Bergstrom

The Lee family originated in Hawley, Minnesota, located on the west side of the state. The family starts with Nels K. and Mari S. Lee. They had a dream of starting a family and having a nice plot of land. On November 4th, 1886, they gave birth to Ida Lee.

Once Ida was old enough, she ended up working two jobs. First she clerked in a store and was a phone operator. After this she did secretarial work in the auditor's office in a Minnesota courthouse. Her dad was also a blacksmith, so a great work ethic ran in the family.

Ida’s parents still had their dream to homestead, so on June 18th, 1909, they arrived in Baker, Montana by means of the Milwaukee Railroad. Ida was 22 and old enough to live on her own. Because of this, Ida took up a homestead one and a half miles away from her parents and 17 to 18 miles south of Baker.

Ida’s home was not grand but made of sod and lumber. She even had neighbors about a fourth of a mile away. She had relatives in the area and neighbors that weren’t related.

The first year was wet and prosperous with lots of rain. However, the years fluxuated from wet to dry. The winters had plenty of snow and the family had to use skiis to get around.

On January 6th, 1914, Ida got married to John Henry Bergstrom. They had six children together. They all married and produced 21 grandchildren, and after that, 13 great grandchildren. They had only one great-great grandchild.

They both loved to dance, go to church activities, and many more things. They also loved the Fourth of July. Ida retired and became a member of the American Lutheran Church in Baker. She lived a long life of 90 years before dying on March 12th, 1977.

Ida and her husband, John Henry Bergstrom.

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