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Richard Schumacher
Junior member
USA
53 Posts |
 Posted - 19/07/2009 : 00:42:17
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I have numerous ancestors that settled in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
I have found that most (both Norwegian and Swedish) seemed to eventually get to the Black River Falls, WI before dispersing to northern Wisconsin and Minnesota., both of which have very many Scandinavian immigrants.
I imagine they came by ship to New York or Canada by ship and then found route close to where the land was right/comfortable and there were others that preceded them. I imagine many came by boat through the Great Lakes (especially after the Erie Canal opened), but there is railroad service in in Black River Falls. Some early ancestors (before 1855) were in the Milwaukee, WI area, but most came into the Black River Falls for a year or so before dispersing on the 100 to 300 mile trip to where they settled. One bought a cast iron wood stove there and carried it the last 15 miles on his back to northern Wisconsin.
This seems to be for both Norwegian and Swedish immigrants over a period of over 30 years. Is this a common route? If so, why? |
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Lislcat
Advanced member
USA
692 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2009 : 16:41:15
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In the book, "Trains of Wisconsin" by Malcolm Rosholt, I found this information that may interest you.
"Track laying by the West Wisconsin
began in the early fall of 1867, at Tomah, and by the
first snowfall, a track of 10.10 miles had been graded
and laid from Tomah to Warren. The following year,
the track was extended to Black River Falls, and in
1869, to Augusta, and in 1870, to Menomonie Junction
and a year later, to Hudson."
This is a very interesting book, for those of you interested in the history of Wisconsin, as are all of Malcolm Rosholt's books. If you look at the PDF version, there are many wonderful photos of trains and railway stations in the 1800's.
I can tell you that my family that immigrated during the 1840's - 1850's, seemed to follow the same route as the family members that came before them. Since they didn't speak English, it was much easier for them to follow a route that had already been proven to work. Can you imagine how difficult it would of been for them to travel to Amerika and then have to try and figure out a route, once they got here? I think traveling around the world to a new country was scary enough. They had to stick with the route that they had been given by their family members or neighbors that had immigrated before them. Of course, I'm just speaking of my families immigration. It may have been different for others.
[PDF]
9. The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha; Including Map ...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
the track was extended to Black River Falls, and in .... A West Wisconsin railroad passenger train crossing the. Ried Cedar River, north of Menomonhe, ca. ...
www.scls.lib.wi.us/mcm/rosholt/trains-of-wi/trainswi/.../00000015.pdf - Similar
Trains of Wisconsin /
by Rosholt, Malcolm Leviatt, 1907-
Rosholt House, c1985.
Description:
176 p. :
Illustration Details:
ill. ;
Dimensions:
28 cm.
ISBN:
0910417067 :
0963506501
Notes:
"A picture book on railroading in Wisconsin"--P. [2].
Includes index. |
Lislcat |
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Richard Schumacher
Junior member
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2009 : 20:45:39
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Lislcat -
Thank you very much for the information. It provided very good information to helped me put together all my pieces of information and get a better understanding since many early Wisconsin records were not that accurate because everyone was moving around.
It is ironic that one branch of my Scandinavian family (Swedes and Norwegians - Ringebu area) independently came though Black River Falls, Wisconsin and many spent almost a year there before moving northward to their ultimate homes in Barron/Washburn and Burnett counties (depending on the counties splitting and dividing). Most of these came in the 1870's, so the records after that were better later. It is apparent that they traveled by rail from the east. It took a few years and a lot of talking for a Swede to marry a Norwegian where they until after around 1900, even though everyone was one or the other.
I appreciate and understand the problems you have with a lack records for 1840's. My great-great grandfather immigrated before 1850 and apparently changed his name to a "corrupted" American family name, so after 15 years, I have not yet been able to verify his original name and immigration records, where he lived prior to 1850 until 1860, in the SE corner of Wisconsin (Walworth county) near Milwaukee, the first white female was born in 1840 and records (births and certainly deaths) were rare. until after 1850 or 1860. The churches (often a person's house) are no longer there and the churches or parishes did not place a high value on records, but just survival. He moved to an area in Monroe county in about 1860.
I will be in the Black River Falls area next week to try to find and take photos of where my unknown great-great -grandfather lived from from 1860 to 1881. - It was possibly a log cabin and only the remnant of the foundation is there, but I found a local resident/neighbor that seems to know where is was. - At least it will be a nice trip to a beautiful area and a chance to go to the local museum and meet with the historian again and possibly a cemetery stone "rubber" that may have some clues, although the early stones/monuments did not have much information other than the American name.
Thank you very much!
Dick |
Edited by - Richard Schumacher on 06/08/2009 20:48:41 |
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Lislcat
Advanced member
USA
692 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2009 : 00:23:34
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Dick,
You're very welcome! Good luck with your research in the Black River Falls area!
Take care, Wanda |
Lislcat |
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Scandinavian immigration patterns.
