Written by Mrs. A. E. Halverson 1958

History of Mrs. Inga Otelia Snipstad Fadness

Mrs. Fadness was born Dec. 27, 1864 at Oslo, Norway of parents Eric and Karina Snipstad. She received her schooling and grew to young womanhood in Oslo. Inga came to Day County, Dakota Territory in July 1887. Arriving in Bristol, Tom Strandness was the first to meet her. She came to her brothers Louie and Ole Snipstad, where she kept house for them until March of 1888. In that year she was married to Ole G. Fadness.

They made their home on a farm in Scotland township. Their first house was a dugout in a sunny hillside, with only one room, a door and one window. Undaunted by circumstances, she white washed the dirt walls and it became a home, though humble.

After about four years they moved to a four room frame house which they built about a mile from the first home. This was in Oak Gulch township.

Six children were born to this union. Mrs. Fadness went through the hardships of Pioneer life. Drought and grasshoppers took their crops some of those early years. Prairie fires were very common. At one of these times she and her children carried water and kept the walls of the fire side of the house wet. She even used her big crocks of milk for this purpose. Her husband was out fighting fires away from home. The house was saved this time too.

Typhoid fever laid her low for weeks. Drs. were few and far away. She had an undaunted spirit and faith in God sustained her.

She and her husband joined with other neighbors and met for worship once a month in a schoolhouse six miles away. This was a nucleus served by pastors form the United Lutheran Church in the Aberdeen circuit.

Mrs. Fadness lived on the farm for 11 years after her husband passed away except for the winter months when she lived with her daughter Mrs. Albert Herr (Marmien). The summer months were spent in her little new house on the original homestead run by her son Elmer until she passed away of a stroke in September of 1947.

Compiled by her daughter Carrie, Mrs. A. E. Halverson, Butler, South Dakota

Blessed is Mother’s memory to all of us children.

Date written Sept. 19, 1958