| The Story Of Helfred Matson & Mary Garson |
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| opening ceremony. I had special skills. The wraping was undisturbed. Knowing Ellen, she would have been disappointed had I not bowed to the temptation. That is probably why her gift always came first. Ellen lived the longest of all of these great aunts and great uncles, long enough for my wife and my children to know her. She was a wonderful and amusing woman and a great, great aunt. All these great aunts and great uncles had a special place for anyone who would cast a shadow on their property. We were always welcomed with a smile and handshake, a cup of coffee, and, of course, a cookie or two. There was always time to sit down and talk about just about anything. My father, for one, took great advantage of that. Other Strum Frodahl Connections Peder Hansen Frodal & Siri Jensdatter Dyren were married in Norway on April 24, 1817. Two of their children came to America and Strum and had a significant impact on the Village of Strum, the Town of Unity and on our Matson-Garson family. Hans and Johan both came to Strum with families. Hans & Marie Iversdatter Brensaterstuen connect with my family; Johan and Hellene Christiansdatter connect with a number of other Strum area families. Peder Hansen Frodal & Siri Jensdater Dyren are common ancestors for all of these people. For me, these people, Peder & Siri, are my great great great grandparents on my Grandma Matson?s side of the family. Hans Pedersen Frodal & Marie Iversdatter Brendsaterstuen?s Impact on the Strum Area: One of their children, Clara, is a Matson-Garson direct ancestor. Clara married Nils Garson. Nils and Clara were the parents of Mary Garson. Clara Frodahl?s sister, Martha, stands out as a sibling that impacted the area and our family. Clara and Martha were inseparable as sisters so we see Martha often in our family pictures. Clara (b. 1858) lived fourteen years longer than her husband; Martha (b. 1856) lived fourteen years longer than her?s. Nils died in 1926 and Christian in 1929. . Martha married Christian Finstad-Berg. From that union came six children: Karen, Hilda Marie, Christine Annette, Charlotte, Andy, and Constance. All of these children were born in Strum. Constance died before she was five years old. Karen married Gesin Swendby and then Hans Enger; Hilda Marie married Matthew Wang; Christine Annette married Charles Williams; Charlotte married Bert Benson; and Andy married Cora Nelson. Strum area residents can probably see that these two sisters, Clara and Martha, and their husbands, through their children, tied into fourteen new families in the area. And the children of these new unions also married locally, for the most part. Peter Hanson Frodalen Bonkrud & Johanne Rognlien lived and worked in the Strum area for a while; Siri Hansdater came to America and Strum with her husband Johannes Klavestad in 1906 and are buried there; Hans went to Canada; Martin married Ingre |