Helga Avilda Ida Marie Johanssen was born in Oslo (then called Christiania), Norway.[1] Helga traveled from Norway with her mother, arriving in Manistee, Michigan, during 1871. In 1876, she married Ole Estby, an immigrant from Grue, Hedmark, Norway. They started their new life together initially homesteading a land patent in Yellow Medicine County near Canby, Minnesota. The family subsequently relocated and settled on a farm in Mica Creek, Spokane County, Washington.
Due to the financial Panic of 1893 and her husband's accidents, the family could not pay the mortgage or taxes on their home and farmland. Together with Clara, her 17-year-old daughter, Helga tried to save her family farm by walking 3,500 miles across country to New York City.[2] Helga had made a bet with an unknown sponsor that would give them $10,000 if they did the walk in seven months.[3] Clara and Helga started the walk from Spokane on May 5.[4] The women walked 25-35 miles a day and were offered shelter along the way, spending only 9 nights without a roof over their head.[5] On Christmas Eve, 1896, the New York World reported their arrival in New York City.[6] On arrival in New York, the sponsor of the contest refused to pay or help them back home, saying the women had missed their deadline. Helga managed to return to her farm only to find that two of her children had died of diphtheria in her absence.[7]
After the Estby family lost their home in Mica Creek, Ole Estby began a construction business in Spokane, Washington. Helga was considered a deserter of her family and was shunned by much of the local Norwegian-American community. Helga went on to become a suffragist and wrote down her story later in her life. Her notes were destroyed, but her story was carried on through oral tradition, by her family and through newspaper clippings saved by her daughter-in-law.[8]
Estby died on April 20, 1942, and was laid to rest in the Mica Creek cemetery near Spokane.[9]
LegacyEdit
Helga Estby Lodge #47 of the Daughters of Norway in Mountain Home, Idaho, was named in her honor.
Helga Estby Bold Spirited Scholarship Award was established in her memory by the Women Helping Women Fund in Spokane, Washington.
“Mica Creek Cemetery. Coey, Spokane County, Washington”
August 27, 2023
helga, estby, 1860, april, 1942, american, suffragist, most, noted, walk, across, united, states, during, 1896, helga, left, with, daughter, clara, 1897bornhelga, avilda, marie, johanssenmay, 1860oslodiedapril, 1942, 1942, aged, nationalityamericanknown, forsu. Helga Estby May 30 1860 April 20 1942 was an American suffragist most noted for her walk across the United States during 1896 Helga EstbyHelga left with her daughter Clara 1897BornHelga Avilda Ida Marie JohanssenMay 30 1860OsloDiedApril 20 1942 1942 04 20 aged 81 NationalityAmericanKnown forsuffragist Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 References 4 Other sources 5 External linksBiography EditHelga Avilda Ida Marie Johanssen was born in Oslo then called Christiania Norway 1 Helga traveled from Norway with her mother arriving in Manistee Michigan during 1871 In 1876 she married Ole Estby an immigrant from Grue Hedmark Norway They started their new life together initially homesteading a land patent in Yellow Medicine County near Canby Minnesota The family subsequently relocated and settled on a farm in Mica Creek Spokane County Washington Due to the financial Panic of 1893 and her husband s accidents the family could not pay the mortgage or taxes on their home and farmland Together with Clara her 17 year old daughter Helga tried to save her family farm by walking 3 500 miles across country to New York City 2 Helga had made a bet with an unknown sponsor that would give them 10 000 if they did the walk in seven months 3 Clara and Helga started the walk from Spokane on May 5 4 The women walked 25 35 miles a day and were offered shelter along the way spending only 9 nights without a roof over their head 5 On Christmas Eve 1896 the New York World reported their arrival in New York City 6 On arrival in New York the sponsor of the contest refused to pay or help them back home saying the women had missed their deadline Helga managed to return to her farm only to find that two of her children had died of diphtheria in her absence 7 After the Estby family lost their home in Mica Creek Ole Estby began a construction business in Spokane Washington Helga was considered a deserter of her family and was shunned by much of the local Norwegian American community Helga went on to become a suffragist and wrote down her story later in her life Her notes were destroyed but her story was carried on through oral tradition by her family and through newspaper clippings saved by her daughter in law 8 Estby died on April 20 1942 and was laid to rest in the Mica Creek cemetery near Spokane 9 Legacy EditHelga Estby Lodge 47 of the Daughters of Norway in Mountain Home Idaho was named in her honor Helga Estby Bold Spirited Scholarship Award was established in her memory by the Women Helping Women Fund in Spokane Washington References Edit Estby Helga 1860 1942 www historylink org Retrieved 2019 04 05 San Francisco Call 5 May 1896 California Digital Newspaper Collection Ucr edu Retrieved 2015 08 12 Helga Estby who walked across the United States in 1896 to try to save her family farm The Vintage News 2017 12 20 Retrieved 2019 04 05 From Spokane to New York San Francisco Call California Digital Newspaper Collection 1898 05 05 Retrieved 2015 08 11 Helga Estby who walked across the United States in 1896 to try to save her family farm The Vintage News 2017 12 20 Retrieved 2019 04 05 Riddle Margaret 2011 09 23 the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History HistoryLink org Retrieved 2015 08 11 Yesterday s News Blog Archive Wednesday June 2 1897 Spokane to New York on foot 2005 11 25 Archived from the original on August 31 2014 Retrieved 2015 08 11 Bold Spirit by Linda Hunt Boldspiritacrossamerica com Archived from the original on March 28 2010 Retrieved 2015 08 17 Obituary in the Spokane Daily Chronicle 1942 04 21 Retrieved 2015 08 17 Other sources EditHunt Linda Lawrence 2005 Bold Spirit Helga Estby s Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America Random House ISBN 978 1 4000 7993 3 Dagg Carole Estby 2011 The Year We Were Famous Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company ISBN 978 0 618 99983 5 Kirkpatrick Jane 2011 The Daughter s Walk WaterBrook Press ISBN 978 1400074297External links EditBiography at HistoryLink Canby MN Museum Website Mica Creek Cemetery Coey Spokane County Washington Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Helga Estby amp oldid 1151036505, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
