Fossum family holds reunion

Submitted by Reunion committee

One hundred years ago, in August 1921, the Ole Fossum family had their first reunion. Ole was 67 and had his birthday picture taken with his first 10 grandchildren that day. He had eight more grandchildren after the 1922 picture.

Two grandchildren, Arlene Hanson Bjornson and Deann Hanson Bakke, born after 1922 were at the reunion.

August 6, 2022 was a warm, and later rainy day at the Hayfield Park. Thanks to Tracy Anderson the pavilion was sparkling clean. A potluck dinner was served to the 29 attending from Albert Lea, Austin, New Brighton, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Chanhassen, Hayfield, Lanesboro, Maple Plain, Northfield, Preston, Waconia, West Concord, and from Texas, Corey Venem.

Deanna Hanson Bakke said the table prayer in Norwegian in honor of Ole. A short business meeting was held. Arlene Hanson Bjornson won a cross-stitched table decoration donated by Renae Bakke as a door prize. Bernett Finley Drawo won a black engraving of a family tree donated by Bakke. A watercolor painting by Arlene Hanson Bjornson was won by Darlene Ausrud Kyllo and Eathen Bennerotte won the children’s door prize which was candy.

Darlene read the Ole Fossum life story and Arlene read the Minnie Fossum Hanson Story. Minnie was Ole’s sister.

Whenever any of Jens Olson Fossum’s children got married he gave them a farm but Minnie didn’t want one. She wanted a hotel so he built a hotel for her and it was the first hotel in Hayfield. Called the Cottage Hotel it stood where the Brownstone Apartments are today.

Later pictures were taken of the descendants of each of Ole’s children. The largest group were the descendants of Hilma Fossum Hanson, Ole’s second youngest daughter.

The Fossms are proud of what their ancestors contributed to the settlement of the community of Hayfield.

Photo:  Submitted Photo The oldest and youngest at the reunion, Arlene Bjornson, 92, and Gabriel Duncan, 7.