Christoph Fregien, McIntosh County, North Dakota

Mr. Fregien came from Bessarabia to America in 1888, at 16 years of age. He
landed at Ellendale, purchased oxen and wagon and came to McIntosh County. He
filed on land (I don't know how at sixteen) and in 1890 married Lydia Schierer.
They had 12 children. Quoting from Jubilee Book—"They built a sod house 12x18,
but owned no furniture or dishes. Tin cans picked up at Ellendale were their
cups, and two big boxes were table and cabinet. There was no floor. The ground
also served as their bed. Small boxes were used as chairs. They built an oven of
clay and stones and used hay and weeds as fuel. Bread and coffee (segora) was
their chief living, and water came from a nearby lake." Mr. Fregien is still
living in Ashley and has a collection of early day antiques.


Extracted from:

Along the Trails of Yesterday
A Story of McIntosh County

by

Nina Farley Wishek

Author of 
Roseberries in Autumn

The Ashley Tribune
Froh, Pohl, Moench
1941