Margaret Olga Aldahl (1902-1972)

Margaret Olga Aldahl was born on 21 Jan 1902 at home in Lansing, Mower, Minnesota as the eleventh child of Lars Olson Aldahl and Caroline Hilson. She had eleven siblings, namely: Johanna Ragnila, George Oscar, Clara Marie, Selmer Ludvig, Ida Bertina, Hilda Melvina, Judith Ronellie “Nellie,” Olga Mathilda (who died young), Noel Clarence Ruben, Joseph Tilman, and Martha Cornelia. Margaret was baptized as an infant on 20 Apr 1902 in Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Austin, Mower, Minnesota. She was confirmed on 11 Nov 1917 in Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church. She grew up on the family farm in Lansing Township, Mower County, Minnesota. Her dad was an immigrant from Norway, so Norwegian was spoken in their home when she was growing up. As you can see in her baptism record, Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church still kept their records in Norwegian too.

Because they grew up in the same community, Margaret always knew Bennett Nils Christianson. Margaret told that when they courted, “Ben” as she called him in the story, always brought her Juicy Fruit gum, but she actually never liked Juicy Fruit gum.  Supposedly, when they got to a certain age, they decided that since all their friends were getting married, they should marry too. When she was 28, Margaret married Bennett Nils Christianson, son of Christian Bennett Christianson and Bertha H Stemson, on 21 May 1930 in Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Austin, Mower, Minnesota. Because Margaret’s mother was ill, the couple had to have their wedding at the church instead of at the Aldahl farm.

Bennett Nils Christianson and Margaret Olga Aldahl had three sons:

1. Merlin Bennett Christianson. He married Bertha Ann Becher.
2. David Jerome Christianson. He married Donna Rae Estes.
3. LaVern Charles Christianson. He married Carol Marie Hewitt.

Margaret and Bennett lived on their farm in Newry Township, Freeborn, Minnesota. Margaret tended her garden, raised chickens and picked eggs, and filled her days with the other endless work of a farm wife. She was also active at the school’s mother’s club and at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church.

Margaret raised her boys and saw them marry.

Despite marrying relatively late and not being a grandma until she was 60, she got to meet eight of her nine grandchildren before her death.

Since Margaret raised only boys, I like to think that she was especially excited that her first grandchild was a girl. She was a wonderful grandma!

Margaret Olga Aldahl Christianson died on 09 May 1972 in Austin, Mower, Minnesota. She was only 70-years old. She was buried on 12 May 1972 in Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church Cemetery, Austin, Mower, Minnesota.

Where is she in the tree?

How can I learn more?

If you want to learn more, the Christianson and Aldahl books will be of interest.

The Christianson book has a chapter devoted to Margaret Olga Aldahl and her husband, Bennett Nils Christianson. Plus, Margaret’s maternal grandmother was a Christianson, so that lineage is covered in this book.

The Christianson Family

The Aldahl book covers Margaret’s paternal lineage. It too contains a section on Margaret and Bennett.

The Aldahl Family