Skywatch Friday -- the family farmstead

I've had a very exciting week which involved a quick weekend trip to South Dakota, a visit to the ER, an unexpected trip to the OR for an appendectomy, a night in the hospital, and recovery time at home.  My oh my, it's weeks like this that remind me that I'm not the One in charge around here.  I'll cover all these events in subsequent blogs, but today I want to focus on one of the most touching moments of our trip to South Dakota--a visit to the family farmstead.

My dad grew up in Moody County, South Dakota--part of the Norgaard Clan.

Nels Norgaard was my great-great grandfather.  He was the first farm steader in Moody County.  This is his farmstead.  Of course, it doesn't look anything like it used to, but it's still his farm.

This is where I come from.



Nels donated the land to build the first church in the area.  It's right across the road from where the farmstead is.  We had the opportunity to worship there Sunday morning.  The church is celebrating its 125th anniversary this month.

 
How surreal it was to be in this church.  125 years ago my family worshipped in this same place!
 
 
 
 
So there' a really cool story about my family and the Baptist Church.  When my parents and I went to Denmark a number of years ago, I learned that the Norgaards were Baptists in a country where the state religion was Lutheran.  They had to get special permission to be registered as Baptists and they had their own little Baptist community.  A sort of religious persecution I presume.  Anyway, these Danes travelled to America where they could freely practice their Baptist faith.  The funny thing now is that several of us have become Lutherans.  Crazy!

 
This is me with my brothers and dad.
 
It was a great weekend of reconnecting with my family roots.
 



Comments

Spare Parts and Pics said…
Intriguing family history, really interesting. Thanks for sharing.
August 16, 2013 at 10:34 PM
Yogi♪♪♪ said…
Wow, great post Ellen. I love the pic that you got of us. I might have to steal it. I just got through posting my post on the church. I like seeing how we have different takes on the same thing.
August 17, 2013 at 9:08 PM
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