Born April 22, 1876

Rølvaag, Norway

Died November 5, 1931

Northfield, Minnesota

Novelist who focused on the lives of immigrants in Minnesota and South Dakota

O. E. Rölvaag. Bettmann/Corbis.

"[There] will scarcely be a life history which it would not be interesting to look at if it were singled out for scrutiny. Human portraiture has no end."

O. E. Rölvaag is best known for his novels centered on the experiences of Norwegian Americans living in rural areas of Minnesota and South Dakota. His main characters face conflicts as they try to maintain their self-identity while adapting to new social and physical surroundings. Drawing on his own experiences, Rölvaag created many characters who welcome their new world while struggling with spiritual and cultural ties to their past.

Born in a Fishing Village

O. E. Rölvaag was born...