Nora Fladeboe Mohberg Papers
Collection
Identifier: Mss 283
Scope and Contents
The Nora Mohberg papers highlight the works of a North Dakota author through both local history writings and historical fiction. The manuscripts of Cloud Before the Sun reflect likely some of her earliest attempts at writing. All her works in this collection help document the pioneer settlement era in North Dakota, and in particular the role of Norwegian American immigrants and their children in that settlement process.
The Cloud before the Sun manuscripts were separated from the records of the editor of the Institute (Acc. 2593) in 2000. The serial newspaper articles were originally part of the Institute’s Small Collection 611 which was transferred to Mss 283. The transfer to the Institute of the manuscripts and articles is recorded in a series of letters (1955-1956) between Nora Mohberg and Leonard Sackett of the Institute (Acc. 543). The two accessions were processed as a single collection.
The Biographical Series contains obituaries and other newspaper clippings concerning the lives of Nora Fladeboe Mohberg and her younger sister Eunice Fladeboe Whitinger.
The Published Writings Series consists of serial newspaper articles written by Nora Mohberg for the Sargent County Teller in Milnor, North Dakota. “Fourscore and Seventeen,” published in 1955, tells the story of Jacobina Jensen (1858-195-), a Sargent County resident and pioneer. “It Happened Here,” published in 1958, records various family legends—including pioneering and stories, among others. In these newspaper articles Mohberg appears to reply heavily on an earlier historical work related to Sargent County authored by a Mary Hudson.
The Unpublished Writings Series includes two typescript drafts of the story of Eunice’s and Nora’s grandmother, Maria (Berg) Brent, as she traveled from Norway to the United States and her life thereafter, “Cloud Before the Sun.” What appears to be the earlier draft (143 leaves) contains handwritten editing and additional notes pinned to various pages. Authoring credit, on a handwritten title page, is to Eunice M. Whitinger. The later draft (252 leaves) reflects extensive changes in the text, almost to the point of being two different works. The name of the character in the second manuscript is a Inga Dahl. The handwritten title page gives joint authorship to Eunice Whitinger and Nora Mohberg. This version also includes a Contents page with chapter titles. According to the correspondence in the donor file, it appears that Nora Mohberg authored her grandmother’s story and Eunice created the typescript copy from Nora’s handwritten draft. Nora Mohberg submitted the drafts to the Institute for evaluation, looking towards publication.
The Unpublished Writings Series includes two typescript drafts of the story of Eunice’s and Nora’s grandmother, Maria (Berg) Brent, as she traveled from Norway to the United States and her life thereafter, “Cloud Before the Sun.” What appears to be the earlier draft (143 leaves) contains handwritten editing and additional notes pinned to various pages. Authoring credit, on a handwritten title page, is to Eunice M. Whitinger. The later draft (252 leaves) reflects extensive changes in the text, almost to the point of being two different works. The name of the character in the second manuscript is a Inga Dahl. The handwritten title page gives joint authorship to Eunice Whitinger and Nora Mohberg. This version also includes a Contents page with chapter titles. According to the correspondence in the donor file, it appears that Nora Mohberg authored her grandmother’s story and Eunice created the typescript copy from Nora’s handwritten draft. Nora Mohberg submitted the drafts to the Institute for evaluation, looking towards publication.
Dates
- 1955-1958.
Creator
- Mohberg, Nora Fladeboe, 1903- (Person)
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.
Copyrights
The Institute does not hold the copyright to this collection.
Copyrights
[Identification of item]. Nora Mohberg Papers, MS 283, Institute for Regional Studies, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
Biography
Nora Beatrice Fladeboe was born October 10, 1903 on a farm in Dunbar Township in Sargent County, North Dakota. She was the oldest daughter of Johannes Fladeboe and his wife Bertha Boyum, a one-time rural school teacher. She attended Wahpeton High School and Valley City State Teacher’s College, after which she taught school in Dunbar Township (1922-1923).
She married Ralph E. Mohberg June 15, 1923, to which union four children were born. Upon Ralph Mohberg’s death in 1950, Nora renewed her teacher’s certificate and resumed teaching in Willey Township. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree she taught English at LaMoure, Milnor and Ayr, N.D. In 1963 she began working at the North Dakota State Library and worked there until retiring in 1975. She later resided at Wahpeton and Fargo where she died July 13, 1995.
Nora Mohberg is the author of several titles which reside in the Institute’s publications collection: A Home for Agate (1957 and 1966); Voices from the Prairies [195-?]; The Saddlebug (1968); After You, Andrew (1970); Duke of Dunbar (1971); and Sarah, Your Sister Needs You (1977?).
Nora’s sister, Eunice Fladeboe Whitinger, who is given credit on the title page of the two Cloud Before the Sun manuscripts, was born May 31, 1908 in Dunbar Township, Sargent County, N.D. She studied at Valley City State Teachers College, and music at Ellendale and Minot, N.D. She married Elwood Whitinger, also of Dunbar Township. They lived at Charlotte, Michigan and raised six children. Eunice was the author of two family histories on the Flataboe and Whitinger families. She died in 1981.
Sources consulted: Cloud Before the Sun, 1955; Nora Fladeboe Mohberg obituary, Fargo Forum 17 July 1995, p. B5. Before and after Ole and Agate: A Flatabø Genealogy, by Eunice Fladaboe Whitinger, 1968.
Extent
.2 Linear Feet (.2 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Mohberg was a North Dakota author of historical fiction related to her Norwegian American family.
Provenance
Donated by Nora Mohberg, 1955-1958 (Acc. 543)
Property rights
The Institute for Regional Studies owns the property rights to this collection.
- American newspapers -- North Dakota.
- Emigration and immigration -- North Dakota.
- Emigration and immigration -- Norway.
- Frontier and pioneer life -- North Dakota.
- Jensen, Jacobina, 1858-1961.
- Milnor (N.D.)
- Mohberg, Nora Fladeboe, 1903-
- North Dakota -- Emigration and immigration.
- Norway -- Emigration and immigration.
- Norwegian Americans -- North Dakota.
- Pioneers -- North Dakota.
- Sargent County teller (Milnor, N.D. : Newspaper)
- Whitinger, Eunice Fladeboe, 1908-
- Women pioneers -- North Dakota.
Creator
- Mohberg, Nora Fladeboe, 1903- (Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Nora Mohberg Papers
- Description rules
- Appm
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu