Ed's Day Wednesday
Dear FOLKS,
I missed you all last week. Sorry to have seemingly disappeared with not a word to you. I was diligently working on another family history project and time got away from me. You know how that is, life happens. But I am back and feeling energized to tell you more about Peder Christian Nilson, one of my late cousin Ed Ostrom's great-grandfathers. Peder was Ed's mother's mother's father. Earlier articles have told about Peder's young days in what is now Mo i Rana, Nordland fylke (county), in northern Norway, very near the Arctic Circle. I also wrote about his marriage to Gurine Marie Tomasdatter and in 1866, their decision to come to America. You can begin to read these earlier articles by clicking here.
Today, I want to share with you Peder's life after arriving in America. To begin, this trip, they left home on 09 April 1866. The family, including Peder, Gurine and four children arrived in Quebec, Canada on 02 July 1866 aboard the Bark Adler. A bark (also barque) is a sailing ship with at least three masts holding square sails. The trip lasted several weeks, beginning in Bergen, Norway on 19 May 1866 and arriving in Canada on 02 July 1866.
Dora has told in her story that the family's arrival in America was in Racine. Wisconsin. This is a port on Lake Michigan. It has not been recorded how the family traveled the distance from Quebec but it is likely they boarded another boat that traveled from Quebec to Wisconsin. It is possible that they used an ox driven wagon from Racine to their destination in Minnesota.
By 1870, the Nilson family is found enumerated within the federal census, living in Irving Township, Monongalia County, Minnesota. Before the year 1870 was over, Monongalia County became part of Kandiyohi County. A look at the layout of Peder's land shows us that his homestead was located in two counties.
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| IMAGE: Peder Nilson's homestead was in two counties - Meeker and Kandiyohi |
I have found the land grant document that was issued to Peder for his 80.0 acre plot in Irving Township and let me share that with you. It is a fill-in-the-blanks form. I have used italics in RED to reflect the information that was added. My comments will be shown in square brackets [ ].
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| IMAGE: Homestead Certificate No. 3313 for Peder C. Nilsen |
-------- transcription begins --------
285 [hand stamped]
The United States of America,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING:
Homestead Certificate No. 3313 }
Application 6573 }
Whereas, there has been deposited in the General Land Office of the United States a CERTIFICATE of the Register of the Land Office at St. Cloud Minnesota, whereby it appears that, pursuant to the Act of Congress approved 20th May, 1862, "To secure Homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain," and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of Peder C. Nilsen has been established and duly consummated in conformity to law for the North half of the North East quarter of section twenty-four in Township One hundred and twenty one of Range thirty three in the district of lands subject to sale at St Cloud Minnesota containing eighty acres. according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said Land returned to the General Land Office by the SURVEYOR GENERAL.
Now know ye, That there is therefore granted by the UNITED STATES unto the said Peder C. Nilsen the tract of Land above described: To have and to Hold the said tract of Land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Peder C. Nilsen and to his heirs and assigns forever:
In testimony whereof, I, Ulysses S. Grant, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITES STATES OF AMERICA, have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed.
{L.S.}
Given under my hand, at the CITY OF WASHINGTON, the thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, and of the Independence of the United States the One hundredth.
BY THE PRESIDENT: U.S.Grant
By D.D. Cane, Sec'y.
S.W. Clark, Recorder of the General Land Office
-------- transcription ends --------
Peder would remain in this location throughout the rest of his life. He would continue to farm and be a good neighbor to the area. In early 1888 he began to build a new house for the family. He was using trees to make the lumber taken from his forty-acre plot of land near Lake Kronis. He became ill and this turned into pneumonia. It was his third episode of this lung infection and he passed away while at home on 18 April 1888.
Upon his death, he left young children for his wife to raise alone. Their youngest was only 10 years old. It was very difficult times for his surviving family. But we learn that his son Thomas was able to take over the work of the farm. Thomas was nineteen and he would see to it that the house his father started to build was indeed built according to his father's plans.
I recently was able to obtain a copy of Peder's grave marker. He was buried near his home at the Nordland Lutheran Church Cemetery in Hawick, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. A very generous volunteer member from Find A Grave.com has allowed me to use his photograph here. Thank you to Kevin Thompson for his kindness.
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| IMAGE: Grave marker for Peder C. Nilson. Used with permission by Find A Grave volunteer Kevin Thompson. |
Peder Nilson was the first of cousin Ed's great-grandparents to die; he was sixty-one years old. It is sad that he left young children behind. His wife Gurine would remain a widow, never remarrying. Peder Christian Nilson was a hard working family man. As with all beings, there comes an end to one's life. It is time to say "Hvil i fred bestefar." [Rest In Peace Grandpa.]
Please join me next week when I'll introduce another member of my cousin Ed's family. I hope you have a great week.
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The URL for this post is: https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/08/life-in-america-for-peder-c-nilson-1827.html.
Please comment regarding this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then use the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Or contact me by email at dsteff4246[at]gmail[dot]com. Thank you.
Copyright (c) 2017, Darlene M. Steffens
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