Manfred History & Preservation, Inc.
Severt and Engebor Broe
Husband's Full Name: Sver Larson Broe aka Severt
Husband's Place of Birth: Ossian, Winneshiek, Iowa
Husband's Father's Name: Lars O. Broe
Husband's Mother's Name: Anne M. Larsdatter
Husband's Siblings' Names: There were about 15 siblings including Jorgen, Lars, Louis and Anna
Wife's Full Name: (1) Engebor M. Erickson (aka Ingebjorg)
Wife's Place of Birth: Ossian, Winneshiek, Iowa, USA
Children's Names: Leonard (Petra Hanson), Anna (Aksel Halvor Trygstad), Helen (Jonas Berve), Henry Jorgen (Cecelia Berve), Peter (Josephine Prusha), Emma (Gustav A. Anderson)
Wife’s Full Name: (2) Ingeberg Brauhagen Helberg
Wife’s Place of Birth: Norway (immigrated in 1902)
Children’s Names: Joseph (Luella J. Nygaard), Edwin (Caroline Rolandson), Ordean
Severt Broe and Engebor M. Erickson were both born in Ossian, Iowa were married in Iowa on Dec 20, 1877. They had 7 children who lived to adulthood.
In 1885 they were listed on the enumeration census living in Traill County, Dakota Territory. There were also church records indicating the baptism of their children shortly after each was born.
In 1886 they along with several of their neighbors became charter members of the Bethel Lutheran Church, rural Manfred. They owned at least a portion of Section 2 of Manfred Township and gave the NE corner of the quarter of their land to the church. A new church building and cemetery were placed on this land. The new church was built in 1915. The original church was moved to Heimdal.
Severt’s 1st wife Engebor used several different names through the years. Ingebor M Erickson was the name on the marriage license, Belle was used on one census, Mary Bell on another, and her grave stone lists her as Ingeborg. Mary was the name used on the Manfred census. The children and husband remained constant and at one time it said she had been married 22 years.
The Bros were listed in the 1900 census for Manfred Township (then known as Jim River Traill). On April 25, 1902 Ingebor died. She was buried at the Bethel Church Cemetery along with Baby Broe. It appears they may have been the first burials in the cemetery. The graves are near to the front gate, and the list of people buried there does not reflect anyone being buried prior to 1902. In 1905 the land that Severt owned was purchased by Sofus Ongstad. He already owned Section 1. He moved his family to the farm in 1915, at which time their home was built.
​
On February 1907 Severt remarried. His bride’s name was Ingeberg Brauhagen Helberg. The wedding was performed in Simcoe where his daughter Anna Trygstad lived with her husband Aksel Halvor Trygstad, a Lutheran Pastor.
Ingeberg and Severt lived on the farm in Manfred. They had three sons, Joseph, Edwin and Ordean. Ingeberg passed away in 1914. She was only 38 years old. She was buried in the Simcoe Cemetery near Velva in McHenry County.
Severt maintained his residence on a farm near Simcoe according to the 1920 census, but by 1930, had moved to Alamo in Williams County, where some of his children were living. Severt passed away in December of 1943 and was buried at the cemetery near Alamo, ND.
​