Ole K. Frovig was born May 31, 1877 in Norway and died April 1, 1931. He emigrated from Norway with his parents in 1894 to Buxton, ND. In the spring of 1895, Ole’s father Johannes filed on 160 acres of land near the James River, four miles west of Manfred. Ole was not yet old enough to file a claim. In the spring of 1896, the Frovig family moved from Buxton to Manfred in a covered wagon, using it for shelter until their one-room home was constructed and later sodded. In time, Ole was able to purchase adjoining land and later purchased his father’s farmstead. In 1909, a new two-story home replaced the sod house.

Ida was born October 25, 1887 and died November 20, 1973. She was born in Norway, and immigrated to Iowa on April 16, 1910. Ole and Ida farmed with the aid of hired help raising grain, cattle, and geese until 1920 at which time they rented the farm to Mike Stoltz, and with their four children then moved to Wilmington CA. Ole worked in oil refineries there, and their twin girls were also born there.  

In the fall of 1923, they returned to ND and began farming with 60 head of cattle, 18 horses, a few hogs, and 500 leghorn chickens. Their last two children were born during this time. After Ole died, Ida remained on the farm for several years. Later, she began working at Bismarck where she met and married Ingebrecht Trovik a bachelor from Almont, ND on October 25, 1944. He died in 1952. Ida then visited her children, staying primarily at the farm of her daughter, Lena and Clarence. Later, she moved to the Halland Home in Rugby, remaining active all her years and an inspiration to everyone.

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Source: New Manfred News 9/2002