The University of Iowa Libraries

Rosa Knutson was born on December 10, 1867 to Ingebor Olsdatter Knutson and Helge Knutson. Rosa Knutson's parents were born in Norway. They immigrated to the United States in 1861 with a son, Knut, and a daughter, Gro, settling near McGregor, Iowa, where Helge's aunt lived. Rosa Knutson was the fourth child born to her parents in Iowa. The seventh of ten children, Rosa was the only daughter to reach adulthood, along-side three of her brothers. The Knutsons were farm people and in 1872 her father bought a farm in Humboldt County that remained in the family until 1954.

On June 3, 1888 Rosa Knutson married James Gangestad. They lived their entire married life on a farm they purchased in 1888 near Goldfield, Iowa. They had two sons and five daughters. James Gangestad died in December 1930; his wife Rosa died in May 1943. According to Gangestad family history, Rosa Gangestad was asked to provide a family history and reminiscences of her life by her young grandson in the 1930s. The result of that request, "History of the Helge Knutson Family," forms the bulk of the Rosa Knutson Gangestad papers.

The Rosa Knutson Gangestad papers are undated and measure 1 linear inch. They consist of the "History of the Helge Knutson Family" in various forms: Rosa Gangestad's handwritten drafts of her reminiscences, photocopies of the original drafts, and an edited version by Rosa Gangestad's daughter, Clara Helena Gangestad Liljedahl, with a postscript by another daughter, Isadore Gangestad Oppedahl. According to Clara Liljedahl's daughter, Margaret Liljedahl Wagner, Clara rewrote her mother Rosa's reminiscences to correct the English grammar. Margaret Wagner also states that it was her brother who asked his grandmother to write a family history..

The "History of the Helge Knutson Family" consists of stories and letters Rosa Knutson Gangestad wrote to describe her family's history and life in nineteenth century Iowa. The draft is divided into three chapters describing Knutson family history and Gangestad's general life, a section titled "Indian stories," and a section titled "Dear Grandchildren." Gangestad wrote about harsh weather conditions, encounters with wild animals, and other aspects of pioneer life.

Access: The papers are open for research.

Use: Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to The University of Iowa.

Acquisition: The papers (donor no. 733) were donated by Margaret Liljedahl Wagner in 2000.

Preferred Citation: Rosa Knutson Gangestad papers, Iowa Women's Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City.

Repository:	Iowa Women's Archives
Address:	100 Main Library University of Iowa Libraries Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone:	319-335-5068
Curator:	Kären Mason
Email:	lib-women@uiowa.edu
Website:	http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa

This collection is indexed under the following subject terms.

Personal Names:
Gangestad, Rosa Knutson, 1867-1943

Dates:
19th century
20th century

Topics:
Frontier and pioneer life
Family life
Norwegian American women
Norwegian Americans
Farm life
Rural families
Rural women

Occupations:
Farmers
Pioneers

Geographic Names:
Humboldt County (Iowa)
Wright County (Iowa)

Genre/Form of Materials:
Memoirs
Archives
Personal papers

Family Names:
Knutson family

Browse:
Autobiographical Resources: Diaries, Memoirs and Oral Histories
Nineteenth Century Women
Rural and Farm Women