Posted here by Gary Gauer April 21 2022

more intro June 8 2022

added family photos Sept 30 2022

Erick E. Nordin

From Dalarna to Lake Lillian

Intro by Gary Gauer

This story is the obituary of a good man named Erick and from a newspaper cliping saved by Gleni, one of his granddaughters. Gleni and I were in the same school classes back in the day and she will still talk about "Pa" sometimes.

Erick was born an Erickson but changed his name eventually because there were so many Ericksons in Sweden and the Lake Lillian area. My mother was an Erickson.

I was 8 when My grandfather August Erickson  died on 1 March 1947.  Read more about him and more of my relatives elsewhere on my site.

 My friend Gleni was 9 when her grandfather Erick Nordin died 25 March 1948.  Gleni is the Grand niece of husband of 1st cousin 2x removed of me, Gary Gauer.

She remembers "Pa" and gave me a copy of his obit which now appears below.

This story is about some Lake Lillian settlers who came from the beautiful Dalarna area NW of Stockholm.

Moje emigrants Years 1869 to 1875

One of the earlier Swedish settlers in 1869 was from a neighborhood called Moje just east of Gagnef.  He was to be my great great grandfather, Larsved Olof Mattson, who settled in section 2 of LL township with his wife, Brita,  and 3 children.  One of his daughters, Anna, was to be my Great grandmother who married John Erickson in 1874.  John had emigrated in 1873 and eventually had land in portions of  LL sections 10 and 11, just South of section 2.  Three of Johns siblings  also came about that time. They were Ole Erickson ( 1846-1910 ), Anna (Blomgren), and Christina ( Mrs Peter Anderson). 

Christina and Peter Anderson emigrated in 1875 with the first 2 of the 6 girls that became known as the “Anderson sisters “.   Wendell Lundquist issued 3  volumes about them  in about 1988-1990.  All 6 married and each had about 10 children to contribute to the community and economy of Lake Lillian.  Those 60+ children were all first cousins among themselves and I remember many of them as adults.   I had little knowledge back then of the family connections. My Family Tree Maker shows them as "first cousins,2x removed" to me.

Mockfjard emigrants in 1883

Now continue to 1883 about 10 years after John Erickson came to LL and to a place in Sweden called Myrholen near Mockfjard.

Mockfjard is SW of Gagnef  along a branch of the Dal river, about 16 km (10 mi)  and today 15 minutes by car or 3 hours by walking .  Mockfjard has its own church that is an annex to the larger and older church at Gagnef. 

The family of Litens Erik Ersson Erickson  came to LL in 1883 with 11 children from  Mockfjard and settled in section 30 of East Lake Lillian township.

Among them were 5 boys including :  Erick Erickson Nordin, Ole E Erickson and Lars Erickson of LL;  Aaron Erickson and Matt Erickson of Niobe ND  .  And 1 girl, Anna, who married  Andrew Ray of Willmar in 1897.

I do not know when Erick changed his last name from Erickson to Nordin while his siblings kept their Erickson name or why he picked Nordin as the name.  But Lake Lillian and Sweden had lots of Erickson names in those days and it is necessary to check family and dates when researching the genealogy.  Erick shows in my Family Tree Maker as a Brother-in-law of first cousin 2x removed from me

And 2 of his brothers, Ole and Lars, married Anderson Sisters.

* another Erick needs more research

Erick E. Nordin

October 13 1867 -- March 25 1948

Erick E. Nordin was born at Mockfjord, Dalarne, Sweden, on October 13, 1867. He was baptized and confirmed in Sweden -and at the age of 15 he came to the United States with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Erick Erickson, and several sisters and brothers. They settled in the Lake Lillian community.

In July of 1897 he was united in marriage with Mary Flann. This ceremony took place in the Old Tromso parsonage, and from that time they continued many years of united effort in the work of that church.

Mr. and Mrs. Nordin built up two farms south of Lake Lillian, where Mr. Nordin lived until 1941 at which time he retired and moved into the village of Lake Lillian.

This home was blessed with three daughters: Myrtle, who is Mrs. P. Huerta of Saltillo, Mexico; Lillian, at home and Rose (deceased) who was Mrs. R. A. Weymouth; and three sons: Harry, Chester and Arthur, all of Lake Lillian. A grand-daughter, Ardith Rose Weymouth, has made her home with him from infancy.

There are 8 other grandchildren. One sister; Mrs. Andrew Ray of Willmar and two brothers, Aron Erickson of Longview, Wash., and Matt Erickson of Niobe, N. D, also survive.

Mr. Nordin's health had been failing for some months and he was further troubled by an injury suffered in a fall, while getting out of bed. He was taken to the hospital on March 17, from whence he was called Home to be with the Lord on March, 25 last, at the age of 80 years and five months.

He was preceded in death by his wife in 1941 and by his daughter, Mrs. Rose Weymouth. in 1933.

Funeral services were held March 29 at 1:30 at the farm home. The song "Children of the Heavenly Father" was sung by the granddaughters, Glenice, Charis, Rose Marie and Mary Ann Nordin, accompanied by Ardith Rose Weymouth.

"The Resurrection Story" was read by Mr. W. A. Helland, acting pastor. A vocal duet "Safe in the Arms of Jesus" was sung by Mrs. H. E. Hawkins and Mrs. Oliver Riedel.

Services continued at the Grace Lutheran church where the Rev. G. A. Almquist of Sand Creek Wis. ,former pastor and friend of  the family, officiated. Mr. Helland sang "Saved by Grace." Pastor Almquist used as his text three scripture passages: "He will rise again, fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith" and "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Only a child like faith in Christ's atonement will give us everlasting life.

The Rev. A. D. Freden of the First Lutheran church spoke briefly on the warm friendship between him and Mr. Nordin. A message from the Rev. Sigurd Berg, now of Battle Lake, Minn., Was read. It included the Bible verse "Now lettest thy servant depart in peace."

A telegram from Myrtle Nordin Huerta referred to Psalm 16, which was read by Mr. Helland. Edward Erickson sang „"Shall We Gather at the River."

Pallbearers were H. E. Hawkins, Arthur M. Johnson, August Carlson, Johnny Jacobson, Henning Bomsta and John Leeberg.

The large number of friends which filled the church and overflowed to the lower auditorium. was evidence of the love and esteem for Mr. Nordin, one of the oldest citizens of the community. "Nearer My God to Thee" was sung by Mrs. Arthur Petterson, Mrs. Palmer Flann and Ed Erickson, at the cemetery. 

Memorials amounting to three hundred twenty-five dollars were given to missions and the church by 'friends and relatives.

Those from a distance who attended the funeral included Mat Erickson of Niobe, N.D.; Mrs. Albert Bengtson of Kimball; Mrs.C. Mattson of Duluth; Mrs.. J. L Rivard of St. Cloud; Mrs. Esther Ward and Carroll. Bengtson, Mr and Mrs. R. A. Weymouth and son of Minneapolis; Mrs. C. A. Swan of Litchfield; Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Kalberg of Hector in addition to several from Willmar, Bird Island and Atwater. Erick Nordin was an example to all who knew him. In the home he lived a life of love and kindness.

He always led the family devotions daily thruout the years, The door was always open to friend and stranger. One could find several pastors and other christian workers lodged in that home at one time.

In the church he showed an active personal interest in all of God's work in all denominations. His support of this work was unselfish and faithful. His deep love for the work of the Lord was rewarded by the calling forth of one of his own children, Myrtle Nordin Huerta, to the mission field. first in Colombia, South America, and now in Mexico. This work held a special place in his heart.

Everyone who knew Mr. Nordin felt a deep love for him and a keen sense of personal loss, now that he is gone. He was affectionately known as "Pa" not only to his family, but to all the neighbors, young and old. He was a father to all the youth, a brother -to all who loved, the Lord. No more true picture could be drawn of his life than that which the Bible gives us of Enoch: he "walked with God and he was not; for God took him." Blessed me his memory amongst us.

The Lord said "You have finished Come up higher," father dear.You have won a crown in Heaven By your faithfulness down here.

 We know that we shall meet you When our journey here is o'er. How fondly we will greet you, For we'll meet to part no more.

The flowers we lay upon your grave May wither and decay, But our love for you dear father, Will never fade away.

Family photos 

Family photos below were recently sent to me by Gleni and not part of the above obituary.