Ole (Andresen) Quail (1858 - abt. 1937)

Born 31 Mar 1858 in Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Husband of Mathilde (Olsdatter) Quail — married 11 Jul 1884 in Sinai, Brookings, South Dakota, United States

Died about 1937 at about age 78 in Sinai, Brookings, South Dakota, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Cheryl Skordahl [send private message]

Biography

Ole (Andresen) Quail migrated from Norway to South Dakota, USA.

Ole Andreason was born in Valdres, Norge on March 31, 1858; to parents Andres E. Kvil and Marit Oledatter Quale. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith by Rev. Vinsness in the Lomes Church in Norway. He attended school in Norway and during the summers he worked on his father's farm and on the sæter until the age of eighteen. ("sæter" is an upland area that is used for grazing animals.)^[1]

Ole and one of his brothers are the only ones from his family who migrated to the United States. Ole left Norway on May 12, 1876 when he was aged 18 and arrived at Decorah, Iowa in June where an aunt lived, Marit Kvil. Ole stayed in Decorah area and worked for farmers until he was 21 when he and a cousin, Ivar G. Fristad, left for Dakota Territory in 1879. From Calmar, Iowa to Sioux Falls they traveled by train then by stage coach to Medary, south of Brookings, South Dakota. The rest of the way to Oslo Township, they walked to their cousin's homestead whose name was Knud K. Quail. It was this cousin, Knud who encouraged Ole to change his name from Kvil to Quail. Knud said there were too many Andersons and Kvil sounded too Norwegian.^[1]

After a few days Ole and Ivar walked west to look for land; settling on Section 14, Township 109 (Lake Sinai) Range 52. Ole took the N. E. 1/4 and Fristad the N.W. 1/4 of the same section and registered with the Government Land Office in April 1879 using the Homestead Act of 1862. When his cousin died, Ole bought the land and then filed to the government using the Timber Culture Act. He built a dugout into the side of a hill made of sod and slough grass with a roof of willow branches; a door and window in the south side.^[1]

In 1881 he built a sod house, 14' by 16' with a 7' by 16' wood addition. That fall he bought a team of horses and in 1882 he bought a threshing machine run by horse power.^[1]

Ole married Mathilda Olsdatter Borsvold on July 11, 1884; Rev. Borge, officient. Their attendants were Mr. and Mrs. Nickoli Borsvold. Mathilda had been born in Toten, Norway on January 18, 1862 and was baptized there by Rev. Magelson. Her parents were Ole and Helena Borsvold who had migrated to Spring Valley, Fillmore County, Minnesota in 1869. They arrived in Dakota Territory the fall of 1880.^[1]

Ole and Mathilda lived in the dug out where their two older children, Augusta and Helmer were born. Then they lived in the sod house Ole had built; and in 1888 Ole built a frame house that was 14' by 24 '. As the family grew, additional rooms were added.^[1]

When Anton Borsvold moved his store to the town of Sinai in 1907, he and Ole Quail became partners; the store was called "A. Borsvold & Company." The split the partnership and sold the store about 1916.^[1]

Ole's land was just north of the Sinai School. in 1922 the family moved into Sinai with their oldest son, Helmer working the farm for the next six years.^[1]

Ole was a member of the Valdres Samband and an avid reader of the Decorah Posten.^[1]

Ole is listed in the 1935 South Dakota census as a 77 year old retired white male born in Norway in 1858, 59 years in the U. S. and 58 years in South Dakota; and married in 1884. Both of his parents were born in Norway. His church affiliation is Lutheran; he has a common education, no military service.^[2]

Ole Quail died in 1937 at the age of 79 years and was buried in the West Cemetery, Sinai, Brookings County, South Dakota, United States.^[3]After Ole died, Mathilda spent her later years in the home of her daughter Mrs. August (Esther) Mathison, until her death in 1942. She too was buried in the Sinai West Cemetery.^[1]

Children:

1. Augusta b. 1885, d. 1904.^[4]
2. Helmer^[5]
3. Albert^[6]
4. Hilda^[7]
5. George O.^[8]
6. Alvin^[9]
7. Carl^[10]
8. Esther m. August Mathison.
9. M. Harold
10. G. Adolph^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Sylvia Langum. "History of the Sinai Community 1879-1979, Sinai, South Dakota" p. 275-281 (in the possession of Cheryl (Aldrich-908) Skordahl.
2. ↑ "South Dakota State Census, 1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3GS-DLFQ-QK?cc=1614831&wc=MJ45-PTL%3A1041666601 : 21 May 2014), 004446381 > image 2356 of 3571; State Historical Society, Pierre.
3. ↑ "South Dakota, Grave Registration Records, 1940-1941", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WCXS-S5T2 : 4 August 2019), Ole A Quail, .
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94885984/augusta-quail: accessed 25 April 2023), memorial page for Augusta Quail (1885–1904), Find a Grave Memorial ID 94885984, citing West Sinai Lutheran Cemetery, Sinai, Brookings County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by Valerie Lawrence (contributor 47334456).
5. ↑ "South Dakota, Department of Health, Index to Births 1843-1914 and Marriages 1950-2016," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKDD-45QJ : 11 February 2018), Ole Quail in entry for Helmer Quail, 07 Apr 1887; citing Birth, Brookings, South Dakota, United States, South Dakota Department of Health, Pierre.
6. ↑ "South Dakota, Department of Health, Index to Births 1843-1914 and Marriages 1950-2016," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKD8-23M3 : 11 February 2018), Ole Quail in entry for Albert Quail, 14 Jul 1889; citing Birth, Brookings, South Dakota, United States, South Dakota Department of Health, Pierre.
7. ↑ "South Dakota, Department of Health, Index to Births 1843-1914 and Marriages 1950-2016," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKD8-23M3 : 11 February 2018), Ole Quail in entry for Albert Quail, 14 Jul 1889; citing Birth, Brookings, South Dakota, United States, South Dakota Department of Health, Pierre.
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94885923/george-w-quail: accessed 25 April 2023), memorial page for George W Quail (1893–11 Oct 1918), Find a Grave Memorial ID 94885923, citing West Sinai Lutheran Cemetery, Sinai, Brookings County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by Valerie Lawrence (contributor 47334456).
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40816923/olaf-alvin-quail: accessed 25 April 2023), memorial page for Olaf Alvin Quail (1895–16 Sep 1963), Find a Grave Memorial ID 40816923, citing Toronto Cemetery, Toronto, Deuel County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by AenneLa (contributor 48548982).
10. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/118232082/carl-b-quail: accessed 25 April 2023), memorial page for Carl B Quail (6 Feb 1898–31 Aug 1960), Find a Grave Memorial ID 118232082, citing First Lutheran Cemetery, Brookings, Brookings County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by M Gilbertson (contributor 47413631).
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131306668/gustav-adolph-quail: accessed 25 April 2023), memorial page for Gustav Adolph Quail (11 Sep 1906–20 Jun 1995), Find a Grave Memorial ID 131306668, citing West Sinai Lutheran Cemetery, Sinai, Brookings County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by M Gilbertson (contributor 47413631).

See also:

• "South Dakota State Census, 1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM4D-T2D : 8 March 2021), O A Quail; citing 139, State Historical Society, Pierre; FHL microfilm 2,368,996.
• "South Dakota State Census, 1905," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM4K-7BT : 6 April 2020), O A Quail, South Dakota, United States; citing State Historical Society, Pierre; FHL microfilm 2,217,977.