BIOGRAPHY

Svien was born Velgjer Nystuen in Vang, Østlandet, Norway, on 10 October 1842 as one of four children born to Tosten Jonson Nystuen and Berit Iversdatter Nystuen. Her mother died when she was six, and her father subsequently remarried and had nine more children.

In 1854, the family emigrated to the United States on an 11-week ship voyage. Svien lived in Wisconsin for three years before relocating to St. Ansgar, Iowa. She married fellow Norwegian immigrant Andrew J. Svien in 1860, and moved to a Goodhue County, Minnesota farm five years later.

Svien and her husband had four children: Carrie, John, Thomas, and Annie. They also adopted a girl, Susan. Svien outlived all of her children; John died in a train crash and Annie died of tuberculosis as a child. In 1876, the family moved to Northfield, Minnesota. The Sviens were, for a short time, hoteliers, while Andrew also worked as a policeman for 13 years.

In 1927, Svien’s husband died aged 89, and she lived independently until the mid-1930s, when her daughter Carrie moved in to care for her. Following Carrie’s death in 1939, Svien moved to a nearby nursing home, of which her niece was a proprietor.

During her centenarian years, Svien’s hearing and eyesight deteriorated. At the age of 104, her grandson and granddaughter-in-law cared for her at their house for the rest of her life.

Svien died on 23 January 1953 at the age of 110 years, 105 days. She was survived by six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.

Svien died on 23 January 1953 at the age of 110 years, 105 days. She was survived by six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Upon her 110th birthday in 1952, Svien became the 10th validated supercentenarian according to LongeviQuest. She was the 10th-oldest validated person ever when she died. She was Minnesota’s first supercentenarian, and her state longevity record would last until 1989.

Svien was the first supercentenarian to die as the world’s third-oldest person, as Nancy Merriman (1841 – 1954) and Betsy Baker (1842 – 1955) survived her.

Svien’s age was verified by Celvin Ruisdael, Nick Eriksson, Dr. Andrew Holmes, and Oliver Thorpe, and was validated by the GRG and the ESO on 27 April 2014 and 17 November 2020 respectively.

ATTRIBUTION

• Mrs. Svien at Ninety-four Keeps Her Youthful Spirit Unknown Newspaper, October 1936
• Mrs. Svien Honored on 99th Birthday Makes Plans For 100th Unknown Newspaper, October 1941
• Minnesota’s Oldest Citizen, Mrs. Velgjer Svien, Dies at 110 Unknown Newspaper, January 1953
• Death Claims Mrs. Velgjer Svien, Age 110, Minnesota’s Oldest Citizen Unknown Newspaper, January 1953

GALLERY