Freida Haupt biography: 10 things about Spokane, Washington woman born in Rogaland, Norway

Who was Freida Haupt?

Freida C. Eike Haupt was a Norwegian-American woman from Spokane, Washington, United States. She was a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses Church and the Rebekah Lodge of Spokane.

From Norway, Haupt arrived in Helena, Montana, USA as Petra Eike. She briefly lived in Martinsdale, Montana, USA before moving to Spokane as Freida Eike.

Haupt worked a maid in a home in South Hill, Spokane where she met Joseph Morand Cornelius, a harness maker. They have three sons namely Joseph F. Cornelius, Elmer Morand Cornelius and Stanley Robert Cornelius and one daughter named Eleanor Cornelius.

After Joseph’s death, Haupt was not able to care for all of her four children so Elmer, Eleanor and Stanley were sent to live in the Odd Fellows Orphanage in Walla Walla, Washington. Haupt later moved back to Montana where she met Charles Benjamin Haupt of Roundup, Montana.

Charles and Freida lived in Bigfork, Flathead County, Montana and operated a cherry farm on the south banks of Flathead Lake outside of Bigfork. Here are 10 more things about her:

1. She was born Petra Jacobsdotter in Eike Farms, Fister, Hjelmeland, Rogaland, Norway to Jacob Eike and Anna Aaugesson.
2. In 1907, she married Joseph Morand.
3. In 1908, she gave birth to Joseph F.
4. In 1917, she gave birth to Elmer.
5. In 1918, she gave birth to Eleanor.
6. In 1919, she gave birth to Stanley.
7. In 1926, her husband Joseph died at the age of 69.
8. On April 5, 1943, she and Charles got married.
9. On December 8, 1964, she turned 80.
10. On November 30, 1965, she died at her home in Bigfork.

Freida’s daughter Eleanor was married to Archie Rutherford. On May 25, 1982, Eleanor found Archie dead in their residence in South Hill.

Archie was fatally stabbed allegedly by Tracy Sabron Pruitt. On October 27, 2022, Pruitt was arrested in Los Angeles, California for Archie’s murder.

In May 2023, Pruitt died of bilateral pulmonary thromboemboli due to right lower extremity deep vein thrombosis while in the Spokane County Jail in Spokane. He was 63.