The following is taken from a document produced by Vi (Flatau) Johnson:  Vi asked her mom, Elsie Flatau, many questions in January of 1988 when she was visiting Port Angeles.  The account was compiled by Vi in March 1988.  Minnie (Beckman) Heilman read it over in February 1988 to add a note or two.

Marie Clara Minnie Beckman 

Marie ran away from home at age 14.  Emma had sent her money to come to Jamestown, North Dakota and work as a cook for a threshing crew.  Her father found her and persuaded her to work for a family in Jamestown. 

She went to Linton, North Dakota to work in a department store as a sales lady and then went to Bismarck, North Dakota.  

She wrote to many servicemen and through this started corresponding with Anker Friestad.  After his return from service they married on June 10, 1919.  Anker was 26 and Marie was 24. 

Anker worked in furniture stores at Sabin, Minnesota; Wisconsin; Fargo, North Dakota; Tamarack, Minnesota; Jamestown, North Dakota; Grafton, North Dakota; Detroit Lakes, Minnesota and Brainerd, Minnesota.  

He owned his own furniture store at Willmar, Minnesota for a time. 

They had two children.

Marie Friestad’s obituary in the newspaper:  

Mrs. Anker (Marie) Friestad, 81, Brainerd, died Saturday at Bethany Nursing Home.  She was born May 6, 1893 in Perham.

She is survived by her husband Anker; a daughter Miss Nona Gene Friestad of Brainerd; a brother, Emil Beckman of Hinckley; four sisters, Mrs. Emma Parks of Ponchatoula, Louisiana; Mrs. Alex Walthers of Lodi, California; Mrs. Minnie Heilman of McMinnville Oregon; Mrs. Albert Flatau of Perham.

See below to continue with the BECKMAN FAMILY photos and stories.

Beckman Family (home)  -  Kinstories (home)  -  Johnson Family  -  Susag Family  -  Flatau Family   
Granquist Family  -  Anderson Family  -  Stout Family  -  Walker Family  - Peterson Family  -  Morris Family  - Cauble Family