Mayville, North Dakota
was born in Gursko at Gaarden Holthe in 1851, He was baptized by Pastor Thoresen, who was married to Magdalene Thoresen, who was Henrik Ibsen’s mother-in-law. He came to Aalesund as a three year old boy where he went to school, and emigrated to America in 1870 to Chicago, Illinois. From there he went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, then moved to Fargo, North Dakota and he took homestead in Wold Township, Traill County, North Dakota in 1879 and has lived there since as a farmer.
His wife, Mathea Ellingsen Nokleby, is from Ringerike. They have eleven children. All of them were born and grew up on the homestead farm. The oldest son Knut is home on the farm.
He reads a tremendous amount of newspapers and books, preferably about positions on what is "right and wrong" in America and elsewhere in Verden and where he should set his stand. He was on a trip to Norway in 1903.
Source: Norwegians and Norwegian Homes in America by Hans Jervell - 1916 - Page 66