Martha Lyseng born in 1883 at Clinton, Minnesota, second child and eldest daughter of Knut and
Marit Lyseng. received her education at Clinton and moved with her family to Canada at the age of 19.

In 1906 she married Mr. Eilert Knudtson.

In 1893 Eilert Knudtson left Molde, Norway for the United States. His mother shed a few tears as she
packed his belongings and his youngest brother Edward wept as he bade farewell, but Eilert assured
them there was no reason to cry. He fir-st of all left in a small boat which took him to a ship. He landed in Detroit and went to visit his aunt in Sisseton, South Dakota. He spent several years in both North and South Dakota, at which time he may have met the Lysengs.

In 1905 Eilert immigrated to Canada and filed on a homestead five miles north of Donalda. In 1906 he
married Martha Lyseng, eldest daughter of Knut K. Lyseng, Armena.

Their first home was a tar-paper shack twelve feet by fourteen feet. Their mode of transportation was by wagon or sleigh pulled by oxen. They belonged to Bethany Lutheran Church north of Donalda and their school (Ibsen) was located one mile east of their homestead. Eilert was an ex ceptionally large man and was very strong being able to lift weights of several hundred pounds.

The Knudtsons farmed at Donalda for many years and raised eight children. Martha was a wonderful mother and also gave much of herself to her church, even though she was not very robust. In 1926
she died giving birth to her ninth child who also died and was buried with the mother.

In 1927 Eilert made his first trip home to Norway to renew acquaintances with his sister and brothers. His parents were deceased. For some years Eilert was a lay-reader in his church and later became a colporteur, and distributed bibles and other christian literature over a wide area.

Four years after Martha's death Eilert married Anna Katherine Ness, a widow, who took care of the
household for several years until her passing in the 1940's.

Martha and Eilert had eight living children: Sophie, Kenneth, Eileen, Inga, Hans, Gordon, Olga
and Ruby. The children were educated at the Ibsen School. Sophie took high school and Normal training in Camrose, and became a teacher for a few years then married Mr. Jack Gerlinger of Lymburn, Alberta. They operated a general store and Post Office, and raised five children: Lorraine Seehagle, Janet Siegle, Nancy Starling, Irene Gabert and one son John. Sophie and Jack retired to Edmonton, where they enjoy various hobbies, their children and several grandchildren.

Eileen and Inga took employment in Calgary for a number of years, and Olga took up nursing as a
career, during which time Mrs. Knudtson took care of Ruby who required special care, until Mrs. Knudtson's death.

Eilert soon retired from farming and he and the four girls made their home in Calgary. Eilert passed way in 1959 at the age of 82.

Inga passed away in 1976.

The three girls Eileen, Olga and Ruby still live in the Calgary home.

Eilert's two younger boys Hans and Gordon farm near Donalda. Hans farms the homestead but does not live on it. He married Anne Marie Johnson and they have four children, three boys Allen, Arthur and Raul (who is married and has one child) and one daughter Lois who married Alvin Sorenson of Holden, in 1980.

One son was killed in a tragic accident. Gordon lives just south of Bethany Church and has been involved through the years, at the present time, 1982, being President of the Congregation. He
married Leitha Felzen of Forestburg, and they have six children. Carol married Joseph Goralitz and lives in Lousana, Alberta. Daniel and Judy, Dennis and Ruby Hagen, a teacher, Robert and Cathy Allen all live on farms north of Donalda. Lester and Barbara live at Sylvan Lake and Lester works in Red Deer. Corrine and Rodney Roste live in Vancouver. There are nine grandchildren.