Family history
Home, James

Theodore Berg emigrated from Norway to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, around 1879 or 1880. It is believed that Theodore was good friends with Ludvig Hammer prior to their travels to America. There also were many cousins and other relatives of each man living in the Fergus Falls area. Local history of the area reports that the population is predominately Norwegian.

Theodore Berg married Olene Hammer in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, in April, 1886.

Theo and Olena (nee Hammer) Berg, circa 1886.


Children of Theodore Berg and Olene Hammer

• Edwin F. Berg, born April 11, 1887, Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
• Alma Berg, born March 8, 1889. Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, MN.

Sometime between 1890 and 1893, Theodore and Olene died. Their children were taken in by Olene's relatives; Edwin went to live with his aunt, Inger Hammer Ramstad, who lived in Duluth, while Alma lived first with her aunt, Carrie Hammer Wicklem, also in Duluth, then shortly after with her uncle, Ludvig Hammer and his wife, Gina, in Minneapolis.

Edwin F Ramstad, formerly Edwin F Berg

After his parents died, Ed Berg went to live with his Aunt Inga and Inga's husband, Louie Ramstad. Inga was Olene Hammer's sister. The Ramstad's lived in Duluth.

1900 US Census - Louis Ramstad, 25; Inga Ramstad, 29; Lillian Ramstad, 2; Ed Berg, 13.

As Ed Berg grew toward adulthood, he took on the surname Ramstad, the same name as his aunt and uncle, Inga and Louie Ramstad. Note in the census, shown below, Ed is still listed as "nephew" while showing the surname Ramstad.

1910 US Census - Louis Ramstad, 45; Inga, 40; Lillian F, age 12; Beatrice A, age 8; Edwin Ramstad, 23

Throughout his life Ed was a construction contractor, in business first with his uncle, Louie Ramstad, and later with Robert Mitchell. Robert Mitchell was the second husband of Ed's aunt, Carrie Hammer Wicklem Mitchell. Ed also was in business by himself as a construction contractor at different times during his career.

In 1914 Ed married Ethel Marie Margaret Smith, the daughter of Peter Smith and Amanda Carlson Smith.

• Ethel was born May 1, 1893 in Carlton, MN.

1914 Wedding of Ed Ramstad and Ethel Smith, Duluth, MN

Ed and Ethel Ramstad had two daughters, Dorothy Allison Ramstad, born in 1917, and Lois Mae Ramstad, born in 1925. Dorothy Ramstad married Thomas M James in August, 1940, in Duluth, MN; Lois married David Hom, also in Duluth, after the end of WWII.

1920 US Census - Ed Ramstad, age 31; Ethel Ramstad, 26; Dorothy Ramstad, age2.

1930 US Census - Ed Ramstad, 41; Ethel, 35; Dorothy, 12; Lois, age 5.


Ed and Ethel lived their entire married life in Duluth. Ethel died April 24, 1959. Ed passed away June 23, 1968. Both are buried in Duluth.

                            

   
Gravestones for Ed and Ethel Ramstad, Oneota Cemetery, Duluth, MN

Alma B Berg, sister of Edwin F (Berg) Ramstad

Alma was born March 8, 1889, the second child of Theodore Berg and Olene Hammer Berg

• Alma married James L Scherrer in Minneapolis on August 30th, 1941

• Alma died October 14, 1963, while living in Pelican Rapids, MN, just north of Fergus Falls.
  • Alma is buried in Brandon Cemetery, Brandon, Douglas County, Minnesota

        

• James Scherrer, Alma's husband, was born Sept. 26, 1892.
  • James Scherrer died in June, 1963
  • James Scherrer is also buried in Brandon Cemetery, Brandon, Minnesota

        

Alma Lives with her Aunt Carrie, is on her own, then lives with her Uncle Ludvig

Sometime between 1891 and 1893, Theodore and Olene Berg died. Their children were taken in by Olene's relatives; As stated earlier, Edwin went to live with his aunt, Inger Hammer Ramstad, in Duluth. Alma went to live first with her aunt Carrie, wife of Louis Wicklem, in Duluth.

1895 MN census-Alma Berg, age 6, living with Louis Wicklem 29, Carrie Hammer Wicklem 19, Rubie Wicklem 10 months and her uncle, John Hammer 29


Louis Wicklem died in April, 1897, at age 36, leaving Carrie with a newborn baby and a niece. Carrrie found work doing laundry. Alma is not listed.



In 1899 the Duluth city directory shows Carrie working as a laundress, but Alma is not listed.

At some point after April 1897 and 1900, Alma moved elsewhere. But where?

In the 1900 US Census for Minnesota, ten year old Alma Berg is living in the Home for Children and Aged Women, an orphanage in Minneapolis. It is unknown at this time how long Alma resided here. This move may have been due to the death of Louis Wicklem in April 1897 coupled with Carrie Hammer Wicklem having a young daughter (Ruby Wicklem). In the 1900 Census Carrie Wicklem and her daughter Ruby are shown living in Duluth with Carrie's Mother, Anna Hammer. Carrie was employed as a laundress. Without other relatives willing or able to take Alma in, this orphanage could have been either a short visit or a long stay. At this point we do not know how long Alma was a resident here.

1900 US Census for Minneapolis showing the name of the orphanage in which Alma lived.

1900 US Census for Minneapolis showing Alma Berg, 10 and single, living at the Home for Childred and Aged Women.

Ludvig and Gina Hammer take in Alma Berg in Minneapolis

Sometime between Mid-1900 and 1905, Alma left the orphanage and went to live with her uncle, Ludvig Hammer, and his wife, Gina H (Grimseth) Hammer, residing at 3610 Vincent Street. She continued to live with them thru the death of both Ludvig in 1929 and Gina in 1933. Alma continued to live at the same address after the death of Gina. Alma married James Scherrer in 1941.

Ludvig and Gina moved to Minneapolis in 1890. Gina's father, Johan, died in 1890 and is buried in Minneapolis. In the 1895 Minnesota census you can see Ludvig and Gina living at 1506 4th Street, along with Gina's mother, Anna Grimseth. Anna worked at a confectionery, while Ludvig's job is listed as a clerk in a hardware store.

1895 Minnesota census showing Ludvig 34, Gina 35 and Anna Grimseth, age 54. It also shows Ludvig has lived in the same area for 5 years, and in Minnesota for 16 years.

1880 US Census showing Gina Grimseth at home with her parents, Johan and Anna, in Dane Prairie Township, south-east of Fergus Falls, in Ottertail County, Minnesota.

1885 MN Census showing Gina Grimseth, age 24, living at home with her parents in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Anna Grimseth passed away in 1898 and is buried in Minneapolis, next to her husband, Johan.

                              
Gravestones of Johan and Anna Grimseth.

Alma Berg is now living with her uncle Ludvig and aunt Gina Hammer, in Minneapolis

1905 MN census-Alma Berg, age 15, living with Ludvig Hammer and his wife, Gina. Ludvig 42, Gina H. Hammer 44. This census listed Ludvig as a Hardware Clerk, Alma as a student.

1910 US Census for Minneapolis showing Ludvig Hammer, 49, Gina H Hammer 50 and Alma Berg, 21 and single, living at 3610 Vincent Avenue.

1910 US Census showing Ludvig's occupation as Hardware Store Clerk, Alma's occupation as a Demonstrator for the Gas Light Company.

1920 US Census for Minneapolis showing Ludvig Hammer, age 58, Ludvig's wife, Gina, age 59 and their niece, Alma Berg, age 29. They lived at 3610 Vincent avenue.

1920 US Census showing occupation for Ludvig Hammer as a Merchant in Retail Hardware, and for Alma Berg as a public school teacher.

1930 US Census for Minneapolis showing Ludvig Hammer's widow, Gina, age 69, and Alma Berg, niece, age 40, living at 3610 Vincent Avenue.

1940 US Census showing Alma Berg living by herself, working as a public school teacher.

1940 US Census showing James Scherrer, a lodger, who worked as a WPA laborer on a WPA street construction project

Ludvig died Nov 23, 1929. Gina died October 29. 1933. Both are buried in Minneapolis, near the graves of Gina's mother and father in Lakewood Cemetery. There is also a monument with both the Hammer and the Grimseth names.

             
              Cemetery monument for Ludvig and Gina Hammer, and the Grimseth family.

             
              Ludvig Hammer gravestone, 7-11-1861 to 11-23-1929, Minneapolis.

             
              Gina Helena Hammer gravestone, 7-4-1860 to 10-29-1933, Minneapolis.

Inger (Inga) Hammer Ramstad

Inger Hammer married Lars H. "Louie" Ramstad in Duluth, Minnesota, February 1, 1890. He was 26, she was 19. Both Louie and Inger became US citizens in 1896.

Inger Hammer Ramstad was born in Norway in June 1870. She passed away on Dec 28, 1962, at age 93.

1910 US Census - Louis Ramstad, 45; Inga, 40; Lillian F, age 12; Beatrice A, age 8; Edwin Ramstad, 23

1920 US Census - Shows Louis and Inga and their two daughters living in Long Beach, California, on west Ocean Avenue. Louie, 55; Inga, 50; Lillian, age 22 and Beatrice, age 18.

1920 US Census - Shows Louis Ramstad's profession as a housing contractor.

1930 US Census, showing Louie, 67, Inga, 60, and daughter Beatrice, 28, back living in Duluth.

1930 US Census showing Louie Ramstad's profession as a Contractor performing excavating and brick laying.

1940 US Census showing Louie, 76, and Inga, 70, retired and living in Duluth.

Louie Ramstad was born in October, 1874, in Norway. Louie died Dec 24, 1944 at age 81.

   
Gravestones for Louie and Inga Ramstad, Oneota Cemetery, Duluth, MN

Children of Louie and Inger Hammer

Inger and Louie Ramstad had one son of their own, but he died very shortly after his birth. In addition to raising their nephew, Edwin Ramstad, they also had a daughter Lillian, born in December, 1898.

• Lillian married Orson Lee, they had one daughter, Nancy.
• Lillian and Orson lived in St. Louis, later in Los Angeles

1930 US Census showing Lillian and Orson Lee and their daughter Nancy, age 2, living in St.Louis, Missouri

1930 US Census showing Orson Lee's profession.

1940 US Census showing Orson and Lillian Lee and daughter Nancy, age 12, living in St. Louis, Missouri.


A second daughter, Beatrice Ada, was born in 1902.