Matrilineal Monday-SVARTEBERG

One of the things that fascinates me about history is that way back when they didn't follow the rules that we have now about family names.  Although that seems to be changing these days too.
I am not even sure how to pronounce the last name that my mom should have had:  TVEITO
On 29 December 1853 Arne Jakobson Tveito and Aagot Larsdtr Svarteberg were married.  The family name of Svarteberg was used because they lived on the Middle Farm (Myljogarden) that was owned by the Svarteberg's.
I am still looking into whether this property below is the homestead.  There is a resort that is called the Svarteberg Fjellgard that is in Al, Norway where the farm is located.  I know that the farm was sold many years ago but I do not have accurate information yet about what happened in the sale.  I have a contact into the owners of this resort to see if they know of the history behind the property.  If this is the property, I would love to go there and stay!


In Norway the name Svarteberg and Sorteberg are interchangeable.  However, the surname Svarteberg is used almost all of the time in Norway.  The Norweian translation of the name (Svarteberg) (Sorteberg) is "Black Mountain".  The Hallingdal Valley is a short distance north of Oslo, Norway.  the home where Aagot Svarteberg was born still stands on the side of the mountain.
Seven of the eight children of Arne Jakobson and Aagot Svarteberg arrived in the USA before their parents imigrated in 1893.  Only the second oldest, Birgit, stayed in Norway.  It is believed that the port of entry into the USA was New York, however some may have entered from Canada.
Aagot Sorteberg Hantho and Jorand Sorteberg Jallo, imigrated in 1880, and settled near Minot, North Dakota.  Later Aagot moved to Louisburg, Minnesota and Jorand moved to Jadis Township, Rouseau, Minnesota.  Jacob Sorteberg, first lived in Nelson County, Lakota, North Dakota, later moving his family to Anoka Township, Anoka, Minnesota.  From Sketchy information it appears that Lars Sorteberg, Birgit Sorteberg Kleppe, and Tosten Sorteberg all settled in Lac Qui Parle County, near Louisburg, Minnesota.

On June 8, 1983, six of the descendants of Arne Sorteberg, arrived in Aal, Hallingdal, Norway.  The visitors found the descendants to Brigit Svarteberg to be very hospitable and friendly people.  It did not take very long for them to feel a definite kinship to the families in Norway.  During the visit they were thrilled to see the farm on which their grandfather, Arne Sorteberg was born in 1868, as well as being the birthplace of their great grandmother, Aagot Svarteberg in 1829.
Svarteberg was made up of three farms.  On farm now belongs to Torlien Svarteberg.  The middle Farm, on which the grand parents were born belongs to Sevat Svarteberg; both of these people are grandsons of Birgit Svarteberg.  All of the buildings stand as they did in the 1800's, with the exception of a house added some years later.  The present ownership of the third farm was unknown to the visitors.

Svarteberg Fjellgard http://svarteberg.com/gallery.php

Information prepared in December 1983 by Leland Sorteberg, Muriel Hagen, Earl Hansen, Asbjorn Baklien