Magdalena (Vetter) Gross was born in Emmons County east of the city of Linton, North Dakota, on Sept. 27, 1902, in a sod house with a dirt floor. She was married in Nov. 1922, in Emmons County to John M. Gross of Napoleon, North Dakota. They lived in Logan County and farmed there until 1970, when they moved into Napoleon. Their second youngest son, Isadore Gross, now lives on the farm. John passed away in 1986. In 1990, Magdalena moved to Bismarck, North Dakota. She passed away in 2003 in Napoleon at the age of 100.

John and Magdalena Gross had 16 children, 13 of which lived to adulthood and three that died in infancy. Their son Placid Gross entered the Assumption Abbey in Richardton, ND, in 1957 at age 22. Brother Placid has been in charge of the Abbey’s cattle operation since 1960 and celebrated his 50th Anniversary of monastic servitude in 2009.