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Farmer, fisherman, soldier, boatman, laborer, logger, store manager, fish buyer, traveller, insurance broker, and more too do we find in the colorful life of Erick Ness, Petersburg resident since 1906. Life in the pattern set by his generation of new Americans has seldom been lived with more var iety, more experience, or greater integrity than in the experience accumulated by this son of Nor way. Today, from his comfortable and beautiful home, through his modern, double-paned windows and venetian blinds, and across his well kept gardens the view is the same to Erick Ness as once it must have been from his one room cabin on the waterfront be low, but almost 50 years have passed from that cabin to the Ness’ modern home. Fifty years in which Erick Ness remembers, Norway seemed far away to young Ness when first he joined his brother in Bayfield, Wiscon sin, at the age of 18. Erick had left his family home where he was born at Molde, in Romsdal, Norway, to better the lot of his folks, that of farmer and coun try carpenter. The brothers fish ed, boated, and worked in the waters of Lake Superior, return ing to their native Norway in 1901. There Erick was taken sick with typhoid fever for two months while his brother return ed to the chores of the family farm. Shortly after his recuperation and a few winter months of win ter cod fishing, Erick became a Norwegian soldier in line with the pre-war requirement of the training of all able-bodied men. ‘When that 72:day..stretch wad ‘compléted the ‘yet-to-settle-trav eller , returned to “Wisconsin, where together with the late Jack Hadland, ‘of. Petersburg, a trip to Alaska was ‘planned. Stories of the bountiful fish of Southeastern Alaska had reach ed the Wisconsin town and great er hope than the United States once held for the traveller ap peared possible now in one of her territories, Alaska. The ambitious travellers, with 10 prospects for employment and little more than a borrowed grub-stake, took passage from Seattle in 1906—before landing in Petersburg Ness had secured employment from a fellow pass enger, the manager of the Pacific Coast and Norway Packing Com pany. After two months of “laborer” at $50 plus board per month, the newcomer tried his hand at hali but fishing aboard one of the Seattle schooners which fished local waters then, during the winter months. Living in Petersburg in those “company town” days took most of the young bachelor’s money leaving little for the extras. Food was high as was the cost of lodg ing, but the average of $300 per season per man remained at tractive to the fishermen who year by year were adding to the small settlement of Petersburg. Housing for young Ness was first accomplished in the build ing of a one-room cabin on the site now known to passing boats and to Petersburg as ‘Ness’ Point.” Later the settler was to build a home on the hill of his new property and still later was that home rented when the Ness fortunes permitted the construc tion of their present home. From 1907 to 1953 Erick Ness has mov ed three times, but each time to another corner of that original plot first obtained by Erick through his early establishment of ‘‘squatter’s rights.” Bachelor Ness departed Pet ersburg in 1909 to journey back to Minneapolis, then New York to marry Agnes Anderson whom he had met in 1903 when return ing from Norway. The couple had corresponded throughout the long interim years. Returning to Petersburg Erick immediately resumed his logging operation, shipping to Juneau, Ketchikan, and Wrangell until 1918, but even while logging the enterprising young man had purchased a fishing boat and log ging in a year round schedule when work was plentiful for men who wanted it and Erick took his full share. Part of the old Norwegian school, Erick had interested him self by then in the developing purchasing club of the Sons of Norway and finally assumed its management in 1918. Family man, with one daught er, born in 1911, and two sons following in 1912 and 1914, the businessman settled down to a life in town with his added re sponsibilities. 1920 found the first Mrs Erick Ness ailing and requirng treatment n the states. Prolonged treatments and opera tions ended in the death of Frick’s first wife in January of 1925. The years following the dis asterous store fire of 1919 and be fore his wife’s death Erick was busy as fisherman of all sorts. (Continued on Page 8)
Newspaper Details
Petersburg Press
Petersburg, Alaska, US
Fri, Oct 02, 1953
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
AD 19 Jan 2026
Other Publications Near Petersburg, Alaska
The Alaskan
Petersburg Weekly Report
Petersburg Herald
Petersburg Press
