Bertinius Halvorsen Egeland ^{1 2}

  Noted events in his life were:

• He was baptized on 2 November 1851 in Coon Valley, WI.

• He has alternate birth date of 1853 and a birth location of Wisconsin.

This birth year was referenced by his age of 27 on the 1880 US Census.
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• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Pigeon, WI on 8 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 105D, District 66, Family 67, Roll 1448
Pigeon, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Bertinius Egeland..Head..27..WI..Farmer

(Living with wife and 3 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 19 Oct 1851, then his age should have been 28 instead of 27.
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• He was buried after 19 January 1898 in the Webster Cemetery in Webster, SD.

PLOT Sec 1 Row E
Find a Grave Memorial 192694180
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• His obituary was published in the Jamestown Weekly Alert on 27 January 1898 in Jamestown, Dakota Territory.

TIRED OF LIFE
B. H. EGELAND, OF WEBSTER, S.D., PUTS A BULLET THROUGH HIS HEAD

Moorhead, Jan. 20 -- Last night about 8:30 o'clock a well dressed man of about fifty years of age, entered the Columbia Hotel office and asked for a room. He registered as B. H. Egeland of Webster, S. Dak., and asked to be shown to a room at once. The man seemed to be deep in thought.

When he reached the room which is situated on the third floor, he asked to have the bed changed, and the chamber maid, Miss Ella Olson recognized him, as she had lived in Webster for some years, and was well acquainted with the Egeland family which consists of the wife, two daughters and a son, all grown, and held in high esteem in the community.

About an hour after a sound was heard like a shot, but it was very faint. Soon after heard a sound of gurgling or heavy breathing was heard, and the proprietor, Mr. Hill came up and tried to open the door of the room, but as it was fastened on the inside Mr. Hall, and one of the guests, climbed over the transom.

The man was found laying on the bed with a small revolver known as a 22 short in his right hand, and bleeding profusely from a wound back of his right temple, and above his ear.

By papers found on his person it was learned that he was the county auditor of Day County, S.D., and a member of Webster Camp No. 1071 Modern Woodmen of America.

(Source: Jamestown Weekly Alert, Jamestown, Dakota Territory (ND), 27 Jan 1898)
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Bertinius married Marte Hanson, daughter of Syver Hansen and Sigri Larsdatter, on 16 February 1873 in Coon Prairie, WI.¹ (Marte Hanson was born on 12 September 1848 in Klanderudtangen, Eidskog, Hedmark, Norway ^{3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11}, baptized on 4 February 1849 in Vinger, Hedmark, Norway,³ died on 3 December 1938 in Webster, SD ¹¹ and was buried after 3 December 1938 in Webster Cemetery, Webster, SD ¹¹.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Pigeon, WI on 8 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 105D, District 66, Family 67, Roll 1448
Pigeon, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Bertinius Egeland..Head..27..WI..Farmer
Marthe Egeland..Wife..28..NOR..Keeping House
Hilda Egeland..Daughter..8..WI
Wilhelm Egeland..Son..4..DACOTA
Valborg C. Egeland..Daughter..2..WI

NOTE - The family was enumerated twice: once as their own separate family under the surname of Egeland, and a second time with Marthe and the children living with her mother inexplicably under the surname of Halvorson. At least the census record from Pigeon Township got the birth location of the father of the children correct. The reason for the two separate enumerations was because their farm house was struck by lightning and had burned to the ground. Marthe and the children were usually staying with her mother while Bertinius remained at the homesite rebuilding the house.
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  Marriage Notes:

Name: Berthenius Halvorson
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 16 Feb 1873
Event Place: Coon Prairie, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Coon Prairie, Vernon Co, Wis
Father's Name: Halvor Bjornson
Mother's Name: Valborg Pederson
Spouse's Name: Martha Hanson
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Race: White
Spouse's Father's Name: Livert Hanson
Spouse's Mother's Name: Segred Larson
Reference ID: 247
GS Film Number: 1275579
Digital Folder Number: 007622477
Image Number: 01286

Citing this Record:
"Wisconsin, County Marriages, 1836-1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR2G-X6P : 3 June 2016), Berthenius Halvorson and Martha Hanson, 16 Feb 1873; citing Coon Prairie, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison; FHL microfilm 1,275,579.
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From Robert C. Westphal, Jr.:

A letter from Clara Petersen Hildebrandt, 1 May 1941: (to her nephew - I'm in contact with his daughter in South Dakota)...

"When they left Pigeon [Township in Trempealeau County], Bertinius kept the farm, and never did sell it. They lived for a short while in Fargo where Bertinius bought into a feed company, and then moved directly to Webster. Bertinius purchased land in the southeastern part of the county, with Egeland Township being named after him. Billy became ill with a fever and almost died as soon as they arrived in Egeland Township."

"They moved back to Trempealeau after the death of Halvor, as Valborg couldn't take care of the farm by herself. The deed was transferred to Bertinius in early 1880, and he hired his cousin, Olaus, to help work the farm, later making him a partner. While they were in Trempealeau, Peter (believed to be Peter Ekren) took care of the Egeland place back home. The farmhouse was struck by lightning and burned to the ground just after Bertinius arrived. Valborg stayed with us for a spell while it was being rebuilt, this time of brick, and Martha and the children stayed in Trempealeau with her mother Sara. Bertinius would travel everyday to Trempealeau to see his wife and children, and then returned to the farm to resume work. He and Olaus slept in a tent for months while the construction was underway. Sara was an expert weaver and made carpets, and taught the children to help. When they returned to Egeland Township, they brought back with them many fine hand-woven rugs, one of which Sissy still has in her parlor."
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BLM DOCUMENTATION
Name: Bertinius H. Egeland
Issue Date: 6-14-1884
Issued at: Montana State Office
Type: Cash Sale
Place: Day County, South Dakota
Acres: 160
Document Nr. 2533
Accession Serial No: SDMTAA 098155
BLM Serial No: SDMTAA 098155

BLM DOCUMENTATION
Name: Bertinius H. Egeland
Issue Date: 6-28-1888
Issued at: Montana State Office
Type: Cash Sale
Place: Day County, South Dakota
Acres: 160
Document Nr. 2533
Accession Serial No: SDMTAA 098173
BLM Serial No: SDMTAA 098173
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The birth locations of their children give a good idea as to the extent of the travels of the family. From this, it is easy to see that they were in the Dakota Territory in 1876, returned to Wisconsin until 1882, and then moved back to what had then become the state of South Dakota where the rest of the children were born.

Marriage...Vernon County, Wisconsin
Hilda.......1874..Wisconsin
William...1876..North Dakota (actually the Dakota Territory at the time)
Celia...1878..Wisconsin
Sigfried...1880..Wisconsin
Inge...1882..SD
Julius...1885..SD
Lawrence..1887..SD
Bartlett...1891..SD
Martha...1893..SD
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