Joe Merhiy 1910 - 2009

Joe passed away on Saturday, April 18, 2009.

He brought a lot of happiness into our lives. He kept records for Wild Rice Lutheran Children's Home, and he was always happy to help .

Visiting Twin Valley & Detroit Lakes - Sept. 2008

We went to visit Joe Merhiy at Twin Valley, and he shared with me a list of children from Wild Rice and the dates they were confirmed. Also, stopped to see his sister, Marian Shoemaker, in Detroit Lakes. Northern Minnesota was lovely with all the hues of green, lakes and rivers. Stopped by the Wild Rice River - it was beautiful!

Wild Rice Barnehjfm - June 23, 1901 Twin Valley/Fossum,MN

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Wild Rice Confirmation June 1926

Confirmation Class of 1925, minster is B.L.Opdahl

Some of the children pictured: Middle row of boys, 2nd boy from left is Albert Nordquist, 3rd boy Joe Merhiy, 4th boy James Hearn, 5th boy is Clarence Amudson. Martha Larsen (front row, black stockings) and Martha Krebs girl at the far right. Top row, 3rd boy from right, is Johnnie Jenson. Middle row, 3rd boy from right is Charles Turner. Others were: Pete Sorenson, Ester Nordquist, Melvin Runine, Evelyn Hamre, Hilda Ikel, Amanda Skjegstad, Edelyn Pederson, Lewis Gunderson, Milton Erikson, Chester Chapen, Ross Grantbon, Stella Olson, Alice Langseth, Dagny Gunderson,Myrtle Tildal, Melvin Berg, and Milton Rodlen.

In Honor of Selma Maudal Hamilton

The last name, Maudal, is a farm name in Norway. The Maudal children's father, Karl Elias Mauritssen (b. 12-22-1870 in Ovre Maudal, Gjesdahl parish, Rogaland County, Norway) was the son of Maurtis Rasmusson (b. 3-15-1835) and Sara Teoline Olsdatter (b. 1837 in Stuhaug farm, Bakke in Sirdal, Norway). Karl could trace his roots back to his Norwegian ancestor, Velle Anundsen Espeland who married Asgjer Mauritsdatter. But, when Karl emigrated from Norway in 1900 his last name was listed as Maudal, the farming area where he was born. Contact with relatives in Norway was lost, and the Maudal children at Wild Rice Children's Home, would never know their relatives.

The second picture is of Mary Olson who married Karl Maudal on Sept. 6, 1912, at the Lutheran Parsonage in Osage, Iowa. Her parents were Tonnes Olson and Mebu Tobianson.

In Memory of Marjorie A. Westmark (1920-2005)

New Pictures of Wild Rice Lutheran Children's Home, Twin Valley, MN

I've had to stop writing the newsletter. However, I am publishing here two undated photographs (probably 1917-1920 time frame) sent to me by Olger Ronnie's grandson, Ritchie.

The first shows the boys and girls roasting hot dogs on sticks, and eating hamburgers at picnic at Wild Rice.

The second shows a group of children gathered on the grass.

Ruth Johnson's daugther, Jan, provided the photographs of the original buildings; and construction of building additions.