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The Hammer Family

Frederick Hammer, his wife Anna and their seven children emigrated from Norway to America in 1881. It appears their surname in Norway may have been Larson. Anna's maiden name was Stori. They settled in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Shortly after their arrival, Frederick was injured from falling off a roof and later died.

The children of Frederick and Anna Hammer were:

• Ludvig Hammer
• Inger Hammer
• Oliva Hammer
• Bertha Hammer
• John Hammer
• Karen Hammer
• Olaf Hammer

Theodore Berg

Theodore Berg emigrated from Norway to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, in 18xx. It is believed that Theodore was good friends with Ludvig Hammer prior to their travels to America. There were also many cousins and relatives living in the Fergus Falls area.

• Otter Tail County records show very large numbers of residents came from Norway

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

Their first born, a boy named Edwin F. Berg, was born in April of 1887. This was followed two years later, in 1889, by the birth of their daughter, Alma X Berg. Both Ed and Alma were born in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

Sometime in the fall of 1891, Theo and Oliva died and the two children were taken in by Oliva's relatives, Inger Hammer Ramstad and Ludvig Ramstad.

Inger (Inga) Hammer Ramstad

After his parents died in 1891, Ed Berg went to live with his Aunt Inga and Inga's husband, Louie Ramstad. Inga was Oliva Hammer's sister. The Ramstads lived in Duluth.

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

Inga Hammer married Lars H. "Louie" Ramstad in Duluth, Minnesota, in February, 1890. Inga and Louie Ramstad had one son of their own, but he died very shortly after birth. They also had two daughters, Lillian, born in December, 1898 and Beatrice Ada Ramstad, born in 1902.

As Ed Berg grew toward adulthood, he took on the surname Ramstad, the same name as his adopted Mother and Father, Inga and Louie Ramstad.

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

Edwin F Ramstad, formerly Edwin F Berg

In 1914 Ed married Ethel Marie Margaret Smith, the daughter of Peter Smith and Amanda Carlson Smith. Peter was originally from Denmark, arriving in the US in 1883; Amanda came to America from Sweden in 1886.

There were also two male siblings of Ethel and Elfva, born to Peter and Amanda Smith, but both died early in their childhood. Ernest died at age one and a half, Gustav died at age 6 months, both prior to the turn of the century.

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, in 19XX.

1920 US Census - Ed Ramstad, age 31; Ethel Ramstad, 26; Dorothy Ramstad, 2.

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

Ed and Ethel's other daughter, Elfva, married Mason Forbes, who was a district attorney for Saint Louis County, before later moving his family to live in California.

Karen "Carrie" Hammer

In 1893, Carrie Hammer, another Aunt of Ed and Alma Berg, married Louis Wicklem in Duluth. After their September 16th wedding, Carrie and Louis lived in West Duluth. Two years later Louis Wicklem died, leaving his wife and one daughter, Ruby.

Carrie later married Robert Mitchell, the second marriage for both. In subsequent years Robert formed a partnership with Louie Ramstad, Ed's adopted father, in the Building Construction Contracting business.

Alma Berg first went to live with her Aunt Carrie Hammer in Duluth, then shortly after moved again to live with her uncle, Ludvig Hammer, and his wife, Gina, in Minneapolis.

Ludvig Hammer