Menvil P. Imsdahl
Born on November 4, 1899 on the family farm 7 miles south of Brooten, MN
Died on April 18, 1983 at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, MN (he was living at their home in Brooten, MN at the time)
Father: Peder G. Imsdahl
Mother: Marit Imsdahl
Wife: Mabel E. Arenson
Son: Montelle J. Imsdahl, born 11-28-1925, died 8-4-2021
Son: Robert, born 6-18-1930
Daughter: Joanne, born 11-18-1935

Menvil Peter Imsdahl was my grandfather. There are a number of family trees listed on Ancestry.com that have Menvil's father listed as either Peter G. Imsdahl, or as Peder Gudbrandsen Hallum from Hallum Brekkom Oppland Norway. Peder and his siblings changed their name to Imsdahl after they immigrated to America. These family trees also list Menvil's mother as Marit Hansdatter Huslokken, daughter of Hans Engebretsen Morkehagen from Morkehagen Ringebu Oppland Norway. Marit's parents and siblings also took the name Imsdahl after immigrating to America.

Menvil married Mabel Evelyna Arenson on Tuesday June 23, 1925 at the home of Mabel's mother, Ida (Evenson) Arenson. Mabel's father George Arenson had already passed away seven years earlier. A newspaper clipping announcing the marriage said there were about 25 guests who attended. After the wedding, they went on a trip to Itasca Park, International Falls, and Canada.

Menvil was a salesmen and manager of the large Farmers Cooperative Mercantile Company store in Brooten until it burned down about 1928. Menvil and Carl Nelsen then went into partnership and operated a large grocery store kiddie corner across from the old Brooten State Bank. After the partnership dissolved, Menvil started his own grocery store next to the creamery. This store also burned. My dad remembers sitting in the building that night with John Jacobsen (the police officer in Brooten) to avoid pillage. Menvil then moved his remaining stock to the old Conoco warehouse across the road until another building was readied for the store. The new store was just behind his first farmer's store building, next to the alley.

In 1942, Menvil moved his family to Michigan to work in a defense factory. Menvil and Albert Anderson took an old Model A and a few dollars to get them to Muskegon Michigan. The rest of the family came shortly thereafter. After the war in 1946, they moved back to Brooten. Menvil was also an electrician for a short while and then worked in a steel plant before retiring.

I remember driving to Brooten with my Dad when my grandfather was sick, and then following the ambulance to the hospital in Willmar with my cousins Randy and Melanie. He died later that evening.

Menvil and Mabel Imsdahl wedding, June 23, 1925

1927 - Back: Montelle Imsdahl, Menvil Imsdahl, Mabel Arenson-Imsdahl, Eleanor Arenson, Floyd Robinson, Jack Baker, Clarence Arenson
Front: Dolores Arenson, James Arenson, Dorothy Robinson, Kathryn Robinson, Hazel Arenson-Baker, Ronald Baker, Ida Robinson, Violet Robinson, Cora Arenson, Mildred Arenson, Frances Arenson, Merlyn Arenson
Source: www.theevensonfamily.net

1961 - Menvil and Mabel with their grandkids.

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