Bennie H. Haugen was born February 15, 1893, in Greenfield Township, Griggs County, North Dakota.  Bertha Jordet was born October 30, 1900, at Mapleton, Minnesota.  Bennie and Bertha were married at the Union Lutheran Church, Hannaford, North Dakota, March 21, 1918.  They celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 1968, at the Union Lutheran Church.  Bennie farmed on the same farm as his father before him.  Bennie and Bertha had a family of four children: Burnell, Mervin, Gilbert and Richard.  Bennie died June 7, 1973, and Bertha died September  18, 1973.

Other bits of information for Bertha and Bennie: Bennie wrote Greenfield News for the Sentinel Courier beginning about the time of World War I. Bennie was a stockholder of the Griggs County Press, which bought the Sentinel Courier in 1919.  Gerald P. Nye was hired as editor.  Bennie's Greenfield News was of the weather, neighborhood gatherings, births, deaths, illnesses, accidents, church and school events, plus his own comments.

Facts from a notebook 1924-1925: January 11, 1924 bought a pound of coffee for 35¢.  June 15, 1925 bought 100 pounds of sugar for $7.40.  October 1925 sold a veal calf for $14, a cow for $19.57, and a heifer for $11.13.

Burnell Christine Haugen was born March 18, 1919.  She married Gerhard Mikkelson September  28, 1952.  They have an adopted daughter, Leila Jean, born April 8, 1954.  Burnell Mikkelson passed away April 14, 1985.

Leila Jean Mikkelson attended school in Moorhead, Minnesota, and graduated from Moorhead State University.  She married Dennis Preston May 26, 1984.  Dennis was ordained into the ministry of the American Lutheran Church in March 1984.  At the present time he is serving a pastorate at Hanska, Minnesota.  They are the parents of two children: Erik Matthew, born July 8, 1986; and Siri Kristine, born August 15, 1988.

Mervin Harold Haugen was born September  11, 1921.  He married Corlyn Stangeland October 15, 1955, at Pontoppidan Lutheran Church, Fargo.  Three children were born to Mervin and Corlyn.  Kevin Monroe who died in infancy; Kaye Marie and Karla Mae.  Mervin served in World War II. He is a part-time fisherman and a semi-retired farmer.  They live on the Syverson farm, also known as the Stark Knutson farm.

Kevin Monroe was born July 1, 1956, and died July 10, 1956.

Kaye Marie was born August 6, 1957.  She married Neil Omdahl June 20, 1980.  Kaye and Neil have four children: Jessica Leigh, born August 11, 1981; Jonathan Daniel, born March 2, 1983; Jennifer Lynne, born September  1, 1984; and Jeremy David, born April 27, 1988.  A note of interest: Jessica is the first of a new generation on Mervin's and Corlyn's Family Tree.  Kaye graduated from Hannaford High School and VCSC, Valley City.  She is employed as a teacher's aide in the Hannaford School System.  Neil is employed at the Dazey Elevator.  They reside in Hannaford.

Karla Mae was born December 3, 1959.  She is a graduate of Hannaford High School and NDSU, Fargo.  She is employed at the Radisson Hotel in Fargo in a supervisory position.

Gilbert H. Haugen was born December 9, 1925.  He attended the Stromme School and Hannaford High School.  Gilbert married Harriet Stangeland in Fargo on October 5, 1957.  They have two sons, Neal Howard, born on February 10, 1961; and Brent Harold, born September  30, 1968.

Gilbert and Harriet bought the home farm from his parents in 1972.  This is the farm his grandfather Hans J. Haugen homesteaded in 1883.  Therefore, the farm became one of North Dakota's Centennial farms in 1983.

From a copy of the original homestead papers this is the description of the sod house they lived in: Sod or frame dwelling house 12 x 14 feet sodded on outside, has one window, one door, board floor and roof and is warm and comfortable at all seasons of the year.

Asked to give the value of improvement on the claim on December 3, 1889, they were as follows: Sod house $100, Sod stable 14 x 70 feet, value $75.  Frame granary 10 x 14, $25.  One well 30 feet deep, value $70.  One well 18 feet stoned up, value $30.  One well 30 feet deep stoned up, value $50.  104 acres broken, value $312.  Total value $662.

Gilbert farms and Harriet teaches in the Hannaford School System.  Neal graduated from Hannaford High School and is a graduate of Concordia College with a degree in music education.  He is employed in the Milnor, North Dakota, School System.  Neal was married to Julene Michels on July 26, 1986, in Milnor.

Brent Harold graduated from Hannaford High School and is attending Concordia College majoring in business.  Brent is a sports enthusiast.

Richard Bernard Haugen was born September  22, 1931, graduated from Hannaford High School, joined the U. S. Air Force for four years and attended Dakota Business College, Moorhead State University and NDSU. He resides in Fargo, North Dakota, and is employed by Nelson International Harvester Co.  He married Marella Fischer September  11, 1955, at Streeter, North Dakota.  She is employed by Fargo Public Schools.  They have three sons.  Loehle, born December 26, 1958; Todd, born June 11, 1962; and Troy, born August 4, 1968.  All three boys graduated from Fargo North High and earned the highest award in scouting - "The Eagle Scout Award."

Loehle graduated from Moorhead Vo-Tech in carpentry and is employed by Northern School supply.

Todd graduated from NDSU-Bottineau with an A. .S. degree in both wildlife biology and parks administration and a B. S. degree in wildlife biology from the University of Montana, Missoula.  He is presently residing in Icelandic State Park near Cavalier, North Dakota, and is employed by the North Dakota State Parks and Recreation as an assistant park manager.

Troy is attending NDSU, Fargo, majoring in electrical engineering.

Source:  Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 132