Written by Ida Kambestad for The Day County History by Day County Historical Research Committee, 1981,Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 81-696-49, Union Township, pg. 433.
Christian Theodore Kambestad was born April 1, 1892 to Ole and Jensine “Sena” Kambestad at the family homestead. He was educated in School District #178, and farmed with his father and brothers prior to entering the Army on May 25, 1918. He was stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington, and was discharged January 31, 1919. Ida Tomina Sand was born July 15, 1898 to Anton and Tillie Sand at their farm home. She was educated in School District #181 and did housework for neighbors. She met Chris Kambestad while she and Petra Sunde were cooking for threshers. Reverend Hofstad married them March 14, 1919 at Webster. They farmed in Lynn and Union townships adjacent to Chris’ birthplace unit his father death in 1941. The Chris purchased the homestead. Chris and Ida lived on the family farm until 1975 when they retired and moved to Bristol.
One day during threshing time, the men went to the house for dinner. When they returned to threshing rig the tractor threw sparks and caught fire in the straw, and burned many acres of the wheat.
The Kambestads were active members of Bergen Lutheran Church, and active in community affairs.
Ole Kambestad, son of Ole Gunderson and Torbjor Markestad Kambestad, was born September 24, 1856 in Ulensvagen, Hardanger, Norway. As a young man he learned the trade of a blacksmith. In 1881, at the age of 24, he immigrated to America and worked as a blacksmith in Norway Lake and Kerkhoven, Minnesota. He learned that there was land to homestead in South Dakota, so in 1884 he walked from Kerkhoven, with a yoke of oxen and a dog, to the farm nine miles north of Bristol in Union Township, where he homesteaded. Jensine “Sena” Peterson, daughter of John and Dorothea Peterson, was born in Coon Valley, Wisconsin on October 23, 1869, and came to Lynn Township with her parents when her father homesteaded. She worked for the Aasved family, neighbors of Ole, when she met him. They were married January 8, 1887 at Webster by Reverend Kjelaas. There first home was a sod shanty which Ole had built.
Their first baby boy lived only 11 days, and there being no cemeteries at the time, he was buired in the trees at the farm. They had four other sons, namely Edward who was born September 2, 1888 and died March 4, 1975; Julius Oscor, who was born May 21, 1890 and died August 13, 1970; Christian ‘Chris’ Theodore, who was born April 1, 1892 and died December 25, 1978; and Lewis, who was born February 1, 1894 and died in October of 1920. In addition they raised the children of Ole’s brother Torsten, namely: Thea, John and Annie (Mrs. Alfred Simonson), all deceased. Lewis Kambestad served in the Army in World War I and saw action in France. Upon returning home after his discharge he was killed by lightning while plowing on his father’s farm. He was 26. Christ Kambestad was also in the Army during World War I, stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington.
Ole and Sena were active, charter members of Bergen Lutheran Church, Bristol. Ole made a trip back to Norway in 1920 to visit relatives and friends. He had three brothers, Lars, Gunder and Torsten, and one sidster, Mrs. Julia Newman. Sena had two brothers, Henry and Martin and one sister, Tena Crowhart. Ole died March 27, 1941 and Sena died May 17, 1949.
Chris and wife Ida bought the homestead in 1941, after Ole’s death, and it is still owned by the Kambestad family.
Written by Ida Kambestad for The Day County History by Day County Historical Research Committee, 1981,Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 81-696-49, Union Township, pg. 494-495.
Anfin Sand, born February 22, 1825, and Bertha Sand, born June 26, 1822, both of Stavanger, Norway immigrated to America in 1883. Their son Anton sent the tickets, but they made their home with another son, Lars, as he had a bigger house and more room. Anton, Lars and their daughter Serina, Mrs. Jacob Bakken, lived north of Bristol in Union Township. They also had three other daughters, Anna, Ingeborg and Bertha, all in Minnesota.
Anfin Sand died March 18, 1888 and was the firs person buried in Bergen Cemetery at Bergen Lutheran Church, Bristol. Bertha Died December 17, 1899.
Anton Sand was born April 30, 1857 to Anfin and Bertha Sand in Stavanger, Norway. In 1882 he and his twin brother Thor and their brother Lars immigrated to America. Thor was swept off the boat and lost at sea in the Atlantic Ocean. In 1885, Anton homesteaded a claim 6 ˝ miles north of Bristol in Union Township. Tillie Johnson was born December 25, 1866, to John and Inga Johnson in Minneapolis. She came to South Dakota and married Anton Sand on March 12, 1891, at the Sand homestead, with Reverend Granskou of Webster officiating. Tillie had a twin brother, John, and three sisters, Mary, Emma and Jenny. Anton and Tillie shared many pioneer hardships and built their own home and bard. They were charter members of Bergen Lutheran Church and active in the community.
The children of Anton and Tillie were: Albert, who was born July 3, 1892 and died June 8, 1972; Olaf, who was born March 12, 1894 and died January 9, 1960; Inga, Mrs. Elmer Bakken, who was born March 30, 1886 and died September 8, 1949; Lars, who was born July 7, 1901 and died September 21, 1962; Emma, Mrs. Gust Nelson, who was born January 30, 1905 and died April 4, 1972; and Ida, Mrs. Chris Kambestad, who was born July 5, 1898 and lives in Bristol.
Anton Sand died April 14, 1920 and the farm was given to Olaf and Lars, who farmed it until their deaths. Then it became the property of Albert, who sold it to Bruce and Bonnie Anderson in 1968. Tillie Sand died July 20, 1940 at the farm homestead where made her home with her sons, Olaf and Lars.
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Written by Alice Simonson for The Day County History by Day County Historical Research Committee, 1981,Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 81-696-49, Union Township, pg. 495-496.