Agnes Dyrhaug was born on July 11, 1896 in Nord-Statland, Norway to Anton Peterson and Jette Krestine. Anton worked in a sawmill, and there were three other children in the family: Ole, Johan, and Wilhelmine. Agnes immigrated to America in 1905 with her mother, sister, two brothers, and an aunt. Her father had immigrated three and a half years earlier and lived in Astoria, OR, where he had originally come to fish and later became a carpenter. The World Fair was in Portland, OR the year Agnes and her family came, and due to the large number of travelers, the immigrant coaches of the train were left behind in Minnesota when the train got too long. After two weeks of travelling, they finally reached Astoria. In Astoria, Agnes's other siblings, Paul, Helen and Earl, were born, and the family bought a farm in nearby Napa, OR. Agnes attended school for eight years and also took a commercial course, after which she began bookkeeping for Haukes.
Agnes met her first husband, Marinus Berg, in Astoria and was married in 1917. Marinus was also of Norwegian descent and worked as a carpenter and a contractor. They continued to live in Astoria for five years and had two children, Maurice and Bonita (Foster), before moving to Portland. When Marinus got sick, Agnes began managing apartments and later worked for the Portland Housing Authority. Marinus passed away in 1939, and Agnes later remarried Peter Dyrhaug. In Portland, Agnes attends Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and is a member of the Sons of Norway. She has also been a demonstrator for Nordic Ware and Chicago Cutlery, which involved demonstrating making Norwegian foods from Seattle to San Francisco, CA. Agnes has returned to Norway twice and believes that her Norwegian heritage is very important.
Lineage
IFull Name: Agnes Johanna Dyrhaug. Maiden Name in Norway: Agnes Johanna Ovesen. Maiden Name in the U.S.: Agnes Johanna Peterson. Father: Anton Peterson. Mother: Jette Krestine Pettersen. Paternal Grandfather: Ove Pettersen. Paternal Grandmother: Hannah Pettersen. Maternal Grandfather: Peter Pettersen. Maternal Grandmother: Indianna Pettersen. Brothers and Sisters: Ole P. Peterson, Johan H. Peterson, Wilhelmine C. Peterson, Paul A. Peterson, Helen O. Williams, Earl N. Peterson. Spouse: Marinus Berg, Peter H. Dyrhaug. Children: Maurice A. Berg, Bonita J. Foster.
From the guide to the Agnes Johanna Dyrhaug Oral History Interview, 1982, (Robert A.L. Mortvedt Library Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection Archives and Special Collections Department)
