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TLarson
Senior member
USA
205 Posts |
 Posted - 10/03/2006 : 18:32:58
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Hi,
I am trying to figure out information on a cousin of my great-grandmother's. Her name was Ida Melaas and as far as I know she was born in Norway but I am not sure what part. I found quite a bit of information about members of her family on a cemetary record on the internet. Her full name was Ida Cornelia (Caroline) Amalia Melaas and it says she was born to Ole Olson and Olava (Larson) Melaas. My great-grandmother's name before she was married was Martha Ensrud and her mother's maiden name was Melaas so I am assuming that Ida's father and Martha's mother were brother and sister (if Martha and Ida were first cousin's). the website I found says that the cemetary Ida is buried in is in Flom, Minnesota and that is where most of here siblings are buried as almost all of them did not get married. Previous help I've got from this forum found information that Martha's partents names were Peder Olsen and Karen Olsdatter. So it would make sense that Karen (Martha's mother) and Ole (Ida's father) were siblings as their last names make it sound like they had the same father. Any help would be appreciated on anything anyone can find!
Tim Larson |
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Trond
Moderator
Norway
174 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2006 : 23:31:24
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Take a look at this farm Melaas in Jenvnaker on the census of 1865 Here you will find the combination of farm name Melaas, Karen Olsdatter and Ole Olsen
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2006 : 14:42:14
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Tim -
You will find that the parish church records for both Jevnaker and Gran areas of Oppland, Norway are available to be used on microfilm through any of the LDS Family History Centers. I have researched in them myself and found them very helpful and quite useable! As I remember it, the church records of around 1819 in Gran/Jevnaker/Lunner areas are a little challenging to read occasionally because of a shakey hand of the original writer.
Before you venture into using the old Norwegian records you should study these helpful articles -
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~norway/articles.html
What did Ida list as her birthplace in US censuses, Minnesota state censuses? Have you checked those? If she was from Norway, what immigration year did she list on US censuses? You haven't given any dates for Ida and no married name.
As before - Ensrud and Melaas (Melås) were names of FARMS in Jevnaker/Lunner areas of Oppland Norway. Often persons who had lived on those farms chose to take those previous 'addresses' as new American surnames. You will find an article about that subject also in the collection linked above.
You cannot safely assume that an Olsen and an Olsdatter are necessarily brother and sister until you have more evidence. What it indicates is that they each had fathers with the given name of Ole (and that is a VERY common given name). You'll have to find them listed together in a family group record or other resource that lists their parents name(s). You'll need to collect vital identifying dates for each person you seek to find. If you expect other people to help you find them - you'll need to share the vital identifying information.
Likewise you cannot assume that persons living on farms of the same name and area where necessarily related to each other without evidence - you have to check the records!!! |
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TLarson
Senior member
USA
205 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2006 : 17:59:16
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Hello again,
I know for sure that Ida was never married. so her name never did change. I made an error in stating that Ida was born in Norway, i just looked at the cemetary record and it says that Ida was born to Ole Olson and Olava Melaas in Ossian, Iowa. so she was NOT born in Norway. Maybe that will help in finding information.
-Tim Larson |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2006 : 18:09:59
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| You forgot to include DATES. |
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TLarson
Senior member
USA
205 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2006 : 19:32:05
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Here are the dates that I have. Ida was born on October 20, 1878 in Ossian, Iowa and she died on December 27, 1957. I'm not sure where she died but she lived in or around Ulen, Minnesota at the time of her death i believe. I believe the cemetary she is buried in is located in Flom, Minnesota which is not that far from Ulen. Those are the only dates that I have.
-Tim Larson |
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Brining
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
868 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2006 : 03:54:57
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This is probably her in the 1880 census in Atlanta, Becker, Minnesota. Click Here Clara might have been Olava and used a more english sounding name or it could be a second marriage.
Carla |
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Brining
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
868 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2006 : 04:18:47
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In the 1900 census MELLAS IDA C 22 F W IA MN CLAY ULEN TWP She is a borader living with Ole Ellingson and her occupation is a teacher.
In the Minnesota Death Index, her mother's maiden name is listed as Larson.
In Walworth Township Pioneers Click Here Ole Melaas is listed and there is a link for lookups which might give you more information
Carla |
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Brining
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
868 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2006 : 05:30:53
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This is probably Ole in the 1865 census for Jevnaker Click Here and leaving from Jevnaker in 1869 Click Here He is single so Clara/Olava is probably from somewhere else in Norway and he met and married her in the US.
This could be him in the emmigrants from Oslo. The last name is Olson Meland but he is from Jevnaker and it looks like his sister Kari traveling with him. I didn't find any Meland farms in Jevnaker or Oppland so may have been a transcription error or written wrong when they registered. Click Here The destination is Mc Gregor (Iowa??)
Carla |
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TLarson
Senior member
USA
205 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2006 : 06:18:54
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Hello again,
Yes I'm very sure the Ida that has been found is the correct one because I know she was a teacher for many years in the area of Ulen, Minnesota. The Ida that was found in the 1880 census is very likely to be the correct Ida because she had a sister whose name was Mina Mathilda and I believe Mina was the oldest child in the family as she was born in 1875 and Ida was born in 1878. So that Ida would be correct also. The cemetary record I found also say that Olava and Ole were married at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa on June 26, 1874 so they did get married in America. As far as where Olava was from in Norway, my records say that she was born to Las Kristoffersen Flesviki and Inga Marie Olsdatter Bjortomte in Feiring, Hurdalen, Norway. but i don't know what year Olava would have come for sure.
-Tim Larson |
Edited by - TLarson on 12/03/2006 06:19:39 |
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TrHHolte
New on board
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 14/04/2013 : 15:45:35
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Ingeborg Olsdtr Melaas married to Lars Kraggerud would be my 2nd cousin 3x removed she had 2 brothers Hans Olsen and Ole Olsen Melaas and 2 sisters Kari Olsdtr and Karen Olsdtr Melaas My mother was a Melaas
I farmed by Evansville MN 5 Mi. from Brandon please e-mail me at tholte@gctel.net Trueman Holte.
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tholte |
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Trying to find information about Ida Melaas
