Arthur Torgerson Family History

Contains: a letter explaining how the documents were given to the University in 1985 by Arthur’s children; a six-page biography of Arthur and his family written by his son Wilfred; a copy of a Norwegian newspaper clipping dated 6 May 1952; a genealogical list of Torger Olson’s first and second family members; Arthur’s application for a homestead in Canada along with the document confirming the issue of land.

Also included are original documents, some with photos of Arthur: Arthur’s brother Albert’s baptism record dated 22 May 1950; Arthur’s baptism record and certificate dated 22 May 1950 in Ashby, Minnesota, signed by the pastor Bernhard Guldseth; Arthur’s Canadian Certificate of Naturalization dated 28 May 1920; Arthur’s declaration of intention for citizenship in the United States; Arthur’s U.S. immigrant identification card; Arthur’s United States naturalization certificate dated 19 February 1943; purchase agreement for a lot in Parkland, Washington; indenture papers for a land deed in Parkland for Thomas and Kirsti Olson dated 27 April 1908; Arthur’s passport; tax papers for 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, and 1920.

On 6 March 1985, historic memorabilia from the Torgerson family was given to the Univesity by Roy Torgerson and his sister, Doris Rumpf.

Biographical Note

Arthur Torgerson was born 6 November 1885 on a farm near Fosston, Minnesota. His parents were Torger "Thomas" Olson (later Torgerson) and Kristi Tobiason who immigrated from Tuddal, Telemark, Norway. Arthur was married in 1907 to Julia M. Strande, born in 1879. Arthur left his carpentry work and with his wife and five children moved to southwest Saskatchewan in 1912. There he became a Canadian citizen and worked as a farmer, doing carpentry on the side. In 1916 he started a threshing outfit, which he operated for the next ten years between Climax and Shaunavon, Saskatchewan.

Three more children were born. The Great Depression hit Arthur’s family hard and he could no longer pay his taxes. In 1936 he gave up his farm to the tax collectors and moved to the U.S. West Coast where he set up Torgerson’s Cabinet Shop in Puyallup, Washington, with his father. Arthur died in 1954 at his home in Puyallup.

Arthur’s father, Torger Olson, was born in 1829 and immigrated to Wisconsin in 1846 where he married Gurina Sannes in 1855. They had eight children. She died in 1870. He remarried to Kirsti, Arthur’s mother, in 1871. Torger died 18 December 1912.