Manfred History & Preservation, Inc.
Ole and Anna Berve
Husband's Full Name: Ole Jonson Børve
Husband's Place of Birth: Hjelmeland, Norway
Husband's Father's Name: Jone Olson Børve
Husband's Mother's Name: Johanna Hermannsdatter
Husband's Siblings' Names: Herman, Taletta, Inger, Gabriel, Johanna, Olava, Johannes
Wife's Full Name: Anna Maria Eilertsdatter
Wife's Place of Birth: Hjelmeland, Norway
Wife's Father's Name: Eilert Olson
Wife's Mother's Name: Sissel Osmundsdatter
Wife's Siblings' Names: Karina Eilertsdatter, Ole Eilertson, Osmund Eilertson, Gustava Eilertsdatter Rogness (Mrs. Daniel)
Children's Names: Jone Berve, Egert Berve, Johanna Berve Ramsfield, Celia Berve Broe, Olida Berve Ravnaas, Eilert Berve, Oliver Berve, Olga Berve Knudsvig, Casper Berve
Ole Jonson Berve was born March 24, 1854 in Hjelmeland, Norway, near Stavanger. His father was Jone Olson Børve from Hjelmeland, and his mother was Johanna Hermannsdatter from Hjelmeland. Ole’s father was a fisherman who owned a boat large enough to use nets for fishing. He was also a shoemaker and a “small” businessman; he sold eggs and lumber and hunted birds to sell.
Anna Eilertsdatter Berve was born July 5, 1857 in Hjelmeland, Norway. Her father was Eilert Olson from Jelsa, and her mother was Sissel Osmundsdatter from Skiftun. Anna’s father was also a fisherman.
Ole and Anna Berve were married April 22, 1881 in Hjelmeland, Norway and emigrated in the fall of 1884. They brought with them their firstborn child, a son, Jone. Their second child, another son, Egert, died in Norway in 1883 at the age of 6 months.
They first settled in Traill County, Dakota Territory, near Buxton, building a one-room sod house in 1886 and living there until 1896. They made their own furniture; the beds were wooden and they used straw for the mattresses. They heated the house with wood and flax straw and used wood in the cook stove. They made candles from tallow, and Anna spun yarn to make clothing. Ole made shoes from wood.
Ole and Anna had 6 more children while living in Traill County: Egert O. (named, as was the custom, after the child who had died), Johanna, Celia, Olida Johanna, Eilert Laurentius and Oliver.
In about 1896, Ole and Anna moved to Wells County, North Dakota, settling north of Manfred. They had 2 more children: Olga Andrine and Casper M.
Ole had applied for his “first papers” for naturalization in Trail County in 1887, and in 1900 in Wells County, he received his “second papers”, finalizing his citizenship. Ole was issued a land patent in Wells County in 1900. They lived and farmed on this land just north of Manfred, in Fram Township.
Ole and Anna Berve were charter members of the Bethel Lutheran Church, organized on June 2, 1896 under the leadership of Pastor Andreansen. (Source: Growing with Pride)
Four of their children remained lifelong residents of Wells County: Eilert, Oliver and Casper and Olida who married Ingvald Ravnaas. Anna also had a brother, Osmund Eilertson, who lived in Wells County.
Ole Berve passed away on Feb. 2, 1925 at his home north of Manfred after an illness lasting 2 weeks. He’s buried in the Bethel Church Cemetery. Anna Berve passed away on October 13, 1935 in her home after a prolonged illness and is buried in Bethel Church Cemetery.