"BRING ON THE PIONEERS! History of Hand County" by Scott Heidepriem @1978, pgs. 469 & 470 (printed with permission of Scott Heidepriem)

Thor and Louise Nerland by Margaret Bawdon Braden

Thor Nerland was born May 23, 1881 to Thorstein Nerland and Johanna Falness at Finoo Island, near Stavanger, Norway.

He came to the United States in 1901 at age 20, to Roland, Iowa.

He went to Parkston, South Dakota in 1904, where he met and married Louise Agnes Lingscheit on May 24, 1908. They built up a new home three miles east of Parkston.

In 1914, they adopted a daughter, Margaret Miles Nerland at the age of 4 years, and in 1915, they adopted another child, Edward Smith Nerland at age of 5 years.

In the year of 1917, Thor Nerland and John Lingscheit moved t Ree Heights, South Dakota and bought a ranch in partnership, later moving the two families from Parkston to Ree Heights. Thor and John were in partnership until 1929.

Thor and Louise were very active in community affairs. Thor helped build the Cedar Congregational Church, and later helped build the Cedar Community Hall.

Thor and Louise helped in the organization of the Cedar Community Club when the first programs were held in the basement of the Cedar Church. Louise, was a Sunday school teacher for a number of years, and also participated in several offices of the Cedar Community Ladies Aid. She taught her adopted children and nieces to swim in Elm Creek, but never learned to swim herself.

Dick Bawdon bought the Nerland Ranch when they decided to retire. From the ranch, they moved to Ree Heights, buying a home there.

Several years later, Thor built a new home in Highmore, South Dakota and lived there several years before his death on May 30, 1954.

In Highmore, he belonged to the Methodist Church, and also was a member of the Odd Fellows.

Thor, throughout his very active life, was interested mainly in raising cattle and farming, as well as the betterment of the communities in which he lived.
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National Archives and Records Administration World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, 12 Sept. 1918.
Thor (no middle name, line drawn through it) Nerland; age 37, b. May 23, 1881; nearest relative Mrs. Louise Agnes Nerland; tall, medium build, blue eyes, dark hair.
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South Dakota Death Index
Louise Nerland, b. 21 May 1891, d. Jan 1969