Ostbye, Thorvald, 1860-1943
Thorvald Ostbye family photograph collection, 1880s-1940s (Photo Mss 325)

43 photographic prints

Biography

Thorvald Nelson Ostbye was born at Nittedal, Norway on February 8, 1860. As a boy in Norway he began learning the wagon and carriage making trade in his brother’s factory. For several years he served on the crew of ship sailing in the Baltic and to other European ports. In 1881 he immigrated to the United States landing at Boston in July and then arrived in Fargo in 1884. He began work as a wagon maker under A.S. Anderson. He later went into partnership with John Schlanser in the woodworking business. In 1909 Mr. Ostbye entered the contracting business alone and which later became T. Ostbye and Son. Among the buildings in Fargo which he built were the Everhardt Candy Company building, Magill block, Carnegie Library and addition, Clara Barton and Hawthorne schools, the main building at Oak Grove High School, and St. Mark’s and Grace Lutheran churches. He also built the Steele County courthouse at Finley, North Dakota.

On July 29, 1887 in Fargo he married Kristine Larson Kirkeby also of Nittedal, Norway. They had three children, Marie, Lawrence and Harriet born 1889, 1891 and 1903 respectively. Mr. Ostbye served two terms as Fargo Alderman, was a member of the Modern Woodmen and AOUW, and a charter member of the Sons of Norway and its first president. The Ostbyes were pioneer members of Pontoppidan Lutheran Church. Mr. Ostbye was also a trustee of Oak Grove Seminary for many years. Mr. Ostbye died February 8, 1943 and Mrs. Ostbye on January 29, 1955. They are buried at Riverside Cemetery in Fargo.

Scope and Content

These photographs were received as part of the Thorvald Ostbye Family Papers, which were processed separately as Mss 325. The photograph collection consists of photographs of the Ostbye family, Norway, friends and acquaintances, Moorhead, Minn., and some unidentified portraits. The time period ranges from the 1880s to pre-World War II. The photographs were organized into three series: Family, Moorhead, Minn., and Portraits.

The Family Series consists of photographs of the Ostbye family including photographs taken while on a trip to Norway from 1900 to 1901 and the Marie Ostbye and Ralph N. Cuykendall wedding in 1919. The photographs date from 1900 to the 1940s.

The Moorhead, Minn. Series consists of photographs of the J.E. Johnson Cycle House in Moorhead, Minn. and of Jennette Johnson, daughter of J.E. Johnson, riding a bicycle on a street in Moorhead. The two photographs were taken in 1899.

The Portrait Series consists of both identified and unidentified portraits of friends and acquaintances of the Ostbye family. The photographs of pastors of Pontoppidan Lutheran Church from 1884 to 1920 consist of a number of individual portraits and a collage of past pastors and of the church. There are portraits of Olga Dahl Torvik and Jorgina Roen of Dahl and Roen Ready to Wear of Fargo, N.D., the J.E. Johnson family of the J.E. Johnson Cycle House, Moorhead, Minn., and Laurits and Sofie Stavnheim. Laurits Stavnheim was the editor of the Fram a Norwegian-language, weekly newspaper published in Fargo, N.D. The seven unidentified portraits of both women and young men are organized by photographer. The photographers include Joseph Essery of Fargo, O.E. Flaten of Moorhead, Minn., and F. Jay Haynes of Fargo, D.T.

Inventory

Kristine, Marie and Lawrence Ostbye aboard the S.S. Stavanger Fjord to Norway, 1900

Marie and Lawrence Ostbye aboard the S.S. Angelo to America from Norway, 1901 Image

Photographic postcard of the Royal Palace, Kristiania (Oslo), Norway, 1916

Jennette Johnson on a parade float for her father’s shop, J.E. Johnson Cycle Supply House, Moorhead, Minn., 1899 Image

Christmas card of Reverend and Mrs. Christian G., Phyllis, and Gracia Olson of Pontoppidan Lutheran Church, 1930s

Christmas card of Phyllis Olson, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Christian G. Olson, 1930s

Pastors of Pontoppidan Lutheran Church and three different church buildings from 1884-1920

Photographic postcard of the 60th Battalion, North Dakota National Guard, 1908 Image