Julia Mathilda Whitney was born on December 12, 1908 in McHenry County, North Dakota to Angus Duncan Lankford Whitney and Julia Halverson (Tyge) Whitney. She grew up in and around McHenry County, North Dakota. On June 20, 1930 she was married to Oscar Hugo Carlson in Minot, Ward, North Dakota, in her parents’ home. They had six children: Hugo Leonard Lankford (b. 1931), Carl Emil Joseph “Joe” (b. November 30, 1932), Oscar Walter “Oz” (b. February 6, 1935), Julian Alf (b. February 15, 1936), and Julia Elsie (b. March 19, 1948).
Leonard and Julia Whitney, Joe Hasketh
Julia Whitney, Joe Hasketh, and Leonard Whitney
Julia (Second From the Right) at School
Julia went to a rural school that had 10 kids. The teacher walked a quarter mile to school, and Julia walked one and a quarter miles or rode horses there.
She and O. Hugo moved to Montana in 1930, then lived in Halliday, North Dakota; Williston, North Dakota;Aberdeen, South Dakota; Valley City, North Dakota; and, finally, Rapid City, South Dakota. Her son, Hugo, explains how O. Hugo and Julia met:
“My mother was born on a farm near Minot, ND and received her high school diploma from Granville, NDand then attended Minot State College. She met my dad when she was teaching school in Halliday. Her roommate and she were going to do some cross-country skiing. They were just starting out when my dad rode by on his saddle pony. He tossed her the end of his lariat and said, ‘hang on.’ He then proceeded to pull her down the main street of Halliday. It was an unusual beginning for their courtship. They were married two years later, and I arrived the following year.”
Julia’s aunt and uncle were Lizzie and Henry Tyge. They had children, but all died when they were still babies. They had oil on their land, and they left a legacy of oil money to Julia and many other relatives. They lived in North Dakota, and Julia would frequently visit them on their farm (with no electricity). Henry was a farmer. He went blind from macular degeneration, a condition Julia would suffer from later in life.
Julia Whitney House – 1915
Her family lived twelve miles from the nearest town. She always had cats on the farm. She loved her parents. They always asked the kids to be good to each other and help each other if in need. They made sure the kids got through school. She remembers leaving coffee and cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas. Julia’s grandparents were in Canada and Iowa, so she never saw them. They had relatives in Europe as well.
She learned to drive at age 18–her dad taught her. She learned on a trip to Detroit with her parents. It took five days to get there from home. They went to visit her brother in a Model T Ford. 
Julia With School Friends
The U.S. won World War II while she was in school. She said her favorite birthday was her 21st, when “I became my own boss.”
Julia’s Uncle Henry and Aunt Lizzie Tyge
Julia and Leonard Whitney
She attended Granville High School, and her parents put her through college. Her first job was teaching in the rural school. She met her future husband around this time. She loved to travel.
Julia’s grandson Hugh remembers:
“My first memories of my grandparents were when they lived in Rapid City, SD. My aunt Julia still lived with them. We lived in Aberdeen and it was about a 300 mile drive to visit them. We would usually visit once in the winter around Christmas and I stayed for a week in the summer a few times.
Julia and Stepbrother Joe (Hasketh) Graduation
O. Hugo and Julia Carlson Wedding
Julia’s favorite day of her life was her wedding day.
Lone Star Farm – Julia’s Childhood Home
She became a teacher because she enjoyed it, and her brother had taught in a rural school for one year. All grades were in one room, with ten minutes per class.
Julia as Mother in Little Red Riding Hood Play – Minot State Teachers College
O. Hugo and Julia Carlson
O. Hugo and Julia in the Yard With Kids
Julia’s Boys: Hugo, Joe (Emil), and Julian, Julian
Hugo, Joe (Emil), Uncle Helge, Oz, and Julian Carlson
Oz With Julia
Julia’s philosophy of life: “Be a good parent, a good friend, and help your friends.”
(Unknown), Oscar Hugo, Julia, Mabel and Charles Christenson … Julia wrote on the back of picture: “Notice my new hat. It isn’t an expensive one but I kind of like it.”
Leonard and Julia Whitney, Joe Hasketh, Lizzie and Henry Tyge
Julia’s favorite movie was Lawrence of Arabia.
O. Hugo and Julia
My brother Craig and I had some adventures at the lake. He once took me on a hike around the lake. Unfortunately we forgot to bring water, and I was the thirstiest little boy ever by the time we got to the marina. He also rowed Grandpa’s boat all the way across the lake once.
Back Row: LaRae, Julian, Hugo, Oz, Joe (Emil), and Karen Carlson, Front Row: Craig, Julia, O. Hugo, and Julia Carlson
Julie, Karen, Julian, O. Hugo, Julia, and Hugo
Hugo, O. Hugo, Julie, Karen, LaRae, and Julia Carlson
Hugo, Julia, Julie, and O. Hugo
LaVon Robertson, Julia, and Grandkids
Leonard and Julia Whitney, Joe Hasketh, Lizzie and Henry Tyge
Henry Tyge, O. Hugo Carlson, Lizzie Tyge, Julia, Oz, and Julian Carlson
Henry Tyge, Hugo and Julian Carlson, Lizzie Tyge, Oz and Julia (Whitney) Carlson
O. Hugo, Julia, Lucille and Helge Carlson
Joe (Emil), Oz, Julian, Hugo, LaRae, O. Hugo, Julie, and Julia
Julia, Julie, and (Unknown) Baby
O. Hugo and Julia
Julia (Whitney) Carlson and Lizzie Tyge
Julia and O. Hugo Carlson
Aunt Julia had a pure bred male siamese cat named Lucky. It had crossed blue eyes and a knot in it’s tail. It was a fairly mean tom cat and bit more than one of us. It finally attacked Grandma Julia once when she accidently stepped on him. He actually waited a minute or two before he ran over and bit her in the leg.
Julia With Ginger (Back), Julie, and Grandkids
Julia With Grandson Craig Carlson at His Med School Graduation
Julia With Great-Granddaughter Julia
Back Roe: Julian Carlson, Joe (Emil) Carlson, Hugo Carlson; Front Row: Julie Carlson, Julia (Whitney) Carlson, Oz Carlson
Oscar, Julia, Hugo, Julia, and Joe (Emil) Carlson
After Grandpa’s death Grandma moved into several apartments over the years. I went to the School of Mines in Rapid City for one semester and went out to dinner with Grandma a few times. She developed pretty severe macular degeneration with loss of most of her vision. She then moved in with Mom and Dad for several years. Alzheimer’s disease eventually came and she moved into a nursing home prior to her death.
Julia and Julian Carlson
Grandma was also Swedish and Norwegian. She was an elementary school teacher for many years-mainly 4th grade I think. She was very sweet and carried herself with grace.” Her patience is memorialized as she reminisces about growing up in the early part of the 20th century in this interview [conducted by her great-grandson when she was entering the early stages of Alzheimer’s]:
Julia passed away on February 17, 1999 in Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota. She was interred at Mountain View Cemetery next to O. Hugo in Rapid City, South Dakota.
