the math contests at the annual Rally Day. I wrote the 45 math combinations on the blackboard and we said them before each recess, after school, etc. I changed a few around so they wouldn't just learn them in any specific sequence. Our school also won the spelling contests too. The lady in charge of the contest had been promoted to teacher in the big city of Draper. When our school won all the prizes she announced that she had been teacher there for several years! (Of course she deserved some of the glory!!)

I remember teaching the kids how to play soft ball at recess — and I really didn’t know much about it.

Louise Liffengren Hullinger

2010-02-18T03:23:00.000-08:00

My mother was Edna Sophia Anderson. She was born on October 13, 1901 in Ridgeway, Iowa. My father was Helmer Liffengren born in October 16, 1894 in Lake Mills, Iowa. His parents did not give their children middle names.

The Liffengrens had migrated to Iowa, but went back to Norway after both my Dad (Helmer) and his sister (Olga) were quite small. After they got back to Norway they no longer appreciated it, and they returned to the USA and never looked back.

Many Norwegians emigrated from Iowa to South Dakota because they got word that free land was available. My Great Grandparents Ole and Barbro Tronrud Liffengren on land north of Van Meter (Where their youngest daughter eventually lived) and homesteaded there. My father Helmer was through the first 8 grades when they came to South Dakota.

Grandma (Barbo) canvassed the area and found there were enough people to get a Lutheran church going. She was credited with gathering the people. I remember Egerdahls, Nordahls, Petersons, Strunks, Nelsons, Hauges. Monsons, Ankers, Andersons and others. All of us kids were baptized either there or in Grandma's house with Pastor Olson doing the baptizing.

We went to church every 3rd Sunday because the pastor traveled so far and had 3 churches to serve, so he served each church every third Sunday. The mothers made sandwiches and cakes, and set out dishes, wiped down tables, and served coffee. The ladies sat on one side and the men on the other. Often Dad sat with Luverne, and I can remember how frustrated Dad was one time when Luverne kept swinging around his bow tie.

I think most of the men only had one suit, which they wore only for Church but that was important It seems to me that we only gave money twice a year - one time was after harvest. The men walked up and around the altar, and laid their offering for that half of the year. There was communion at the same day. In the spring they did the same thing but my memory is that there was very little money to give as an offering in the spring. However, whenever they butchered they would see that the Pastor's family got some of the meat. Pastor Olson was beloved by everyone.

I remember one of his daughters was named Beldora. His daughters would sing for us. Olga Liffengren played the organ.

I remember that after church Luverne, Orville Floyd, Vic Peterson and Leonard Anchor would wrestle around. My uncles always claimed that I always stuck up for Luverne and if he wasn't winning I'd join him.

The cemetary was across the road from the church. I told you that my mothers brother Georgie was the first one buried there. Olga Liffengren's fiancee Johnson was the second person buried there. He was a soldier and died from the flu which took many lives. It was several years before Olga met and married Henry Fuoss.

Olga was a school teacher, and Donald Liffengren stayed with her so he could go to High School. Otherwise the Liffengren boys did not continue on after grade school but all were very good with tools, and Oscar took a course on repairing machinery. All the Liffengren men understand machinery and were in demand when any tractor, car, or truck needed repairing. Our yard was always filled with old cars waiting for dad to find time to fix them.

Grandma L made delicious cookies. Both she and "Dorty" worked outdoors a lot. They had an ice house the men filled in the winter. We sometimes spent the 4th of July together and would swim in the stock tank by an artesian well. I recall Uncle Oscar telling us he could make water burn and proved it by lighting the water as it came up from the spring (because it had natural gas in it.)

My Mom (Edna) had dark curly hair. She, too, was a country school teacher. They sent her back to Ridgeway and Bode Iowa to stay with relatives to go to High School. Some of the relatives lived in Decorah and she often spoke of them.

Her mother, Ida Kaasa Anderson was very education minded and it was contagious. There were many missionaries in her family (to China, etc.) and we met several of them.

When Luverne and I were confirmed Pastor Olson picked up Vic Peterson and Leonard Anchor who lived near the Van Metre church and instructed the four of us to there. We memorized the commandments, and What does this mean (all of which I think of when I'm on the treadmill.)

At the most we only went to church every third Sunday because that was when it was. But we would never have considered not attending. There was no Lutheran church to our Draper home at that time. Eventually the Andersons, the Henry Fuosses, the Kruses, the Preusses, Leirs, Scmidts and others started a "German” Lutheran church north of Draper. After Dad died mom joined that church. Ernst had always gone there. It was much closer but was Missouri Synod, while we had always gone to an Augustana church.

Whenever I stayed in town over the week end I went with friends to the Methodist church in Draper. When I was in college in Springfield there were no Lutheran churches so I attended Bible classes at a church where a favorite college instructor, Dr. Ewald, taught the Bible class. I think it was Presbyterian. I don't think we were ever hung up on a specific Christian church but we were hung up on thinking you ought to regularly attend church.

I taught the school at the Fuoss School, boarded with the Fuoss family there and walked two mites each way to the one room school house. All the kids were smart. Viola and Mary Ann were really smart but so were the Magnuson's and the Marshalls. The County Superintendent recommended me to teach in Murdo, so I did, but that was a room full of 6th, 7th and 8th graders and was still fun, but more work.

I met Muggs Hullinger at summer school. We hit it off and then decided we should work in a large city, since World War II was underway and they needed workers. Her folks thought we should stay with her Aunt Pearl in Fort Wayne, which ought to be enough adventure for her, so we got jobs at Magnaox and lived with her Aunt Pearl in the “big” city of Fort Wayne. Through her I met my husband Clif Hullinger, and the rest is history.

When the war was over that adventure to ended. I went back to College, and so did Clif. Muggs went to Washington with the Hulces.

You see how our adventures were quite "controlled."" Enough for now.

Love you all

Louise Liffengren Hullinger

2010-02-15T20:03:00.000-08:00

My Grandparents Barbo and Ole Liffengren immigrated from Bagn, Norway in about 1895. My father Helmer was born in Iowa. Then my grandparents decided to move back to Norway. They did so, but after a short time they moved back to the United States, this time for good.

I remember my Grandma (Barbo) Tronrud Liffengren telling us about going up into the mountains in the summer in Norway where they tended the goats and (I think) the cattle and sheep. I recall she told of coming to America on a ship when she was 16 years old with her niece who was a year older than Barbo. Some one they didn't know offered them candy (I imagined it was a sack of candy which her niece accepted but she grabbed it and threw it away because "you don't take gifts like that from strangers." (I thought she was telling me something I probably would need to know).

I recall she made some kind of a pudding which she said was always served to new mothers. It was made by slowly cooking cream until it bubbled, and I think cinnamon and sugar were added. (It would "make the milk come in so nursing mothers would be able to nurse their babies. (I don't think we even had baby bottles.)

Grandpa Ole Liffengren seemed very tall, and called me Louisa with a soft "s." I remember feeling fondness for both of them. Grandma once gave each of us Liffengren kids (Luverne Louise Ida Opal and Norman) a young turkey which we were to raise and learn how to earn money. When dad trucked to Sioux City, Iowa our Mom went along once to sell the turkeys She brought me home a beautiful blue dress (which we called silk but may have been rayon). Each of us got something with the money we had earned, and I guess it taught us economics.

We certainly learned to count our pennies and not spend foolishly.

When we were kids we always spent Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Anderson (Ida and Pete) and or Grandma (Barbo) and Grandpa (Ole) Liffengren (one was on Christmas Eve and one was Christmas day).

Many Christmas days were spent with my dad's sister, Olga and Henry Fuoss (her husband) and the four Fuoss children-Orville Floyd, Viola and Mary Anne. We were somewhat older what Mom's sister Sally who married Rex Orr and we spent lots of time with them. Their kids were such fun-Richard, Kip (Clifford), Lyle, Shirley. Madge, Keith and the youngest one whom I never got to know was Ilene.

I stayed with Aunt Sally (near Bonilla, SD) after HS graduation; it was a memorable summer. They had a new baby & I was to be a helper. I told the kids stories every day.

Last summer (2009) at our Anderson family reunion the first thing Lyle Orr said to me was "And how is Louise the Good Little Girl?" (That was the name I gave myself. I had a name for each of them. Richard the Rabbit, Kippy the Kangaroo, Shirley the squirrel, Lyle the Lion, Madge the Monkey. Then they would clamor, "And what is your name?" So the only euphonious thing I could think of was Louise the good little girl." and none of them have ever forgotten it.

It's a pleasant memory. I look back at that summer as possibly the nicest I'd ever had.

Enough from Louise the good little girl for today. February 10, 2010/

Peter Anderson

http://peterandersonfamily.blogspot.com/

Aslak Tronrud

http://www.borgvinn.net/tronrud/

Sergeant Walter Anderson

http://sgtwalteranderson.blogspot.com/

2010-02-11T17:19:00.000-08:00

The first Norwegian Icebreaker heads up the Mississippi

As you may have seen on the news, it's been very cold in Iowa and South Dakota. It has been so cold in fact that we have borrowed a Norwegian Icebreaker from Minnesota to unclog the Mississippi starting over near Davenport and working its way north. Here is the first picture of it as it begins the hard work required to break up the ice.

2010-02-11T03:18:00.000-08:00

Liffengren's angry about too much snow - Become Violent.

2008-11-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

More photos from Doug Jansen

http://picasaweb.google.com/tokyodcj/LiffengrenReunion72608?authkey=fDva8BfpzoY