Florence Adeline Larson (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025 Week 51 theme: "Musical")

Florence was my Dad's first cousin; she was the daughter of my grandfather John Bardahl's sister Sarah Bardahl and husband Olaf Larson. Florence was the middle of their 3 children, having been born at Elbow Lake, Grant County, MN on 2 June 1902. The family had moved to North Dakota by the time she was 8 years old. 

Florence graduated from High School in Valley City, N.D.  A good violinist, she went on to study music at the Fargo College Conservatory of Music. After graduation, she taught violin at Wesley College at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. While there, she met Merritt Wain Johnson who was the head of the Piano Department. The couple married on  3 August 1929 in Grand Forks.

1929 North Dakota Marriage License and Certificate

It has been suggested that the marriage was based less on romance and more on Merritt's compassion in trying to rescue Florence from an unhappy situation. She had suffered from tuberculosis and had been confined to a sanatorium for some period in her earlier life. It had made her so miserable that she described it as a prison and swore she would never go back if the disease returned. Her health was not robust. She must have felt safe and protected with Merritt. 

The couple had no children. No doubt Florence enjoyed seeing the early musical success of her sister's daughters who were billed as the "Clark Kiddies".  Florence would not live long enough to see them achieve great fame under the name of  "The Clark Sisters" and later as Tommy Dorsey's "Sentimentalists". 

Florence belonged to the Delta Sorority and Sigma Alpha Iota, a musical sorority, and  to music clubs in Aberdeen and Grand Forks. Music was her life.

Sadly, her health did not permit that life to be a long one. She died of kidney disease at the age of 33 and is buried in Riverside Memorial Cemetery in Aberdeen, South Dakota. 

Florence Larson Johnson stone, photo courtesy Khoward of findagrave.com

Some Resources:

Findagrave Memorial for Florence Adeline Larson Johnson at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106395837/florence-adeline-johnson

The Bardahl and Nelson Portraits (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025 Week 50 Theme: "Family Heirloom")

 

Carl and Karen (Nilsdatter) Nelson (top); Anna (Elton) and Hans Bardahl (bottom) 

My paternal great grandparents have been watching over my shoulder as I've written each of these weekly stories this year. I treasure these portraits for the way they connect me to them through my father who scoured antique stores for years to find their large domed glass frames. His older sisters, in a crafting fit, had apparently removed the original frames to make table tops, probably long since discarded. Fortunately they hadn't thrown out the pictures! 

Three of my Dad's four grandparents had died by the time he was born in 1926. Because Dad's parents had moved to Canada from Minnesota, Dad only got to meet his remaining grandmother Anna one time, that when he was 4 years old. I suspect his longing for his unknown American grandparents provided his determination to see their portraits properly framed again. 

When my Dad passed on, my siblings very graciously agreed that I should be the one to take these family treasures. I have always appreciated this gesture from them.

As for the ancestors in these portraits:

1. The Nelsons

Carl Nelson was born in 1839 in Norderhov, Ringerike,  Buskerud, Norway. In 1866 he married Karen "Carrie" Marie Nilsdatter who had born nearby in 1842. The following year, the young couple moved to America. They farmed in the area of Erdahl, MN. where they raised a family of 8 children, the youngest of whom was my grandmother Louise born in 1881.

Carl and Carrie Nelson with their 8 children (colourized)

Carl died in 1911 and Karen in 1915. Both are buried in the Erdahl Lutheran Cemetery, Erdahl, MN.

Grandson Ken and his wife Elinor Bardahl at the Nelsen headstone in Erdahl

2. The Bardahls 

Hans Olai Johnson Bardahl was born at Hemnes, Nordland, Norway in 1841. He arrived in North America in 1866, finally settling in the area of Barrett, MN. Anna Ericksdatter Elton was born in 1849 in Vang, Valdres, Oppland and, as a very young girl,  came to America with her family in 1854. She married Hans Bardahl in 1873 in Goodhue County, MN. Hans and Anna had a family of 6 children including son John  born in 1879. Anna had given birth to son Erstein "Steve" from an earlier relationship; he was also part of their family and used the surname "Bardahl". 

Hans and Anna with their 6 children (Steve not present) colourized

Hans died in 1922 and Anna in 1938. Both are buried in the Lien Cemetery, Barrett, MN.

photos courtesy TBurt of Findagrave.com