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Two Brothers Marry Two Sisters
As told by Walt Johnson and Cecelia Haglund
Alfrida and Helmer Johnson are the parents of Walter Edwin Johnson.
Johnnie and Marie are the parents of Cecelia (Johnson) Haglund
Helmer and Johnie
Brothers Helmer and Johnie Johnson grew up in Norway during the 1890’s. Their parents were Johan Andreas Martinssen and Jakobine Antonsdatter. They had an older sister Oline who was born in 1885. Helmer Marcelius Sevald was born June 28, 1886 in Hadsel of Vesteraalen, Norway and three years later brother Johan (Johnie) Martin was born on January 8, 1889. Helmer and Johnnie grew up not knowing their real father as Johan died the same year Johnie was born in 1889. Their father had been out fishing when a terrible pain came over him and he was taken to a hospital near Vesteraalen. He died days later from peritonitis. (Peritonitis is a bacterial or fungal infection of the peritoneum, a silk-like membrane that lines the inner abdominal wall and covers the organs within the abdomen.)
A Step Family
Later, their mother, Jakobine married Johan Andreas Johansen and five more children became part of the family.
The first child was a girl, Jenny, who eventually married and had eleven children. The second child, Elfrida, grew up and moved to New York where she married, but had no children. Third child, Thorvald, stayed in Norway and lived to age 86. Fourth child, Almar (Elmer), lived to age 66 in Norway. Margrethe (Margit) was the fifth child. She stayed in Norway and married Herman Gundersen and lived to age 98.
When Helmer and Johnie were young children, the family moved to Sildpollen, Norway where the boys spent their youth.
Helmer
In 1907 Helmer, age 21, left Norway. He boarded a ship to the United States to stay with his Aunt Sophie Bentson who lived in Lake Park, Minnesota. However, Sophie and her family had already moved to Culbertson, Montana, outside of Plentywood on July 30th. According to Walt Johnson Helmer possibly stayed with Aunt Sophie’s in-laws as they were still in Lake Park, MN. Nick Bentsen, Sophie's father-in-law) could have helped Helmer get a job on the railroad where Ole (Sophie’s husband) had worked and Nick was possibly still working on at the time
Sophie was Johan Martinson’s half-sister. The Bentson’s eventually moved to Plentywood, Montana where a group of relatives currently reside. Helmer worked for the railroad after arriving in Lake Park, MN. Helmer had become good friends with a man the same age by the name of Gulstad. The Gulstad family lived next door to the David Susag family. The Gulstads along with Helmer and his brother, Johnie, visited often with the Susags at their Franklin Place near Lake Franklin, MN.
Johnie
Johnie went to Sweden in his late teens to work in the ore mines in Sulitjelma, Sweden. About 1911 when Johnie was 22 years old, he returned to Valfjord, Norway. That same year he boarded a ship that took him to the United States where he moved in with his brother Helmer who was now living in North Dakota. Aunt Sophie may have sponsored Johnie to come to the United States as she had done for Helmer.
Norwegian Migrants
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, more than 600,000 Norwegians migrated to the United States in search of better job opportunities. No other country except Ireland has provided the United States with so many immigrants in proportion to the population.
Photo courtesy of Norwegian Migrants
Alfrida and Marie
David Susag
Alfrida and Marie are sisters. Their father, David Susag. grew up in Namsos, Norway. He was born on January 30, 1866. In 1888 when he was 22 years old he left Norway to move to the United States to the Rutland/ Abercrombie, North Dakota area. At this time Abercrombie was known as Fort Abercrombie. David borrowed money from his brother John to sponsor his childhood sweetheart, Julianna, in her journey to America. In 1890 when David was 24 years old he married Julianna Michaelson (Mikkelson). Julianna was the only one from her family to come to America.
America
In 1891 David & Julianna's first son, Sigard, was born. Three years later Alfrida Ingmarine was born on January 26, 1894. When Alfrida was three a baby sister named Marie was born on November 30, 1896. The family continued to grow with Josephine in 1898, Alfred in 1901, Deline in 1903, Emelie in 1905, and Ragna was born in 1907. The family moved to Minnesota in the early 1900s and homesteaded the Franklin Place. This area is near present-day Vergas, Minnesota.
North Dakota
Alfrida was about 13 years old when Helmer Johnson first visited the Susags at the Franklin Place with his friend, Gulstad. Lake Park was about 20 miles away, so the meetings were few and far between.
In 1910 Helmer had quit his job at the railroad and had gone to North Dakota to work and help with the wheat harvesting. This proved very profitable as Helmer was soon renting a farm of his own. He had procured four horses, some machinery and he planted wheat. These were the boom days. It was easy to get started. Especially when people helped each other.
Two Brother Marry Two Sisters
Sigurd
When Sigurd Susag, Alfrida and Marie’s older brother, was 20 years old, he went to North Dakota to haul grain for 25-year-old Helmer Johnson. Johnie also lived and worked with Helmer off and on in North Dakota.
Bachelors
Alfrida’s mother suggested that she go help those bachelors in North Dakota and soon Alfrida was cooking for the group. A short time after that, Alfrida and Helmer were married in Cooperstown, North Dakota. The date was August 1, 1912. Helmer was 26 years old and Alfrida was 18.
Another version of this event as told by Mencer Johnson who heard it from Sigurd Susag: "Sig told his sister, Alfrida, that she should come to North Dakota and hire on as a cook for Helmer Johnson. He told her that Helmer had others working for him and he could use someone to do the cooking. She agreed to take the job. Helmer met her by horse and wagon in Jessie, ND when she first came by train to North Dakota."
Marie
When Helmer and Alfrida’s second child was born in 1914, 18-year-old, Marie went to help her sister.
Johnie was also living in North Dakota at the time. Marie had known of Johnie for many years and on December 9, 1916, they were married in Cooperstown, North Dakota. Thus was the beginning of reunions many years later when the double first cousins would get together. That was the result of two brothers marrying two sisters.
Alfrida Ingmarine Susag
age 18
Photo taken 1912
Helmer and Alfrida
on their wedding day
August 1, 1912
Johnie and Marie
on their wedding day
December 9, 1916
Note from Kristin:
I remember the first time I heard of Double Cousins when Marie and Johnie’s daughter, Marian (Sundholm) Alverts, said at a family reunion in the 1980s, “Did you know that your Dad and I have the same first cousins. You have first cousins from your Mom’s side and others from your Dad’s side, but your Dad and I have the same First Cousins. Double Cousins.”
The information in this story was gathered during a visit to Harold and Cecelia Haglund in December 2002. Notes were taken by Kristin (Granquist) Peterson of conversations of Walt and Vi Johnson and Harold and Cecelia Haglund. Dates were later added from records of Vi and Walt Johnson.
CHARTS
Helmer & Johnie's Parents
Jakobine & Johan Martinussen's Descendants
Helmer & Johnie's Mother & Step Father