Oh, the things I come across while I am trying to get organized! Today I found a photocopied letter dated 9 March 1900, written by our ancestor Ingvar Dybdal (1854-1947) from the Grotberg Farm in Norway to his brother Lauritz (1856-1949) who used the surname Mylius and moved to work on a farm at Horten, Norway. The feeling of brotherly love that emanates from this letter is touching. This letter was kindly translated by cousin Mette Nordengen, who is the half great grand niece of Ingvar.
“Brother (Lauritz),
I told old Even Grotberg that you love to work in the garden. Because of that he wanted to send you some of his best onions from this year. So you can see that he also knows something about gardening.
He asked me to give you some advice about how to care for onions in the winter, in case you don’t know. Take a box and make some holes in the bottom, and fill the box with dirt. Cut the onions 3 cm from the root and put them in the middle of the box and remember, give them some water. When it’s cold, you can put the box in the cellar. Now I stop with this!
Helene (Grotberg, Ingvar’s wife) loved the sailing on Lake Kristiania on our way back home. Yes, it was really nice on the smallest part of the lake, but when we arrived at Kristiania (the former name of Oslo), the fun was over. We were on a trip to Odalen (a place in the eastern part of Mjosa), dead quiet; it’s much better in Horten (where Lauritz lived). Dear brother, I’ll never forget that evening you, Amanda (Lauritz’s wife?), Helene and I were sitting on the top and looking out on the lake. Maybe it was the only time we will be sitting together on that beautiful place, because you and I are both only ordinary workers, and the money tells us what we can do.
Helene asks me to send love to Amanda and you all, and Anne (Ingvar’s daughter) asks me to say hello to Torolf (Lauritz’s son) and she said, “It would have been nice to lift him up in my arms.”
Love to you all,
Ingvar Dybdal.”
History Sifter 