We know very little about Mother’s ancestry. She spoke often of her father who she loved dearly. He was a journeyman shoe maker. A rugged soul, he went from home to home making shoes for the entire family.

Mother had rickets as a little girl and did not walk until she was three years old. Her sisters pulled her around in a little wagon. She went to school thirty days, and most children in those days had no more. She was truly self-learned as she spoke English well and could write beautifully.

When the girls - Augusta, Anna, Mary, and Ida - were young, their mother took them to Oslo to a trade school where my mother learned French ironing. While there, the girls went to the Salvation Army services, and our mother was saved at their meeting. She made many friends there.

Her brother was already in Chicago where he had opened a shoe store. He made boots for Buffalo Bill and others. He sent his sisters money to come to America. He had rented an apartment and made a home for them. My grandfather went to Oslo to see the girls and say good bye. He wondered how they had made so many friends. While at the boat singing, they gave Mother a Bible and a bouquet of flowers. Grandpa never saw his girls or son again.

In later years Aunt Anna went to Sweden to bring her father to Chicago. Grandpa’s neighbors always watched his home, and if smoke came out of the chimney, they knew all was well with him. Several days went by, and when the neighbors went over, they found him dead. Two days after this, Aunt Anna came and could see only his grave.

Mother was very active in Gnista, a woman’s group at Englewood Church. She also sang in the choir. Her whole life was wrapped up in her church and her family. I remember, when as a little girl, Mother was getting me dressed for the Sunday school program. She had me on a chair by the big heating stove in the dining room. As she dressed me her eyes filled with tears as she told me the Christmas story. She said, "Irene, I want you to love Him as I do." I promised her I would.

Our cousins, the Magnusons, lived across the street from us, and we had grand times together. Of course we did not have any of the nice things they had. They had red shoes - ours were black. My Aunt Anna, who had poise and culture, sang and played their organ. I always thought their home life was so ideal - although ours was as good - an example of grass being greener on the other side of the fence. Aunt Anna came over on my birthday early in the morning with a tray set for coffee. She brought a gift - a three-tiered mirror with a silver chain. I’ll always cherish that occasion.

My Aunt Ida had only one girl - Mildred. We were always together on picnics and birthdays. Aunt Anna had five children - Alfred, Alice, Margaret, Edith, and Sigurd. Alfred and Alice are deceased. Aunt Mary had two girls - Anna and Frances - neither married. She also had a son - Axel. I do not know where he is. Uncle John had six children. Most of that family is gone.

My mother worked hard but always had time for our birthday parties. She loved having Grandma Carolina Friske with us. They had many good times together along with many good cups of coffee. Mother had a washing machine in the basement. We had to turn it by hand - each of us fifty times. We had only gas then - no electricity. We loved that house. Grandma Friske died there, and it was there where we found love and discipline. As we prepared to move, Mother and I were the last to leave the house. I went up to my bedroom, sat on the floor, and began to weep. Mother kept calling me. I finally went downstairs, and we closed the big oak front door which kept all that meant so much to us. Because of my own grief I did not realize that Mother felt the same way.

We left the next morning from the 63^rd Street Station, and when we reached Sawyer, my Aunt Mary had sent Uncle Frank down with a big basket of lunch and coffee for us. He then threw a crate of chickens in the baggage car.

We transferred in Grand Rapids Union Station to a Sparta train. When we got there, they met us with a lumber wagon with lots of blankets as it was a cold gloomy day - half rain and snow. The first thing we did was to sit down on a China lamp of Mother’s, smashing the globe.

The whole family was received by Grandpa Erickson, and Grandma had a good hot supper for us. Her hospitality will never be forgotten.

The next morning we all walked down to our new home - such as it was! No gas water - no bathroom - only kerosine lamps. I was thireen years old, and many times I saw Mother crying. I knew she was lonesome for her old home, as was I. The Carlson family came too at this time, from Wisconsin. We had relatives here again.

We girls walked to a spring on the farm and filled pails with drinking water. Dad brought up barrels of water from the creek on a stone boat. Surely it was pioneering in its truest sense. We all had to help - pull weeds, pick pickles, pull out quack grass, and help Dad plant corn. We had no luxuries, but we had plenty of food - pork in the barrel and potatoes to cook. I used to cook the pork various ways to make it taste good, and I made ginger bread for cake.

Elsie and I both worked at Jennes up in Courtland. We received $2.50 every two weeks. Mother felt badly to have us go out so early to work in other peoples’ homes.

Mother worked outdoors a lot. She set fire to all the stumps on the twenty acres and dug them out. Meanwhile she was busy in church and Sunday school teaching the fundamentals. For years she was Ladies’ Aid president. This was a happy time as their work was for the church and its growth. A coffee table added to their enjoyment. Most of us girls worked in Grand Rapids and loved to come home whenever possible to prayer meetings and on Sundays when we had the Sunday night service.

Around this time Mother became pregnant, and at a great price gave birth to a baby boy - born dead. Dr. Hutchinson came out from Grand Rapids to help as time was limited. Mrs. Lumdin and Mrs. Anderson were there to help. This little boy is buried in our cemetary next to Elsie’s little boy.

A few years later Mother went to Butterworth Hospital for repair surgery. Ruth was a R.N. who specialled Mother. We were all with her and worried. She told us to go home as she was fine. She had a private room where we first met Dr. Demaggd who was an intern there. He always spoke of her great courage and patience and wished some of us were more like her.

She had quite a few years after that as Helen was home and could drive Mother wherever she wanted to go. Carl was married then and went over to Edith’s to live. Their wedding was a big affair.

Mother was always a believer in prayer and many came to her with problems, and they got down on their knees and prayed. Leota can attest to that.

Mother’s illness came on very suddenly. We did not know it was terminal. She spent only a few weeks at Cutlerville. When she came home, she passed away on a Sunday morning. I couldn’t believe she had died.

	We look forward to the resurrection morning when all shadows clear away, and we shall meet again. She always told us that when she saw Jesus she wanted to say, "Here am I with the children you have given me!" May her wish and prayer be a reality. This is our earnest prayer. She was a darling mother, and Heaven’s gain was our loss. We thank God for her and all she meant to us. Her memory is precious, and her works follow her.

The Community of Algoma was deeply saddened on Sunday morning, February 27^th, at the sudden passing of Mrs. Augusta Holm Friske, who has been a most dearly loved friend and neighbor to all who knew her.

Mrs. Frisk was born in Dalsland, Sweden. At a very early age she gave her heart to the Lord while living in Fredicksal, Norway. She came to Chicago, Illinois at the age of 18. (...) She was united in marriage with Chas. L. Frisk on June 16^th, 1894. To this union was born 6 daughters and 2 sons. In the year 1904 (another scrapbook clipping says 1909) the family moved to the present home in Algoma Township.

Mrs. Augusta Frisk of Rockford, Michigan, passed on to be with her Lord and Savior, Sunday, February 27, 1938, at the age of 68 years.

Acknowledgements

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