Another very special stranger, Nick from Arizona, sent me this article that was in a book he got at a garage sale, including the poem:

Ed Taasevigin

Ed Taasevigin

Elvina Taasevigin

Doris Taasevigin

Matie Taasevigin

< Not Pictured > Emil Taasevigen
From the chapel notice:
On September 24, 1983, Emil Taasevigen departed from the home of his daughter, Geraldine Fields; Wendell, Idaho, to join those loved ones preceding him in death.
He was born in Chestina Township, NOrth Dakota, on July 20, 1897.
After farming in Dore, NOrth Dakota for many years, he worked as a carpenter for Morrison Knudsen and Peter Keweitz in Alaska, San Francisco, and Guam.
In 1952, he was married to Esther Muntz, and they lived in Tacoma, Washington until Esther's death in 1975.
He then moved to Wendell, Idaho; and was a substitute father, as well as the beloved grandfather to his gransons: Robert, Edward, Kenneth, and Steven Fields.
Other saddened by his departure are: two sons; Kenneth Taasevigen of Rock Springs, Wyoming; and Calvin Taasevigen of Globe, Arizona; a stepson, Grey Cates of Boise, Idaho; two stepdaughters, Matie Fletcher of Wendell, Idaho and Sylvia Bryant of Tacoma, Washington; three sisters; Marie Robertson of Edinburgh, Indiana; Clara Danielson of Bismark, North Dakota, and Elvina Pickering of Helena, Montana; two brothers, Jacob Taasevigen of Nampa, Idaho, and Harry Taasevigen of Tacoma, Washington; three granddaughters, Linda Fields Lewis, Cynthia Fields Conklin, and Jill Taasevigen Johnson; two grandsons, Terry Taasevigen, and Danny Taasevigen; respectively. He had nine great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
According to his wishes, he was cremated in Twin Falls, Idaho.


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Emil and Marie were brother and sister. Their grandmother was Chestina Hansdatter Jacobson. She was from the Island of Karmo in Norway and came to this country in 1867 at the age of 15. They both had to work 7 years to pay off their passage. She probably worked as a domestic servant, he a farm laborer. They settled in Decorah, Iowa which was a large Norwegian settlement at the time. In 1875 they married and had three children (Pitra O'Nille, Hannis, and Josephine). In 1883 they packed their children and all of their belongs in a covered wagon and headed to the Dakota Territory. In May of that year they were near what is now Horace, ND and Chestina gave birth to their fourth child (Jacob). Jacob, Sr. decided to leave Chestina and the children with another family (the Langedahls) they were traveling with and head on to stake out his homestead. It seems he took sick and when Chestina got word she left the four children with the Langedahls (Mrs. Langedahl actually breast feed Jacob and her own baby). She took a horse and went to find her husband. When she did he was either dead or died on the way back to Horace. (He is buried there.) That was sometime after May 30, 1883. The story goes that she and the children stayed at the camp that winter where she lost Hannis and Josephine to diphtheria. The next Spring she continued to Dakota in the covered wagon with the two young children. (Pitra O'Nille was almost 8 years old at the time.)

Chestina homesteaded the land and in 1886 married George Severson who died in 1892 in a blizzard. She had no children by him.

Several of the Taasevigen's were born in Chestina Township near Tuttle, North Dakota. This township was named for Chestina Hansdatter Jacobson-Severson. She died in 1924.
Story compliments of Donna Knicely who got this information from her Grandmother and Aunt Elvina.

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The Taasevigen is an interesting line also. Seems that Edward Taasevigen was actually named Edward Ellingson but when he and his brother went to work for the railroad in North Dakota there were so many Ellingston's that they decided to change their name to the name of the farm in Norway where their father was from. So their name became Taasevigen. Peter, the other brother, changed the spelling to Tosevigen sometime later.
Story compliments of Donna Knicely





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