Extract from the 1920 Census:
Name: Ellen L Bergan
Age: 11/12
Estimated birth year: 1919
Birthplace: Minnesota
Race: white
Sex: female
Relationship to head of house: daughter
Home in 1920: Prosper, Beltrami, Minnesota
Address: farm
Marital status: single
Father's birthplace: Norway
Father's native tongue: Norwegian
Mother's birthplace: England
Mother's native tongue: English
Occupation: none
Siblings living at home: Albert M (age 5 6/12), Elsie E M (3 6/12), and Earl J (3 6/12)
Census place: Prosper, Beltrami, Minnesota; Roll: T625_823; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 61; Image: 367
Date: 6 Jan 1920

Extract from the 1930 Census:
Name: Ellen Bergan
Age: 11
Estimated birth year: 1919
Birthplace: Minnesota
Race: white
Sex: female
Relation to head-of-house: daughter
Home in 1930: Myhre, Lake of the Woods, Minnesota
Marital status: single
Able to speak English: yes
Able to read and write: yes
Fathers' birthplace: Norway
Mothers' birthplace: England
Occupation: attending school
Siblings living at home: Albert (age 15), Elsie (13), Glen (9), and Dale (7)
Census place: Myhre, Lake of the Woods, Minnesota; Roll: 1105; Page: ; Enumeration District: 15; Image: 59.0
Date: 21 Apr 1930

Extract from the 1940 Census:
Name: Ellen Bergan
Age: 21
Estimated birth year: 1919
Birthplace: Minnesota
Race: white
Sex: female
Relation to head-of-house: daughter
Home in 1940: Township 161, Range 34, Lake of the Woods, Minnesota
Marital status: single
Highest grade of school completed: high school 4 years
Living on farm: yes
Place of residence in 1935: same house
Occupation: housemaid
Industry: private family
Number of weeks worked in 1939: 52
Amount of money wages or salary: $208
Has other income of more than $50: yes
At work during week of March 24-30: no
Seeking work: yes
Duration of unemployment: 30 weeks
Siblings living at home: Elsie (age 23), Glen A (19), and Dale A (17)
Census place: Township 161, Range 34, Lake of the Woods, Minnesota; Roll: T627_1932; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 39-33
Date: 15 Apr 1940

She received her nursing training in North Dakota. Ellen worked at the same tuberculosis sanitarium in Ashland, Wisconsin at which her sister Elsie Bergan was treated, but mostly her employment was later in time. She met her husband at the University of North Dakota.

She and her husband lived in Mandan, North Dakota to be near their daughter Ruth.

Obituary from the "Bismarck Tribune" of Bismarck, North Dakota dated 13 Mar 2001:
Ellen Washburn, 82, Mandan, joined her heavenly Father March 11, 2001, in a Bismarck hospital. Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mandan Methodist Church, 610 12th St. N.W., with the Rev. Mark Phillips officiating. Burial will be in the spring in Rolla Community Cemetery.
Ellen was born Jan. 30, 1919, in Williams, Minn., to Martin and Jenny (Bridges) Bergan. She graduated from Williams High School. Following her father's wishes she graduated from St. Luke's Nursing School in Grand Forks. Upon her graduation she married George Washburn on Sept. 1, 1945. She helped fill the need for state-side nurses during World War II at a tuberculosis sanitarium. After her husband returned from military duty they lived in Jamestown and Mayville as he completed his college degree. They made their home in Finley for many years. They also lived in Minnesota, Rolla, Forsyth, Mont., Greeley, Colo., and Mandan. They spent many winters in Florida and Arizona.
Church and family activities were central parts in Ellen's life. She was active in the United Methodist Church where she sought to study and learn God's word. She was always willing to use her nursing skills to help others in need. In addition, gardening, especially flowers, was a hobby of hers. She shared her garden produce and flowers with neighbors and friends. In her later years she developed an interest in painting, providing the family with cherished keepsakes.
She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her three daughters, Ruth Huovinen, Mandan, Ruby and Brian Lawler, Rolla, and Mary Ellen Washburn, Broadus, Mont.; five grandchildren, Michael and Suzi Huovinen, Hudson, Wis., Andrew Huovinen, Grand Forks, Tammi Lawler, Fargo, Monica Lawler, Jamestown, and Curtis Harris, Greeley, Colo.; a brother and sister-in-law, Dale and Wilma Bergan, Loveland, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews. She is also loved by close friends, the Richard Larson family, including Richard, Bismarck, Monte and Denise Larson, Bismarck, Dewey Larson, Bismarck, Byron Larson and Deb Gordon, Seattle, Lilly Purrier, Tempe, Ariz., Nancy Razo, Cottonwood, Ariz., Anita Larson, Ashland, Ore., and Paula Patton, Denver.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George; her daughter, Jane; her parents; one sister, Elsie Lawin; and three brothers, Earl, Albert and Glen.

Obituary from the "Northern Light" of Williams, Minnesota dated 21 Mar 2001:
Ellen Lorraine Washburn, 82
Ellen Washburn passed away Sunday, March 11, 2001 in a Bismarck, N.D. hospital at the age of 82.
Ellen Lorraine Washburn, the daughter of Martin and Jenny (Bridges) Bergan, was born January 30, 1919 in Williams, Minnesota. She graduated from Williams High School. Following her father's wishes she graduated from St. Luke's Nursing School in Grand Forks.
She was united in marriage to George Washburn on September 1, 1943. She helped fill the need for stateside nurses during World War II at a tuberculosis sanitarium. After her husband returned from military duty, they lived in Jamestown and Mayville as he completed his college degree. They made their home in Finley, N.D. for many years. They also lived in Minnesota, Rolla, N.D., Forsyth, MT., Greeley, CO. and Mandan, N.D. They spent many winters in Florida and Arizona.
Church and family activities were central parts in Ellen's life. She was active in the United Methodist Church where she sought to study and learn God's word. She was always willing to use her nursing skills to help others in need. In addition, gardening, especially flowers, was a hobby of hers. She shared her garden produce and flowers with neighbors and friends. In her later years she developed an interest in painting, providing the family with cherished keepsakes.
She is survived by three daughters, Ruth Huovinen, Mandan, N.D., Ruby (Brian) Lawler, Rolla, N.D., and Mary Ellen Washburn, Broadus, MT,; five grandchildren, one brother, Dale (Wilma) Bergan of Loveland, CO.; and many nieces and nephews. She is also loved by close friends, the Richard Larson family, including Richard, Monte (Denise) Larson, and Dewey Larson, all of Bismarck; Byron Larson and Deb Gordon, Seattle, WA,; Lily Purrier, Tempe, AZ.; Nancy Razo, Cottonwood, AZ.; Anita Larson of Ashland, OR.; and Paula Patton, Denver, CO.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one daughter, one sister and three brothers.
Services were held Wednesday, March 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the Mandan Methodist Church with the Rev. Mark Phillips officiating. Interment will be in the spring at the Rolla Community Cemetery of Rolla.
Eastgate Funeral Service in charge of arrangements.

Children:
(1) Jane Avis Washburn
(2) Ruby Elaine Washburn
(3) Ruth Marthine Washburn
(4) Mary Ellen Washburn.