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Bård Bårdsen (born Tørriset) Ødegård (1866-1941)
Bård Bårdsen Ødegård came to North America from Norway in 1889. He was the son of Bård Pedersen Tørriset of Gjemnes kommune, Møre og Romsdal, Norway. Bård Bårdsen (Tørriset) Ødegård was born August 23, 1866, shortly after the death of his father in March of that same year. Bård's father Bård Pedersen Tørriset (1821-1866) married Anne Pedersdatter Herskedal in Eide kommune on July 18, 1853. They had seven children, five boys and two girls. Apparently two of these children later emigrated to the United States. Bård Pedersen Tørriset died March 12, 1866 along with seven other men from the community around Batnfjorden when they were lost at sea while fishing torsk, or winter cod. Soon thereafter his wife Anne and their children moved from the Tørriset farm, first to her family home of Herskedalen about ten miles away in Eide. Anne died in 1882. Bård Bårdsen left for America in 1889 following his elder brother John, who had emigrated the previous year. Bård was living on the Ødegård farm before he left, and this is the surname he adopted in America. When Bård’s elder brother John emigrated to America in 1888 it is not known if he took Odegard, Torriset, Herskedal, Baardsen or some other surname upon his arrival. His emigration records suggest he may have adopted the name Baardsen, because he does not list a farm surname on his entry. Bård emigrated at the age of 22. His route took him from Kristiansund, Norway aboard the S.S. Helka II, departing April 18, 1889 and arriving in New York City on May 4, 1889. Bård departed Kristiansund with eleven members of the Wiseth family of Stangvik, also bound for Minnesota, as the other passengers. From New York he traveled probably by train to Chicago, then Minneapolis and eventually the Red River Valley in the far-western part of the newly-formed state of Minnesota. Once in the United States he usually spelled his name Baard B. Odegard, although some papers also show the spelling Odegaard. Watson becomes his home Baard settled first in the town of Watson in Chippewa County, Minnesota. Baard worked for about a year or so as a farm hand north of Watson. He later made his home in the town of Watson. In 1891 he was employed by the Hanson Elevator in Watson as a grain buyer. He worked in the buying and selling of grain between the farms of the Laq Qui Parle area of Minnesota up the Red River Valley by rail to Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota. The town of Watson is near the southern shores of Lac Qui Parle, widely known as a destination for pleasure fishermen and hunters. The northern corner of Chippewa county, where the towns of Watson and Milan are located was settled primarily by Norwegians, as well as a few Germans and Swedes. For many years a banner painted on the grain elevator in Watson proclaimed it the goose hunting capital of North America. Unfortunately, in 2006, the small town of Watson has many unused storefronts, and only a few thriving businesses. Many residents are retired or work in nearby communities. A family legend reports that Baard and his brother John were in contact in America and may have been in business together for a time. The legend continues with a report that the two brothers had an argument which caused John to load up his possessions on his cart and ride out of town. It is further suggested the two brothers never spoke to each another again. Until record of John or his descendants are located, this story remains simply a story that certainly must certainly have played out in some families during the difficult pioneer era. In 1898 Baard and a man named S. K. Fosnes bought a general store in Watson. Several years later, Baard was partnered with Henrik Smith who bought Fosnes’ share of the business. Smith and another friend, Martin Myhre, were the sponsors for Baard’s petition to become a naturalized citizen of the United States in February of 1897. In 1912 the general store burned and Baard returned to the grain business for a time, working for the Watson grain elevator company. He continued buying grain until 1922 when he sold out his interests to start Watson Produce, a small grocery. He owned other property on the main street of Watson, renting to various businesses as well as to the post office where two of his sons worked. During his life Baard made only one trip to Norway to visit his brothers and sisters, probably in 1912. There is a photograph of the family taken about this time, and the portrait is believed to have been made in order to be brought along on this trip to show his family to relatives in Norway. Baard marries Ingeborg Baard met his future wife Ingeborg Olsdotter Martinson (1877-1960) during his time as a traveling grain salesman. Ingeborg attended Concordia College in Morehead, Minnesota, and became a teacher. When the couple married, she left teaching, as it was the custom at the time that married women should not work outside of the home. Ingeborg was born in the United States, daughter of Ole Martinson (Lomoen) and Thora Jacobsdatter (Kjorum). Ole and his wife came to the Dakota Territories in 1866 from the Lomoen farm of Vinstra, Nord-Fron, Oppland, Norway. They settled initially near Fort Abercrombie between the Red and Wild Rice rivers, and later settled near Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota. The couple had seven children. Their third child, Mattie, is said to have been the first girl of European ancestry born in the Dakotas. Baard and Ingeborg were married June 8, 1899 in Hickson, Cass County, North Dakota a town along the railroad line between Watson and Fargo. The newlyweds settled in Watson, Minnesota, where their five children were born and raised. At about the time of their marriage, Baard and Ingeborg moved into a white house on Second Street in Watson, where they lived for their entire marriage. Ingeborg’s parents later moved to Watson into a home behind the Odegard house. In town records this block of homes is called the Thora Martinson extension. The end of his life In 1933 Baard retired, turning the produce store over to his second son Richard, who had been working alongside his father for several years. As a business man overall it is said Baard was very successful for a small town, but he did suffer financially during the Great Depression. Baard took a very active part in his community. He served on the Watson school board and the Watson village council from about 1900 off and on until about 1935. He was fondly remembered by his children and was never said to be anything but a thoughtful and generous man. He died quietly on October 22, 1941 of pneumonia at the age of 75. He passed in the hospital at Montevideo, the county seat of Chippewa County, Minnesota. Ingeborg lived to the age of 83 and died in 1960 at her daughter’s home in Santa Ana, Orange County, California. They are buried together in the churchyard in Watson, near members of the Martinson family, and three of their five children. The children of Baard and Ingeborg The eldest child of Baard and Ingeborg, Burnett Oliver Odegard (1901-1985), was known as “Ode” (oh-dee) during most of his life. Burnett served with the Department of Corrections and the Board of Control for the state of Wisconsin. By 1952 he was Chief Statistician of the Board of Control. One family legend suggests he was the probation officer assigned to the case of the notorious serial killer Ed Gein. He was a devoted fan of the University of Wisconsin Badgers football team, and claimed to have attended every single home game for close to 20 years. Ode first married a woman named Myrtle. Grand niece Bonnie recalls that Burnett and Myrtle gifted her with her first baby doll when she was about 4 years old. Myrtle passed away of cancer in her 40s. Some years later, Burnett married a woman named Olive, but their marriage ended in divorce. They had no children, but did care for a yound man named Thomas, who was the orphaned son of some of Olive's friends. Thomas is no longer in contact with the rest of the family, and his whereabouts are unknown. Thomas likely would be between 60 or 70 years old in 2006. Ode died in Madison, Wisconsin where he lived most of his adult life, and was buried at the churchyard in Watson. Their second son Richard Matthew Odegard (1903-1968) was a Postmaster, and owned and operated the Watson Produce after his father retired. Later in life he worked in Minneapolis at the Grain Exchange. Richard married Annie Matilda Canton (1877-1960) in 1929 and they had three children. Annie was the child of Peter Canton and Karen Kanten. Both sides of Annie’s family came to Minnesota from Gran, Hadeland, Norway. Richard and his family lived in Watson across the alley from Baard and Ingeborg until sometime after Baard died, when the family moved in to the Odegard house on Second Street. Annie and Richard have descendants living in Minneapolis, Minnesota and in Berkeley, California. Richard and Annie were buried in the Watson churchyard. Third son Clifford Arthur Theodore Odegard (1906-1984), known as Cliff, came from Watson to Minneapolis to attend college at the University of Minnesota and became an accountant. He worked for several small businesses and eventually started a small tax accounting firm with a partner. Clifford was an accountant and very active member of the Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. He married Clara Hansdotter Sandbo (1904-1991), who was from Milan, a town neighboring Watson to the north. Clara’s parents, Hans Knutson Sandbo and Marit Olsdatter Volden, were immigrants from Kvam in Nord-Fron, Oppland, Norway, but they courted and married in Minnesota. Clara was the youngest of their eight children. Before Cliff and Clara were married Clara moved to Minneapolis to live with her elder sister, Alma, while Cliff finished school. They were married September 2, 1934. In 1937 they bought a house in Minneapolis, where they raised their two sons. This same house is now the home of the author, their grandson, and his family. Cliff and Clara have descendants living in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Kansas City, Missouri. They died in Minneapolis and were buried at Lakewood Cemetery. Fourth son Earl William Odegard (1908-1975), was nicknamed “Blackie.” He had many jobs, including as a postal clerk in Watson. He married a woman named Anne (1906-1959). Earl served in the United States Navy during World War II and was stationed, for at least par of his service, at the Naval hospital at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Later in life he and Anne owned and operated a small fishing resort on the shores of Otter Tail Lake in Minnesota. At the end of his life, after Anne passed away, he was living in Santa Ana, California with his sister. He has no descendants. Earl and Anne are buried in the town of Herman, Grant County, Minnesota. Baard and Ingeborg’s only daughter Ina Mae Odegard (1918-1996) married Hans C. Bergsetter (1917-1983). Hans’ family were immigrants in 1871 from Innvik, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. Ina Mae, like her mother, was a school teacher. In the early 1950s they moved to Santa Ana, California, where they raised their only son. Ina Mae and Hans are buried at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, California.
Descendants of Baard Baardsen and Ingeborg (nee Martinson) Odegard 1. Burnett Oliver Odegard (1901-1985) 2. Richard Matthew Odegard (1903-1968) 3. Clifford Arthur Theodore Odegard (1906-1984) 4. Earl William Odegard (1908-1975) 5. Ina Mae Odegard (1918-1996)
Obituary from the October 23, 1941 edition of The Watson Voice newspaper B. Odegard, Pioneer Watson Business Man, Died WednesdayB. Odegard, pioneer business man and resident of Watson since 1889, died at the Montevideo hospital Wednesday noon, October 22, from pneumonia. Mr. Odegard fell in his home last Thursday and fractured a rib. On Sunday he contracted pneumonia and was taken to the hospital Monday morning. B. Odegard was born in Bottensfroring [sic; for Botnfjordsøra] near Kristion Sund [sic; for Kristiansund], Norway, on August 23, 1866, thus reaching the age of a little over 75 years. His parents were Anna and Baard Odegard. He emigrated to the United States in 1889 and came immediately to Watson where he has since lived. He worked on a farm until 1891 when he was employed by the Hanson Elevator. Mr. Odegard remained in this position until 1898 when he went into the store business in company with S. K. Fosnes, later going into partnership with Henrik Smith. This establishment burned down in 1912 after which he went into the grain business. He continued buying grain until 1922 when he sold out and started the Watson Produce. In 1933 he retired, turning the produce over to his son Richard. B. Odegard was united in marriage to Ingeborg Martinson at Hixen [sic], North Dakota, on June 6, 1899. To this union five children were born; four sons, Burnett of Madison, Wisconsin, Richard M. of this place [Watson], Clifford of Minneapolis, and Earl of Donnelly; one daughter, Miss Ina Mae, who is teaching at Dassel. He is survived by his wife, children and four grandchildren. Mr. Odegard has taken an active part in community affairs, having served almost continuously on the school board and village council, and it has been only the last few years that he has been unable to serve, due to ill health. He was a former member of the Odin Club of Minneapolis and the Odd Fellows Lodge. Funeral services will be conducted Friday, October 24 (tomorrow), at the Watson Lutheran church at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and at the home at 1 o'clock, with the Rev. J. M. Mason of Montevideo officiating. |
