THE "PEARSON" FAMILY HISTORY

This was an article that my Grandfather, John Pearson, wrote before his death. My Grandmother, Ruby Pearson, would die a just months before him. I would remember it well, it was my freshman year of High School.

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I was born in Kyrkbyn in the village of Lillhärdal, Härjedalen, Sweden August 16,1897, the youngest of eleven children - seven boys and four girls, all of whom were born in Lillhärdal. I am the only one still living. Their names were:

• 1. Per Johan, born June 6, 1875, died 1955 in British Columbia
• 2. Kristina, born January 30, 1877, died 1951 in Glendive, Montana
• 3. August, born February 22, 1878, died March 6, 1878 Lillhärdal
• 4. Johannes, born August 27, 1879, died October 20, 1879 Lillhärdal
• 5. Carl, born October 31 1880, died 1945 in Stanwood, Washington
• 6. Karolina, born December 23, 1883, died 1910 in Stora Tuna-Hästberg
• 7. Mathilda, born september 30, 1886, died 1954 Järvsö Hälstingland
• 8. Jens (Jöns), born April 4, 1889, died 1946 in Stanwood, Washington
• 9. Axel, born March 12, 1892, died 1964 in Williston, North Dakota
• 10. Emma Maria, born December 16, 1894, died of diphtheria in 1903
• 11. John Arvid, born August 16, 1897, died July 12, 1982 in Stanwood, Washington

My dad came to America about five years before my mother and the rest of us children. He homesteaded at White Earth, North Dakota, where we lived. My mother Martha, brothers Carl and Axel and myself came over to America in July 1909 on a White Star liner called "Laurentic". When I was old enough I joined the Canadian Army in 1917 where I served three years in the First World War. When it was over I returned home to North Dakota. I later married Ruby Ramburg and there were three daughters born to this union.

• 1.Jeanette, January 7, 1932
• 2.Marion, March 3, 1933
• 3.Ardell, October 7, 1936

Jeanette married John Harbig in Glendive and are parents to five children, three daughters and two sons. Sandra, the oldest of these, married Darrel Giese and they have three children. Wayne Harbig, unmarried, is still at home. Lynnette married Robert Schreiber and they live in Glendive, Montana. Barry Habig, umarried, and sister Laura Lee (Laurlee) are still in school.

Marion married Clifford Wold and they have four children, two boys and two girls. Her oldest daughter Donna married Bill Gifford and they live in San Diego, Califoria. They are parents of two boys. Diane Wold married a man by the name of Reed and they have a son and live in Roosevelt, Utah. Carey and his wife Robin live in Salt Lake City and are expecting a child in July 1982. The youngest, Chris, lives nearby and works with Carey whose address is Magna, Utah.

Ardell, my youngest daughter, married Devier Spiers, a widower with two children, Randy and Michelle. Ardell and Devier have two boys and one girl, Michael, Gregory and Naomi, all living in Ogden, Utah.

After I finished working on that cattle farm I divorced Ruby and moved to Glendive, Montana. I lived on a place that my sister Kristina had left to my nephew Algot Star, 412 1/2 North Nowlan Street. I went to Stanwood, Washington, and visited my nephew John Pearson for some time. There I met my present wife Grace (Nielson). Grace had lost her husband Carl three years previous. We spent a lot of time at the Senior Center. After that I went back to Glendive for six months but kept thinking about Grace all this time, so I returned to Stanwood and Grace and I weree married in August 1978. We live in her place and spend a lot of time at the Senior Center where I play my accordian. The doctor told me to retire and no heavy work, so I guess I should listen to him as I am 85 years old.

P.S. John Pearson passed away in the summer of 1982, since writing this article.

This article came from a book called "Härjedalsgillet", copyrighted 1983. This book was made from story of pioneers who emigrated from Härjedalen, Sweden .