Christian/ Petra

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Christian SIMENSON & Petra MORTENSDATTER- KNUTRUD  

Christian SIMEN son of Simen OLSON & Kari OSTENSDATTER married Petra MORTENS daughter of Morton Olsen & Mari LARSDATTER on 10 Feb 1875 at Gausdal Parish,  Norway.

 

Petra & Christian RUD

 

Christian & Petra RUD were both born in Norway. They were proud parents of  Sigrid Edward, Martine, Magnus, Carrie, and Caren RUD or RUDE.  They lived on a farm  at Knutrud gaard in Vestre Gausdal which is in the  Gudbransdahlen Valley of Norway.  (This valley is about 25 miles north and west of Lillehammer, Norway. )  They were cotters.

It is Norwegian tradition for the husband to take on the name of the farm that his wife and family work and live.  Therefore, Christian SIMENSON  became Christian SIMENSON  KNUTRUD  (KNUTRUD was later changed to RUD or RUDE once they emigrated to the United States.)

Christian emigrated to the United States in June 1889 and Petra and the children emigrated  to Duluth, MN in 1890.  The RUD'S purchased 80 acres of land from the railroad in 1894 at Dorris Community, Aitkin County, MN. The RUDS stayed with neighbors until their first home, a single room cabin, was built. The men cut wood for a cash income and farming for their livelihood.  Later, the RUD'S or RUDE'S settled at Farm Island Township, Aitkin, MN.  

Christian died on 28 Dec 1916 from bleeding ulcers.  Petra died on 2 Mar 1914 from gastric cancer.  Today the  RUD or RUDE families are all buried at the Cedar Lake Lutheran Church, Farm Island Township, Aitkin County, Minnesota.

Christian SIMENSON  RUD'S Citizenship Paper Dated October 21. 1889

Cedar Lake Lutheran Church,  Farm Island Township, Aitkin, MN

(The RUD or RUDE Families are all buried at the cemetery of  the above church.)

 

To get the money to build the Lutheran Church, many men went to South Dakota and worked the harvest season.  Christian RUD was one of these men.  Carrie RUDE ERICKSON was one of six  in the first confirmation class  of June 1899.  .In 1997 the church celebrated it's 100th Birthday.  Services are held one Sunday a month with visiting pastors .