with curators
Sandy Catt and Scott Hall
If you’re lucky enough to have a hobby genealogist in your family…you’re lucky enough!
And, Ole’s Folks have been fortunate to have George Larson in the family.
George’s paternal ancestors all came from Gudbrandsdalen, a valley in central Norway, in the late 1800s, His immigrant great-grandparents settled in western Wisconsin and a generation later, George’s grandparents homesteaded in western North Dakota. George’s parents moved to Washington State in the 1930s.
George’s maternal ancestors, for the most part, came to North America prior to the Revolutionary War, from England and present-day Germany. Those ancestors also expanded west, with various branches progressing from Maryland and New England, through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska, to the Dakotas, where George’s mom was born and eventually met his dad in Montana.
The genealogy bug hit George nearly two decades ago as he archived his mom’s extensive collection of photos and home movies. He has done extensive online research and traveled domestically and abroad to visit distant relatives, ancestral home sites and gravesites.
“I find that seeking the stories behind the facts is far more rewarding than facts alone. You must not consider my work authoritative, but I dearly hope you find it engaging, and worthy of the sharing.”
When George contemplated retiring—and retiring the site in late-2024—niece Sandy Catt and first cousin once removed Scott Hall joined forces to keep alive the treasured documentation of remarkable lives.
Scott is a veteran photojournalist who has spent most of his career at CBS 8 / KFMB in San Diego, CA. He is a great-great grandson of Ole Larson and son of George’s cousin Lois.
Sandy is a former public school administrator with a journalism and public relations background. She is the great-great granddaughter of Ole Larson and daughter of George’s older sister Darlene.
Surnames of nearest ancestors include (besides Larson) Myers, Moen, Drayer, Samuelson, Volden, and Sprung. More distant and marriage-related surnames are Pederson, Sletten, Nesseth, Erickson, and Johnson. George has also researched the ancestry of his wife, née Thiel Beechel, with surnames Beechel, Litch, Mohler, Thiel, Green, and Jordan.
We hope you enjoy visiting Ole Larson’s Folks!
Julie Lofgreen
Aug 21, 2023
Found your website today and was so excited to see pictures and read about your trip to Norway. My ancestors came from Glommen-Odegaarden and I was so surprised to see you include a picture of my 3rd Great grandmother, Marit Hansdatter Bjørgehagen! She and her husband, Johannes Pedersen Flatemoe, immigrated to Coon Valley, Wisconsin in 1870. I have this same picture and also one with the whole family included, obviously taken at the same place and time. Here’s a link to the family picture on FamilySearch: https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/23362919?cid=mem_copy
Thank you so much for sharing your research and pictures!!
George
Aug 21, 2023
Thank you so much. My ancestor, Marit Pedersdatter Glomme-Odegarden, immigrated to Coon Prairie in 1877, so the two Marits may have known each other both in Norway and in America.
Dennis Michael Hogg
Aug 25, 2024
Hi my name is Dennis Michael Hogg (Mike) I love your site and don’t believe we live far apart from each other. I am from Seattle but have settled in Kennewick Wa. My mother was Joan Lorraine Nopp daughter of Ida Clara Moen , I believe in Norwegian Ida is pronounced with an Eda and Edith stuck. Never got a chance or even thought of it while growing up. Her father was John Torgerson Moen brother of Gunder Torgerson Moen your connection with Torger Moen.
Just wanted to say Hi and thank you for all that you have done to persevere yours and a little of mind. I find it so interesting and gives a nice feeling on family and the amazing stories on how we became part of.
Again thank you again and best regards Mike Hogg
Andrea Mann
Dec 28, 2025
My grandfather Sevard Oleson emigrated to North Dakota in 1904 at the age of 19, eventually ending up in Canada when farmland became available in Saskatchewan. He came from the Parish of Favang, living on the Braastad Farm-on the subfarm (Bruk) of Braastad nordre og ovre (#148). It was owned by his Maternal Grandfather Johan Amundsen. By the time he got to Canada his name was Sever Sigvart Broostad! I plan to come to the Gudbrandsdalen area in the next few years so hearing how you managed to investigate your roots has given me hope I can do the same. I wish that I could find a map that could show me where the farm was. My grandfather only returned once to Norway when he was 80 years old and I don’t know anything about relatives still there. Thanks for sharing your adventures,
Andrea
George
Dec 29, 2025
Thank you for the comment. I found a Braastad farm on Norway’s Gule Sider Kart
https://www.gulesider.no/kart/s%C3%B8k/braastad%2C+faavang?t=geos&fit=true&c=61.41742,10.469596&z=13.11
Near the end of the URL are the coordinates 61.41742,10.469596, which will find it on any mapping or gps app. I hope it’s the right place. It appears on satellite image as a very small farm, high in the mountains. I hope you have a great journey.
George
Mary Mlsna Johnson (Granddaughter of Elinor Sletten Giese)
Feb 25, 2026
Is there a place to extend the family tree with current family members?