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 Norwegians in America
 Sofie and Zakarias Melby - where did they go?
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Brining
Norway Heritage Veteran

USA
868 Posts

Posted - 14/10/2004 :  01:57:18  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
In the 1910 census
MELBY HAROLD E age 31born NORW State MN County HENNEPIN Location 11-WD MINNEAPOLIS On the original the E could be a S.
Immigrated 1898
Can't read his wifes name. Married 6 yrs. Sons Wil??? age 5 and Lester age 4.
Carla
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Jo Anne Sadler
Norway Heritage Veteran

USA
1100 Posts

Posted - 14/10/2004 :  03:23:13  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
In the 1910 census, it appears her name is Olga, born New Hampshire, parents born Sweden.

Found Olga Melby in the 1910 and 1920 census in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, widowed, born New Hampshire, sons Waldo H. and Lester G., born Minnesota.

The Minnesota Historical Society Death Index has alot of Melby's listed and you can also search by mother's maiden name.

http://people.mnhs.org/dci/Search.cfm

There is a Harold Melby, died Hennepin County, October 2, 1915. Also, Olga, Waldo and Lester. Death certificates are usually signed by a close relative, getting a copy can give you further clues.

Just a note, with a few exceptions, the 1900, 1910 and 1920 census only has a head of household index. Some of the subscription databases are being transcribed to expand the indexes but currently, only the 1880 and 1930 census' have each person indexes. The Social Security death index is only for people who died after 1962, the year they went computerized. Registration started in 1937.

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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran

USA
3351 Posts

Posted - 14/10/2004 :  03:28:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Putting in Harold Melby on Rootsweb.com homepage (in the Rootsweb search) returns a Harold Melby, wife named Olga and son named Lester G. Melby (b. 1906-1979). The submitter's name, email address and a source is available through that WorldConnect page on Rootsweb.
Lester Melby also appears in the online Minnesota Death Index - where it appears to list his mother's maiden name as Johnson.
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Berta
Medium member

150 Posts

Posted - 14/10/2004 :  11:21:41  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thank you very much, Carla, Jo Anne and Hopkins!

I will certinaly check out the websites suggested!

Carla!
It is interesting to see that his name is listed as Harold E. I was looking at a City Directory for Minneapolis in 1909 I find a Harold E Melby that is listed as a bartender.

But I couldn't be sure that this was "my " Harold, since I did not know if he still lived in Minneapolis. But I wrote it down.

Does the census list his occupation?

Jo Anne:
Thank you for the name of the wife and the children. I will look at the MHS site.

Hopkins:
Thank you for your tip, I will follow up on this. I guess I typed Harald instead of Harold when I tried the "Rootsweb" , so that is how much a little letter means...
I will check out this path.

Berta
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Berta
Medium member

150 Posts

Posted - 14/10/2004 :  12:18:58  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have just gotten an email with some information of an accident in Minneapolis in 1915:
This is extrated from
Minneapolis Tribune Sunday 10/3/15 page 2 and
Minneapolis Tribune, Monday 10/4/15

It states that Hotel Emplye Harold E Melby was hit by an auto.
It also states that Harold worked at the Golden West Hotel in Minneapolis.
The article also has details about who drove the car and so forth.

In the obituary it states that Harold was survived by a widow and two sons and that he was a member of Central Council No. 2, Moders Samritans.

This last puzzels me. What could it mean?

Berta
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Jo Anne Sadler
Norway Heritage Veteran

USA
1100 Posts

Posted - 14/10/2004 :  19:23:09  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Moders Samritans was probably a fraternal organization. Check a Minneapolis city directory for that time and it would list all the social organizations.

Yes, in the 1910 census, there was another Harold A. Melby, 39, born Norway, immigrated 1881, born Norway, bartender. Wife Selma, 36, Elenor A. 4 9/12, Bernice, 3/12 born Minnesota.

The other Harold Melby's occupation was clerk.

You have gotten to the point where you need to get the actual records, death certificates, city directories, etc, You have alot of names that may or may not be related to your family. Getting the death certificate from 1915 should tell you whether or not this is the correct Harold.
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Berta
Medium member

150 Posts

Posted - 14/10/2004 :  21:19:20  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thank you for your posting Jo Anne.

You suggested that Harold A was a bartender. But in the City Directory, Harold E was a bartender ( from 1909).
And the immigration of "my" Harold was in 1898, that would be 17 years difference from the Harold A you menttion.


The entry Carla (Brining) is mentioned is more likely to be "my " Harold.

But of course. I have to go into the deathcert. of Harold Melby.

At MHS I found Harold Melby dead October 2nd 1915, which probably is the Harold who dies in the tragic Auto-accident.

So, I do have to go more into this.

But I have not yet found any trace of Sofie.

But I keep on trying.

Thank you everybody who has contributed!

Berta
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Berta
Medium member

150 Posts

Posted - 27/10/2004 :  12:12:11  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I wanted to update the information regarding this topic:

I have recieved the information from the MHS death index: ( regarding Harold:

Harold Melby born 10/6/1877 in Norway died 10/2/1915 in Minneapolis.
Married. Fathe,r Melby, mother not known, both parents born in Norway.
Occupation, clerk. Length of time in place of death, 17 years. Length
of time in state 17 years. Residence 2912 East Franklin Ave. Informant, Olga Melby, 2306 E. Franklin. Burial, Laymans, 10/5/1915. Undertaker,N. L. Enger, 412 Cedar ave.


So it seems that the Harold I had narrowed in on, was the correct one. Tragically Harold died fairly young. But what happened to his sister, Sofie, and his brother Zacharias?

Harold got two children:,
Waldo H. Melby, who married Irene and got at least two daughters, Shirley and Linda.

and Lester G. Melby, who married Alberta.
I have found Lester and Alberta buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery , Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.

Harolds wife were Olga Johnson. She was born 6/11/1883 in Manchester, New Hampshire and died 11/15/1963 in Minneapolis. Her father was Andrew Johnson and mother: Erika Noren. They were born in Sweden. She had lived 78 years in Minneapolis.

She was surivived by two sisters: Mrs. Adelia Fegan, Battle Creek, Mich., and Mrs. Agnes
Lundberg, Minneapolis.


On the Ellis Island manifest, it says that he is going to his sister "Sofie K??" As I have stated before, I have trouble reading her last name, maybe someone can read it more clearly than me?

Here is the link:

Ellis Island

And I have thought about the issue more than one city that is named "Minneapolis" in Minnesota, is this the case?

I have tried searching "ancestry.com" for "sofie melby" and I got a "hit" there. But since I am not a subscriber yet, could someone help me look at this? The hit is in the "New York Passenger Lists 1851-1891". So this is in the range of period which Sofie emigrated from Norway, so maybe there are some information on her and her brother?

I hope that someone out there can help me further in my search. I am really grateful for any help!

Berta
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Jo Anne Sadler
Norway Heritage Veteran

USA
1100 Posts

Posted - 27/10/2004 :  19:19:30  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Well, Berta, I was born in Minneapolis and do not think there is any other city in Minnesota with this name

I find Sofie as follows:

Arriving from Christiania & Copenhagen to the Port of New York on August 30, 1882 on the ship Geiser.

Sofie Melby, wife, 25, steerage, destination U.S.
Alfred Melby, son, 3

At this time, they would have been processed for immigration at Castle Garden.

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Berta
Medium member

150 Posts

Posted - 27/10/2004 :  22:08:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Jo Anne!
First of all, Forgive me for my lack of detailed information on Minnesota geography....

Second, thank you for your lookup. This could not have been "my" Sofie, since she in 1886 was with her family in Norway. So the search goes on..

Did you look at the Ellis Island Manifest I placed a link to?

Berta
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kmarsh
Starting member

USA
6 Posts

Posted - 28/10/2004 :  01:51:19  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
According to the 1910 census, a Harold E. Melby (age 31) lived in Minneapolis (Hennipen Co.), Minnesota. Wife: Olga L. (age 26) born New Hampshire, US. and her parents were Swedish. Children: Waldo H age 5 born Minn.; Lester age 4 born Minn. Harold came to the US in 1898, married for 6 years, and was a bartender in a saloon.
In 1920, the census lists only Olga and the 2 children. She is the head of the household and teaches music.
Also in the same area is a Jens Melby age 27 and Sigrud age 23.

Kathy Marsh
Sterling, VA
kmarsh0000@aol.com
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Jo Anne Sadler
Norway Heritage Veteran

USA
1100 Posts

Posted - 28/10/2004 :  02:13:20  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yes, I looked at the link but I all can guess is - Kleinerberg or Klemerberg.

Maybe it you printed it out; enlarged it, then put a piece of yellow transparency on the copy glass and the enlargement on top and print another copy you may get a better idea of what it says. This works with faint copies too. Sometimes looking at writing upside down and sideways helps.

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Berta
Medium member

150 Posts

Posted - 28/10/2004 :  15:31:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Jo Anne and Kathy: Thank you for the tip!


Berta
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Berta
Medium member

150 Posts

Posted - 22/02/2005 :  00:56:26  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I am still looking for Sofie Maria Melby.

I have been thinking... In 1898, when her brother Harold arrives in the US, he lists her sister Sofie Kl?? as his destination in Minneapolis.

This is just two small years before the 1900 Census. So.. she may be listed there. But she is of course not listed as Sofie Melby, but as Sofie Kl... (something.. )

I searched the MHS death certificate database, and I found

Sophia Klingberg in Scott county, dead 1919, but I do not really think this is the one I am looking for..

I just can't believe that it is so difficult to find her!

Maybe she used "Sophie M." or "Marie".... hmm...

I hope that someone can help me to look in the 1900 Census for Sofie Kl... ?

Maybe there exists City Directories for the surrounding years?

I know that the 1900 and 1910 Census isn't on the Internet, but maybe someone possible could do the lookup for me other ways? other channels. It is so frustrating to sit here in Norway, because it is quite limited to what I can do.

Any help is gratfully appriciated!

Berta
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Berta
Medium member

150 Posts

Posted - 01/01/2006 :  23:05:31  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have now found that Sophie married Charles Clements. (Clementson) .

In the 1900 Cenus of Minneapolis, Sophie Mary Melby and her husband Charles Clementson ( he is a bartender) lives together with their children:
Arthir C. Clementson, Hazel F. Clementson, Roy William Clementson and Charles Oscar Clementson.
Also living with them is
Agnes Melby (immigrated 1891) and Harold E. Melby (bartender)

So this is 3 of the siblings. Zakkarias "Sam" is not listed in this household.

in 1910 the family lives also in Minneapolis, but now without Agnes and Harold. Their last name is now Clements.

Sophie is listed as dead in 1915, (mhs.org)

So it seemd that Agnes Kathinka also emigrated. She should then have emigrated in 1891. But I have not found her after 1900 Census yet. maybe someone out there with a connection to the 1910, 1920 and 1930 Census can find her?

It is strange how sometimes information comes along.. ;)

Berta
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