Born: 1 February 1843 Trysil, Norway
Married: 27 Dec 1865 Trysil, Norway
Died: 19 August 1899 Holmes City twp, Douglas Co, MN
Buried: Trysil-Bethesda cemetery, Holmes City, Douglas Co, MN
Spouse: Oline Pedersdatter Grambo Sogaarden
Ole was born February 1, 1843 at Søgarn in Skjærberget, Trysil, Norway to parents Mattis Olsen Skjærberget and Gjertrud Pettersdatter Nyhuus. He was their oldest son and heir to the farm. He was baptized with the name Ola, but later was known as Ole. He was a descendant of the Finnish immigrant Mattis Olsen Tosk and his ancestors came from Finland.
He married Oline Pedersdatter Grambo on Dec 27, 1865 in Trysil Lutheran Church, Trysil, Norway. Two of Ole’s sisters Bertine and Kersti also married Oline’s brothers Christopher and Per Grambo. His other siblings were Berte, Petter, Marte, Gjertrud and Helen.
Ole and Oline settled down at Søgarn in Skjærberget and ran the farm there. During this time, their first two children were born. Their first child, a son who they named Martin was born on Sept 19, 1866. Their daughter Olea was born on February 22, 1868. During this time, neighbors and friends were leaving for America and in 1869, Ole and Oline sold the farm and left Norway with their two young children, Martin and Olea. It was a very tough trip on the ocean which took a month. There was a measles epidemic aboard ship and many children died and were buried at sea. Oline later expressed her feelings that as much as she would like to see Norway and her family again, she would never
again take that trip.
When they arrived in America, they traveled by train from New York to St Cloud, MN. Then after finding lodging for Oline and the children, Ole walked to Holmes City, MN. His destination was the Strandvolds and the Holmes City twp area where he homesteaded the land which became the Sogaarden Farm. A wagon brought Oline and the children to their new home.
Here in Minnesota, nine more children were born to them. Peter – July 29,1870, Girine (Julia) – Jan 12,1873, Olaf – Oct 10,1874, Gelena (Christine) – Nov 21,1876, Olive – Aug 13,1879, Albert – Nov 19,1880, Alberta – Oct 20,1882, Gea (Helen) – Feb 24,1885, Marie – Oct 7,1887. This was a busy farm and a busy family. Besides the work of the farm and home, they were active members of the Trysil Lutheran Church and Peter in later years would comment that all of the Sogaarden children were “graduates of Pocket Lake University”. Of course that meant that
they all were educated at the Pocket Lake School located just over the hill from the farm. Many also went on to further education in various places. In 1898 Ole and Olina built a beautiful new house which was a larger home with room enough to accommodate their large family and many visitors they entertained. This was the 3rd house they had built on the farm since they arrived plus other buildings and barns.
Prosperity came to Ole and Oline and their family during these years, but sorrow visited them as well. In Sept of 1881, their baby son Albert died at about 9 months of age. In July, 1893 their 18 yr old son Olaf was killed as a result of a horse runaway accident on the farm. Then Ole died of heart disease on Aug 19, 1899 at the age of only 56 years. At that time his sons, Martin and Peter took over the running of the farm very successfully and Oline lived in her home with them until her death on Aug 13,1929 at the age of 84 years. Ole and Oline, as well as several
of their children, are buried at Trysil Lutheran Cemetery in Holmes City twp, Douglas Co, MN.
Brandon Echo 31 Aug 1899 p8,col 2,3
Mr. Ole Sogaarden, and old and highly respected farmer of Holmes City twp, died Saturday morning of heart disease. He has been sick for some time. Mr. Sogaarden was one of the well-to-do farmers of the town having built a fine new house in section 26 last year. He leaves a wife and a large family of grown children to mourn his loss. The funeral was held Monday.