M. E. HAMMER Whenever one thinks about the history of the dot on the map called Heiberg, several names come to mind, and certainly one of them is Hammer. The Hammer family, MIKE (MONS) and CARRIE and their children EDWIN, ANNETTE and CHRISTINE are undoubtedly the only family to have lived and owned property in the valley for 80 years without interruption. One wonders why people, coming from Norway, chose to settle in certain areas. Coming to this country with a miller's background, the attraction to the Heiberg Mill was natural for Mr. Hammer. Mike Hammer, son of Esten and Anna Hammer, was born in Trondheim, Norway on October 22, 1865. In 1883 at the age of 18, he emigrated to Menomonee, Wiscon,sin. It is believed he worked as a wood cutter and in the saw mills in that area until he came to the Home Lake area of Norman County in 1892. The Dalhaugs of that area were friends from Norway, and it was there he met Carrie Rinde. who later became his wife. Carrie Rinde. daughter of Helgi and Kari Rinde. was born in Rice County, Minnesota in 1870. The Rindes moved to the Home Lake area of Norman County in 1878, and on December 30, 1893. M. E. Hammer and Carrie Rinde were united in marnage. During the early years of their marriage, Mike and Carrie Hammer lived in three different locations in Heiberg, with one of their children being born in each one. The first child, a son Edwin, was born on November 22, 1894 when they lived in back of the old Stenseth Store. The second child, a daughter Annette, was born in a log house just across from the old Heiberg Mill on July 21, 1898. The third child, a daughter Christine, was born on February 25, 1901 in the new house on the north side of the Wild Rice River. This house was built about 1900 and is still owned and occupied by Christine Hammer. Mr. Hammer worked as a miller in the Heiberg Roller Mill from the time he was married until 1903. He then took a job in the Twin Valley Roller Mill, where he worked until it closed. In the later years, after World War 1. he worked on a part-time basis along with his small farm and community activities. Mr. Hammer usually walked to and from work on the railroad grade, and it was a familiar sight seeing him hoofing it to Twin Valley and back home agam. Mr. Hammer was well-known over a wide area and is remembered for his public and community activities. In 1929 Mr. Hammer was elected Wild Rice Township Clerk, a position he held until his death on May 13 1956. Prior to that time, and in conjunction with his duties as Township Clerk, he also served a number of years as Wild Rice Township Assessor. He was also a member of the District 37 School Board for many years, and one of the founders and secretary-treasurer of the Wild Rice Telephone Company from its beginning to end. Mr. Hammer also had a keen interest in crops and plants and was a member of the Minnesota Horticultural Society for over 40 years. The Hammers, like most farmers at that time. had a stable with a couple of horses. a few cows and a flock of chickens. TheY provided transportation and power, as well as meat and eggs. A large garden. a few acres of crop and livestock feed all went together to provide the family with a good life in a picturesque setting. Mrs. Hammer was very active in the United Lutheran Ladies' Aid of Twin Valley and she also achieved quite a reputation as a quilt maker. The Minneapolis Tribune carried a picture and feature story on her, relating the fact that she had made over one hundred quilts. For years she entered her handiwork in the Fertile Fair in Fertile, Minnesota, where she was a consistent winner of the Blue Ribbon. It was one of her great enjoyments to give her handiwork to her friends and relatives. The Northern Pacific railway tracks originally came through the Hammer farm, with the tracks running about 150 feet west of the house and some of the most memorable occasions for the family concerns the railway. One was the contract the family had to take the mail pouch from the post office at the Stenseth Store and hang it along the track for the train to pick up on the run. The task was performed daily by all of the children at one time or another and was continued after the track was moved to its present location t/« mile east of the Hammer house. The other event the family recalls was the big flood of 1909, which washed out a large section of the track about an eighth of a mile north of the house. The water came within a few feet of the house and caused a great deal of concern among all the residents of the valley. The track repair necessitated the moving in of a large number of men and equipment to rebuild the several hundred feet of track which had been destroyed by the flood. >From the early 30s until his death in 1954. William (Bill) Haugen assisted with the farming and made his home with the Hammers. Mr. Haugen was a former railroad employee. He purchased and rented some additional farm land, which he cropped for a number of years. With the assistance of Bill and their youngest daughter., Christine, the Hammers were able to maintain their residence on the farm until their death when they were both over 90 years of age.