Manfred History and Preservation Inc.

09/14/2026

Built in 1910. Restoration started in 2014.

09/14/2026

MANFRED MONDAY!!
In the 1890s when C.C. Melby settled in Wells County, farming was his livelihood. This farming tradition has passed through the generations
from his daughter Gena Melby Flick, to grandson Roger Flick, and now to his great grandsons Steve, Dave and Mike Flick. Photo taken August 5, 2005.

09/14/2026

Valderslag event in Manfred 1912

09/11/2026

FAMILY FRIDAY!!
Issac L and Gina Berge
Husband's Full Name: Issac L. Berge B in 1879
Husband's Place of Birth: Forest City, Iowa
Husband's Father's Name: Lars Anderson
Husband's Mother's Name: Kerstine Gurine
Husband's Siblings' Names: Peter and Lauritz Berge
Wife's Full Name: Gina Maria Arnston B in 1874
Wife's Place of Birth: Blackhammer, Minnesota
Wife's Father's Name: Halvor Arnston
Wife's Mother's Name: G**o Rask Arnston
Wife's Siblings' Names: Sigrid Quarve and Christian Arnston
Children's Names: one foster daughter Mrs. Osten Kvaalen
In 1900, Issac and Gina were married in Fessenden, ND. They then moved to Manfred, ND where he had a grain elevator and managed the hardware store owned by Timan Quarve.
T. L Quarve was married to Gina’s sister Sigrid. The store was located in the lot known as the triangle, just south of the church. They are listed on the 1900 Census of the James River Precinct along with other people who then lived in Manfred.
Issac was also the second postmaster in Manfred; this was in the year 1900. The hardware store changed hands in 1902.
From Manfred, the Berge’s moved to Fessenden staying there for a couple of years. Then they moved to Velva, and lived in Velva for 15 years and proved up a homestead in McLean County. Isaac was one of the church founders in Velva. Issac developed the Berge Grain Elevator Company with elevators in Velva, Ruso, Max, Parshall, Butte, Elgin, Golden Valley, and Mercer. Eight years of depression and draught, however, was too much. In 1938 he lost his entire company – eight elevators across North Dakota. In 1922 they were living in Bismarck, and later they moved to Minneapolis.
Issac died in 1949 and Gina in 1959

Both are buried at Hillside Cemetery in Wells County ND

09/09/2026

A THANK YOU TO VOLUNTEER STUDENT ELLIOT KRENZEL WHO HELPED WITH GARY ELFMAN"S HORSES ON FIELD DAY!

09/09/2026

UPDATE>
WE MISSED A STUDENT VOLUNTEER ON THE FIRST THANK YOU POST SO A SHOUT OUT THANK YOU TO STUDENT ELLIOT KRENZEL WHO HELPED WITH GARY ELLFMAN'S HORSES.

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09/07/2026

MANFRED MONDAY!!

Pioneer Burials
A Time of No Regulations

At this time, in the early eighties, there were no regulations governing burials. I am citing a tragic instance in a sister county. It concerns a young mother living with her family on their claim thirty miles from the nearest town.

This young woman had suffered with tuberculosis for several years, without treatment or medical aid. In early winter she died. A casket was made out of boards by kindly neighbors. Several women of the neighborhood prepared the remains for burial. Since the ground was frozen, the coffin was placed the north side of the shanty until spring, when interment could be made.

In the absence of ministers, her brother-in-law Torstein O. Roble, officiated at the last rites. At the grave side, Norwegian funeral hymns were sung by the few mourners, the committal lines were pronounced and the remains of Mrs. Tollef (Jessie) Roble were consigned to earth on the lone prairie of Paradise Township near the country post office named Tiffany.
Source: Sennev Nertrost Whipple
Date: March 1966

09/05/2026

A BIG THANK YOU!!! We appreciate the support!

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the 2026 Manfred Field Day on Wednesday, September 2nd including the following schools: Anamoose/Drake, Carrington/Sykeston, Fessenden/Bowdon, Harvey, Homeschools, Maddock, and Rugby.
Presenters: Traditional Classroom-Judy Frueh; Pioneer Clothing-Debby Schmitz; Traditional Games-Mona Gunderson, Brenda Kiefet, Beth Huseth, and Ian Halorson; Clothes Washing-Sharon McGarvey, Jeanne Hellesvig, and Daizee Loen; Butter Making-Roberta Cotton, Pat Lenz, and Phyllis Blanco; Horses-Gary Elfman; Horse-Drawn Implements-Mike Melby; Blacksmithing-Dean Hagen and assistants. Cook car by Jim Winsness, cook car attendant-Wanda Melchert with clothing assistance by Laurel Wentz and Judy Longtin.

Site Assistants: Pam Norstedt and Courtney Lautt. Guides-Pricilla Backstrom, Donna Corneliusen, Barb Lies, Shari Nyhus, Marlene Ripplinger, and Ruth Suich, Historic telephone-Hailee Morrison. Field Day Crew: Coordinator-Jamie Schindler, Zack Mason, Mike Melby, Will Morrison, Larry Schmitz, Merlin Schwartz. Hospitality: Rose Anderson, Lisa Goodman, DeeDee Knudson, Laura Muscha, and Shiela Schroeder. Photography: Claudia Berg, Tim Huseth, Mike Melby, Lisa Morrison, and Laurie Schwartz, Sound System: Perry Anderson. Facebook: Pam Norstedt. Chairs and tables: Bremen Friendly Neighbors 4-H Club, Kristen Allmaras-Leader. Mike Melby-Medical.

Special thanks to the Manfred Field Day Sponsors for making this day possible:
Major Sponsor-Harvey Eagles, Rose Anderson, Central Dakota Family Physicians, City of Harvey, William Detling, Cindy Ehni, Farmers Union Oil Company and C-Store-Fessenden, Fessenden Thrift Shop, First State Bank of Harvey, HAV-IT Services, Hinrichs SuperValu, KHND, Lautt’s Auto Body & Towing, NDTC, Ongstad Seed, Opdahl Body Shop, Opdahl Concrete, Patzer Truck Repair, Delores R. Payne, Karen Ravnaas, Sheridan Animal Hospital, Keith and Brenda Skalet, Susag Sand & Gravel. and Wells County Abstract Company.

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09/04/2026

Husband's Full Name: Adolph Gross

Husband's Place of Birth: Romania

Husband's Father's Name: Bernard Gross

Husband's Mother's Name: Hannah Kopp

Husband's Siblings' Names: Robert, Mollie, Jennie

Wife's Full Name: Christine Rose Rudel

Wife's Place of Birth: Romania

Wife's Father's Name: William F. Rudel

Wife's Mother's Name: Rosina Bietz

Wife's Siblings' Names: Fredrick (Edna Albus), Martha (Martin Olschlager) Lydia (Paul Johnson), Esther, Walter (Elevena Eikorm),

Children's Names: Edna (Dave Krueger); Lavern (Floyd Arndt), Esther (Ray Danielson), Donald (Lena Scott) Margaret (Orval Kuske); Kenneth (Alice Erfle), Wesley (Evelyn Schmidt)

Adolph and Christine Gross were married in Fessenden in 1914. They farmed in Oregon, Canada and Wells County and lived in the Manfred area in the late 1930s and early 1940s at which time their children attended school in Manfred. In 1942 they left Manfred. They lived in the house across the yard from John Smiths and later the Mike Thomas family lived on this land south of the tracks. Adolph died in 1960, Christine died in 1974.
Both are buried in Hillside Cemetery, Wells County ND along with some of their children. Their son Wesley was a volunteer at Manfred for MHP and helped in any way possible. He is missed.

Wesley was born June 2, 1934, near Manfred, ND, to Adolf and Christine (Rudel) Gross. He grew up in the area, graduating from Fessenden High School in 1954. Wesley served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1959, and then returned to Fessenden. He worked for the Wells Country Free Press, Reiner's Oil, the city of Fessenden, and as a janitor at Fessenden Public Schools for about 20 years. One of his great joys was interacting and joking with the students there.
Wesley was united in marriage to Evelyn Schmidt on January 1, 1965. He served on the Fessenden School Board before working at the school. Wesley was a long-time board member and Sunday school superintendent at the Fessenden Church of the Nazarene. His Christian faith was a central part of his life.
Wesley enjoyed attending school sporting events, collecting pens and coins, and gardening with his family. He and his wife, Evelyn Gross, served as foster parents for about 30 years, opening their home to more than a dozen children, several with developmental disabilities.
Wesley is survived by a son, Grant Gross, daughter-in-law Elizabeth (Lisa) Cobb, and grandson, Noah Gross, all of Laurel, Maryland; a daughter, Twila Gross and partner Antwone White, of Crystal, Minnesota, several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Gross, long-time foster son Freddie Entze, his parents, brothers Donald and Kenneth, and sisters Edna Krueger, LaVerne Arndt, Esther Danielson, and Margaret Kuske.
Pictured are Adolf and Christine Gross and Wesley Gross

09/03/2026

A lovely day for the Field Day yesterday!