On May 19, 1893, a terrible landslide occurred in Verdal, Norway.
It struck in the middle of the night, killing 116 people.
My grandfather, who had immigrated to America,
lived in this area. His "home place" survived the landslide,
but tragically, several members of the Melby family
perished in the catastrophe.
My grandfather's aunt, Maria Baardsdatter, age 70, lost her life in the landslide.
Maria, her daughter , and another young woman named Bolette were inside the house
when the landslide hit. Bolette woke up, swallowing clay & mud; she was covered from
head to foot with the wet, sticky clay. The women went into the loft of
the attached barn. They noticed a cow had been pushed up under the rafters!
There were several "waves" that occurred in the night.
Maria was carried away by one of the waves and she died.
A farm called "Melbynesset" was buried in the clay. It was here that
Ingeborg Rasmussdatter, her husband Andreas, their daughter
Ragnhild, and their grandson, Edvin Herman lost their lives
that horrible night in May.
Ingeborg was also an aunt to my grandfather.
Ingeborg, Andreas and Edvin (grandson)
Ingeborg was my grandfather's aunt.
She was 54 at the time of her death.
Ragnhild was 21 years old when she died in the landslide.
Sevald was a son of Ingeborg & Andreas, so he was also
a relative. He had gone to Chicago with his wife, Guro.
His little boy, Edvin Herman remained in Norway.
At the time of the landslide, Sevald was making
plans to have his son come to America.
This is Edvin Herman, who was 9 years old when he died in the landslide.
Such a heartbreaking story! In a letter written to his parents 3 days after the landslide,
Sevald says he read of the landslide in the newspaper,
but wasn't sure where exactly it was.
Little did he know that his parents, sister and son all died!
In his letter, he talks lovingly of his son, and hopes his sister Ragnhild can
accompany Edvin Herman to America; he planned to send tickets.
He closed his letter with, (translated from Norwegian) "Live well and
thousands of wishes from Guro and me to all of you and mostly
to little Herman from Daddy."
[Guro was Sevald's new wife; his first wife and mother of Edvin Herman
had died.]
Thanks to Stina Melby for the pictures, letter,
information and book about the Verdal landslide!
