Grandma at the Nøstvik Farm

The Nøstvik family/farm circa 1905: (left to right) Malmfrid, ?, Ellen (nee Nepaas), Iver?, Johan, Karl, Inga, Grandma Jensen, ?.

Steven figured out the names by comparing the photo to records from the 1905 Norway census.

Correction

Earlier I said I thought this was a picture of Grandma's relatives in Norway (perhaps her mother and sisters), but I got an email from Janet Fisher giving the correct names for the people. Two of the women in the photo are relatives, but they are not her mother and sister. The information comes from the Nepaas family (Amanda's side of the family in Norway):

About the picture you sent to us, Olav (Olav Nepaas is nephew of Amanda Nepaas Pedersen and is 84) knew them; the man in the picture is Olaf Lakselv, he rented the farm (named Nøstvik) under the war.

The name of the farm is Nøstvik. The farmer who owned it was in prison.

The lady in front of him, an older woman is Ellen Nøstvik, born Nepås - she was Salamon Nepås's sister [which makes her Amanda's aunt - but she was also a cousin to Grandma's mother Kari!].

The little girl in front - daughter to Olaf Lakselv.

The lady in the middle-back with the flowered dress, Malmfrid Venes - born Nøstvik, daughter to Ellen [and so Amanda's cousin].

Lady to the right - Gunnhild Lakselv - wife to Olaf. Lakselv family is not related to the Nepås family.

Picture was taken between 1940-1945.

Olaf was sent to prison because he was against the war. Ellen would be great aunt to Olav [the man who identified the picture]. Ellen would have been Amanda's aunt. She died around 1950. We don't know for sure when she was born.

So while the people are not Grandma Jensen's mother and sisters (as I had thought they might be), there are actually two connections to Grandma - Ellen was Grandma's mother's cousin, and Nøstvik was the farm that Grandma was sent to as a child (at age eight) to work as a servant girl. Ellen was the mother of that family and Malmfrid was her daughter. I'll post a picture in my next post that shows the Nøstvik family, along with Grandma and another servant. So we see that Grandma was not just sent to strangers, but to family. It doesn't make it any less heart-wrenching to be taken from your family and made to be a servant girl at the age of eight, but at least they were relatives.

Wedding Photo

This is the wedding picture of Grandma Jensen's brother Peder Pedersen and his wife Amanda Nepas, married in Minneapolis on 12 July 1913. They immigrated in 1910 (see previous posts).
Peder and Amanda had two daughters, Synnova and Clarice. Sadly, Peder died in 1924 from TB. Synnova's children are Janet and Jim.

Dad's Cousins Anna and Skjalg Arne

This photo was sent to Janet by Anna Andersen. Anna and Skalg Arne's mother was Borghild (Pedersen) Lilleborja, Grandma Jensen's younger sister!

Grandma's Voyage to America

I've been trying for about a year now to find Anna, Peder and Amanda (Peder's [at the time] fiance) on a ship's list somewhere. Finally found it!

First we got the following info from Arne :

"Amanda emigrated from Trondheim 13. April 1910 by the ship "Salmo", bound for Minneapolis, MN.

But she did not travel alone. Together with her was Peder Pedersen Bordvik, unmarried farm worker, born 1887 in Velfjord, also bound for Minneapolis, and with the home address America. So he must have emigrated earlier and was home for a visit.

Peder also brought with him his brother Hartvik Pedersen Bordvik, born 1893 in Velfjord and his sister Anna Pedersdatter Bordvik, born 1888.

And in addition to them, was a fifth person, Andreas Andreassen, unmarr., born 1889 in Velfjord, all five with the same destination."

So apparently Peder came first, then went back and was to return with his fiance Amanda, his sister Anna and brother Hartvig - in the spring of 1910. Using this information I did find all five on the ship's list for the ship named the S. S. Montrose, sailing from Liverpool 23 April 1910. It indicates that none of them had been in America before this, so perhaps Peder didn't come over first. I'm not sure....

It does say that Anna (21) and Amanda (22) were servants, Peder (22) was a carpenter and Hartvig (16) a laborer. Anna was 5'8", Peder 5'7" and Hartvig 5'2". Amanda was 5'6 1/2".

All five (including their friend Andreas Andreassen) had their names crossed out, and a notation says "erased by purser - not on board."

Peder and Anna were from a farm named Bordvik, and Peder's name was therefore sometimes given as Peder Pedersen Bordvik. With this additional information I was able to find the ship they DID come on - the Empress of Britain. They sailed from Liverpool on 22 April, 1910. Peder, Anna, Amanda and Andres, but I don't find Hartvig on the list. (There are 128 pages - I haven't checked them all!!!) The ship sailed to Quebec, and they entered the U.S., then, from Canada.

Grandma Jensen's Birth Family

The pictures here are from Grandma's photo album; the picture of the woman is her younger sister Anethe (or Anette), and I think the other one may be of her mother and some siblings, but I have not verified this.

Grandma was one of 15 siblings, and the family is shown in the tree below. Janet has heard from Borghild's son Kolbjorn, and her daughter Anna, and will be going to Norway this summer! Kolbjorn and Anna also have a brother Oscar, and Mom and Dad would hear from Oscar and Kolbjorn from time to time. Steve - do you remember who they met on their trip?

Wow! Treasure Trove...

I recently heard from Janet, whose grandfather Peder was Anna Jensen's brother. A lot of information has been collected in the last few weeks... and I'm not even sure where to begin!

To start with, I have posted above the newly acquired family tree I have for Anna's (Grandma Jensen's) ancestors. The new information came from a man in Norway named Arne, who is an 83 year old pensioner who likes to help Americans discover their Norwegian roots!

He traced the family back (on both sides) several more generations, and it's fascinating.

George and Anna Jensen

George and Anna had four children, Clara (1915 - 2001), a stillborn baby girl (1917), Carl Raymond (1918 - 1996), and Robert Paul (1924 - 1994).

Raymond was my father. He was born in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, where they had moved (after the loss of their baby?) to try their hand at farming. He was christened Carl Raymond, but by the time he started school they were calling him Ray (perhaps to avoid confusion with Uncle Carl). The farming venture did not work out, and the family returned to Minneapolis by the time Dad was about 3 or 4.

Here are a few pictures to start. Please send comments!

Clara married Donald Stout and they had one son, George. George married Cheryl and they have one son, Brady.

Ray married Priscilla Lohman (1919 - 2005). They had eight children:
Barbara (1943), Mark (1945), Steven (1947), Grant (1949), Scott (1951), Todd (1952), Margaret (1954) and Jane (1961).

Bob married Evelyn (Evie) Sorenson and they had five children:
Gail (1952), Diane (1956), Lori (1957), Brian (1959) and Karen (1962).

More later....

Uncle Hans' Family

Uncle Hans and Aunt Lena had two children, Earl and Donna.

Earl (1925) married Eileen Miller and they had two sons, Earl Stephen (1957) and Brian Peter (1960).

Donna (1929)... I don't have any additional info on Donna yet.

I am hoping that Grace Jensen (see post below) might know something about Hans and Lena and their children.

Uncle John's Family

I spoke this week with John and Elsie's grandson Grant Jensen! He confirmed much of what I knew, and added to my information as well.

John and Elsie had five children.

Inger married a man named Fritz Weber and they had one daughter named Jean.

Holger Renald (1913 - 2001) married Grace Fulton. They had three sons - Larry (1940), Wayne (1944) and Grant (1947). Grace and her sons live in the Twin Cities.

Erling ("Al") George (1915 - 2004) married Marjorie Martin (1921 - 1987). They had eight children:
Marlene (1941), Marjorie (1942), Howard (1945), John (1946), Linda (1949), Debra (1954), Cynthia (1958) and Nancy (1961).

Dagny (1917 - 1999) married Wallace Opitz (1916 - 1958). They had no children.

Hartel T (1924 - 1999) married a woman named Inez. They also had no children.

If anyone can correct any of my information, please contact me at olekids@charter.net.

I am looking forward to meeting some of these Jensens! Grant and I talked about the idea of having a Jensen family picnic some time next summer. If you are reading this and would be interested in such an event, please email me.

Grandma Jensen's Brother Peder

Peder Kristian Pedersen 3 Jun 1887 - 21 May 1925

Peder was born in Helgland Norway, according to his draft card. He immigrated in 1910 with his sister Anna (Grandma Jensen) and his fiance Amanda Nepaas.

In 1915 and in 1919 he is listed in the Minneapolis Directory as a carpenter living at 4508 43rd avenue south. (Dad's book said they lived near Minnehaha Park.)

I'm not sure when Peter and Amanda married. I do know that Amanda was 25 years old at the time (1930 census record), so it was probably about 1913, and that they had two children - Synnova 1916, and Clarice 1918.

By 1920, Peter had TB and was living at the Glen Lake Sanitorium in Lake Minnetonka Line 20). He died in 1925. I'm not sure where he was buried.

Aunt Amanda raised her daughters and later remarried, but tragically her second husband, nicknamed "Happy", killed himself. She may have died in 1961, although I have not confirmed this yet.

Niels Poul and Hans Peder (I)

Niels Poul 9 Sep 1879 - ?
Hans Peder 8 Dec 1881 - 11 Jan 1882

Niels apparently stayed in Denmark.

There were two brothers named Hans. The first one died at one month old. The next son born in 1884 was given the same name (a common practice).

Barbara said she seems to remember that there was a brother who came to America but returned to Denmark (to take care of their father?). Perhaps that was Niels.

Uncle John

Johannes Fredrick 17 Nov 1888 - 26 May 1974

Uncle John came to America with his older brother Peter Gregor (see my previous post) in 1908.

In the 1910 census he is listed as living in Carlston, Freeborn County Minnesota as a hired man. He is 22 years old and single. In the same household is Elsie Jensen, 21, single, a servant. She also immigrated in 1908. (Due to their son's death record, I know that Elsie's maiden name was Jensen.)

In the 1920 census (and in 1930's census) it says that John came to America in 1908 and Elsie came in 1909.

In 1920 John and Elsie farmed in Carlston. They had four children at that point: Inger, 8, Holger, 6, Erling, 4 yrs 10 months, and Dagny, 2 yrs 8 months. Also living with the family was Hans P, 35 (who immigrated in 1907 - see previous post).

In 1930 they have one more child - Hartel, born about 1925 and Inger is not listed. In this census John is listed as John F Jenson (note spelling difference). In the 1930 census it says that they married at ages 22 and 23 respectively. So if the 1910 census record is correct about their marital status, they must have married some time in 1911. Their first child was born in about 1912.

John registered for the draft in June of 1917 when he was 28 years old. He gives his place of birth as Ryde, Denmark and says that he farms in Wells Minnesota.

Elsie Marie Jensen lived 28 Feb 1888 - 7 Oct 1964.

Uncle John died of colon cancer and also had hypertension and heart disease. He and Elsie are buried in the Carlston Cemetery (about 16 miles northwest of Albert Lea).

Uncle Carl

Karl Anton 15 Dec 1885 - 6 Nov 1975

Uncle Carl came to America in 1906 with Grandpa and their oldest brother Jens (see my previous post).

He is listed in the Minneapolis Directory in 1908 as Carl A Jensen, living at 3315 17th avenue south (no occupation given) and in the 1910 directory at the same address, and working as a clerk for the N W Fire and Marine Insurance Company.

He registered for the draft in 1917. Note that his "nearest relative" is Jens Jensen of 1819 5th st south (and someone wrote "sister" next to it... obviously not realizing that Jens is a man's name!). He is living and working for a farmer named Ellingson at R.F.D. 4, Minneapolis.

In the 1920 census he lived on Cedar Avenue and worked as a farm laborer.

In the 1930 census he is living in Wayzata and working as a farm laborer.

Uncle Carl is buried at Lakewood Cemetery (Section 7 Lot 59 Grave 4).

Uncle Hans Peder

Uncle Hans was born 18 Jun 1884 and came to America in March, 1907 on the ship Oscar II. He is on line 13. He is going to his brother Georg Jensen of Minneapolis. It says that he "squints a little in the right eye", otherwise his health is good! He is a farmer.

Hans P is listed in the 1920 census living with brother John and his wife Elsie and their children in Carlston, Freeborn County, Minnesota (near Alden). He is single and a farm laborer.

In about 1924 he married a woman named Lena L (maiden name?) and they had two children - Earl M in 1925 and Donna H in July 1929. They are listed in the 1930 census, where he is using the name Peter H Jensen and farming in Foster, Faribault County, Minnesota.

I find no record of a draft card.

I have not yet been able to determine when and where he died or where he is buried, nor have I been able to determine where Earl and Donna are, although I have some possible names for Earl's children.

Uncle Peter

Peder Simmert Gregers 24 Nov 1877 - 4 June 1948

Uncle Pete settled in North Dakota and was a farmer, according to Dad's book. I have been able to find very little documentation about him.

If he is the one in the 1910 census record mentioned in my previous post, then he must have come to America with Jens in 1894 and later gone back to bring the youngest brother John over (that makes a lot of sense, actually).

On the ship's list he is named Gregers and John is "Johannes." (Lines 19 and 20) Their father's name is given as Peter Jensen of Ryde, Denmark. The next page says that Gregers was in the United States before, in 1907. This makes me think that my hunch about the 1910 census record may be correct. Their destination is Alden, Minnesota (also makes sense, as Uncle John and Uncle Hans are living there).

Unlike the other brothers, I can find no record that he registered for the draft for WWI.

He is also buried at Lakeview Cemetery (PG - 116 - 5).

Uncle Jens

Jens Lauritz 3 Jan 1875 - 4 Nov 1941

Uncle Jens first came to America in 1894. He later returned to Denmark and accompanied Uncle Carl and Grandpa to America in 1906 on the Saxonia.

In the ship's passenger list, they are on lines 25 - 27. Georg Rasmus, 19, Karl Anton, 20 and Jens Lauritz, 31. Jens is an American, residence Alden Minnesota. Karl and Georg are "travelling with our brother" and their final destination is Alden, Minn.

I have not been able to locate Jens in the 1900 census (yet). There is a census record in 1910 that lists brothers Jens L Jensen, 35 and Peter Jensen, 32, living and working as farmers in Morton County, North Dakota. Both brothers immigrated in 1894.

[I am not sure that these are the right brothers, but they may be. Grandpa's second oldest brother was Peter Gregor and the age is correct... and Peter may also have returned and accompanied the youngest brother John to America in 1908, but I am getting ahead of myself....]

The 1920 census lists Jens L Jensen living at the same address as the draft record (below), with no occupation given.

Jens registered for the draft in September of 1918. Note his "nearest relative" - George Jensen, Shell Lake, Wis. (That's where Dad was born a few months later.)

I cannot find a record for the 1930 census yet.

Later Uncle Jens lived in a house he bought from Grandpa on 24th street near 16th avenue (from Dad's book "Memories") and he worked for the City of Minneapolis.

Uncles Carl and Jens often went with the family to Minnehaha Park for picnics and concerts. Grandpa, Carl and Jens would smoke cigars during the concerts.

He died in 1941 and is buried at Lakewood Cemetery (PG - 114 - 19).

Grandpa's Brothers

I've been doing as much research as I can during my semester break, and finally have enough info to start my blog. The picture is Grandpa Jensen at about 18, taken in Denmark in 1905 (I had forgotten he played violin!).

Grandpa Jensen (George Rasmus, b 1887, immig 1906) had the following brothers:

Jens Lauritz b 1875, immig 1894

Peder Gregor b 1877, immig 1894

Niels Poul b 1879

Hans Peder b 1881, d 1881

Hans Peder b 1884, immig 1907

Karl Anton b 1885, immig 1906

Johannes F(redrick?) b 1888, immig 1908

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I will start with them.