Ole's Blog

In part I, we summarized the birth records of Inar Amundson’s parents, Ole Amundsen and Petronille Rasmusdatter. In addition to their records, and Inar’s, I have found some of his grandparents and great-grandparents:

Inar's pedigree

In narrative form, Ole Amundsen’s parents:

Amund Olsen age 25, Thore Evensdatter, age 32; m. 29 Dec 1845, Grue, Hedmark, Norway
Residence: Strømsnaes (groom), Bakken ___ Ron___? (bride)
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=9156&uid=ny&idx_side=-312

Amund Olsen, b. 02 Jun 1820, Sola, Grue, Hedmark, Norway,
christened 18 Jun 1820, Grue, Hedmark, Norway
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=9154&uid=ny&idx_side=-59
Father: Ole Amundsen, Mother: Pernille Olsdatter

No luck yet on birth of Thore

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Amund Olsen’s parents:

Ole Amundsen, age 26, res. Sola; Pernille Pedersdatter (not Olsdatter), age 28, res. Evensrud
m. 18 Nov 1819, Grue, Hedmark, Norway
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=9154&uid=ny&idx_side=-203

Ole Amundsen, b ? Sola, Grue, Hedmark, Norway
chr. 1 Jan 1794, Grue, Hedmark, Norway
Father: Amund Gundersen; Mother: Kari Olsdatter
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=9152&uid=ny&idx_side=-38

Pernille Pedersdatter, b. ? Oppie?, Grue, Hedmark, Norway
chr. 24 Jul 1791, Grue, Hedmark, Norway
Father: Per Persen; Mother: Berte Olsdatter
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=9151&uid=ny&idx_side=-280

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Petronelle Rasmusdatter’s parents:

Rasmus Pedersen, age 22, Marthe Olsdatter, age 23, m. 01 Nov. 1829, Lier, Buskerud, Norway
Residence (both) Skjaastad. Groom’s father: Peder Olsen; bride’s father: Ole Haagensen
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=8446&uid=ny&idx_side=-223

Rasmus Pedersen, b. 14 Feb. 1808, Justad Eie, Lier, Buskerud, Norway
chr. 21 Feb. 1808, Lier, Buskerud, Norway
Father: Peder Olssen; mother: Ane Xtophersdr. (Christophersdatter?)
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=8440&uid=ny&idx_side=-136

Marte Olsdatter, b. 2 Jan 1806, Sylling, Lier, Buskerud, Norway
chr. 12 Jan 1806, Lier, Buskerud, Norway
Father (Unwed): Ole Haagensen, soldier at no. 6 company at Fridhald (Fredrikshald i.e.Halden)
Mother: Eli Nilsdatter Sylling. It was his 1st and her 3rd (illeg. Child).
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=8440&uid=ny&idx_side=-112

= = =

Rasmus Pedersen’s parents:

Peder Olsen, cavalry soldier (“Dragon“=“dragoon”), Anne Christophersdatter, m. 28 Feb 1790, Lier, Buskerud, Norway. Residence: Justad. No further info in churchbook record
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=8439&uid=ny&idx_side=-157

The churchbooks go back another 100 years or more, but I will leave the Amundsons here for a while. Next: New immigration info for the Slettens and the Moens.

I found a little follow-up info on Inar Amundson and family. They departed Oslo, destination Quebec, on 14 July 1893, according to Oslo police emigration protocols.

There were papa Ole Amundson age (stated) 46, wife Petra (instead of Petronelle), 51, Martha, 11, Elizabeth, 10, Einar, 7, and Anna (sic), 5. As usual their ages are only approximate. From their birth records, Einar would be 9 years old, not 7, and Ole 47, not 46. They left Norway (presumably for England) on the steamship Angelo, the same ship that carried some of the Slettens, and Helene Olsdatter, in 1881. More interestingly, they were *all* listed with the surname of Amundsen, the earliest records I have found that broke with the long-held naming customs of Norway, in favor of the more modern usage of surnames. Decades later, the change was mandated by Norwegian law. That’s all I have so far on their journey.

In the 1900 US census, James River Valley, ND, Anna’s name has changed to Amelia. The two eldest sisters are gone from the home. Also, Millie told me there was another older sister, Sara, who stayed behind in Norway.

1900

Later on,  Ole and Petra moved to northwestern Washington state, near Marysville; the censuses of 1920 and 1930 corroborate that. Maybe this was part of the attraction of later generations to the West Coast. Besides two of Isaac Larson’s boys moving to Longview, so did Glenn and Ray Amundson, as mentioned earlier. Coming now to my own generation, here I am at age four, with my cherished playmates, the four Amundson girls.

1951AmundsonGirls

I believe Karen (Ray’s daughter), the youngest, is on the left, then Marilyn and Ardith (Glenn’s), on the right is Kathy (Ray’s elder). We were not aware of the grandparental relationship at the time, and struggled to inventory just how we were “related.” We traced an even more circuitous route via our parents. My uncle Vernon Larson married Audrey Walker. I don’t know the Walker family’s history, except that Audrey’s sister, Lorraine Walker, married Glenn Amundson. So Marilyn and Ardith, while not biologically related to me, are my cousins’ (Vernon’s children’s) cousins. One step further out are Kathy and Karen, my “cousins’ cousins’ cousins!” Talk about extended family!

Next: Who do you take after?

Inar Amundson’s homestead was just one mile north of Oscar’s and Isaac’s. As cousin Lois pointed out in a comment the other day, the Amundsons and Larsons are “related” by marriage, specifically the marriages of Oscar Larson to Mary Hart, and of Inar Amundson to Emily Hart, Mary’s sister. It seems increasingly likely that there are Amundsons in those crowd pictures from Aunt Lucy. I even found Inar and Emily’s wedding notice on the Web.

The Beach Advance, Beach, Golden Valley Co, North Dakota, April 24th, 1914

Inar Amundson and Miss Emily Hart were united in marriage in this city Monday noon, April 20th, by Judge R. O. Zollinger in the presence of the bride’s sister and Ernie Hatch. The young couple reside about 45 miles north of here and left for their home Tuesday morning. The Advance extends congratulations to the newlyweds.

Thus, Larry and Neva Larson are biological first cousins of the Amundson boys, including Glenn and Ray. Those are the two who ended up around Longview, Washington, and whose daughters (two each) were close childhood friends and playmates of mine.

I’m hoping for some input from Millie Amundson before I post my personal remembrances. Meanwhile, I worked backwards into the old country. So far, I have located primary sources, requiring only very likely assumptions, for the birth of Inar Amundson and both of his parents.

Somewhere on the Internet I found a birth date and place for Inar: 20 May 1884, Drammen, Norway. That agrees roughly with his age in the 1920 US census, which also lists that he immigrated in 1893. From there, I found my way to the churchbooks at Norway’s digitalarkivet, with help from the FamilySearch indexes.

Einar (Inar Amundson*),
b. 20 May 1884 Jensvoldstranden farm, Lier parish, Buskerud, Norway
Christened 20 July 1884, Frogner church, Lier parish, Buskerud, Norway.
Father: Ole Amundsen, born 1846;
Mother: Petronelle Rasmussen, born 1844
microfilm image
* Surname not noted in churchbook; in the old country tradition, it would have been Olsen, not Amundson. It was unusual to find the parents’ ages in a birth record, but helpful – even though they are only approximate.

Ole Amundsen of Drammen age 26-1/2,
Petrinelle Rasmusdatter Linnonvolden (Linne?) age 31
Married 05 Sept 1872, Lier, Buskerud, Norway; Residence: Jensvold
Groom’s father: Amund Olsen, bride’s father: Rasmus Pedersen*
microfilm image
*Those fathers’ names were crucial in finding both Ole’s and Petronelle’s birth records. The 1865 census data was also needed to connect the dots. By the 1860′s, more people moved in and out of parishes, thanks to railroads and steam-powered vessels. For the most part, they were attracted to the urban areas like Drammen, thanks to the Industrial Revolution. Country or city, these are mostly very poor people, like nearly all who emigrated.

Ole Amundsen b. 15 Apr. 1846,
Strømsnaes farm, Grue parish, Hedmark, Norway
chr. 31 May 1846, Grue, Hedmark, Norway*
Father: Amund Olsen; Mother: Thore Eriksdatter
microfilm image
*1865 census lists Ole Amundsen, age 20, living in Drammen; his birthplace is Grue.

Petronelle Rasmusdatter b. 23 Sep. 1841,
Ljaastad Eie*, Lier, Buskerud, Norway
Christened 31 Oct. 1841, Lylling church, Lier, Buskerud, Norway
Father: (husmann) Rasmus Pedersen; Mother: Marte Olsdatter Ljaastad
microfilm image
* The “eie” after the farm name is the suffix for “belonging to,” indicating a tenant farm, where the farmer had no ownership and limited rights. These farmers were called husmenn.

1865 Census summary:

Local Parish: Frogner, Parish: Lier, Farm: Lian nordre*
Amund Olsen, widower, Housefather, Renter, Day-laborer,
age 46, birthplace Grue.
Ole Amundsen, son, age 20; three female siblings 17, 11, 8.
*”farm” by this era did not necessarily mean a rural subsistence property, but also a suburban or urban land holding.

Local Parish: Braegernes, Municipality: Drammen, instead of a farm name is an individuals name: [Signature of?] Wilh(elm?) Gutzeit. Must be a German?
Petronelle Rasmusdatter, unmarried, age 26, servant (on large staff) under Wilh. Gutzeit, age 60: wholesaler, exporter, and head of Portugese Wine Council (!! “gute Zeit” is German for – literally – “good time!”) But besides his interest in Portugese wine, Gutzeit was involved in the forest products and mining industries.

Stay tuned for later, and possibly earlier, generations.

My computer caught a bug & is in the shop for a day or so. Most of the material for my next post on the ND homestead land is languishing there with it. As a preview, here is one graphic:

Larson brothers homesteads

Following a separate thread, I received Smith Larson’s official military records from the archives. Lots of pages, but little new info. It reconfirmed that Smith fought in the Battle of St. Mihiel, but has no info on his whereabouts during the next and larger battle close by (Meuse-Argonne, or “Battle of the Argonne Forest.”) Also little or nothing on his apparently serious medical problems during and after his deployment in France. All told, though, probably enough stuff for one or two new posts. As always, stay tuned.

I’m back from Wisconsin (and Iowa), and have quite a lot to report. Not much time right now so will just do an introduction.

Getting there was half the fun   On a seven-hour layover at O’Hare, I got to kill a couple of them listening to a blues band, thanks to a special series at the airport, and a blues festival in progress at a park downtown.

Layover Blues

Once in Dubuque, we spent quality time with Madeline, Caleb, and Lucas, our youngest grandchildren.

Madeline

Lukie, Caleb, & Thiel

And Dana & Katy, of course.

Thiel and I made a side trip to SW Wisconsin, where we met up with Cousin Aline. Her sister Clarice (and husband Sam) were also there for a visit; that was a wonderful suprise. We all went together to the Brush Creek church and cemetery, and to Ole Larson’s farm site and Olaf’s log cabin, both in Norwegian Valley just one mile from the church.

Clarice & Aline

We also stopped in Westby, WI, where I met for the first time cousin Norma Samuelson Haakenstad.

Norma & George

Also visited graves of other ancestors at Coon Prairie cemetery in Westby. Lots more to follow.

On June 12, Thiel and I fly (separate itineraries, due to Frequent Flier miles, etc.) to Dubuque, IA to visit Dana, Katy, Madeline, Caleb, and Lucas. While we are there, I am planning to hijack a car, drive about 2 hours to SW Wisconsin, and do some genealogy. Thiel and/or Dana or others may come along if I can persuade them.

One planned stop is in Westby, site of the famous Coon Prairie Norwegian settlement of the mid-1800′s. That is where we think all of the Larson and Sletten immigrants first arrived. More importantly for me, that is where cousin Norma Samuelson Haakenstad lives to this day. Norma is the de facto genealogist for the Samuelson family (relatives of Ole Larson’s first wife Anne Samuelsdatter, my great-grandmother). There are huge gaps in my knowledge of this branch of the family, and Norma has the material to fill many of them. She has assembled two books, copies of which may no longer be available, but I hope to copy or photograph essential information.

The big thrill will be meeting up with cousin Aline, who has eagerly offered to guide me through the Brush Creek cemetery and nearby sites. Those sites include Ole Larson’s farm, where the original house is run-down but still standing, Olaf Larson’s log cabin, where Aline and Clarice were born, and hopefully, the home of Mari Larsdatter and Hans Hanson Stigen, where great-great-grandma Anne Larsdatter Skurdalshougen lived out her late years. As you faithful readers know, Anne Larsdatter is a “heroine” among my ancestors. I am ecstatic at the prospect of treading the ground she may have trod, visiting her grave, and paying my respects. Equally excited about connecting in person with Aline, whom I haven’t seen for a huge number of years, certainly not since she has become my genealogy “heroine.”

“Pictures at 11 “  >

Easter has been a big occasion in our family. In addition to the religious significance, it was a time to dress up, hunt for eggs and candy, and celebrate as a family. First, a clip from Uncle Walt of Easter 1943, starring Lois, Kenny, and Irene. I’m not sure if the “shoe” part was from Easter, but I think it was. Note the sincere appreciation of gifts that were not toys or candy:

43-easter1

Then from Reatha, 1950, a sugar-fest featuring Kenny, Myrna, Marcia, and George. Also Darlene, her friend Colleen (? I think), and Kathy & Karen Amundson(?):

50-easter

Finally, 1955-56 with Reatha, Lovell, George, Bonnie and Patty. I’m not sure if the “bite-the-ducky” portion is from Easter, but it was too cute to leave out. The “dump-the-eggs” moment is another of my favorites:

54-55-easter

If I have mis-identified anyone, please let me know. A blessed season to all.

I see that several cousins have “subscribed” to feeds from this blog, so you will be notified of any new posts. Good-oh! Unfortunately, if you also tried to subscribe to my fiction at Anna Hansdatter you were directed back here by mistake. The error has been corrected (I hope), so you can visit there and subscribe now if you like. If it doesn’t work for you, please holler!