Ed's Day Wednesday
Dear FOLKS,
Today I want to share with you what I have learned about my late cousin Ed Ostrom's family members. In recent weeks I have been sharing with you the life story of Gurina Maria Thomasdatter, on of Ed's great-grandmother, his mother's mother's mother.
Gurina was born near the modern-day Mo-I Rana, Nordland, Norway on 05 January 1832, the daughter of Thomas Christophersen and Marit Mathisdatter, her birth took place on the family's Altermark farm. I wrote recently about her early life that you can read by clicking here.
She would marry first Jens Peder Nilsen on 30 September 1856. Jens was a young man who came from nearby Hauknes, a small town just to the west of Mo i Rana, a location across the fjord from where Gurina grew up. They were married in the Mo i Rana church, then known as the Rana church. Gurina and Jens would have two children before his untimely death on 11 November 1859. The church register tells that Jens and another man died by drowning while on a sailboat when an unexpected storm came about.
Gurina and Jens' children were:
Nils Christian Jensen - Nils was born on 24 January 1857 on the Litle Altermark farm, next to the farm where his mother was born. Nils' birth record tells that his father was a lodger there. Nils would die on 04 February 1862 from a throat disorder. It is unclear from the records just what disorder of the throat caused this death, there are many possibilities.
Marit Petrine Jensdatter - Marit was born on 23 October 1858 on the Sjonæs farm where Marit's birth record tell her father was farming there. Marit would immigrate be a member of the party that took the Bark Adler, a sailing ship that left the port of Bergen, Norway on 26 May 1866, arriving weeks later on 02 July 1866 in Quebec, Canada. Marit, fondly called "Mary," by her family would be big sister to the half-siblings that were born. In the memoirs of her half-sister Dora Nilson Emerson we are told: "In the fall, [1898] my half-sister Mary died. Mary's husband, Hogen Johnson, wanted Dora and her family to come to live with him so Dora could keep house for him. It doesn't appear that they followed Hogen's wishes. There is a note in cousin Ed's files that tells that Mary had mental problems.
In 1865 the Norway Census stated that he was a fairly successful farmer too. They had one horse, seven cattle, 8 sheep. To describe the amount of land Peder had in grain, they used the land measurement of tønne. A tønne (tønner is plural) is just shy of a U.S. acre. Peder had in grain crops, 1/4 tønne rye, 2 in barley and 1 in oats.
Shortly after this census the family packed up and headed for the United States, and their ultimate destination was Minnesota, living first for a short while in Wisconsin. To learn more information about their entry in 1865 Norway census and the 1866 ocean crossing click here.
Gurina and Peder had the following children:
Jensine "Sina" Antonette Sophie Nilson - Sina was born 04 February 1861 on the Sjonæs farm near Rana, Nordland, Norway. She would also be a part of the group that immigrated to the U.S. aboard the Bark Adler. About 1887 Jensine would marry Lars Peder Anderson, another immigrant from Rana, Nordland, Norway, who came to the U.S. with his parents in 1881. Jensine and Lars would have nine children, five surviving childhood as best as can be told. Jensine would die in 1903 near Fort Ransom, Ransom County, North Dakota and is buried there in the Standing Rock Cemetery. Lars would remarry in 1905. Records show that Lars also died in Fort Ransom in 1911, leaving young children behind.
 |
| IMAGE: Nilson sisters, Dora, Nellie and Anna, circa 1942. From the collection of Edwin J. Ostrom |
Nellie Christina Nilson - Nellie was also born on the Sjonæs farm near Rana, Nordland, Norway. Her birth date was 25 February 1863 and she would immigrate to the U.S. with her family. About 1884 Nellie would marry Andrew Bang Hendrickson, another who had immigrated from Nordland, Norway. Their first child, Palmer, was born Ransom County, North Dakota. All together Nellie and Andrew had eleven children with four of them surviving to adulthood. They also raised a boy who they called Eddie Hendrickson. Family history have it that Eddie was not their child but a young boy whose mother could not keep him. The Hendricksons would move from North Dakota to Seattle, Washington. They would make this move before 1889, when their first daughter Hilda Marie died.Nellie and Andrew would own and operate a boarding house in the Denny Regrade area of Seattle that was frequented by the rich and famous. Andrew would die in 1923 there in Seattle. Nellie would live as a widow, running the boarding house on her own for many years. She died on 11 January 1943 in Seattle and was buried in Lake View Cemetery.
Petrine Brigitta Nilson - Petrine was the last of the Norway-born Nilsons. She too was born on the Sjonæs farm near Rana, Nordland, Norway on 13 May 1865 and came to the United States with her family in 1866. Unfortunately she would die young, sometime after 1880, cause of death is unknown. She was enumerated in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, but is not included with the family in the 1885 Minnesota State Census.
Thomas Nilson - Thomas was the first son and the first to be born in the United States. He was born at home in Kandyohi County, Minnesota on 16 August 1868. As an adult Thomas would spell his surname as Nelson. He would marry Julianna Augusta Larson, who immigrated to the U.S. with her parents from Nordland, Norway in 1893. They would marry in 1900 and live out their lives in Meeker County, Minnesota continuing to work the farm that his father started. Thomas and Julia would have seven children all surviving to adulthood. Thomas died on 16 October 1934 in Meeker County and Julia died in 1939. Both are buried in the Nordland Lutheran Church Cemetery in Hawick, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Peder Bang Nilson - Peder Bang's young life was very short. He was born in the family's home on 16 August 1868. He died that same month.
Petrine Julie Nilson - Petrine Julie was born 26 January 1871 at the family home and died on 22 March 1881. She was buried in the Nordland Lutheran Church Cemetery in Hawick, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Anna Josephine Nilson - Anna was born 27 November 1872 at the family home. Anna would marry Olaus Anders Prestrud in 1894 who was an immigrant for Hemark, Norway who arrived in the U.S. at the age of nine in 1869. Anna and Olaus would have thirteen children, some born in North Dakota and some born in Washington. Olaus was a farmer and he would farm first near Kathryn in Barnes County, North Dakota, their children born from 1895 to 1900 were born there. Then they would live for a while in Snohomish County, Washington as their children born from 1902-1914 were born there. Their next move was to Idaho where baby number thirteen was born. They next moved to Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana where Olaus died in 1941. After his death, Anna moved to Seattle, Washington, to be near some of their children and her sisters, Nellie and Dora. Anna would die on 03 May 1953 in Seattle, King County, Washington and her remains were taken to Montana where she was interred next to Olaus at the Conrad Memorial Cemetery, Kalispell, Flathead County, Montana.
Jacob Andreas Nilson - Jacob Andreas was born at home 06 January 1875. He would die from a leg infection on 17 November 1887, he was only twelve. The leg infection was brought about by diphtheria. He was buried in the Nordland Lutheran Curch Cemetery in Hawick, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Dora Elise Nilson - Dora Elise was born at home on 13 January 1877. In 1898 Dora married Reinert Immanuel Emerson, whose parents came from southern Norway. In 1906 this couple would move from Minnesota and homestead in Ward County, North Dakota. All told, Dora and Reinert would have thirteen children, four born in Minnesota and the other nine born in North Dakota. Then in 1936, with the drought and depression defeating their efforts to farm, Dora and Reinert would leave North Dakota for Seattle, Washington. Their twin daughters, the last born of their children would accompany them as they were still students in high school. Reinert would die on 24 November 1960 in Seattle and Dora would remain a widow until 10 October 1965 when she too died in Seattle. They are both buried at Acacia Memorial Park near their home. Dora Elise Nilson was my cousin Ed's maternal grandmother, his mother's mother. You can read more about Dora from articles that can be read here.
Gina Marie Nilson - Gina Marie, the family's youngest child was born at home on 23 December 1878. She too would catch diphtheria and die from its effects during the same epidemic that took her brother Jacob. Gina would die on 27 December 1887. She was buried in the Nordland Lutheran Church Cemetery in Hawick, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Gurina experienced many deaths during her life time. It is sad that both her husbands and eight of the twelve children she bore, died before she did. Gurina had to have been a strong person to have endured so many losses.
Thank you for stopping by today and letting me once again share with you what we have learned about the Nilson family. If you happen to have additions or changes that can help tell this story, please let me know. I hope you are having a good week and I look forward to next time.
-- -- --
The URL for this post is: https://homefolktales.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-nilsons-have-family.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. I am glad you stopped by today.
Copyright (c) 2017, Darlene M. Steffens
No comments:
Post a Comment