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ms_malevolent
New on board
New Zealand
4 Posts |
 Posted - 12/12/2011 : 06:11:58
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I am a kiwi researching my family history. I am trying to find out anything I can about my great great great grandfather, Albert Halverson. This is his anglisised name that he took when he came to New Zealand.
He was born circa 1856. His birth name is Halvor Halversen Torpse - except the 's' has a diagonal stroke like 'Ø', could this possibly be an outdated Norwegian letter...?
I have conflicting info about his place of birth: Bergen and Valders are cited. I have scanned copies of postcards from Valders, and I believe this is most likely where he was born / lived. I thought perhaps he moved to Bergen, and / or left Norway from Bergen. I'm having trouble finding his name anywhere.
I also have the ship's name, which seems to be no help. It was apparently called the 'Aratura'. This sounds like an odd name for a ship in those days, and it also sounds like it could be of Maori origin, and therefore would have been a New Zealand ship. It arrived, probably in Auckland, in 1879. I am also thinking that if it was a kiwi ship, it probably did not travel very far and may have been a connection from a ship landing in Australia.
I am yet to find any record of him emigrating either. Though I have narrowed it down to just Bergen, so if this Bergen info is completely wrong I guess I am barking up the wrong tree. it could possibly have been Oslo, as it is the closest major city to Valders (not to be confused with Valdres ).
Any help is much appreciated! |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7790 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 06:51:59
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Hi,
A long shot for you....Family {544}, child #2 is a Halvor Halvorsson b. 14 Aug 1856, gone to America before 1895 but not a lot of information about him, from Aal bygdebok online, farm Torpeslåtta:
http://www.aal-bygdebok.no/007003-.htm
Jackie M. |
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ms_malevolent
New on board
New Zealand
4 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 07:44:45
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Thanks! It almost looks like it could've been him, however the mother has a different name. Funnily enough Albert's father is listed as Albert Halverson (so probably Halvor Halversen), but his mother is Olena Knutson (or Knutsen).
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eibache
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
6495 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 11:41:15
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It would be helpful to know where the birth name comes from and to see the handwriting of Torpse, postcards from Valdres might also give some hints to find where "Torpse" is situated. Could it be Torp sø(ndre) or just Torpe?
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Einar |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7790 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 13:04:00
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quote:
Originally posted by ms_malevolent
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I also have the ship's name, which seems to be no help. It was apparently called the 'Aratura'. This sounds like an odd name for a ship in those days, and it also sounds like it could be of Maori origin, and therefore would have been a New Zealand ship. It arrived, probably in Auckland, in 1879.
There is also a river in South America called the Aratura, near the Orinoco... No help at all...
Here is an address for a query which recaps most information on Albert /Halvor Halvorson:
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NORWAY/2006-02/1139024759
And an updated query:
http://news.rootsweb.com/th/read/NORWAY/2007-04/1175840192
And another search thread at DIS:
http://www.disnorge.no/slektsforum/viewtopic.php?t=27644
These are addresses found looking for torpse at www.1881.no:
Torpsætra (Seter (sel, støl)) , Matrand, Hedmark
Torpsætra (Fritidsbolig (hytte, sommerhus)) , Braskereidfoss, Hedmark
Torpsætra (Fritidsbolig (hytte, sommerhus)) , Matrand, Hedmark
Torpseter Bru (Bru) , Skotterud, Hedmark
Jackie M.
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Edited by - jkmarler on 12/12/2011 13:38:12 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 18:54:55
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Hi,
the ship you're talking about must be "The Arethusa", who sailed from Plymouth, England to Wellington, NZ 28 August to December 1879.
Read the diary from one of the passengers here.
Arrival of The Arethusa.
Passengerlist.
No-one which look like Albert Halverson at first glance...
Jan Peter |
Edited by - jwiborg on 12/12/2011 19:48:51 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 19:17:38
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Halvor Halvorsen Torpeslaatten given by Jackie above seems like a very good match, except for the mother's name...
But I think it must be this guy anyway..., how can it be proved? 
Marriage certificate from 28/07/1882 gives his parents names as Albert Halverson and Olena Knutson. Calculated birthyear = 1858.
Census-1865
Birth record #63, 1856
Jan Peter |
Edited by - jwiborg on 12/12/2011 19:20:39 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 20:23:39
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quote:
Originally posted by ms_malevolent
His birth name is Halvor Halversen Torpse - except the 's' has a diagonal stroke like 'Ø', could this possibly be an outdated Norwegian letter...?
An s with a diagonal stroke like Ø does not exist. It sounds like the name was misspelt, and the writer removed the "s", e.g. Torpse.
Jan Peter |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 20:49:12
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Could it be this one in Census-1875 for Bergen?
It says he is on a travel to England. Notes says that he is a mariner and sailmaker.
This query says that Albert (Halver) Halvorson Torpe was a mariner/sailmaker...
#146, Halvor Andreas
Born: 16 Aug 1857
Christening: 18 Oct 1857, Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Father's Name: Ole Andreas Halvorsen
Mother's Name: Nielsine Johanne Larsen
Jan Peter |
Edited by - jwiborg on 12/12/2011 21:41:29 |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7790 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 21:53:26
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Hi,
Hmmm. I guess one candidate could be as good as another, if each clue gets stripped away...
Is there any possible source for additional information on the man himself? The cards and letters were all destroyed or did some survive which might include mentions of identifiable names, places, postmarks or pictures of specific areas of Norway?
Does the photo of him picture any sort of unique clothing, furniture or jewelry which might point to one area or another of Norway?
Re the Aal family the people currently owning or on Torpeslåtta are descendants of the brother Nils Halvorson of Halvor Halvorson in question. Perhaps there is a "family" story about uncle Halvor who went away and never to return. Mitigating against him of course, Aal is not Bergen and becoming a mariner when from such a land-locked area would seem an unlikely career path. Thus said, noting that Halvor's and Nils' sister Guri d.y. was working a steamship between Norway and England in 1895 (when their mother died.)
If his father was named Albert Halvorson we would most likely expect the New Zealand Halvor to have had Albertson as his last name. We've all been looking for Halvor but what if his name was Halldor?
Does Albert's headstone carry any fuller dates or information about him? The cemetery is known and even if there isn't anything on the stone, perhaps the sexton's records might contain something.
What about New Zealand newspapers from the day? Any articles about him as a living person or obituary upon his death?
We could continue to find potential candidates but any would be assisted by having more information on Albert Halvorson in New Zealand.
Jackie |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7790 Posts |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2011 : 22:40:54
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quote:
Originally posted by jkmarler
If his father was named Albert Halvorson we would most likely expect the New Zealand Halvor to have had Albertson as his last name.
Jackie
Two things suggest his father's firstname was Halvor.
1) Being born 1858, he would most likely have used his father's patronymic as lastname. Thus; his father should be Halvor.
2) He anglisised his name from Halvor to Albert. It would make sence that he did the same with his father's name...
Jan Peter |
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vivi
Senior member
Norway
371 Posts |
Posted - 13/12/2011 : 11:15:59
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Hi
Here is a strong candidate for your Albert/Halvor.
A boy named Halvor was confirmated Oct 6, 1872 in Kvam not so far from Bergen. He was 15 1/4 years old = born about 1857.
His father was Halvor As??? and mother Oline Knudsdatter.
They live on the farm Torpe.
He was born in Aurdal which is in Valdres (Fagernes is in Aurdal).
No 9: http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20061229660594.jpg
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Vivi |
Edited by - vivi on 13/12/2011 11:16:47 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 13/12/2011 : 12:15:34
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That's a very good candidate, Vivi!
I think the lastname reads Olssen. It's not an "A", if you see how this priest writes a capital A.
Halvor is born on Böeiet in Nordre Aurdal, Oppland. This is in Valdres Region of norway.
I guess Bøeiet could be a subfarm under farm #43 Bø in Ulnes in Nordre Aurdal.
Jan Peter |
Edited by - jwiborg on 13/12/2011 12:21:50 |
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vivi
Senior member
Norway
371 Posts |
Posted - 13/12/2011 : 12:31:45
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Hi
I'm not able to find them in the 1865 census.
This might be because they live in Gol and Gol is missing from the 1865 census:
http://digitalarkivet.no/1865/mangler1865.htm (In norwegian)
It is written above his father's name: Skage in Gol in Hallingdal.
I agree that the "surname" of his father is Olssen.
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Vivi |
Edited by - vivi on 13/12/2011 12:32:20 |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7790 Posts |
Posted - 13/12/2011 : 15:10:10
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Hi,
Excellent find Vivi!
I have thus far found the following with Skaga connections:
1. Halvor Olson on Skaga in the Gol bygdebok of the correct age to be a father of someone in 1857. He born 1835 died 1893 but went to America in 1869 with his wife Kari Nilsdtr Dokken whom he married in 1869. They had 8 children in US. This Halvor got in some trouble in 1867 and was sentenced to 15 days of bread and water... Here is the bit of information about Halvor from the Golsboka VI, page 421:
"...
I 1867 bryja ei sak mot Halvor. Han hadde vore full på Nes og laga bråk, og då lensmannen og folka hans skulle arresta han, sette han opp. Han vart dømt til 15 dagars "vann og brød." Denne saka gjekk heilt til Høgsteren."
Here is another
2. Halvor Olson Skaga, b 1826 d.1906 g1864 m Guro Olsdtr Golberg b 1838 d.1918. Guro had an uægte daughter in 1858, but no uægte children are mentioned for Halvor. Together Halvor & Guro had 7 children. Halvor purchased Eidsgard of Jorde in 1863 until 1873. In 1873 to Nivstad, later to Røyse, then Bergheim, Guro herself to her daughter's in Modum.
And here is another possible, page 242 of Gol VI
3. Halvor Halvorson b. 1822 d.1896 g1853m Kristi Knudsdatter. Halvor lived on Stølsdokken, then Veahøle, then Rallabråten. But in 1856 when his and Kristi's first son was born, who was named Halvor, the parent's address was given as "Skagen". The "eie" suffix was not used, but Halvor was not an owner, so perhaps he was employed there. By 1858, when the next child was born, they were living on a different farm.
Jackie M. |
Edited by - jkmarler on 31/12/2011 01:54:03 |
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Halvor Halversen
