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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
 Posted - 30/01/2014 : 16:54:07
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Just lost a reply I was writing--accidentally hit delete button for webpage--Hate when that happens!
I am in awe of what everyone has found. Would like to reciprocate in some way.
Have found some info on Port Huron, Michigan immigration info. Existing databases seem to be from after 1880. May be some earlier records in Port Huron museums. Am trying to track that down now. Will post it here if I find anything (it will take a while--may even have to go there!).
I could provide more info on what happened to the families once they got to the US. There are MANY descendants. My apologies for not posting more info to guide your searches. Never expected this much assistance--only expected info on where to look for passenger lists! What an amazing resource this forum is. Do let me know how I can reciprocate. Would be glad to post more here.
Kåre, I have one question. When I follow the link below I don't see the emigration date or the family. I do apologize if it is there. I often have trouble reading the Norwegian handwriting. Can you tell me the number of the family? Thanks!!
Emiration Hegra in Stjørdal Feb. 21. 1874.
Christopher Jensen Gederaas and Gunnild Arntsdatter, son Jens Christophersen b. 1846 married to Randi Olsdatter with 4 children, right page #1-9
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Kåarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 17:01:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Kåarto
Emiration Hegra in Stjørdal Feb. 21. 1874.
Christopher Jensen Gederaas and Gunnild Arntsdatter, son Jens Christophersen b. 1846 married to Randi Olsdatter with 4 children, right page #1-9
Kåre
Hi Chris.
To read and understand old handwritings can be difficult enough for a Norwegian. Believe me, I have scratched my head many times in frustration.
Your family leaving Hegra, rec. Feb. 21. are on the right page 1874 Nr.1-9. Dest.Nord Amerika
1 Gmd (Gaardmand) Farmer Kristoffer Jensen Gederaas age 47
2 "Hustru" Wife Gunhild Arntsdatter age 45
3 Jens Kristoffersen Gederaas born 1846
4 "Hustru" Wife Randi Olsdatter b. 1845
5 (forgotten?)
6 s Kristoffer b. Sept. 5.1869
7 d Kjerstine Oline? b. 1859
8 d Kerstine b. 1860
9 s Karl Gustav b. April 7.1869 (Kristoffer Jensen and Gunild Arntsdatter`s son)
Kristoffer and Karl Gustav born -69.
Uncle and nephew 
Kåre |
Edited by - Kåarto on 30/01/2014 17:41:48 |
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 17:32:56
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Thanks, Kåre! Got it.
May have found a connection to Dodge County Minnesota where the second Gunhilda Kristine was born in 1882. Elen's sister, Kjersten Oline, was living in Concord, Dodge, Minnesota in 1880 with her husband, Peder J Kyllo. Here is a link to findagrave info on Kjersten: Go to Findagrave. 1880 Concord Will review 1880 Census records for Concord area to see if I can find Ole & family. Concord sensus data collected on 10 & 17 June, so Ole may not have arrived yet. Also need to check cemeteries there. |
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 17:36:00
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| Searched Hegra Church Cemetery in Goodhue county where Kjersten is buried--no evidence of the first Gunhilda buried there. |
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 18:03:05
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| Kristopher Romo's daughter, Berith C, appears to be the first person in the family to emigrate from Norway. 1900 Census says she arrived in US around 1865. She married Iver Rolfseng Iverson (a widower with one child) 30 Oct 1868 (date not documented) and they are listed in the 1870 census for Wanamingo, Goodhue, Minnesota (Iver, Berith (listed as Betsey), Martha (7) (child from Iver's previous marriage to Elisabeth Sivertsdtr Greseth) and Elizabeth (10/12). They remain in Wanamingo until their deaths on 16 Nov 1924 (Iver) & 26 Nov 1909 (Berith) - Minnesota Death Index 1908-2002 for both deaths. Looks like they had 12 children together. |
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Kåarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 18:22:15
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Leving Hegra Feb. 21 and dep. Trondheim April 14. they were not busy.
The distance from Hegra ca 70 Kilometer.
Just a thought; Parts of the railroad called "Meråkerbanen" Meråker Line was already finished 1879, officially opened 1881, even more officially opened 1882 by king Oscar.
Ole worked for the railroad company as clerk, one of the god parents, ranked one, when Gunhilda Kristina was bap. 1879 in Meråker was Equipment Manager Johan S. Støre from Verdal.
It`s tempting to think that they traveled by train to Trondheim 1880. |
Edited by - Kåarto on 30/01/2014 18:38:22 |
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 19:59:11
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Interesting idea! Always wondered why Elen didn't leave with her family in 1874. Would make sense if she was involved with Ole and didn't want to go. With his job, he may not feel the pull to America at that time.
But would a family leave a young, unmarried girl in Norway? Her brother Arnd is the only one I can't find in US. Maybe family thought Arnd would watch over her until she married.
(Suspect missing #5 on the 1874 parish emigration record is her brother Peter--1900 US census says he emigrated in 1874.)
Son Jens M born 28 Oct 1875; Elen probably got pregnant in Feb 1875. Assume she knew Ole for a while before that. So perhaps family did know Ole before they left, esp. since they didn't leave Trondheim until Apr. Wonder where they were between Feb & Apr!
I'm always amazed at how many mysteries there are to solve!
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 22:08:25
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Severe Winter of 1880-81 - Excepts from "The Immigrants' Trek: A Detailed History of the Lake Hendricks Colony in Brookings County, Dakota Territory, from 1873-1881" By GUSTAV O. SANDRO
--"The great storm came as early as October 13-14 and the snow never cleared away entirely again until May of the following year....
--Caught so unexpectedly early in the fall by the snowstorms, many settlers were poorly prepared for winter....
--Most of the colonists used all their flour long before spring released them from the snow in which they were virtually imprisoned. They were forced to grind wheat on the little coffee grinders...
--Shortage of fuel occurred in many homes. The haystacks then were used as sources for fuel....
--The little huts on the prairie were completely covered by the drifts of snow, and at places several feet of it lay on top of the roofs.... --Tunnels were excavated from the cabin doors to the surface of the snow....
--Tunnels were excavated from the house to the woodpile, from the house to the stable, and from the latter place to the well.
--An immense amount of labor was expended throughout the
winter, in order to keep the tunnels open...."
Enormous stress on families, especially those with children.
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 22:12:03
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| Sorry, meant to list the pages & put link for excepts on snowstorm: pp. 27-30. Link to articley |
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 23:19:36
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From "From Singsås to America" (earlier link from Kåre):
Ole & Elen arrived in Quebec on 12 May 1880 on S/S Moravian. Per the above paper, passengers usually stayed on ship for a day to be processed and have health checks. Then had to arrange for passage on trains and ferry. By 1860's Grand Trunk Railway System had line from Quebec to Sarnia on Canadian side of US Border. From Sarnia, immigrants took ferry across St. Clair River to Port Huron, MI. [family processed into the US here]. Then took train to Chicago. By 1879, railways extended all the way to Brookings, SD (although I found another source that seemed to suggest some railways west didn't start until 1880). So looks like Ole & family possibly could have traveled by train & ferry from Quebec to probably Red Wing, Minnesota. Ole's immigration paper said entered US at Port Huron in May, 1880.
If trains took about the same amount of time as today, and assuming no problems anywhere, 3 days in Quebec to get processed & arrange transportation, and a couple of days in Port Huron to get processed, I estimate the very soonest the family could have arrived in Minnesota was the beginning of June. If trains took longer or there were delays, could be much longer.
So hard to say if they were in Minnesota for the 1880 census. Technically, could have been, especially if in area where census was done in mid-June. But with any delays, probably not, especially if census in area was done in the first week of June.
Ok, that's it for today! Time to rest the body and brain. |
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Kåarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 30/01/2014 : 23:39:23
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quote:
Originally posted by cmtodd
Interesting idea! Always wondered why Elen didn't leave with her family in 1874. Would make sense if she was involved with Ole and didn't want to go. With his job, he may not feel the pull to America at that time.
But would a family leave a young, unmarried girl in Norway? Her brother Arnd is the only one I can't find in US. Maybe family thought Arnd would watch over her until she married.
(Suspect missing #5 on the 1874 parish emigration record is her brother Peter--1900 US census says he emigrated in 1874.)
Son Jens M born 28 Oct 1875; Elen probably got pregnant in Feb 1875. Assume she knew Ole for a while before that. So perhaps family did know Ole before they left, esp. since they didn't leave Trondheim until Apr. Wonder where they were between Feb & Apr!
I'm always amazed at how many mysteries there are to solve!
Ole Torkildsen Stustad age 20 left Lier 1872, see right page #2
He was heading towards Hegra, dest. was Støren
Its soon midnight in Norway.
I will quit as a buddy of mine in the US tend to say;
"Time to blow out the lamp to save kerosene"
Kåre |
Edited by - Kåarto on 30/01/2014 23:49:28 |
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 31/01/2014 : 16:49:41
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Trying to work systematically through the info you all have provided (many thanks!!). A few questions:
1). Trondheim Police Em. report says Ole (26) , Elen (23) , Jens M (4,5), Thoralf (2,5) & Kristine (.5) Torkilds. left Trondheim on Tasso on 14 Apr 1880. Family is on passenger list for Moravian leaving Liverpool 22 Apr, arriving Quebec 12 May.
Nearest Tasso voyage on Norway-Heritage site is 15 Apr. Should I assume they traveled on this voyage? Is there anywhere I should look for Tasso passenger lists? (haven't found any so far in my searches).
2) Still can't find birth record for Ole Torkildson & Elen Kristoffersdatter's second child: Thoralf (also called Torl). Undocumented info lists birth as 20 Aug 1877 in Asker.
Trondheim police em. report lists age as 2,5 as of 13 Apr 1880, so 1877 is probably birth year.
Location probably wrong, given following documented info:
--First son, Jens Martinas, born 28 Oct 1875 in Hegra
--Third child, Gunhilda Kristine, born 3 Sept 1879 in Meráker.
Would appreciate help finding this birth record. My simple searches on Digital Archives haven't worked!
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JaneC
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3020 Posts |
Posted - 31/01/2014 : 20:41:27
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Hi Chris, I didn't find Thoralf's birth either.
Probably the source of the birth date:
World War I Draft Registration
Sep 1918
Thoralf Torkildson age 41
Birth date: 20 Aug 1877
No birth place listed.
Residence: Lake City, Marshall County, South Dakota, USA
Occupation: Automobile repairing, Torkildson Bros.
Nearest relatives:
Ellen Torkildson, mother
Vienna Clark
Signed: Thoralf Torkildson
1900 US Census in Pleasant, Clark, South Dakota
Thoralf Torkeldsen age 22 born Aug 1877 in Norway, to USA 1880
No full dob here:
South Dakota Marriages, 1905-1949
Name: T Torkildson
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Spouse: Ruth M Eaton
Marriage Date: 28 May 1907
Marriage County: Roberts
County of Residence: Marshall
Post Office: Luffman
No exact dob here either:
South Dakota Board of Health Record of Marriage
15 April 1936
Aberdeen, Brown, South Dakota
Torl Torkildson age 58
Nationality: American
to
Agnes Torkildson age 55
Nationality: American
Residence for both: Lake City, SD
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Edited by - JaneC on 31/01/2014 20:52:25 |
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Kåarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 31/01/2014 : 23:58:48
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No hit for Thoralf.
Undocumented info.
Thoralf Olsen born August 20. 1877, most likely in Nord-Trøndelag county.
Parents Ole Torkildsen and Elen Kristoffer-Christoffer/Christophersdatter
Kåre |
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cmtodd
Junior member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2014 : 07:25:34
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Thanks Jane & Kåre. Went back and checked individual Norway church registers for places Ole lived (Hegra, Meråker, Lier, Asker) on off-chance there was an entry that didn't get into the database. No luck there. I'm going to conclude for now that either the birth was not recorded in Norway or that it is in a parish record that isn't online (there were few instances where only the parish copy existed, but I didn't notice any places where there was no info on the parish).
We'll just have to go with what we can find in the US sources at the moment. In addition to the two sources you found, Jane, the 1900 Census also lists his birth as Aug 1877. So there are three sources (1900 Census, WWI Draft Reg & tombstone) that support an Aug 1877 time frame and two that support 20 Aug 1877 as birth date (Draft Reg & tombstone). The age on his two marriage records, also appears consistent with an 1877 birth year. On the other census records, the age he gives doesn't always translate to an 1877 date but the dates aren't off by more than a year from an Aug 1877 birthdate. Except for the 1940 census, we don't know who provided the info to the census taker. And heck--I don't always give my age correctly any more either! I think it is safe to say that both Torl and his family believed his birthdate was 20 Aug 1877.
As to location, I would agree with you, Kåre, that Nord-Trøndelag county is the most likely place, given that both his siblings were born there and he is the middle child.
Thanks for your help on this!
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Inman Line Ships
