This was the address of Hans and Josephine (Anderson) Torkelson from 1927-1942. Both were born in Norway, but married in Crow Wing County in 1905. They lived in Pequot in 1910 and on Grant Avenue in Nymore in 1920. He was a carpenter and a construction foreman for the railroad. They had seven children, Mallard, Ruth, George, Forest, Kenneth, John, and Ruby. By 1940, the only child left at home was 15-year old Ruby. Mrs. Anderson’s brother Fred lived with them at this address. Hans Torkelson died in 1945, and the house changed owners.
Alfred “Fred” Lindstrom and Florence (Geror) Lindstrom were the owners in 1946. They had four children. He died on Jan 15, 1951. Florence then married John B. Gibney in 1952.
John B. Gibney and Florence Gibney were here until at least 1958. Mr. Gibney was a Bemidji person. During WWII, he served in the Aleutians, France, Germany, Norway, and Italy. After the war, he returned to Bemidji and worked in the construction trade. John and Florence divorced; Mrs. Florence Lindstrom was listed as the owner in 1960. She remarried in 1960 and Mr. Gibney remarried in 1966.
One of my sources says the current home at this address was built in 1960. If so, I’m not sure what happened to the original one. Karen Lund, do you know?
Florence Lindstrom married Clayton Swanberg on Oct 22, 1960 and the listing in the city directories changed to Clayton & Florence Swanberg, and Roland Lindstrom from 1963-1971.
Florence and Clayton moved to “the farm” in 1971 where they lived until she went to Neilson Place in May 2003. She worked at Bemidji Laundry for 17 years and Ken K. Thompson Jewelry for 16 years.
Her obituary says that she enjoyed her flowers, gardening, chickens and ducks, and providing food and coffee for guests. She also enjoyed the color pink and doing things with her daughter and granddaughter. She was a member of the Women of the Moose since 1969 and a lifetime member of the North Star Riders Saddle Club.
Florence had three sons, Lyle, Kenneth and Roland, and one daughter, Karen Lund, a member of our “You Might Be From Bemidji” site.
The Jaranson Agency advertised the house for sale in December 1972: Three bedroom, priced to sell at $65,000. Large lot across from Lincoln School.
The house was next owned by Denny Carlson from 1973 to about 2000. Denny was the owner of Beltrami Parts and Supply, our Napa man. My husband and I bought parts from Denny for years. We owned Montes Garage in Federal Dam, and even if I gave a vague description, Denny usually knew what I was trying to describe and ask for!! My youngest son recalled a White Chevrolet S-10 with oversized blue and white Napa cap on the top of it. He bought all his tools for school at the Vo-Tech from Denny at Napa.
The house was sold in 2009 and again in 2015.