Henry Rydland

Henry's parents were Johannes and Lina Rydland of Fitjar, Sundhorland,Norway. He was baptized and confirmed in the Fitjar Parish.
His father passed away early in life, leaving Lina with ten children.Henry immigrated to America at the age of sixteen years and lived for twoyears with his brothers Nels and Ben Johnson of St. James, Minnesota.His mother Lina and four sisters and three brothers later immigrated toAmerica. Two of the brothers took the first name of their father assurnames and the remaining members of the family took the name of thefarm in Norway [Rydland]. Lina Rydland died on August 2, 1941 and isburied in the family plot in the Franklin cemetery .
Henry entered the academy department of Augsburg College in Minneapolisin the fall of 1909. He continued into the college department andgraduated with a B. A. degree in 1916. After graduation he taught schoolat Fessenden, North Dakota. He entered Augsburg Theological Seminary andthen transferred to Luther seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota from which hegraduated in 1920. He was ordained and installed as pastor of theLutheran parish at Van Hook, North Dakota and served the parish for twoyears. He then accepted a call to St. Lukes Lutheran Church, Franklin,Minnesota where he served for 15 years. In the spring of 1937 heaccepted a call to Highland Lutheran Church, Peterson, Minnesota. At hisdeath funerals were held in both of these churches and he was buried inthe Franklin cemetery.
Henry met Esther when he was teaching in Fessenden, North Dakota and theywere married in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 10, 1918. While theywere serving the parish in Van Hook, North Dakota, Esther's sister Mariewas introduced to Nils Meland at a church picnic. Henry was also acarpenter and enlisted the help of Nils Meland [who was a lumberman andcarpenter] in the building of the summer cottage on Crystal Lake [nearPelican Rapids where the Meland family lived] Every year the Rydlandfamily spent their summer vacation at Crystal Lake. We children lovedhaving our cousins visit in town and we at the cottage and had many happytimes together.