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HalB
New on board
USA
3 Posts |
 Posted - 25/02/2012 : 00:42:06
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There is a family tradition that Great Great Grandpa and Grandma brought at least one or two dairy cows with them on their voyage to America from Vaga/Lom, Gudbransdal, Oppland in 1872 (I don't know the ship or shipping line or ports of call) all the way to Fillmore County, Minnesota.
I know it was possible, but it seems improbable, impracticable and one heck of an undertaking if they really did. They had 5 children, all under 10 years old, the youngest under 1 year, so they could have used the milk. Sure, cattle were shipped all around the world in those days but I have a hard time believing this was a common practice on passenger ships of the day.
Has anyone else heard of this happening? |
HalB |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7790 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2012 : 01:47:13
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How do you provision the cow during a 2-6 week voyage?
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Lislcat
Advanced member
USA
690 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2012 : 16:01:42
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| I would think that if you had the ship's list, you could through the manifest and see if it states that it transported any animals. While impractical, I can understand why they would want to bring a cow with them, to start their farm in America. My grandparents and great-grandparents, treated their cows like pets, so I can understand the attachment. |
Lislcat |
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Kåarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2012 : 16:29:45
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Never heard of it before.
It´s a relatively long journey from Vågå to a port in Western Norway or south to Oslo.
Europeen immigrants brought cattle, cheeps and horses with them from Europe, perhaps on cargo ships.
It was not uncommon that immigrant ships brought cattle as return-cargo back to Europe.
Kåre |
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1297 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2012 : 17:15:04
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| I have been reading numerous voyage accounts from Norwegian emigrants, and have never heard of livestock being transported along with the emigrants within the time period mentioned. Actually I think it is the case the the 1864 Norwegian Passenger act states that it is not permitted, no live stock or large quantities of cargo containing salted or conserved fish or meet along with passengers. The reason being the health hazard. However, what is known is that living animals in some cases were brought on longer voyages as fresh provisions. It would be very interesting if the story could be confirmed! |
Børge Solem |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7790 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2012 : 18:22:29
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This story concerns horses from Norway rather than Norwegian cows in America. It was published in March 1936 issue of Hallingen written by someone with the initials M.T. V. on page 36. It was translated by Arne Nestegård in 2000:
"It was in 1885 that a Halling by the name of Ole Moelledalen stayed for a time in Rothsay, Minnesota, with a friend or relative, Knut Kaupang, who lived four miles west of the town.
The man was small and old. Usually he had homespun overcoat with a collar made of wolf skin and a belt around his waist. It was said that the rumor comes ahead of the man and it was told that he had been rich and that he was a fighter. he had been using the knife and had been prosecuted. Waht made him most conspicous was that he drom one horse in front of a buggy and the other was lead behind in a halter. These two horses he has brought from Norway.
The horses were small and looked to be of the Nordfjord breed or ordinary daleshorses. When Moelledalen came in to Rothsay and tied his horses outside the saloon, the people gathered around him to look at the Norwegian horses that none had seen since they left Norway. Then someone would tell about when they worked in Norway at the big farms at Hadeland or in Gudbrandsdalen or Sigdal, and transported timber with Blakken, Bruna or Borken, about the strength, wisdom and special way they walked. When this old Halling said that they should get some of these horses, on man said: 'It could be for driving in the afternoon, but in front of the plow they are too small.' Then Moelledalen became angry, went in circles on the floor, kicked his leg up in the air so his hat fell down.
One of these horses, a mare, had a foal that Thorsten Kaupang bought and that he later used as stallion, and there were few farmers in the Rothsay district that did not have one or two of these half blood Norwegian horses in the 90ies...."
The Kaupangs were actually relatives of Ole Gunnarson Mølnedalen and mine--but Ole was a such a malevalent character (convicted in Norway of murder) and admitted to another two killings on his deathbed-- Aagot Raaen also wrote that "...In 1882 he sold whatever he could, took the money and what he had been able to borrow, a brown mare and a gray stallion and skipped to America...,"
So whether or not its true that the horses were Norwegian or not, still doesn't answer the question how did they get here? |
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Kåarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2012 : 22:08:40
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quote:
Originally posted by jkmarler
and transported timber with Blakken, Bruna or Borken,
The ending --en in Blakken is male and the ending ---a in Bruna is mare.
- Blakken means a pale yellow male horse often used on a Fjording or on a pale brown horse, Blakka, a pale yellow mare.
- Bruna is a brown mare, Brunen a brown male.
- Borken is a Buckskin, Borka used on a mare.
Kåre |
Edited by - Kåarto on 25/02/2012 22:09:13 |
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HalB
New on board
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 28/02/2012 : 05:46:23
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I just found out their ship from Liverpool to New York was the SS France, arriving NY June 13, 1871. I'm so surprised my source was able to find this as their name: SVEEN was misspelled: LVEEN. Now that's a great researcher!
Don't know if this can help me find out about the cow, or what ship they took from Norway......National Line was the shipping company.
Appreciate the comments so far.
Thanks! |
HalB |
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Bringing the family cow?
