Fargo, North Dakota
was born in Frenen on December 8, 1865. His father, Parish Priest Josef Jervell, was born in Legrovik, Fanestranden at Molde on November 3, 1813 and died in Aalesund on May 17, 1885. He was a Priest in Romsdals District the entire time. His mother, Susanne Lied, was born in Eidsvaagen and was the daughter of Captain Fredrik Lied. She died in Kristiania in 1892.
He was a student at Aalesunds School in 1884 and was the school’s first Kuld students. He was a judicial candidate from Kristiania University in 1889. He has spent the most time in journalism activities. He was the editor’s secretary of "Norderhov". He was under Thambs Lyche editor at the "National Newspaper" in Kristiania. He has written many articles for the "Verdens Times" and for the "Norwegian Sports Pages" about his trips in and out of Norway.
He emigrated to America in 1905 and came to Chicago in 1911. There and in Wisconsin he held parts of lectures about Norway in 1906. He worked at a wagon factory in Stoughton, Wisconsin for about eight months and then moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. He held lectures for two years in a row about Norway and Norwegian topics in Minnesota and North Dakota. He came to Abercrombie, North Dakota in 1910 as a Secretary with Dr. Herman Fields. In 1912 he came to to Fargo, North Dakota as a Secretary with the singing league. He published "Eidsvold" for about two years and later at Hans Jervell Publishing Company he published "Red River Valley Views" and "Norwegian farmers in the United States" by T. A. Hoverstad. He has written numerous articles for the "Decorah Posten" and for “Fram” as a travelling correspondent for "From the Northwest". He is especially interested in regional society Movements and and in family and Settlement histories. To assemble these contribute to the Norwegian People’s History in America will become an important part of his future work.
Source: Norwegians and Norwegian Homes in America by Hans Jervell - 1916 - Page 56