Born: 8 Aug 1808, Trysil, Østerdalen, Norway
Married: 1830, Trysil, Norway
Died: 12 Jun 1908, Holmes City twp, Douglas Co, MN
Buried: Trysil-Bethesda cemetery, Holmes City, Douglas Co, MN
Spouse: Per Persen Soberg
Newspaper obituary: Alexandria Post News, June 18, 1908, page 1, col 5
Mrs Bertha Soberg, Oldest Resident of Douglas County, Dies
Within less than two months of the celebration of her hundredth birthday
anniversary Mrs Bertha Olsdatter Soberg passed away at the home of a
daughter, Mrs John P Aasen, in the township of Holmes City last Friday
morning, June 12, 1908. Mrs Soberg was born in Trysil, Norway, on
August 8, 1808. She was undoubtedly the oldest person in this section
and one of the oldest in Minnesota. For several months past her
children had looked forward with anticipation to the celebration of this
aged grandmother’s centennial. Active to within a few weeks of her
death they had every reason to believe that the old lady would complete
the five score of years allotted to so few. Several weeks ago, May 22,
she suffered from a stroke of paralysis, from which she did not recover.
The last two weeks the family quietly awaited the end of a life which,
although long, had been unusually active and filled with hardships which
few are called to endure. Although a resident of Holmes City township
for about nineteen years she had already lived a long eventful life
before her departure from the fatherland. Bertha Olsdatter came of long
lived parents, her father, O Lutness, being eighty years of age at the
time of his death; and her mother eight-five years of age. About 1830
she was married to Per Person Soberg, a land tenant owning a good home.
Early in the married life misfortune came to their home, the property
was sold and the family, in which there were six young children, sought
a refuge on the land of a logging company, where the husband and father
built a very modest home. It was here that Mrs Bertha Soberg saw the
hardest years of her life, as she now became almost the sole provider of
the family. To support the family she was obliged to work not only days
and greater portion of the nights. This struggle continued many years,
and in fact until the members of the family had grown to maturity, and
were able to provide for themselves. This home erected on the property
of a lumber company, never passed into the hands of the family, and it
was only in recent years that one of her sons, Ole P Soberg, a resident
of the town of Holmes City, made the last payment of an amount which
permitted the family to retain the location of the home, acquiring a
sort of a lease right of the ground. Mrs Soberg lost her husband about
1875. Her children had prior to this commenced emigrating to America,
the oldest daughter, Mrs John P Aasen, now 77 years of age, had married
and gone to America in 1866. In 1881 Ole P Soberg also came to this
country. These two settled in Holmes City, Douglas county. The
youngest child, a son settled near Northfield, Minnesota. His name is
Per Person. Three other children remained in the old country. A
daughter, Pernelle Gjermunsen, married and moved to Sweden. Two other
daughters, Mrs Christina Kvea and Mrs Olina Ostby remain in Trysil,
Norway.
Mrs Bertha Soberg came to America in 1889 and for many years resided
with her son, Ole P Soberg, in Holmes City. It was only in recent years
that she became a member of her daughter’s household. In her years of
residence in Douglas county she retained the activity of her younger
days. She had a clear, bright mind which she retained to the day she
was stricken with paralysis. She was also a faithful member of the
Norwegian Lutheran church and the last rites on Monday were performed by
Rev B A Benson of Alexandria.