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past the turn to his farm in the driving blizzard.In Jens Gronseth's Kjerulf family history, published in Norway, is aportrait of the Lovdokken family. Seated in a large wicker chairsurrounded by his wife, sons and daughter, Ole Lovdokken is thedominant figure. As in the picture, Ole Lovdokken was a dominantfigure in the community of settlers.When the settlement was organized into a township, he suggested thename Garborg after Arne Garborg, statesman from Norway.Ole Lovdokken built the first school in the township. His sonsChrist, Erick and Ulrich, along with 6 classmates, attended theschool when it opened in 1892. Lena Waa was the first teacher.Fifty years later, when Adeline Goldberg was the teacher, my brotherOgden and I were in attendance in the school. A 50th anniversarypicnic for family and friends was held May 21, 1942.Ole Lovdokken was elected to the board of supervisors when Garborgtownship was organized in 1896. He later served as a Richland CountyCommissioner. He was also active in state politics. In 1914 he andhis wife went to attend the 100 year Jubilee in Norway as Gov.Hanna's personal representative.That summer he lectured in Norway and my sister Hazel records in afamily history that in his home community he was sought whenever aspeech was required. When looking at newspaper clippings about him,Hazel found one which described his oratory thus "Words flow from hismouth like peas from a barrel."Ole Lovdokken was a writer for various Norwegian newspapers andmagazines. He was one of the organizers of the Hallinglag and editorof "Hallingmine." It is now called "Hallingen."The Lovdokken home on the prairie was often filled with visitors.Recently I met a woman in her eighties who remembered beingentertained by Aunt Ida while her father visited with the Lovdokkens.She recalled the picture of Ole Lovdokken in the uniform of theKing's Guard in Norway, hanging on the wall in the living room, andher father looking at it and joshing Ole about what a handsome man hewas. Ole Lovdokken shared his hopes and dreams and made plans fortheir implementation with the many visitors that came to his home.Ole Lovdokken died October 8, 1919. He and his wife Henrietta, whodied October 9, 1933, are buried in Emmanuel Lutheran Church Cemeteryat Abercrombie, North Dakota.The December, 1986 Hallingen had this translated memoir written byOle Lovdokken. In it he records a visit with Ole Hertsgaard - aleader of the Hertsgaard family, who along with five others were thefirst to settle in the Red River Valley in 1871. I'm sure thisconversation between the two Ole's sums up the feelings many had onleaving their beloved Norway and the thoughts they had about making ahome in their new adopted land.OLE LOVDOKKEN MEMOIRS Far up in Hallingdal where Heimsil River hascarved its way deep into the naked rock and rushes down themountainside to meet the river that flows through the entire valley,where Gol Parish lies in varying patterns of sun and shade crownedwith mighty forests, and where choruses of songbirds bring all naturealive with their music - it takes courage and sacrifice to leave thatplace if it has been the place of one's birth.....The familiar mountains could block the vision of wider valleysfurther east in the country where there was more wealth and future,by they could not prevent the desire for emigrating any more thanthey could stop the wind! When the river began to flow in spring andthe waterfalls rushed down the mountainsides, the journey to Americabegan. The most difficult "mile" was the one over the threshold ofthe familiar cabin. It was known as the longest and heaviest part ofthe journey.On a warm summer day in 1883 I(O.L.) sat with Ole Hertsgaard in theshade of a large oak tree by the Sheyenne River. I thought aboutNorway and the mountains there."You will likely be taking a trip to our dear Hallingdal, Ole?" I asked."No," he said sorrowfully, "it was a tearful, heavy day when Motherand I and the others left Hertsgaard. And when we were at the bridge