LIFE STORY
Nellie Gerdrum (1856–1937)
Nellie was named Petronelle Rejersdatter when born in Elverum Parish, Sør-Østerdal district, Hedmark Fylke, Norway, in 1856. Nellie was 28 years old when she married Embret Embretsen Gerdrum on 29 April 1884.
The newlyweds decided to immigrated to America in 1885. By 1889 they had moved to Chicago, Illinois, where their daughter Hilda Ethel was born ( December 1889). Urged by his brother (who had spent some time in the Northwest) to move to this "beautiful country," Embret moved his family first to Tacoma, Washington, then north by boat to the town of New Whatcom. In 1891 they settled their homestead of 130 acres located on Silver Lake in the Mt. Baker foothills of Whatcom County. Washington.
The Gerdurm House built in 1892. Now a museum managed by Black Mountain Forestry Center.
Their first home was a small cabin, which stood behind the present house. Embret began building their permanent, two-story home in 1892. It was constructed of logs hewn from one large cedar tree. This home is now a museum managed by the Black Mountain Forestry Center. Tours of the home are available every weekend between Memorial Day through Labor Day, from 12 noon until 4 pm. Some lodge members are docents at the museum.
Mrs. Gerdrum, trained in Oslo as a midwife, assisted pregnant women living in the Silver Lake area. Mr. Gerdrum was a carpenter, logger and farmer. He established the first resort on Silver Lake in Whatcom County in 1902. They operated the resort until selling it shortly after Hilda Ethel's marriage in 1913. They lived in nearby Bellingham, Washington where, in 1934, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Nellie Gerdrum died on 12 June 1937 and was buried at Greenacres Cemetery in Ferndale, Washington. She was 81 years old. Embret Gerdrum died on 29 November 1947, and was buried next to his beloved wife. Their daughter, Hilda Ethel Gerdrum, married Arthur W. Wittig on 2 April 1913, and the Wittig's daughter Elaine was born in 1923. Elaine married, but died without having any children. Mrs. Hilda Ethel (Gerdrum) Wittig died in 1977, leaving no direct descendants of Nellie Gerdrum.