O.E. Rølvaag

Óle Edvart Rølvaag was a Norwegian-American author, born in a small fishing village on the island of Dønna in Norway. Growing up in a family of seven children, Rølvaag, who was originally named Ole Edvart Pedersen, spent his childhood and young adulthood in the Lofoten fishing grounds. These experiences left a lasting impression on him and would later influence his writing.

In 1896, Rølvaag emigrated to America, settling in Union County, South Dakota to work as a farmhand. He lived there for two years before enrolling in Augustana Academy in Canton, South Dakota, where he graduated in 1901. Rølvaag went on to earn a bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota in 1905, and a master's degree from the same institution in 1910. He also studied at the University of Oslo for a period of time.