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petersjo
Starting member
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - 15/01/2008 : 03:46:59
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| My g-grandfather, Jacob Opheim, sailed on the Victor Emmanuel from Bergen, Norway, to Quebec in 1864. He was born in Oddi, Hardanger, in 1843. He farmed south of Thor, Iowa, and was married to Guro Maakestad. They are buried in the West Ullensvang cemetery just north of their home place south of Thor. There are also some Opheim connections in Bode, IA, but we were always told the Thor Opheims were't related to the Bode Opheims. Jacob's son, George, was my grandfather, his son, Irvin, my dad. There was a Berge family in Bode and Lothe family in Thor, so many of these names are familiar to me. |
Edited by - petersjo on 15/01/2008 03:49:16 |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 15/01/2008 : 15:25:58
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Don't forget Jacob's brother, Arne, and his sisters (one married a Hildal/Hildahl, one married a Vinsand and a third married a 'Berven'). They all lived in the Thor area too.
There were many from the Ullensvang and Odda areas of Hordaland that settled in Norway township, Humboldt Co., Iowa.
Jacob was one of the original attendees at the first meeting (Aug 1872) of what became the Ullensvang Norway Evangelical Lutheran Church wasn't he? That first meeting was held in the home of widow Carrie Olsen -- across the road from Arne Opheim's (later?) residence. |
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Norway bound
New on board
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 29/01/2008 : 07:46:11
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Dear Hopkins,
My name is Candy and my Great Great grandfather was Colburn Op(p)heim. I have no dates on him, but his son Bernard (Oppheim) and later changed to Olson was born 2/14/1884. He married Rikka Skulborstad born 7/24/1887 and they had 2 children Clayton & Christy Olson. Can you connect any of those people to anyone alive in Op(p)eim Norway?
I am traveling to Norway in April and would like to see where I come from.[/size=1] |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 29/01/2008 : 14:16:30
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Candy - There are various farms called Op(p)heim around Norway. How to know which is the farm your people came from?
You'll have to start with more info from the US.
Find dates for Colburn Op(p)heim - use US census enumerations, a gravestone inscription, or any other sources, Colburn isn't a Norwegian name so expect that to have been adapted from the original Norwegian form. Did "Colburn" come to the US? When? Where did he live and die in the US?
If you can find enough information to allow them to be found - we might be able to help you find which area of Norway that they came from. |
Edited by - Hopkins on 29/01/2008 14:17:11 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 29/01/2008 : 18:39:09
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Hi,
I think your Colburn (Kolbein?) is from Voss, Hordaland. Kolbein was a very popular name there, and there are Opheim farms there.
From the 1910 United States Federal Census:
Bemard Olson [Bernard Olson], Clay county, b. 1884
Rikka Olson, Clay county, b. 1886
Could they be the right people? And which Clay county is this?
Rikka Skulborstad is from the Skulbørstad farm in Stjørdal, Nord-Trøndelag.
Rikka Berntine Martinusen Skulberstad emigrated from Trondheim on 09 Mar 1904, together with brother Paul Julius Martinus. Skulberstad.
Parents are Mortinus Johnsen Skulbørstadhaug & Fredrikke Jensdatter Skulbørstadhaug. The family can be found in "Stjørdalsboka". The Skulbørstad farm is located 4 km north of Trondheim airport Værnes.
Her brother Ludvig Skulborstad emigrated in 1903, and can be found in the 1930-census for Minnehaha, SD.
In 1907, her sister Anne M. Skulberstad went to her sister Rika Skulberstad in Dell Rapids, SD.
Anne can be found in Minnehaha, SD, census-1910.
Looks like Dell Rapids, Minnehaha, South Dakota was the place for the Skulborstad's... 
Jan Peter |
Edited by - jwiborg on 29/01/2008 19:28:48 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 29/01/2008 : 19:36:45
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Could it be this one?
Kolbein Olsen
Birth: 25 JAN 1829, Opheim, Voss, Hordaland
Parents: Ole Kolbensen & Gjertrue Ingebrigtsdatter
Census-1880 for Township 93, Clay county, Dakota Territory
Minnehaha is close to Clay...
Bachelor Kolben Olsen Opheim (b 25 Jan 1829) emigrated to America on Apr 19, 1854.
Jan Peter |
Edited by - jwiborg on 29/01/2008 19:57:17 |
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petersjo
Starting member
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 29/01/2008 : 20:42:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Hopkins
Don't forget Jacob's brother, Arne, and his sisters (one married a Hildal/Hildahl, one married a Vinsand and a third married a 'Berven'). They all lived in the Thor area too.
There were many from the Ullensvang and Odda areas of Hordaland that settled in Norway township, Humboldt Co., Iowa.
Jacob was one of the original attendees at the first meeting (Aug 1872) of what became the Ullensvang Norway Evangelical Lutheran Church wasn't he? That first meeting was held in the home of widow Carrie Olsen -- across the road from Arne Opheim's (later?) residence.
There was another brother, Ole. One of his daughters was Lillian Opheim Kunert, now deceased. Her three daughters and I were childhood friends and schoolmates In Dakota City/Humboldt, IA. Did Arne have a son also named Arne? David Opheim, son of Arne Opheim, was a lawyer in Fort Dodge, IA. He died some years back from a brain disease. This is fascinating information. The possibilities for tracking relatives seem endless.
In reference to North's post, there was a Lothe family Thor, IA, I believe it was Victor Lothe. |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2008 : 00:20:50
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I know there were Lothes in Thor - but I don't recall their given names. (That's another farm name from the Odda/Ullensvang/Kinsarvik area of Hordaland, Norway.) I don't know if Arne Opheim named a son Arne also - but it is quite possible. I tend to concentrate on the ancestors rather than the descendants. That is just the research I prefer.
About half of my Norwegian emigrant ancestors settled in the Thor area of Iowa and helped establish the township and the little town but I wasn't really aware of that fact until many years after I left Humboldt myself. I just knew there were lots of little rural cemeteries that Mom used to drag me out to see and point out names I'd never heard before.
You are quite correct - the possibilities for tracking relatives does seem endless - you only have to stop when you reach the limit of OLD Norwegian records still existing. That means you can often research ancestors whose lives extend back into the middle of the 1600's.
The published books of the history of the Thor Lutheran church and the town of Thor itself are interesting for the stories about the settlement of the area and the early residents - and some of the old photos are pretty good too. I think there was a snapshot which includes Jacob Opheim - but I don't recall in which book. Sorry. |
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petersjo
Starting member
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2008 : 00:30:21
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| Our family has pictures of Jacob and Guro--I suspect from early 1900s--and also a picture of Jacob sitting on a bench in Thor with three other bearded gentlemen. I believe another family member has traced the family back to 1608. It's nice to know where we came from. Seeing a picture of Oddi was an emotional experience for me. Although I've been gone a long time, Humboldt is still home for me. One brother and my only daughter still live there. Thanks for posting! |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2008 : 02:21:50
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Odda - not Oddi. (Trust me.)
That's the snapshot I was thinking of -- the 4 "Norske kings" -- on their bench along the street in Thor.
The Thor Lutheran church still has their oldest church books in a BIG old safe in the Pastor's study (and the other Lutheran churches that they've merged). I've only been able to visit and go through them once (a long but well-planned summer trip) - no one still in the church claims to be able to read the Norwegian so they don't do "lookups". Luckily I'd practiced in the language before I got to look through them. Wish they'd let someone make copies that we could extract and place onine somewhere. We're spread far and wide now and easier access would be so much help to so many. |
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Katherine
New on board
1 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 00:59:02
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Hello,
I noticed that you are researching Norwegians in the Thor area of Humboldt County, Iowa. Where can I find the church records for Thor Lutheran church?
Names researching in the area: Sandvig, Samsonsen, Olsen, Olson.
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petersjo
Starting member
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 02:32:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Katherine
Hello,
I noticed that you are researching Norwegians in the Thor area of Humboldt County, Iowa. Where can I find the church records for Thor Lutheran church?
Names researching in the area: Sandvig, Samsonsen, Olsen, Olson.
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petersjo
Starting member
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 02:36:22
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quote:
Originally posted by petersjo
quote:
Originally posted by Katherine
Hello,
I noticed that you are researching Norwegians in the Thor area of Humboldt County, Iowa. Where can I find the church records for Thor Lutheran church?
Names researching in the area: Sandvig, Samsonsen, Olsen, Olson.
Oops. We'll try again:
Ullensvang Lutheran Church
105 N Ann St
Thor, IA
(515) 378-3150
I'm sure they can help you with your search. |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2008 : 04:10:14
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Katherine -
Tell me about your Thor area Sandvig, Samsonsen, Olsen, Olsons. Which ones?
I've researched lots of Thor area Olsons - and few Sandvigs who lived in the Thor area.
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Opheim/Oppheim, Kvamme, etc.
