Hans Johnson Gnolden was born in Fredrickstad, Norway, January 30, 1840. He came to America in 1864 and worked for a year on a farm at Spring Prairie and later in a grocery store in Columbus. On the 3rd of December, 1869, he was united in marriage to Anna Fadness Rongo, born in Voss, December 7, 1844, who had come to America at the age of one year. They bought a farm immediately south of the Spring Prairie church. Here they lived till 1901, when they moved to Stoughton. Mr. Gnolden served as deacon of the church during alJ the years that he lived at Spring Prairie, with little or no remuneration. He rang the church bell for every funeral during those 32 years, and for one wedding, that of the Rev. H. A. Preus' oldest daughter, Sena. He also served his church in many other ways; always ready to lend a hand when things needed to be done for the church. The minutes of the congregation show that it was Gnolden who usualJy was sent as a committee of one when delicate situations were to be handled. He was recognized as a man of Christian tact and human understanding. Mr. and Mrs. Gnolden had 10 children, six of whom lived to mature age, namely: Josephine (Mrs. Amund O. Selje) , Martha (Mrs. Tom Halvorson), Agnes (Mrs. Erick Hamre), Ida (Mrs. Sjur Selje) , Olga (Mrs. Per Lysne) and Oscar Johnson Gnolden. They adopted Mrs. Ingeborg Hoverson Olson, whose mother had died when she was but six months old. Hans Gnolden died at Stoughton, December 28, 1923, and Mrs. Gnolden March 12, 1912. Both are buried at Spring Prairie.
Hans Johnson Gnolden was born in Fredrickstad, Norway, January 30, 1840. He came to America in 1864 and worked for a year on a farm at Spring Prairie and later in a grocery store in Columbus. On the 3rd of December, 1869, he was united in marriage to Anna Fadness Rongo, born in Voss, December 7, 1844, who had come to America at the age of one year. They bought a farm immediately south of the Spring Prairie church. Here they lived till 1901, when they moved to Stoughton. Mr. Gnolden served as deacon of the church during alJ the years that he lived at Spring Prairie, with little or no remuneration. He rang the church bell for every funeral during those 32 years, and for one wedding, that of the Rev. H. A. Preus' oldest daughter, Sena. He also served his church in many other ways; always ready to lend a hand when things needed to be done for the church. The minutes of the congregation show that it was Gnolden who usualJy was sent as a committee of one when delicate situations were to be handled. He was recognized as a man of Christian tact and human understanding. Mr. and Mrs. Gnolden had 10 children, six of whom lived to mature age, namely: Josephine (Mrs. Amund O. Selje) , Martha (Mrs. Tom Halvorson), Agnes (Mrs. Erick Hamre), Ida (Mrs. Sjur Selje) , Olga (Mrs. Per Lysne) and Oscar Johnson Gnolden. They adopted Mrs. Ingeborg Hoverson Olson, whose mother had died when she was but six months old. Hans Gnolden died at Stoughton, December 28, 1923, and Mrs. Gnolden March 12, 1912. Both are buried at Spring Prairie.
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