Revisiting Family Immigrants from Norway

Ed's Day Wednesday

Dear FOLKS,

Recently we concluded the life stories of my cousin Ed Ostrom's great-grandparents. I find it intriguing that all eight of his great-grandparents traveled from Norway to the United States, making those individuals the immigrating generation. Today I want to show you how geographically close these people were clustered prior to their departure to America.

IMAGE: Norway's flag

IMAGE: Locations #1 through
#7 are highlighted on a
map of Norway

Sorry the additions I made to this map only show a somewhat general proximity of where the great-grandparents were born. As you can see I need more graphics education.


1. Location: near Moi, Lunde, Rogaland, Norway
Farm Name: Østrem, also called earlier Austreim
House structure: no longer exists, family continues to live there in a newer house
Great-grandfather's name: Olaus Ommundsen Ostrom
Spouse's name and birth location:  Toline Gunnulsdatter Paulson; #5
Marriage location: Waseca County, Minnesota, USA
Settled in: Grant County, Minnesota, USA
Relationship to Ed: father's father's father - Darlene's 2x great-grandfather
Link to timeline for Olaus:
https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2016/11/8-olaus-ommundson-ostrom-1850-1924.html

2. Location: near Nes, Vest-Agder, Norway
Farm Name: Lindeland
House structure: still exists, restored, family continues to use as a hunting cabin
Great-grandfather's name: Raymond Emerson (at birth Reinert Ommundsen)
Spouse's name & birth location: Inger Tobine Tallaksdatter; #3
Marriage location: Wakefield, Stearns, Minnesota, USA; knew each other in Norway

Settled in: Kandiyohi, Minnesota, USA

Relationship to Ed: mother's father's father
Link to timeline for Raymond:
https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/04/12-raymond-emerson-1819-1904.html

3. Location: near Flekkefjord, Vest-Agder, Norway
Farm Name: Seeland
House structure: exists, not owned by family, log house is being restored
Great-grandmother's name: Inger Tobine Tallachsdatter
Spouse's name & birth location: Raymond Emerson; #2
Marriage location: Wakefield, Stearns, Minnesota, USA; knew each other in Norway
Settled in: Kandiyohi, Minnesota, USA
Relationship to Ed: mother's father's mother
Link to timeline for Inger:
https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/06/12-inger-tobine-tallachsdatter-1836-1918.html


4. Location: near Hjartdal, Telemark, Norway
Farm Name: Sauland
House structure: in ruins
Great-grandmother's name: Anna Olsdatter Stavaas
Spouse's name & birth location: Tosten Andreassen Brekke;
Marriage location: Pomme de Terre Township, Grant County, Minnesota, USA

Settled in: Grant County, Minnesota, USA

Relationship to Ed: father's mother's mother

Link to timeline for Anna:
https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/03/11-anna-olsdatter-stavaas-1853-1931.html

5. Location: near Bø, Telemark, Norway
Farm Name: Svenskrude Farm, also lived in Traskjaer Farm
House structure: house exits, no longer owned by family
Great-grandmother's name: Toline Gunnulsdatter Paulson
Spouse's name & birth location: Olaus Ommunsen Ostrom; #1
Marriage location: Waseca County, Minnesota, USA
Settled in: Grant County, Minnesota, USA
Relationship to Ed: father's father's mother - Darlene's 2x great-grandmother
Link to timeline for Toline:
https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/01/9-toline-g-paulson-1846-1934.html

6. Location: near Flåm, Aurland, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Farm Name: Brække
House structure: still exists, family lives there
Great-grandfather's name: Tosten Andreassen Brekke
Spouse's name & birth location: Anna Olsdatter Stavaas
Marriage location: Grant County, Minnesota, USA
Settled in:  Grant County, Minnesota, USA
Relationship to Ed: father's mother's father
Link to timeline for Tosten:
http://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/02/10-tosten-andreassen-brekke.html

7. Location: near Rana, now Mo i Rana, Nordland, Norway
Farm Name: Reinforsheia
House structure: unknown
Great-grandfather's name: Peder Christian Nilson
Spouse's name & birth location: Gurine Marie Tomasdatter
Marriage location: Rana, now Mo i Rana, Nordland, Norway
Settled in: Meeker County, Minnesota, USA
Relationship to Ed: Mother's mother's father
Link to timeline for Peder:
https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/07/14-peder-christian-nilsen-1827-1888.html

7. Location: near Rana, now Mo i Rana, Nordland, Norway
Farm Name: Altermark
House structure: unknown
Great-grandmother's name: Gurine Marie Tomasdatter
Spouse's name & birth location: Peder Christian Nilson; #7
Marriage location: Rana, now Mo i Rana, Nordland, Norway
Settled in: Meeker County, Minnesota, USA
Relationship to Ed: Mother's mother's mother
Link to timeline for Gurine:
https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/08/15-gurina-maria-thomasdatter-1832-1904.html

I hope I was able to demonstrate through the map show above and this list, the point I wanted to share. All of Ed' great-grandparents were all born fairly close to one another. They would board a ship and travel for many weeks across the Atlantic, and then they would come to settle in an area near one another in Minnesota. The Counties of Grant, Kandiyohi and Meeker are also located near each other on the western side of the state.

I can admit, it is fortunate, as we only had to learn the resources for records in one country. Several of my friends have found they must become familiar with many different countries.

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope your week is going well.

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The URL for this post is: https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/09/amanuensis-monday-affidavit-of-name.html.

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Copyright (c) 2017, Darlene M. Steffens