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Scorpiove
Junior member
USA
38 Posts |
 Posted - 12/10/2004 : 00:12:06
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Ive been trying to research information on the Smilden family. Ive recently learned about farm names and such and realize that Smilden was a farm name and that is how my name came to be. My grandpa "Harold Smilden" lived in grand forks north dakota. My dad is Timothy Allen Smilden and used to live there but moved to california long before i was born, well actually while he was still a kid with his dad.
I heard a story that when they came to america that whoever my ancestor was had the last name hanson or hansen dunno how to spell it and now after doing more research I found it probably meant he was the son of Hans or Han. That is all the information I have and I would love to see if I can find out more.
I did a search here...
Smilden farm search
and found a "Hans Jensen" living on the smilden farm around 1886. So although its a long shot and I could be wrong, and this guy not even related.... I think it might be his son Hansen or Hanson that came over to america, don't even know what state or even if it was canada he landed at. But all I know is the immediate family comes from North Dakota. Anybody have any insights for me, it would be greatly appreciated.
I did some more digging and this person I'm more sure Im related too. Some records from North Dakota...
North Dakota records
Lots of stuff there so I manually got the text out so you don't have to go through it all...
SMILDEN HANS HANSEN 05 151 N 056 W 002 80 251101 PA 7589 08/01/1904
This guy is matches my dad story, apparently though instead of getting rid of Hansen he made it his middle name. But what are the chances that his dad was Hans Jensen from the Smilden farm? I dont see any other Hans on the Smilden farm, I would need to see other years for records.
I think I've accomplished a lot although non of this is solid yet cept for maybe Hans Hansen Smilden, its obvious though his dads name was Hans too. It is also now fairly obvious to me that this is the first Smilden of my family to come to America, not hard to conclude ;). But where did he land? What boat was he on? When did he leave Norway? Did his dad go with him? So many questiosn!!! |
Edited by - Scorpiove on 12/10/2004 04:14:07 |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 15:16:00
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This will be very difficult without any birthdates, etc. for the persons you've mentioned.
Checking the 1900 US census shows Hans H. Smilden living in Moraine township, Grand Forks County, North Dakota. He is listed as having been born November 1872 in Norway. He's been married for 3 years and lists his year of immigration as 1893 (he has started but not yet finished the process of naturalization). Occupation: farmer. His wife is named Maren, born Feb. 1879 Norway, immigrated 1895, married 3 yrs, mother of 2 children. A daughter, 'Gustie', born Aug. 1897 NDak. A son, Hans, born Oct 1898 NDak. Source: National Archives Microfilm Series: T623 Roll: 1228 Page: 89
1910 census index only shows one Smilden - Iver. He lives in Fertile township, Worth County, Iowa. This means Hans name is probably mispelled... Yes, Hans H. 'Smelden' in town of Larimore in Grand Forks, NDak. Listed as retired farmer! 35 yrs old born Norway, immigrated 1893, a naturalized citizen. Wife is Maren, 30 yrs old born Norway, immigrated 1895, married 12 yrs, mother of 7 children. Children all born NDak. - Gustie 12; Hans 11; Hannah 9; Thos. 7; Enga 5; Lina? 3; Henry 1+. Source: National Archives Microfilm Series: T624 Roll: 1142 Page: 317
1920 census shows Hans H. Smilden living in Hegton township, Grand Forks County, NDak. Hans is 46 yrs old, born Norway, immigration year unknown, occupation farmer. Wife is Maren, 42 yrs old, born Norway. All the children still living at home were born in NDak - Hans, 21; Hannah 19; Thomas 17; Inga 15; Tina 13; Henry 11; Ingvold 9; Marie 7. Source: National Archives Microfilm Series: T625 Roll: 1334 Page: 61
(If you don't have access to one of the online US census subscription collections of scanned images - you can see microfilm of these censuses at either a repository of the US National Archives or on microfilm of the LDS Family History Library at their Family History Center nearest to you.)
You'll be the only person able to verify if the ages are consistent with the records you've already gathered.
It was not uncommon for the original patronymic to be used as a middle name when a Norwegian used the farm name for a surname. It is often quite a great help since in Norwegian records he'll probably be recorded with the patronymic.
Emigration database for the port of Bergen in Norway lists a Hans Gerad Hansen Smilden, 20 yrs old, leaving on or about 24 May 1893 on an Allen line ship?. He is from Hyllestad area of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. I'll try to capture the URL (but still getting used to the recent changes in that database system....) -
http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=0214EMIG&post_nr=201&vispostnr=201#a0
Of course, you'll have to research in Norwegian records for the Hyllestad area of Sogn og Fjordane to learn if Hans Jensen was his father, and other earlier family history.
Good 'how-to' at -- http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~norway/articles.html
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Scorpiove
Junior member
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 21:53:10
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Wow Thanks so much, I didnt expect so much information! My dad told me about the Smeldens I think they were related to the Smildens but I was told they wanted there name different. I wonder if Hans Smilden is my ancestor? I thought Smilden's in the usa were pretty rare and that they were all probably related to me.
Edit: I just varified with my dad that Ingvold was his grandpa and the Smeldens were his brother Hans which you found as the son of Hans Hansen Smilden. But Hans decided to spell his last name Smelden instead. So the Hans Hansen Smilden that came from norway was Smilden... it was one of his sons that used Smelden. :)Thanks again I greatly appreciate the info! :)
Whats odd though is I found a Martha Smilden who married someone in washington state in 1888. I wonder if they were also possibly related some way although that seems very unlikely given the timing. Was their a Han Hansen Smilden or was he Smelden or was their both? I greatly appreciate the info you have given me.
Edit: Mispelled Smelden as Smeldon, but fixed now. |
Edited by - Scorpiove on 29/11/2004 07:56:20 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 22:13:37
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Great research!! 
Here is a christening record from Hyllestad parish, Sogn & Fjordane you might want to have a look at:
Born 16 NOV 1873, Hans Gerhard Hanssen, parents: Hans Jenssen, and Halfrid Hansdatter. Farm=Smilla !  2nd link
Here the parents are in the 1865 census, farmname = Smilden
Records of emigrants from Hyllestad: Hans Hansen Smilden
Under notes: Born: 16 NOV 1873, Christening: 23 NOV 1873, Confirmation: 29 SEP 1889, emigrated spring 1893
This must be his brother Mads Hanssen Smilden.
Under notes: Born 20 FEB 1865, Christened 19 MAR 1865, Confirmation: 12 OCT 1879, emigrated summer 1890.
Jan |
Edited by - jwiborg on 12/10/2004 22:34:06 |
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Scorpiove
Junior member
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 22:29:57
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| Wow jwiborg you confirmed my thoughts on Hans Jensen being the father of Hans Hansen! You also confirmed most likely that Hans Gerhard Hanssen is the same one in north dakota. The one that I'm related too! :P This informations is so much appreciated! I'm right in assuming they are the same person right? :) Sorry everybody I'm just so happy this is so hard to believe that I finally have this info. I can't believe though I was right about hans jensen. :) You guys did excellent work! :) |
Edited by - Scorpiove on 12/10/2004 22:36:31 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 22:37:39
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Hi,
I would say that the chances for this being the same person, is something halfway between 90 and 110 %... 
His destination in 1893 could be his brother Mads, who emigrated 3 years earlier.
Jan |
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Scorpiove
Junior member
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 22:54:03
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quote:
1910 census index only shows one Smilden - Iver. He lives in Fertile township, Worth County, Iowa.
Can this Smilden be the one here...
Smilden farm research
Sogn og Fjordane Hyllestad Øn 28 4 Smilden Smilden Iversen Sjur 0, 1
And if that is true that means the Smildens living in Iowa are probably not related. |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 23:30:17
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Hi,
Your link to the Smilden farm research shows that there was 8 farms named Smilden in the "Øn" area of Hyllestad parish, Sogn & Fjordane.
The farms are all in the same neighborhood/township called Øn, but the people living there where not neccessary related to each other.
But most likely you'll find a cousin or two...
Jan |
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Scorpiove
Junior member
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2004 : 23:40:54
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| Wow I didn't know there was more than one. How big was the area? Was it a good chance that they all atleast knew each other if they werent related? This makes me wish I knew Norwegian :(. Thanks again :). |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2004 : 00:39:47
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Hi,
your link to the Smilden farm research is a land register database for the year 1886.
It's an almost complete land register over all farms in Norway for that year.
Maybe it's not correct to say it was 8 farms. The landregister shows that "your" Hans Jensen paid more taxes than the others ones, which indicates that he lived on the main Smilden farm. They have all landnumber 28, and the first titlenumber (1) is usually the main farm. Hans Jensen's farm has the titlenumber 1. The other Smilden farms are smallholdings under the main farm.
Your query shows:
Fylke - Herred - Sogn - Gårdsnr - Bruksnr - Gårdsnavn - Bruksnavn - Navn på eier - Skyld i ort og mark
Sogn & Fjordane - Hyllestad - Øn - 28 - 1 - Smilden - Hans Jensen - 3, 2
Translated into:
County = Sogn og Fjordane
Parish = Hyllestad
Township = Øn
land number = 28
title number = 1
Farmname = Smilden
Owner = Hans Jensen
The last value (3, 2) says something about how much the owner had to pay in taxes (it was depending on how much land he had).
The area was not big so of course everyone knew each other...!
I'm not familiar with the Øn area in Hyllestad, but I would be surprised if it was much bigger than a few square miles... Hyllestad today is 100 sq. miles.
222 people lived in Øn as per January 1st, 1866 (1391 in the whole Hyllestad). Ref: census-1865, Hyllestad parish.
Btw; The farm still exist, and the name today is spelled "Smilla", as it was in 1873 when Hans was born...
Jan
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Edited by - jwiborg on 13/10/2004 01:03:06 |
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Scorpiove
Junior member
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2004 : 01:44:44
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Oh so it went from smilla to smilden then back to smilla again? I love all the information you are giving me. :) Greatly appreciated!
Edit: I tried searching the ships database but I coudlnt determined which allan line ship was used. Is it possible?
Edit 2: Does this place have any relation to the smilden farm?
www.smilden.no
In the pic I think I can see where it says Smilla. |
Edited by - Scorpiove on 13/10/2004 02:47:00 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2004 : 09:16:07
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Hi,
Yes, your link is from the Smilden farm in Hyllestad, Sogn & Fjordane!
They're selling fish (salmon & trout) and natural products made from the Smilden farm. The farm lies by the Sognefjorden (the world longest fjord) , and they have a fish farm there.
Btw; your link confused me about how they spell the farm name today. I saw on an other map that it was spelled Smilla, but on your link again it says Smilden....
Smilla is probably how the pronounce it using their (very special) local dialect.
Smilden looks to bo more like a Danish spelling, due to the fact that Denmark used to rule Norway for 400 years....
Jan |
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Scorpiove
Junior member
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2004 : 09:58:20
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| Hehe thanks again:). In norway how would you pronounce Smilden? Like smile-den? That is how we pronounce it and everyone always thinks its pronounced smellden. Just wondering if we got that pronounciation from over there. :) |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2004 : 10:04:39
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I think I would have pronounced it smeal-den...
But to be sure; you should call the farm owner of today and ask them...
Jan |
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Scorpiove
Junior member
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2004 : 10:13:53
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| I think the pronounciation change could have proably came over time. Or maybe the farmer pronounces it Smile-den too, too bad i don't speak norwegian . I was looking at my dad's baby book and it shows Ingvold Smilden has his Grandpa, and Andrew Smilden as Ingvold's dad. Now I need to see if Hans Hansen Smilden changed his name. Perhaps he developed a nickname |
Edited by - Scorpiove on 13/10/2004 10:16:30 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 13/10/2004 : 12:31:52
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Hmmm...
so your line (father => father etc) is like this:
"You" => Timothy Allan Smilden => Harold Smilden (1933-1982) => Ingvold Smilden => Andrew Smilden
And what you're looking for is a "connection" between Andrew Smilden and Hans Hansen Smilden?
First, I don't think Hans Gerard Hansen Smilden changed his name to Andrew. It's not impossible, but I find that a bit strange.... 
If Andrew was born in Norway, his "real" name might be Andreas or Anders. Those two names was very often "Americanized" into Andrew when they moved to America, due to better pronounciation...
And Smilden is "of course" pronounced Smile-den in the US, that's how they did it, throughout the years..., their names became "Americanized"... It's the same with Hansen, a typical norwegian name. In America, they usually spelled it Hanson...
Jan |
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