Ole Olsen Petterborg

Born 15 Aug 1825 in Norway to Guline Olsdatter and Ole Olsen
Married Marie Eriksdatter 19 January 1850 in Norway
Ole-Beate-Norman-Howard
Died Dec 1885 in Idaho
Buried in Franklin

This history was compiled from the personal histories of Anne Mathea Olsen Millard, and Oliane Olsen Taylor and was written by Helen Renee Evans Bench.

When Beate (a daughter) was one, the entire future of her family's life was changed by the Latter-day Saint gospel for it was then they became converted to its teachings. Her mother was baptized first but she kept it a secret until a year later when her husband joined. When the Lutheran minister learned about them joining this new religion, he bade them to leave this Peterborg place they were renting. They had but a short time to dispose of a few personal belongings they couldn't take with them. It was a very sad parting for they had become so attached to the country and the lovely Peterborg place. They left no friends for these people had turned bitterly against them. These former friends tormented and made moving as disagreeable as possible. The family had no place to go so they decided to move to Oslo for employment and the family could be found more easily there.

Life in a big city goes well when one has plenty of money or a good job, but when work cannot be had and money for the necessities of life is scarce, it brings a sad chill over one to be there. The first winter in Oslo was a dreadful one. Her father sprained his back and was laid up the entire winter. Her mother suffered illness too. Lack of food and worry caused her mother to lose her baby prematurely that winter and to suffer with the sickness she had. This good mother divided the last morsels of food in the house to her children and went without herself because there was not enough for both.

Spring finally came. It was then that most of the family found employment in a brickyard. All, from the smallest to the largest were willing to work there to provide food for themselves although the salary was very small.

During the next years in Oslo, the family was blessed with much work, so along with their savings and scheming, they finally accumulated enough money to take them to Utah. In June 1875, her parents, Emil, 21, and Beate, 11, sailed for America on the ship "Idaho" and located in a little community east of Preston, Oneida (now Franklin County), Idaho. This little place was known as Worm Creek, and her parents settled just across the street from the present Preston Fifth Ward Chapel in Franklin Stake.

In 1876, Marie passed away. She was unable to stand the added hardships which came to her with pioneering. She had been a sufferer of consumption for years. She left a song which she had composed that told about her life from the cradle to the grave that gave solace and inspiration to her children. The last verse was composed on her deathbed.

Ole Olsen Peterborg died in December 1885. At that time they were living in Grass Creek.




Ole Petterborg
from The Passing Years by David C. Jensen, son of Antone Jensen

Ole Petterborg was born August 15, 1825 in Toten, Norway. He was the son of Ole Olsen and Gulline Olsen. Ole had two half-brothers, David and Antone Jensen. Ole came to America in 1873.

Ole changed his name from Olsen to Petterborg. The name Olsen was common in Ole's section of Norway. The various Olsens were identified by the place they lived. So it was with Ole. He was called Ole of Petterborg. Ole liked Petterborg better than Olsen.

Ole married Marie Eriksdatter. Marie was born November 6, 1827 in Norway. She died January 24, 1878. To this union were born nine children. The children were born in Norway. There names are Gine, John, Matilda, Emil, Even, Beate, who died in 1862, Beate who was born in 1864, Christine, and Oliane.

Even did not marry. He drank considerably during his life time which caused him to be hospitalized. He died in Walla Walla, Washington at the age of 78. He was brought back to Preston to be buried.

Two of the children died, but the rest married and had families. John Olsen settled in Ohio. He married twice and had two families. He and two boys were killed in a saw mill.

Emil settled in Preston. He is the only one who retained the name Petterborg, so he is the main root of the Petterborgs.

Ole homesteaded the place across from the Fifth Ward church. His place ran one mile north and was 1/4 mile wide. Christensen owned the place were Ole's house sat.
Ole was tall and thin. While he was in Norway, he did some drinking. He was mean during this time and would beat his wife. He was good otherwise. He was very close on money matters.

Ole lived a very quiet life. He did not take an active part in the affairs of the day. He accepted the gospel in April 1866. He was the type of man who tended his own business in a very mild mannered way.

Ole died in December 1885. He is buried in the Preston cemetery.

The name Petterborg is becoming common in the West. Ole left to his kin a unique name. The name started with him and will grow and grow.



The Petterborg farm

Petterborg is the first town so name in Prestmoen, in the community of Moen, which lay in a forest on the road from Skelve to Hove. All of the farms in the area had pastures. However, these were not as old as the places down by the beach. It seems to have bene cleared in the first half of the 1700s.

In 1865 the name of the tenant farmer in Petterborg was Ole Olsen. He owned some of the land where he farmed. He was 41 yeaers old. He was married to Maria Eriksdatter in 1850. After that he was in Vienna as an infantryman. Their children:
Anne, Mathea, Johan, Emil, Even, Oliane, and Beate

They were required in work 5 days in the wilderness portion of the land for 1 crown for a summer day and half that for a winter day's work. The rent for the farm was 120 crowns to 180 crowns. They got a horse in the spring for 8 mal. They were allowed to pasture their cows during the winter, and had permission to have 1 cow at home during the summer. They were also required to take care of the priest's cow during the summer. There was a strict prohibition against working in any part of the forest which had not been approved.

Bought in 1865 3 cows, 4 sheep (Ole and Marie were living at Petterborg then)
Bought in 1875 1 cow, 3 sheep, and 1 pig
Sold in 1865 various vegetables (Ole and Marie were living at Petterborg then)
Sold in 1875 various vegetables