North Dakota Homestead
We don't know how soon after he received his citizenship in 1882 Thor headed west to homestead. In the 1885 North Dakota Territorial Census he has relocated to Rolette County and two other young Norwegian men are listed as boarders. Early histories of Rolette (pdf) and neighboring Bottineau county (pdf) don't mention Thor, but do list some of his children's baptismal sponsors. The histories provide a window on what it was like to be a settler in the northern reaches of North Dakota in the mid-1880's.
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This replica of a North Dakota soddie is probably much like the one that Thor's daughter Sophie recalled from her childhood in the Turtle Mountains. Shortly after the homestead was filed in 1893, a "real" home was built on the land. |
Dakota Territory - Rolette County - Subdivision No 40
Page 33, Supervisor's District 2, Enumeration District 40
Enumerated 22 June 1885
| Dwelling | Family | Given name | Surname | Sex | Age | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 368 | 372 | Thor | Hegland | m | 26 | farmer | Norway |
| Krist | G-r-chen | m | 29 | boarder | Norway | ||
| Knud | ---ager | m | 20 | boarder | Norway |
1890 US Census
A fire in its federal repository destroyed the original 1890 US Census.
Thor's Land Patent
February 7, 1893
Rolette County, State of North Dakota
Document Number 736 Accession/Serial# NDMTAA 021015
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This document transferred public land to Thor M. Hegland, described as follows:
"The southeast quarter of section thirty in township one hundred and sixty, North of Range seventy three, West of the fifth principal meridian in North Dakota containing one hundred and sixty acres." Check it out on Google Earth! 48° 39' 12.8" N 100° 8' 6.0" W
The southern edge of the Hegland homestead is marked by a "push pin" in this satellite view (opens in a new window). The house likely sat at the northern edge of the property next to the creek. |
