Person:Helen Hagen (1)

Helen was born in Duluth, MN in 1906 and by 1910 had gone with her parents and older brother, Oscar, and younger brother, Olney, to live in Ostre Toten, Norway. Her parents had emigrated from there earlier; Annie in March of 1904 and Oscar in October of the same year. They originally went to Mabel, MN in Fillmore Co. where they were married and Oscar, Jr. was born, and later to Duluth. I believe Annie had Grotberg relatives in Mabel at the time. Oscar had an uncle by the name of Ostdahl living in Duluth so I assume that's the reason for the move to that city sometime after Oscar's birth in 1905 and before Helen's in 1906. Annie gave birth to twins in Nov. of 1908 but they both died in infancy. One of them, a boy they named Ewald, died in Feb. of 1909 but I have still not found a record of the death of the other. Family stories told that one twin died shortly after birth and the other about a year old and possibly from drowning. They stayed in Norway at least a couple of years, returning to MN in April of 1912. Helen's brother, Alf, was born in Norway. While in Norway they lived in a house called Nystuen on the Grotberg family farm. Upon their return to the U.S. their destination on the ship's list was shown as Duluth to stay with the uncle, Ostdahl.

By 1915 they were in the state of Washington where, according to the 1920 census, Helen's sister, Esther, was born. I think there were relatives there.

So. St. Paul Reporter-October 13, 1930

Hagen-Derr Wedding

A prettily appointed wedding of the fall season was solemnized Saturday evening, October 4, when Miss Helen Hagen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. Hagen, 1278 Wesley avenue, St. Paul became the bride of Douglas S. Derr, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Derr of South Park, in the Clark Memorial Congregational church. The marriage vows were exchanged before the altar banked with autumn foliage and flowers. Preceding the ceremony Shirley Curry, an uncle of the bridegroom sang "I Love You Truly" and "The Hour That Gave Me You." He was accompanied by Mrs. Eugene Henry, a sister of the bridegroom played the Lohengrin wedding march as the bridal party entered the church. As a recessional she played Mendelssohn's wedding march. The ceremony was performed at 8:00 o'clock by Rev. Silas A. Meckel of Minneapolis, former pastor of the church. Joseph Zwinger of this city was Mr. Derr's best man. Oscar Hagen, Jr., and Eugene Henry were the ushers. Miss Agnes Anderson of St. Paul, the maid of honor, wore a gown of deep yellow flat crepe, combined with tulle. Her flowers were an arm bouquet of pink roses. Next in line came the flower girl, Phyllis Snyder, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Snyder of Owatonna, Minn. She wore a frock of orchid georgette and carried a basket of pink rosebuds and baby breath. The bride was attired in white georgette over satin, very simply made. The bodice was close fitting with a yoke of real lace and the skirt was full and almost floor length. Her long veil of tulle was worn simply in cap fashion, caught at the back and sides with tiny bunches of orange blossoms. Bride's roses and baby breath made up the bridal bouquet. After the ceremony a wedding supper was served to members of the immediate families at the home of the bride's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Derr will make their home on Sixteenth avenue north.