World War I Veteran
Private, Company M, 138th Infantry
Wounded by shrapnel in France
Purple Heart
Robert "Bob" Waldemar Safstrom (1887-1968)
Bob was born in Sweden to Andrew and Anna Maria (Persdotter) Safstrom and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1903, settling in the Gwinner, North Dakota area. While in school Robert developed a love of math and numbers, and this led to his father's support to attend the American Business School in Minneapolis, Minnesota for training in accounting. Returning to Gwinner, Bob worked as an accountant for Safstrom & Ek Hardware. The Safstrom in question was Bob's older brother Fridolf, and the Ek was his brother-in-law John.
At age 31, on March 29th, 1918 Robert enlisted in the United States Army. He was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa for training, and assigned to Company Q, 4th Battalion, of the 163rd Depot Brigade. Like many recruits trained at Camp Dodge, he was soon reassigned. After three short weeks in Iowa, he was sent to Camp Mills on Long Island where he was transferred to Company M, 138th Regiment, 35th Division, and shipped overseas. Wounded by shrapnel to his left shoulder from an exploding shell, September 26th, 1918, on the front lines at Meuse-Argonne, he made his own way, walking past Red Cross stations with no ambulances, to find a hospital with an open bed. Following surgery he spent 67 days at bed rest before starting the long pilgrimage home. He earned his Purple Heart and was discharged through Fort Snelling in Minneapolis.
Bob Safstrom kept a diary that spans from the day he left North Dakota until his discharge, detailing his personal account of service in the Great War. It is published under the title A Private's Diary: The World War I Diary of Robert W. Safstrom, ISBN-13:9781502317537.
After the war, Robert returned to Gwinner and his accounting job at Safstrom & Ek. In 1922 he ran for and won the election for Sargent County Auditor, a position he held continuously until retirement in 1959. As County Auditor he was responsible for assessments, taxes, all the county's financial transactions, apportionment of county and township funds, fishing and hunting licenses, and even hail insurance.
In 1928 Robert married Rose Elizabeth Hollstein (1893-1988). Their three children, James Robert, Betty Ruth, and Donna Mae, were born in Forman. Daughter Betty writes "I never remember Papa displaying anger at anyone. He had a great sense of humor, was very outgoing, and enjoyed being with people. Everyone liked my dad and the feeling was mutual. I guess that's why he took his campaigning for office every two years so seriously and was always ready to stop in any little cafe in the county just to have a cup of coffee and meet people." The people of Sargent County trusted Bob Safstrom, and he helped more than a few get through the Great Depression. "I never knew anyone with as much honesty and integrity as Papa", continues Betty. A man of many interests like golf, fishing, and baseball, Bob was also a gifted musician. He had a knack for learning new instruments and his bass singing voice was in demand for local quartets and choirs.
In his later years, with arthritis limiting his activity, Bob spent more time reading, watching baseball and the news on television, and helping Rose tend the garden. He roamed the countryside checking on the farmland they purchased and rented out. He remained active and sharp until the end, which came in his sleep after a brief respiratory ailment at age 81 at his home in Forman. Two years later, in 1970, Rose moved to Rochester, Minnesota, and bought a house next door to her daughter Donna. She died there in 1988. Robert and Rose, like most of the Safstrom family, are buried in Gwinner Cemetery.
[Chad Justesen 2014]
Private, Company M, 138th Infantry
Wounded by shrapnel in France
Purple Heart
Robert "Bob" Waldemar Safstrom (1887-1968)
Bob was born in Sweden to Andrew and Anna Maria (Persdotter) Safstrom and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1903, settling in the Gwinner, North Dakota area. While in school Robert developed a love of math and numbers, and this led to his father's support to attend the American Business School in Minneapolis, Minnesota for training in accounting. Returning to Gwinner, Bob worked as an accountant for Safstrom & Ek Hardware. The Safstrom in question was Bob's older brother Fridolf, and the Ek was his brother-in-law John.
At age 31, on March 29th, 1918 Robert enlisted in the United States Army. He was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa for training, and assigned to Company Q, 4th Battalion, of the 163rd Depot Brigade. Like many recruits trained at Camp Dodge, he was soon reassigned. After three short weeks in Iowa, he was sent to Camp Mills on Long Island where he was transferred to Company M, 138th Regiment, 35th Division, and shipped overseas. Wounded by shrapnel to his left shoulder from an exploding shell, September 26th, 1918, on the front lines at Meuse-Argonne, he made his own way, walking past Red Cross stations with no ambulances, to find a hospital with an open bed. Following surgery he spent 67 days at bed rest before starting the long pilgrimage home. He earned his Purple Heart and was discharged through Fort Snelling in Minneapolis.
Bob Safstrom kept a diary that spans from the day he left North Dakota until his discharge, detailing his personal account of service in the Great War. It is published under the title A Private's Diary: The World War I Diary of Robert W. Safstrom, ISBN-13:9781502317537.
After the war, Robert returned to Gwinner and his accounting job at Safstrom & Ek. In 1922 he ran for and won the election for Sargent County Auditor, a position he held continuously until retirement in 1959. As County Auditor he was responsible for assessments, taxes, all the county's financial transactions, apportionment of county and township funds, fishing and hunting licenses, and even hail insurance.
In 1928 Robert married Rose Elizabeth Hollstein (1893-1988). Their three children, James Robert, Betty Ruth, and Donna Mae, were born in Forman. Daughter Betty writes "I never remember Papa displaying anger at anyone. He had a great sense of humor, was very outgoing, and enjoyed being with people. Everyone liked my dad and the feeling was mutual. I guess that's why he took his campaigning for office every two years so seriously and was always ready to stop in any little cafe in the county just to have a cup of coffee and meet people." The people of Sargent County trusted Bob Safstrom, and he helped more than a few get through the Great Depression. "I never knew anyone with as much honesty and integrity as Papa", continues Betty. A man of many interests like golf, fishing, and baseball, Bob was also a gifted musician. He had a knack for learning new instruments and his bass singing voice was in demand for local quartets and choirs.
In his later years, with arthritis limiting his activity, Bob spent more time reading, watching baseball and the news on television, and helping Rose tend the garden. He roamed the countryside checking on the farmland they purchased and rented out. He remained active and sharp until the end, which came in his sleep after a brief respiratory ailment at age 81 at his home in Forman. Two years later, in 1970, Rose moved to Rochester, Minnesota, and bought a house next door to her daughter Donna. She died there in 1988. Robert and Rose, like most of the Safstrom family, are buried in Gwinner Cemetery.
[Chad Justesen 2014]
World War I Veteran
Private, Company M, 138th Infantry
Wounded by shrapnel in France
Purple Heart
Robert "Bob" Waldemar Safstrom (1887-1968)
Bob was born in Sweden to Andrew and Anna Maria (Persdotter) Safstrom and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1903, settling in the Gwinner, North Dakota area. While in school Robert developed a love of math and numbers, and this led to his father's support to attend the American Business School in Minneapolis, Minnesota for training in accounting. Returning to Gwinner, Bob worked as an accountant for Safstrom & Ek Hardware. The Safstrom in question was Bob's older brother Fridolf, and the Ek was his brother-in-law John.
At age 31, on March 29th, 1918 Robert enlisted in the United States Army. He was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa for training, and assigned to Company Q, 4th Battalion, of the 163rd Depot Brigade. Like many recruits trained at Camp Dodge, he was soon reassigned. After three short weeks in Iowa, he was sent to Camp Mills on Long Island where he was transferred to Company M, 138th Regiment, 35th Division, and shipped overseas. Wounded by shrapnel to his left shoulder from an exploding shell, September 26th, 1918, on the front lines at Meuse-Argonne, he made his own way, walking past Red Cross stations with no ambulances, to find a hospital with an open bed. Following surgery he spent 67 days at bed rest before starting the long pilgrimage home. He earned his Purple Heart and was discharged through Fort Snelling in Minneapolis.
Bob Safstrom kept a diary that spans from the day he left North Dakota until his discharge, detailing his personal account of service in the Great War. It is published under the title A Private's Diary: The World War I Diary of Robert W. Safstrom, ISBN-13:9781502317537.
After the war, Robert returned to Gwinner and his accounting job at Safstrom & Ek. In 1922 he ran for and won the election for Sargent County Auditor, a position he held continuously until retirement in 1959. As County Auditor he was responsible for assessments, taxes, all the county's financial transactions, apportionment of county and township funds, fishing and hunting licenses, and even hail insurance.
In 1928 Robert married Rose Elizabeth Hollstein (1893-1988). Their three children, James Robert, Betty Ruth, and Donna Mae, were born in Forman. Daughter Betty writes "I never remember Papa displaying anger at anyone. He had a great sense of humor, was very outgoing, and enjoyed being with people. Everyone liked my dad and the feeling was mutual. I guess that's why he took his campaigning for office every two years so seriously and was always ready to stop in any little cafe in the county just to have a cup of coffee and meet people." The people of Sargent County trusted Bob Safstrom, and he helped more than a few get through the Great Depression. "I never knew anyone with as much honesty and integrity as Papa", continues Betty. A man of many interests like golf, fishing, and baseball, Bob was also a gifted musician. He had a knack for learning new instruments and his bass singing voice was in demand for local quartets and choirs.
In his later years, with arthritis limiting his activity, Bob spent more time reading, watching baseball and the news on television, and helping Rose tend the garden. He roamed the countryside checking on the farmland they purchased and rented out. He remained active and sharp until the end, which came in his sleep after a brief respiratory ailment at age 81 at his home in Forman. Two years later, in 1970, Rose moved to Rochester, Minnesota, and bought a house next door to her daughter Donna. She died there in 1988. Robert and Rose, like most of the Safstrom family, are buried in Gwinner Cemetery.
[Chad Justesen 2014]
Private, Company M, 138th Infantry
Wounded by shrapnel in France
Purple Heart
Robert "Bob" Waldemar Safstrom (1887-1968)
Bob was born in Sweden to Andrew and Anna Maria (Persdotter) Safstrom and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1903, settling in the Gwinner, North Dakota area. While in school Robert developed a love of math and numbers, and this led to his father's support to attend the American Business School in Minneapolis, Minnesota for training in accounting. Returning to Gwinner, Bob worked as an accountant for Safstrom & Ek Hardware. The Safstrom in question was Bob's older brother Fridolf, and the Ek was his brother-in-law John.
At age 31, on March 29th, 1918 Robert enlisted in the United States Army. He was sent to Camp Dodge, Iowa for training, and assigned to Company Q, 4th Battalion, of the 163rd Depot Brigade. Like many recruits trained at Camp Dodge, he was soon reassigned. After three short weeks in Iowa, he was sent to Camp Mills on Long Island where he was transferred to Company M, 138th Regiment, 35th Division, and shipped overseas. Wounded by shrapnel to his left shoulder from an exploding shell, September 26th, 1918, on the front lines at Meuse-Argonne, he made his own way, walking past Red Cross stations with no ambulances, to find a hospital with an open bed. Following surgery he spent 67 days at bed rest before starting the long pilgrimage home. He earned his Purple Heart and was discharged through Fort Snelling in Minneapolis.
Bob Safstrom kept a diary that spans from the day he left North Dakota until his discharge, detailing his personal account of service in the Great War. It is published under the title A Private's Diary: The World War I Diary of Robert W. Safstrom, ISBN-13:9781502317537.
After the war, Robert returned to Gwinner and his accounting job at Safstrom & Ek. In 1922 he ran for and won the election for Sargent County Auditor, a position he held continuously until retirement in 1959. As County Auditor he was responsible for assessments, taxes, all the county's financial transactions, apportionment of county and township funds, fishing and hunting licenses, and even hail insurance.
In 1928 Robert married Rose Elizabeth Hollstein (1893-1988). Their three children, James Robert, Betty Ruth, and Donna Mae, were born in Forman. Daughter Betty writes "I never remember Papa displaying anger at anyone. He had a great sense of humor, was very outgoing, and enjoyed being with people. Everyone liked my dad and the feeling was mutual. I guess that's why he took his campaigning for office every two years so seriously and was always ready to stop in any little cafe in the county just to have a cup of coffee and meet people." The people of Sargent County trusted Bob Safstrom, and he helped more than a few get through the Great Depression. "I never knew anyone with as much honesty and integrity as Papa", continues Betty. A man of many interests like golf, fishing, and baseball, Bob was also a gifted musician. He had a knack for learning new instruments and his bass singing voice was in demand for local quartets and choirs.
In his later years, with arthritis limiting his activity, Bob spent more time reading, watching baseball and the news on television, and helping Rose tend the garden. He roamed the countryside checking on the farmland they purchased and rented out. He remained active and sharp until the end, which came in his sleep after a brief respiratory ailment at age 81 at his home in Forman. Two years later, in 1970, Rose moved to Rochester, Minnesota, and bought a house next door to her daughter Donna. She died there in 1988. Robert and Rose, like most of the Safstrom family, are buried in Gwinner Cemetery.
[Chad Justesen 2014]
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