George SVERDRUP

Other Events and Attributes:

• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1937-MN-022886
• Occupation: Professor at, and president of, Augsburg Seminary

Notes:

He was the fourth president of Augsburg College. He served from 1911 to his death in 1937. The length of his tenure as president (26 years) is second only to that of his father (31 years).

He was a student in New Haven, Connecticut, at the time that he applied for a U.S. passport in April of 1905. He was intending to be abroad for two years. He was described as 25 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a medium high forehead, blue eyes, a straight nose, a medium mouth, a medium pointed chin, black hair, a fair complexion, and an oval face. Charles E Stangeland of New York City vouched for his identification. He claimed to have known George for 8 years.

He was a teacher in Minneapolis when he applied for another passport in September of 1908. He was described as 29 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a high forehead, blue eyes, a straight nose, a full mouth, a firm chin, black hair, a dark complexion, and an round face. William Mills, of 1820 13th Avenue in Minneapolis, vouched for his identity.

He was still a teacher in Minneapolis when he applied again for a U.S. passport in August of 1914. He asked that the passport be sent to him at Augsburg Seminary and that it reach Minneapolis by August 29th. Alexander McRae of Minneapolis vouched for his identification. George was described as 35 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a high forehead, blue eyes, a straight nose, a full mouth, a firm chin, black hair, a dark complexion, and an oval face.

He and is new wife were renters in the house his widowed mother owned at 710 21st Ave. S. at the time of the 1910 census.

Registered for the draft on September 12, 1918, in Minneapolis. Described as of medium height, slender build, with dark blue eyes and black hair.

The family was still renting at 710 21st Avenue at the time of the 1920 census (January 2nd). The family consisted of George, 40, Hjalma, 37, Anna K., 9, Valborg E., 7, and Ruth, 1 and 5 months. George is a college professor. George was born in Minnesota but his parents were born in Norway. Hjalme was also born in Minnesota, her father in Norway and her mother in Iowa.

Still renting at 710 21st Avenue at the time of the 1930 census (indexed as Soerdrup). The family consisted of George, 50, Hjalma, 47, Katherine A., 19, Valborg E., 17, George, 5, Ragna, 44, and Elise, 65. Ragna has no occupation.

Buried:
Section 16, Lot 56, Grave 7

George married Hjalma STENVIG about Sep 1909. Hjalma was born on 15 Dec 1882 in Iowa; died on 22 May 1958 in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California; was buried on 26 May 1958 in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Katherine Anna SVERDRUP was born on 13 Jul 1910 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; died on 11 May 1993 in Arizona.
2. Valborg Elise SVERDRUP was born on 20 May 1912 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; died on 25 Jun 1989 in Los Angeles County, California.
3. Baby SVERDRUP was born on 13 Aug 1913 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota; died on 13 Aug 1913 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota; was buried on 23 Jun 1921 in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
4. George Edward SVERDRUP was born on 24 Jun 1914 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; died on 6 Jul 1914 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; was buried on 23 Jun 1921 in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
5. Baby Girl SVERDRUP was born on 5 Sep 1916 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; died on 5 Sep 1916 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; was buried on 23 Jun 1921 in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
6. Ruth Audrey Sylvia SVERDRUP was born on 15 Jul 1918 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; died on 22 Apr 1923 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; was buried on 24 Apr 1923 in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
7. George Marshall SVERDRUP was born on 6 May 1925 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; died on 20 Sep 2013 in Minnesota.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1907-57-766
• Occupation: Teacher, Theologian

Notes:

From a biography in the History of Hennepin County and The City of Minneapolis: SVERDRUP, George was born in the western part of Norway. December 16th, 1848. He attended school at Christiana from 1862 to 1865, when he entered the University in the city of Christiana. During 1870, he traveled through Italy and Germany, and in 1871, passed theological exanimation at the University. The year 1873, he spent in Paris, in the study of the Semitic languages, Assyrian antiquities and other sciences connected with the study of the old testament. In 1874, he received a call from this conference since which time he has been closely identified with the history of Augsburg Seminary.

He was the second president of Augsburg College (then called Augsburg Seminary). He served from 1876 until his death in 1907. This 31-year tenure is the longest of the college’s presidents.

Shown as born in Norway in 1849 according to his death certificate. That is also the birthdate shown in the database for emigrants from Balestrand.

In the 1865 Norwegian census, he is probably the Georg Sverdrup who is a student of Theology in Aker at Rosenhoff af Blinderen. He was born in Balestrand.

The database for emigrants from Balestrand shows that the 25 year-old Georg Sverdrup, “cand. th.”, emigrated “over Bergen frå Balestrand” on July 22, 1874. He was married at the time. He departed on the Kong Sverre line.

In the 1880 census (June 14th), Georg and family are living in Minneapolis. Georg, 31, is a professor of theology. The rest of the family is Catherine G., 26, Carl U., 5, Elsey M., 2, and George, 10 months. Also living with them was Catherine’s brother Jurgen Heiberg, 21, and Caroline Herslet, 31, a servant. The three children were born in Minnesota and the rest in Norway. Jurgen was a miller. Two doors away from the Sverdrups were the Sven Oftsdahls: another future president of Augsburg.

It would appear that Georg the father went back to Norway, where Inga was born, after George the son was born in the United States. Georg the father’s first wife apparently died in the 1880s and Georg remarried (to Elise) in the late 1880s. {She married at age 20, which would have been 1886 or 1887, according to the 1930 census.}

“Professor G. Sverdrup”, age 40, arrived in New York on 18 September 1886. He is headed for Minnesota. He arrived on the ship “Alabama” via Glasgow, Scotland, and Larne, Ireland. He appears to be traveling with someone either born in Iowa or destined for Iowa but the name is obscured by the fold in the original document.

Living with Georg and his family at the time of the 1900 census were two “pupils” from Norway: 30 year old Gilbert Olson and 33 year old Henry Ytrehus each of whose occupations were shown as students. The family was living at 728 22nd Avenue S. in Minneapolis. Georg the father was a teacher at Augsburg Seminary.

Founder of the Lutheran Free Church.

There is a Georg Sverdrup society organized in December 2003 and open to anyone interested in the life and work of Georg Sverdrup (1848 - 1907), considered as among "the ablest theologians" in the history of Norwegian-American Lutheranism. The society is registered in the state of Minnesota as a 501(C)(3) nonprofit corporation.

Died:
“paralysis of the heart”

Buried:
Section 16, Lot 56, Grave 2

Georg married Cathrine Elisabeth HEIBERG on 25 Jun 1874 in Nykirken, Bergen, Hordaland, Norway. Cathrine (daughter of Andreas Severin HEIBERG and Else Cathrine Reusch FAYE) was born on 4 Nov 1853 in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway; died on 9 Oct 1887 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota; was buried on 23 Jun 1921 in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

“Catherine” on gravestone.

Buried:
apparently a reburial; Section 16, Lot 56, Grave 5

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Pastor

Notes:

In the 1865 census, Harald and his family (except Georg who is studying in Bergen) live on the Lunde farm in Balestrand. Harald’s occupation is Sognepræst Stortingsmd. The family has two servants living with them.

Member of Norway’s Parliament 1851-1873. He also was involved in many enterprises, from fruit growing to banking to shipping.

Birth:
Jarlsberg

Harald married Caroline Metella SUR on 4 Jul 1844. Caroline was born on 24 Jun 1816 in Slidre i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died on 27 May 1903 in Balestrand, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Last name also spelled Suur.

Could not find her in the Slidre birth record.

Notes:

The family was living at 7-21a in the Nykirkens Sogn quarter of Bergen at the time of the 1865 census. Andreas is shown as the “house owner.” His occupation is shown as Kjøbmand (merchant). The household has 22 people: Andreas’s sister, born in 1818, Andreas, his wife, their 7 children, and 12 “tjenestetyende.”

Andreas married Else Cathrine Reusch FAYE. Else was born on 27 Oct 1827 in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Shown with “f. Faye” at the end of her name in the 1865 census.

Notes:

Jacob became an expert in land management and established the first agricultural school in Norway.

Birth:
På Laugen

Jacob married Jean Gundelle Birgitte SCHANCH on 19 Aug 1802. Jean was born on 1 Feb 1780 in Norway; died on 22 Dec 1820 in Jarlsberg Sems, Vestfold, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Rudersdal?