Berdahl family autobiography, undated
Dublin Core
Title
Berdahl family autobiography, undated
Description
In this document, Andrew and Erick Berdahl recount important events from their lives, beginning with their childhoods in Norway and ending around 1900, when they both had settled down and likely would have assumed that their living family members knew the story. The document is typewritten by James O. Berdahl, but told by Andrew and Erick, respectively. They write primarily about their travels, both to the United States and westward in later years. The main focus of the autobiography is the move to South Dakota and the beginning of their settlement there, dubbed the “Slip Up Creek” Settlement. There, they endured many harsh weather events, including multiple blizzards, years of grasshopper swarms, and floods. They also encountered other groups, and wrote frequently about the “Indians”. The Berdahl autobiography contains many important stories that mirror those found in O. E. Rolvaag’s Giants in the Earth, which was largely based on his having heard stories about the plains as told by Andrew Berdahl. Many big stories, such as the winter storm of 1880-81, and smaller details, such as the location of other settlements, are taken from Andrew and Erick’s accounts of their lives. The inspiration that Rolvaag gleaned from their stories is highly evident within this autobiography.
To view digitized manuscript material, please contact the NAHA Archivist.
Date
undated
Rights
Copyright Undetermined
The copyright and related rights status of this Item has been reviewed by the organization that has made the Item available, but the organization was unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the Item. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use.
Format
Book
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
oer_manuscripts_32
Collection
Citation
Berdahl, Anders J., 1848-1940, Berdahl, James Othelius, 1881-, and Berdahl, Erick, “Berdahl family autobiography, undated,” Ole Edvart Rølvaag, accessed March 29, 2024, https://rolvaag.omeka.net/items/show/2510.