Early Minot Press

Eric Ramstad came to Albert Lea, Minnesota at the age of 20 from Sigdal, Norway with a home-made immigration chest that he carried on his back. In Minnesota, he earned food and lodging by chopping cordwood. Soon he found another way to make money. As a boy in Norway, he had been a cattleherder and grew up to be a man of sturdy build. He would offer to wrestle and throw all comers for $25.00.

Ramstad started for the Mouse River valley in May of 1883 with Lena, his wife, and Peder, his brother. They took with them a team of good oxen and two cows. The trip took three weeks and even though it was difficult, everyone arrived in good shape. The wagon was enclosed to serve as bedroom, parlor and kitchen. They would drive during the day and camp at night, turning the oxen loose to eat prairie grass. At first, grass was thin, but it got better as they travelled west. As they neared the Mouse River valley, gnats became a problem. They covered their faces with buffalo net and spread wagon grease on the oxen, especially on their heads.

When they arrived in the Mouse River valley, they found that homesteads were plentiful, but the land had not been surveyed. They chose their land in the valley next to the river part of which would later become downtown Minot and built their house where the Great Northern roundhouse once stood. His brother, Peder, picked the land where Valkers Greenhouse was later built.

The Ramstad home was built of logs and common tree stumps that were everywhere. Timber was plentiful along the river. Logs were laid on logs until the structure was done. The sun and moon could shine through between the logs. A mortar was made of mud and water. Once plastered with the mortar, the shanty was tight.

After building their home, the Ramstads started breaking land. The oxen worked well and soon the land, where the railroad tracks and Parker Suites would one day be, was broken.

With an abundance of deer, prairie chickens and rabbits, no one needed to go hungry. Also, the Mouse River was full of fish so easy to catch, they could be caught with a pitch fork.

Looking over his field, Ramstad realized he was in need of a drag. Not having one, he went in to the woods and found a tree that he felt would work. After going over the fields with it, he seeded it by hand and then went over it again with his makeshift log drag.

All went well. The crops grew well. But now, he needed to cut and thrash it. A cradle was obtained to cut it and a flail to thrash it. But the flail did not work well for the area. After talking to a neighbor about the problem, they agreed to build the complicated thrasher that was needed. The home-made thrasher allowed them to thrash 40 to 50 bushels of wheat or 100 bushels of oats on a good day.

After the crop was cut and thrashed, getting the crop to market was the next problem. Because the nearest markets were Bismarck, 140 miles to the south, and Devil's Lake, 120 miles to the east, the round trip would take about 11 days. Neighbors worked together to get the produce to the markets.

In 1886, Ramstad was called upon by some strangers. When they asked for something to eat, he told them that all he had to offer was bread and milk. Lena prepared the meal. When the strangers finished eating, one paid them with a $5 gold coin. Ramstad, not wanting to reveal were he kept his money, said that he could not make change. The stranger told him to keep it and then introduced himself as James J. Hill of the Empire builders.

In the summer of 1886, after Ramstad had three crops off the land, he sold 40 acres of his original 160 acres to the Northwest Land Company. The Ramstads pledged not to reveal the company's intent. Many squatters had come to the Mouse River valley with the hope that their claim would become a townsite.

The Ramstads' early years in the Minot area were mainly dedicated to farming. He did more farming than most other pioneers. He later made real estate deals, ventured into the lumber business and was one of the original directors of the First National Bank.

After the things Minot did for him, he did much for Minot. He donated the lands where Minot State University, McKinley School, and the First Lutheran Church, parsonage and cemetery now stand. The First Lutheran congregation first met in his cabin in 1884.

On January 22, 1951, Eric Ramstad died at the age of 91, after living in the Minot area for 71 years. He was one lucky pioneer.