Memories and Stories

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October 11, 1997

Mardi Krusemark
Lakewood, WA 98498

My Grandfather, George Martin Lucus, worked for Edward Curtis at the brickyards in Sidney (near Port Orchard). Edward asked my grandpa, (George) Martin Lucus, if he would be willing to accompany his younger brother asahel on a trip to Alaska. My grandfather said "yes" and together they set off for the Yukon. My grandfather carried gear, worked on the boat at Lake Bennet and because of his outdoor experience was a great asset. Martin asked if he could write letters to asahel's girlfriend (Nellie Phillips, she was sister to Clara Phillips, who married Edward Curtis) and asahel, too busy with his work, said OK. Apparently, the letters were quite good. When Grandpa returned from the Yukon, Nellie decided he would make a good husband and chose to marry Martin Lucus, since asahel was too busy to write. My grandfather is the man pictured on page 10 of the "Golden Dreams" on-line photo gallery. I also noticed a photograph of him in the museum, sawing logs for a boat! at Lake Bennet.

My Mother, Margaret Krusemark, nee Lucus, remembers some stories. Unfortunately, she was born when her Father was in his 50's and much of the story telling had been quieted through the years.

My great-grandfather, Michael Knutsen (1863-1948)from the coastal town of AAlesund in Norway, is one of the most famous Norwegians ever to strike gold in Klondike. He went to the states in the early 1890`s and started out as a steelsmith in Tacoma, Washington. But during the depression he lost his job and left his wife Othilia and their 3 kids behind as he on march 1st 1895 boarded the boat SS Willepa heading for Dawson City. They reached the promising city on may 17th, on Norways national day. From there on he experienced a lot of hardship (like most others) and almost died of starvation and lack of any vitamins in his little cottage. He sold his dog, Baasen, to a Sweedish fellow for survival and to buy a claim, Eldorado 37. But the claim was dried up, nothing to be found. He sent his companion to sell it and went back down into the hole for the last time, just in case. His head was hazy and the stomack howled. But he had to examine the last and least promising side! of the mine. He dug into the wall and suddenly he thought it his dizzy head tricked him, cause suddenly the whole mine lit up. He took a shovel and brought the rocks up and out into daylight. As he threw the content over the rim he saw his dog and the Swede he sold it to. The man screamed up "Holy Cow, Mike, you`ve found gold!" Yes, almost the entire content of that one shovel was pure gold and the dust glowed around them. But there was one problem. Michaels companion (can`t remember his name right now) was in Dawson at the same moment selling the claim. So he rushed off with the dog, and some hours later he discoved the man walking down the main street. He finally caught up with him, asking rather hurriedly "Have you sold it yet?" "Nah, havn`t gotten to it yet, why?" Michael dug into his pockets and pulled out a fistfull of nuggets, gold dust dropping to the ground. They couldn`t care less. They had it made... Michael came back to Norway and AAlesund a few years after that and stared a shipping yard and became the citys biggest retailer. Then in 1916 he went from gold to coal as he bought Kings Bay Coal Company on Spitsbergen, North of Norway.The place even received another name, New-AAlesund. During the war the coal was almost gold for the Norwegians as they were independent of it. But after the war the prizes sunk and the mines started to be hauted by accidents. In 1933 finally Michael lost the rest of his money as the state overtook the mines. He went bankrupt. The millionaire who had won it all, lost it all and ended his days in a little brown house across from the part of the city he used to own, Skjerva, and which also gave him the nickname of The Skjerva King. He died in 1948, 85 years old. I am currenty researching my great-grandfathetrs life for an upcoming documentary on the subject. I am a filmmaker wanting to track down his life, from Tacoma thru Klondike and AAlesund to Spitsbergen. His story is unique, as he came from nothing, won it all for then to become "nothing" again. If anyone has any information about Michael Knutsen (or Mich/Mike Knudsen/Knutson as his name also has been used in Norwegian litterature)please forward it to me. Any response is met with gratitude.