Fargo, North Dakota
was born in Aalesund April 13, 1866 and he was a student at the Aalesund School in 1886. After one year of student-residency at Kristiania University he emigrated with his mother, Claudine Hinchen, to America in 1887 to Minneapolis, Minnesota. There his mother, his brother sculptor Jakob Fjelde and his wife, Fredrikke Fjelde, are buried. During his medical education at Minnesota University he was an assistant to Dr. Knut Hoegh of Minneapolis, Minnesota and for a short time he was a doctor in Mortel, Wisconsin. In early 1896 he settled down in Abercrombie, North Dakota where he lived until 1912 and then he moved to Fargo, North Dakota. He is a specialist in obstetrics.
His beautiful home is really a witness that he is a good patriot and friend of the arts. Beautiful Norwegian paintings, preferably from Sondmore, numerous busts from his brother sculptor Jakob Fjelde and his brother's son Paul Fjelde, antique Norwegian furniture and artwork in harmonious union with modern American comfortable décor in his hospitable home.
His lovable and gifted wife, Fredrikke, who died in 1915, left him with four children, two grown sons, Jakob and Olaf, and two daughters, Fredrikke and Pauline, who are still of school age, but growing rapidly as living ornamental plants in his beautiful Home.
When the time comes for Dr. Herman Fjelde's saga to be written, it must be admitted that a large part was due to his initiative in art interests and patriotism wherein he erected the Ibsen bust at the Science School in Wahpeton, North Dakota, in Como Park, St. Paul, Minnesota, in Tacoma, Washington and that in Fargo, North Dakota there is a Wergeland Monument in Island Park, Bjornson memorial stones at Agricultural College Campus, a Times-Rolf Statue at the Viking Hotel, Hauge Memorial Stones and an Iver Aasen bust at Concordia College. Dr. Fjelde is still continuing his activities and no one can with certainty say how much more will be added to the the registry as proof of his interests and work. His work for the Norwegian Society, the Regional Society movements and his numerous articles about settlement history in the press in the years ahead must also be remembered and will add much significance.
Source: Norwegians and Norwegian Homes in America by Hans Jervell - 1916 - Page 65