Side 1 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Side 2 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
The following year, the family left Norway and went to the United States.
Showing posts with label Bø. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bø. Show all posts
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Census Sunday: One Year Before Emigration
In 1865, my 3rd-great-grandparents Jorgen Pedersen Boe and Ingeborg Torsdatter Vatner lived on the Nistaas farm in Bø, Telemark, Norway. They had previously lived on the Bø farm, but Jorgen sold it to his brother Gregar. Jorgen's occupation was Husmand med Jord (tenant farmer with farm).
Telemark fylke, Bø prestegjeld, Statlig folketelling [Telemark County, Bø parish, Government census] 178 (RA/S-2231/E),
1865-1865, oppb: Riksarkivet. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/ft20090728610426
Side 1 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Side 2 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
The following year, the family left Norway and went to the United States.
Side 1 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Side 2 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
The following year, the family left Norway and went to the United States.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Those Places Thursday: Bø Old Church
The Old Church in Bø, Telemark, Norway was built about 1180 in the Romanesque style. It is made of stone and has 200 seats. The church was dedicated to St. Olaf and was originally a Catholic church, but it became Lutheran after the Protestant Reformation. An iron chandelier, a carved wooden altar, and a cross in the chancel date back to the Middle Ages. After the Reformation, windows were widened to let in more light, and a door was partially walled up to create a window. Paintings in the chancel date back to the 1650s. The altar table was painted in 1685-1687; the images depict Christ on the cross, the Eye of Providence, and the tetragrammaton YHWH ("Yahweh"). Bible verses are inscribed on the pulpit and the portal.
Many of my Norwegian ancestors on the Boe side of the family attended the Bø Old Church. Family baptisms, marriages, and burials took place there.
References
Bø Old Church
The Divine Name in Norway: Bø (district of Telemark)
Norske kirkebygg: Bø gamle og nye kirke
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Those Places Thursday: Bø in Tørdal
Bø is the village center of Tørdal, which is part of Drangedal, Telemark, Norway. There are three farms at Bø. My 8th-great-grandfather Jorgen Jorgensen Bø and his children, my 7th-great-grandfather Klas Jorgensen Bø and my 7th-great-grandmother Asberg Jorgensdatter Bø lived on one of the farms at Bø in Tørdal. Klas' daughter married Asberg's son.
References
Bø (Drangedal)
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Surname Saturday: Boe
My mother's maiden name, Boe, comes from the name of the farm that my ancestors lived on in Bø, Telemark, Norway.
One very frustrating thing about searching for the surname Boe is that when I search the Internet, I get many results that are about the Board of Education!
My ancestors who used Boe as a surname are:
My mother
Grandfather: John Boe
born 28 April 1908, St. Louis, Missouri
married Margaret Ann Schneider 25 September 1939, Indianapolis, Marion Co., Indiana
died 24 November 1977, New York, New York
Great-grandfather: John Boe
born 15 March 1876, Swift Co. Missouri
married Signe Olson 21 March 1897, Swift Co., Minnesota
married Kathleen Graham (my great-grandmother)
married Anna Mae Gamble 22 August 1934, St. Joseph Co., Indiana
died 27 June 1940, Norwalk, Los Angeles Co., California
2nd-great-grandfather: Jorgen Jorgensen Boe
born 18 November 1850, Bø, Telemark, Norway
married Aaste Halvorsdatter Otterholt 17 December 1873, Rock Dell, Olmstead Co., Minnesota
died 17 December 1900, West Bank, Swift Co., Minnesota
3rd-great-grandfather: Jorgen Pedersen Boe
born 13 February 1820, Bø, Telemark, Norway
married Ingeborg Torsdatter Vatner 13 June 1848, Bø, Telemark, Norway
died 30 July 1902, Swenoda, Swift Co., Minnesota
Earlier ancestors used Bø as a farm name, but it was not a true surname. Names stayed with the farms, not the families. If a family moved to another farm, they would be known by that farm name.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Wednesday's Child: Claus Halvorsen Sønstebø
My 5th-great-grandparents Halvor Eriksen Sønstebø and Kari Jorgensdatter Grave became the parents of a son, Claus, on 6 May 1792 in Bø, Telemark, Norway.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 5 (1785-1815), Chronological list 1792, page 59. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20061208060249.jpg
Claus died in March 1798 (I think the record says that he died on the 7th) in Bø, two months before his sixth birthday.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 5 (1785-1815), Chronological list 1798, page 112. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20061208060276.jpg
Claus died in March 1798 (I think the record says that he died on the 7th) in Bø, two months before his sixth birthday.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Wednesday's Child: Marken and Asber Halvorsdatter Sønstebø
On 27 July 1807 in Bø, Telemark, Norway, my 5th-great-grandparents Halvor Eriksen Sønstebø and Kari Jorgensdatter Grave became the parents of twin daughters, Marken and Asber.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 5 (1785-1815), Chronological list 1807, page 207. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20061208060323.jpg
Asber died on 24 April 1809.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 5 (1785-1815), Chronological list 1809, page 223. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20061208060331.jpg
Marken died on 27 August 1809.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 5 (1785-1815), Chronological list 1809, page 226. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20061208060332.jpg
Asber died on 24 April 1809.
Marken died on 27 August 1809.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Wednesday's Child: Ingebor Halvorsdatter Sønstebø
Ingebor Halvorsdatter Sønstebø was born on 29 July 1794 in Bø, Telemark, Norway. She was the daughter of my 5th-great-grandparents Halvor Eriksen Sønstebø and Kari Jorgensdatter Grave.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 5 (1785-1815), Chronological list 1794, page 79. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20061208060259.jpg
Ingebor died less than two years later, on 28 May 1796.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 5 (1785-1815), Chronological list 1796, page 95. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20061208060267.jpg
Ingebor died less than two years later, on 28 May 1796.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Census Sunday: Kari and Her Younger Husband
My 4th-great-grandmother Kari Halvorsdatter Sønstebø's second husband was a much younger man. Ougund (or Ougun) Halvorsen was sixteen years her junior.
In 1865, eighteen years after their marriage, the couple lived on the Eiken østre farm in Bø, Telemark, Norway. Ougund was a farmer, and he owned his farm. Kari's grandson Peder Jorgensen lived with them; his occupation was Tjenestekarl (male servant). Two female servants, Mari Markusdatter and Aslaug Hansdatter, also lived with them.
Telemark fylke, Bø prestegjeld, Statlig folketelling [Telemark County, Bø parish, Government census] 178 (RA/S-2231/E), 1865-1865, oppb: Riksarkivet. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-ft20090728610455.jpg
Side 1 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Side 2 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
In 1865, eighteen years after their marriage, the couple lived on the Eiken østre farm in Bø, Telemark, Norway. Ougund was a farmer, and he owned his farm. Kari's grandson Peder Jorgensen lived with them; his occupation was Tjenestekarl (male servant). Two female servants, Mari Markusdatter and Aslaug Hansdatter, also lived with them.
Side 1 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Side 2 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Census Sunday: Servant on Uncle's Farm in Bø, Telemark, Norway
In 1865, my 2nd-great-grandfather Jorgen Jorgensen Boe was living with the family of his father's brother Gregar Pedersen Bø on the Bø farm in Bø, Telemark, Norway. His occupation was Tjenestedreng (servant). His uncle Gregar was a farmer and owned the Bø farm.
Telemark fylke, Bø prestegjeld, Statlig folketelling [Telemark County, Bø parish, Government census] 178 (RA/S-2231/E),
1865-1865, oppb: Riksarkivet. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-ft20090728610423.jpg
Side 1 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Side 2 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Side 1 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Side 2 of the household's census enumeration, up close:
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Those Places Thursday: Seljordsvatn
Seljordsvatn (or Seljordsvatnet) is a lake in Seljord, Telemark, Norway. It is part of the Skien River. The lake is about 15 km long and 1.8 km wide. The deepest part of the lake is 150 meters. On average, the depth is between 50 and 75 meters.
According to folklore, a sea serpent called Selma lives in the lake. The first report of the creature was made in 1750. While Gunleik Anderson Verpe from Bø was rowing on the lake, a sea serpent supposedly attacked one of his two boats. Perhaps my ancestors from Seljord and Bø believed in the sea serpent.
There is a road around the lake, and there are many campsites with beaches. In 2008, a lookout tower was built so that tourists could watch for Selma.
References
Bike around Seljord lake
Norway's Seljord Lookout Point Peers Out to the Water Searching for the Selma Sea Monster
Seljordsvatn
Seljordsvatnet
Selma (lake monster)
Welcome to Seljord
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 43 "Oops": Thor Boe (and brother Peder)
The book Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark states that Jorgen Pederson Boe and Ingeborg Torsdatter Vatner's sons Per Bø (born 24 September 1852) and Tor (Thor) Bø (born 22 October 1854), had died in Norway in 1862 after drinking slough water.
In 1865, Jørgen Pedersen's household in Bø, Telemark, Norway included son Thor Jørgensen, age 12.
The migration records from the Bø parish registers show that Jorgen Pedersen Boe and his family left Bø on 3 May 1866. Sons Peder and Thor were listed with the family.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 9 (1862-1879), Migration records 1866-1867, page 381. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011051207.jpg
The 1866 passenger list from the Vanadis shows that Peder Boe, age 13, and Thor Boe, age 11, sailed from Christiania (now Oslo) Norway to Quebec, Canada with Jorgen Boe and his family.
Passenger list, Vanadis, 1866. Ancestry.com. Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.Original data: Passenger Lists, 1865–1935. Microfilm Publications T-479 to
T-520, T-4689 to T-4874, T-14700 to T-14939, C-4511 to C-4542. Library
and Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and
Immigration fonds. Library and Archives Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
In "The People from Telemark in Chippewa, Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle Counties"(originally published in Norwegian in Telesoga 20 (July 1914), pages 3-4; translated by Grace Foss and reprinted in Telemark to America Volume II: Settlements), Torkel Oftelie and Ole (Olav) Jacobson Haugland stated "Among those that came were Jørgen Pederson Bø and his sons Jørgen, Tor, Per, Gregar and Sveinong and daughter Ingebjør" (page 135) and "His sons, Tor and Per, got 'nerve sickness' and died a few years after they came here" (page 136).
Peter, age 16, and Tola, age 15, were enumerated in the household of "Zerger Peterson" in the 1870 United States census. The composition of this family is consistent with that of Jorgen Pedersen Boe's family.
1870 United States Census, Canisteo, Dodge, Minnesota, population schedule, page 10. Available from Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
In the 1875 Minnesota state census, Seder Pederson, age 22, and Tom Pederson, age 20, are listed below Jorgen Pederson, age 58, and Engebor Pederson, age 46.
Minnesota State Census, 1875. Assessment District 2, Chippewa County, Minnesota, 1 May 1875. Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.Original data: Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota State Population Census Schedules, 1865-1905. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 1977. Microfilm. Reels 1-47 and 107-164.
Records from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America show that Thor J. Boe died on 3 October 1878 and was buried on 5 October 1878 – sixteen years after his supposed death!
Burial record, Thor J. Boe. St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Bellingham, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota. 5 October 1878. Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
Original data:
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA,
Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America,
Chicago, Illinois.
References
Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.
Telelaget of America. Telemark to America: Volume II: Settlements. 2nd ed. Telelaget of America, 1992, 2009.
In 1865, Jørgen Pedersen's household in Bø, Telemark, Norway included son Thor Jørgensen, age 12.
The migration records from the Bø parish registers show that Jorgen Pedersen Boe and his family left Bø on 3 May 1866. Sons Peder and Thor were listed with the family.
The 1866 passenger list from the Vanadis shows that Peder Boe, age 13, and Thor Boe, age 11, sailed from Christiania (now Oslo) Norway to Quebec, Canada with Jorgen Boe and his family.
In "The People from Telemark in Chippewa, Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle Counties"(originally published in Norwegian in Telesoga 20 (July 1914), pages 3-4; translated by Grace Foss and reprinted in Telemark to America Volume II: Settlements), Torkel Oftelie and Ole (Olav) Jacobson Haugland stated "Among those that came were Jørgen Pederson Bø and his sons Jørgen, Tor, Per, Gregar and Sveinong and daughter Ingebjør" (page 135) and "His sons, Tor and Per, got 'nerve sickness' and died a few years after they came here" (page 136).
Peter, age 16, and Tola, age 15, were enumerated in the household of "Zerger Peterson" in the 1870 United States census. The composition of this family is consistent with that of Jorgen Pedersen Boe's family.
In the 1875 Minnesota state census, Seder Pederson, age 22, and Tom Pederson, age 20, are listed below Jorgen Pederson, age 58, and Engebor Pederson, age 46.
Records from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America show that Thor J. Boe died on 3 October 1878 and was buried on 5 October 1878 – sixteen years after his supposed death!
References
Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.
Telelaget of America. Telemark to America: Volume II: Settlements. 2nd ed. Telelaget of America, 1992, 2009.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 25 "The Old Homestead": Jorgen Pedersen Boe
The theme for Week 25 of the 52 Ancestors Challenge is "The Old Homestead." I wanted to write about someone who had applied for land through the Homestead Act of 1862, but I had already written about the relatives whose homestead applications I had found: my 2nd-great-grandfather Jorgen Jorgensen Boe, my 3rd-great-grandfather Halvor Eriksen Otterholt, and Halvor's son Thorkel Halvorson. Jorgen Jorgenson Boe had immigrated with his parents, but I had not found land records for his father, my 3rd-great-grandfather Jorgen Pedersen Boe. I looked at the BLM GLO Records Web site again, and found that there were land records for him, which I had previously overlooked. He was listed as Jorgen Pederson Bo, and his land was in Chippewa County, Minnesota. The other men all had land in Swift County, Minnesota. They all lived near each other, though; they lived near the county line.
Jorgen Pedersen Boe was born on 13 February 1820 in Bø, Telemark, Norway, and was baptized seven days later. He was the son of Peder Jorgensen Bø and Kari Halvorsdatter Sønstebø.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 6 (1815-1831), Birth and baptism records 1820, page 76-77.
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011061101.jpg
On 13 June 1848, Jorgen married Ingeborg Torsdatter (or Thorsdatter) Vatner.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 7 (1831-1848), Marriage records 1848, page 297.
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011050335.jpg
They had the following children: Kari, born 1 February 1849; my 2nd-great-grandfather Jorgen, born 18 November 1850; Peder, born 24 September 1852; Thor, born 22 October 1854; Halvor, born 19 October 1856; Ingeborg, born 14 May 1859, Anund, born 6 Feb 1861 (he apparently died young); Gregar, born 6 June 1862; and Svenung, born 25 April 1865.
In 1865, Jorgen was a tenant farmer on the Nistaas farm in Bø. He had inherited the Bø farm, but had sold it to his brother Gregar. In 1866, Jorgen, his wife, and most of his children left Norway. (His son Halvor stayed behind; Halvor came to Minnesota around 1880.) They sailed from Christiania (now Oslo) on the Vanadis on 12 May 1866 and arrived in Quebec, Canada on 2 July 1866.
Passenger list, Vanadis, 1866. Ancestry.com. Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.Original data: Passenger Lists, 1865–1935. Microfilm Publications T-479 to
T-520, T-4689 to T-4874, T-14700 to T-14939, C-4511 to C-4542. Library
and Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and
Immigration fonds. Library and Archives Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Jorgen and his family settled in Canisteo, Dodge County, Minnesota. They were enumerated in Canisteo in the 1870 United States Census. According to the census, the youngest member of the household was Anson, age 2/12, born in Minnesota. I have not found any further record of this child.
By 1875, Jorgen and his family had moved to Chippewa County, Minnesota. According to Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark, the family at first lived in a sod house which had been partially dug out of the river bank.
On 27 May 1878, Jorgen became a citizen of the United States.
On 30 March 1880, Jorgen received a patent for the land located in the northwest quarter of section 4, township 119, range 40.
Jorgen Pedersen Bo, Chippewa County, Minnesota. Certificate no. 3765. United States Bureau of Land Management. 30 March 1880.
Jorgen was enumerated on the land in the 1880 United States Census. Erick Otterholt, enumerated nearby, was the brother of Aaste Halvordsatter Otterholt, the wife of Jorgen's son Jorgen Jorgenson Boe.
1880 United States census, Mandt, Chippewa County, Minnesota, population schedule, enumeration district 32, page no. 15. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.
This map of Chippewa County shows the location of Jorgen's land.
Atlas of Chippewa County, Minnesota. Philadelphia, PA: Northwest Publishing Co., 1900. Ancestry.com. U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
In 1895, Jorgen and his wife Ingeborg lived near their son Jorgen and his family in West Bank, Swift County, Minnesota.
Minnesota State Census, 1895.West Bank, Swift County, Minnesota. 6 June 1895. Ancestry.com. Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.Original data: Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota State Population Census Schedules, 1865-1905. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 1977. Microfilm. Reels 1-47 and 107-164.
In 1900, Jorgen and Ingeborg lived near their son Gregar in Swenoda, Swift County, Minnesota. Jorgen's occupation was listed as watch repairing.
1900 United States census, Swenoda Township, Swift County, Minnesota, population schedule, enumeration district 282, sheet 2B. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
According to "The People from Telemark in Chippewa, Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle Counties" by Torkel Oftelie and Ole (Olav) Jacobson Haugland (originally published in Norwegian in Telesoga 20 (July 1914), pages 3-4; translated by Grace Foss and reprinted in Telemark to America Volume II: Settlements), Jorgen was a watchmaker and jeweler, and had been a schoolmaster in Norway. Oftelie and Jacobson also mentioned that Jorgen told stories from Norway and sang stev. The article stated "He was a pleasant person to have around." (Telemark to America Volume II: Settlements, page 136.)
Jorgen died on 30 July 1902 in Swenoda, Swift County, Minnesota.
The Minnesota Historical Society has an image of the Jorgen Boe home in Chippewa County, Minnesota, taken approximately 1900. This could be my ancestor's home.
Now that I know there are land records for Jorgen Pederson Boe, I will need to order his homestead application file. This week's theme inspired me to search once again, and the search was successful!
Ingeborg and Jorgen Pederson Boe and their daughter-in-law Aaste (Halvorsdatter Otterholt) Boe. Photo from Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by
Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen
Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.
References
Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.
Telelaget of America. Telemark to America: Volume II: Settlements. 2nd ed. Telelaget of America, 1992, 2009.
Jorgen Pedersen Boe was born on 13 February 1820 in Bø, Telemark, Norway, and was baptized seven days later. He was the son of Peder Jorgensen Bø and Kari Halvorsdatter Sønstebø.
On 13 June 1848, Jorgen married Ingeborg Torsdatter (or Thorsdatter) Vatner.
http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011050335.jpg
They had the following children: Kari, born 1 February 1849; my 2nd-great-grandfather Jorgen, born 18 November 1850; Peder, born 24 September 1852; Thor, born 22 October 1854; Halvor, born 19 October 1856; Ingeborg, born 14 May 1859, Anund, born 6 Feb 1861 (he apparently died young); Gregar, born 6 June 1862; and Svenung, born 25 April 1865.
In 1865, Jorgen was a tenant farmer on the Nistaas farm in Bø. He had inherited the Bø farm, but had sold it to his brother Gregar. In 1866, Jorgen, his wife, and most of his children left Norway. (His son Halvor stayed behind; Halvor came to Minnesota around 1880.) They sailed from Christiania (now Oslo) on the Vanadis on 12 May 1866 and arrived in Quebec, Canada on 2 July 1866.
Jorgen and his family settled in Canisteo, Dodge County, Minnesota. They were enumerated in Canisteo in the 1870 United States Census. According to the census, the youngest member of the household was Anson, age 2/12, born in Minnesota. I have not found any further record of this child.
By 1875, Jorgen and his family had moved to Chippewa County, Minnesota. According to Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark, the family at first lived in a sod house which had been partially dug out of the river bank.
On 27 May 1878, Jorgen became a citizen of the United States.
Jorgen Pedersen Boe naturalization, 27 May 1878. Swift County District Court, State of Minnesota.
On 30 March 1880, Jorgen received a patent for the land located in the northwest quarter of section 4, township 119, range 40.
Jorgen was enumerated on the land in the 1880 United States Census. Erick Otterholt, enumerated nearby, was the brother of Aaste Halvordsatter Otterholt, the wife of Jorgen's son Jorgen Jorgenson Boe.
This map of Chippewa County shows the location of Jorgen's land.
In 1895, Jorgen and his wife Ingeborg lived near their son Jorgen and his family in West Bank, Swift County, Minnesota.
In 1900, Jorgen and Ingeborg lived near their son Gregar in Swenoda, Swift County, Minnesota. Jorgen's occupation was listed as watch repairing.
According to "The People from Telemark in Chippewa, Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle Counties" by Torkel Oftelie and Ole (Olav) Jacobson Haugland (originally published in Norwegian in Telesoga 20 (July 1914), pages 3-4; translated by Grace Foss and reprinted in Telemark to America Volume II: Settlements), Jorgen was a watchmaker and jeweler, and had been a schoolmaster in Norway. Oftelie and Jacobson also mentioned that Jorgen told stories from Norway and sang stev. The article stated "He was a pleasant person to have around." (Telemark to America Volume II: Settlements, page 136.)
Jorgen died on 30 July 1902 in Swenoda, Swift County, Minnesota.
The Minnesota Historical Society has an image of the Jorgen Boe home in Chippewa County, Minnesota, taken approximately 1900. This could be my ancestor's home.
Now that I know there are land records for Jorgen Pederson Boe, I will need to order his homestead application file. This week's theme inspired me to search once again, and the search was successful!
References
Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.
Telelaget of America. Telemark to America: Volume II: Settlements. 2nd ed. Telelaget of America, 1992, 2009.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 13 "Different": Aaste Halvorsdatter Otterholt
The book Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark,
compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, begins with "A Brief History of the Boe (Bø) Family," written by Melvin Brodshaug. He wrote the following about my great-great-grandmother Aaste Halvorsdatter Otterholt: "Grandmother, Aasta, was a woman of great presence.Where-ever she was, she definitely took charge." That description does not fit me at all. I am not the leader type, and am more likely to remain in the background unnoticed. So I have chosen to write about Aaste for 52 Ancestors Week 13: "Different."
Aaste Boe. Photo from Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark.
Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by
Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen
Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.
Aaste was born on 3 February 1854 in Bø, Telemark, Norway. She was the daughter of Halvor Eriksen Otterholt and Guro Hansdatter Askilt.
Aaste Halvorsdatter birth/baptism record. Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 8 (1849-1861), Birth and baptism records 1854, page 60. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011050511.jpg
Aaste and her family lived on the Otterholdt (or Otterholt) farm in Bø. She was enumerated there with her family in the 1865 Norway Census. On 20 April 1867, she and her family departed from Skien, Telemark, Norway on the Rjukan, and they arrived in Quebec, Canada on 30 May 1867.
Passenger list, Rjukan, 1867.
Passenger Lists, 1865–1935. Microfilm Publications T-479 to T-520,
T-4689 to T-4874, T-14700 to T-14939, C-4511 to C-4542. Library and
Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and Immigration
fonds. Library and Archives Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Available
from Ancestry.com. Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 [database
on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.
The family settled in Canisteo, Dodge County, Minnesota. On 17 December 1873, in nearby Rock Dell, Olmstead County, Minnesota, Aaste married her second cousin Jorgen Jorgensen Boe.
Marriage record, Gorgen (Jorgen) Bue and Aaste Halvorson. State of Minnesota, County of Olmstead, 17 December 1873.
Jorgen and Aaste's daughter Kari was born in Rock Dell on 5 April 1874. By 1875, they had moved to Swenoda, Swift County, Minnesota. Their son John, my great-grandfather, was born 15 March 1876. They were living in nearby Chippewa County by 5 February 1878, when their son Hans Adolph was born. They were in Big Bend, Chippewa County in 1880. Jorgen applied for a land patent in 1880 under the Homestead Act of 1862, for 40 acres of land in Swift County, Minnesota, but his application was commuted when he paid cash for the land in 1882. Their son Theodore Jorgen was born on 16 July 1883. In 1885, the family lived in nearby Lac qui Parle, Lac Qui Parle County, Minnesota. Jorgen and Aaste's last child, Hannah Gurina Boe, was born on 23 May 1886. In 1895 the family was living in West Bank, Swift County, on the land that Jorgen had purchased.
Aaste's husband Jorgen died on 17 December 1900, the couple's 27th wedding anniversary. He was buried at Big Bend Lutheran Church Cemetery. In "A Brief History of the Boe (Bø) Family" in Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark, Melvin Brodshaug wrote about the pine tree that Aaste planted by Jorgen's grave. The Big Bend Lutheran Church Council passed a by-law which forbade the planting of trees in the churchyard, but Aaste's pine tree was allowed to remain in the churchyard.
On 6 August 1906, Aaste declared her intention to become a citizen of the United States. Her husband Jorgen had declared his intention in 1874 and had become a citizen of the United States by 1881. Aaste became a citizen when her husband did, so she did not need to declare her intention. Perhaps she was not sure of her status.
By 1910, Aaste was living with her daughter Hannah, Hannah's husband Henry Einerson, and their children. She resided with them until her death on 17 February 1922.
Aaste was buried in Big Bend Lutheran Church Cemetery on 21 February 1922. At her funeral service, Reverend Theo. Bergee preached in Norwegian and Reverend E. I. Strom preached in English.
Aaste was born on 3 February 1854 in Bø, Telemark, Norway. She was the daughter of Halvor Eriksen Otterholt and Guro Hansdatter Askilt.
Aaste and her family lived on the Otterholdt (or Otterholt) farm in Bø. She was enumerated there with her family in the 1865 Norway Census. On 20 April 1867, she and her family departed from Skien, Telemark, Norway on the Rjukan, and they arrived in Quebec, Canada on 30 May 1867.
The family settled in Canisteo, Dodge County, Minnesota. On 17 December 1873, in nearby Rock Dell, Olmstead County, Minnesota, Aaste married her second cousin Jorgen Jorgensen Boe.
Jorgen and Aaste's daughter Kari was born in Rock Dell on 5 April 1874. By 1875, they had moved to Swenoda, Swift County, Minnesota. Their son John, my great-grandfather, was born 15 March 1876. They were living in nearby Chippewa County by 5 February 1878, when their son Hans Adolph was born. They were in Big Bend, Chippewa County in 1880. Jorgen applied for a land patent in 1880 under the Homestead Act of 1862, for 40 acres of land in Swift County, Minnesota, but his application was commuted when he paid cash for the land in 1882. Their son Theodore Jorgen was born on 16 July 1883. In 1885, the family lived in nearby Lac qui Parle, Lac Qui Parle County, Minnesota. Jorgen and Aaste's last child, Hannah Gurina Boe, was born on 23 May 1886. In 1895 the family was living in West Bank, Swift County, on the land that Jorgen had purchased.
Aaste's husband Jorgen died on 17 December 1900, the couple's 27th wedding anniversary. He was buried at Big Bend Lutheran Church Cemetery. In "A Brief History of the Boe (Bø) Family" in Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark, Melvin Brodshaug wrote about the pine tree that Aaste planted by Jorgen's grave. The Big Bend Lutheran Church Council passed a by-law which forbade the planting of trees in the churchyard, but Aaste's pine tree was allowed to remain in the churchyard.
On 6 August 1906, Aaste declared her intention to become a citizen of the United States. Her husband Jorgen had declared his intention in 1874 and had become a citizen of the United States by 1881. Aaste became a citizen when her husband did, so she did not need to declare her intention. Perhaps she was not sure of her status.
Aaste H. Boe declaration of intention, 6 August 1906. Swift County District Court, State of Minnesota. It is clear from the use of "he" and "his" on the certificate that women did not often declare their intentions.
By 1910, Aaste was living with her daughter Hannah, Hannah's husband Henry Einerson, and their children. She resided with them until her death on 17 February 1922.
Certificate of death, Aasta Boe. 17 February 1922. State of Minnesota, Division of Vital Statistics.
Aaste was buried in Big Bend Lutheran Church Cemetery on 21 February 1922. At her funeral service, Reverend Theo. Bergee preached in Norwegian and Reverend E. I. Strom preached in English.
Milan Standard, 24 February 1922
Sunday, March 22, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 12 "Same": Alpha Madeline Boe
At first I was not sure which relative I wanted to feature for 52 Ancestors Week 12, "Same." But then I read Schalene Dagutis Jennings' Week 12 post about her relative who wrote a book on one of her ancestors and his descendants. I have a relative who did the same thing: Alpha Madeline Boe, my maternal grandfather's first cousin.
Alpha Madeline Boe was born on 12 November 1901 in Swift County, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Hans Adolph Boe (the brother of my great-grandfather John Boe) and Unni (or Eunice) Severina Saterlie. In 1905, she and her family lived on the Saterlie farm in Milan, Chippewa County, Minnesota. The family then moved to Williston, Williams County, North Dakota. In 1915, the family moved to Arnegard, McKenzie County, North Dakota. Alpha attended high school in Williston; she graduated from Williston High School in 1919. Alpha was enumerated twice in the 1920 United States census: once with her parents and siblings in St. Louis, Missouri, and once in Arnegard, as a boarder in the home of Walter and Josephine Robb. In both censuses, she was listed as a school teacher. She and her father were both listed in the 1920 Little Rock, Arkansas city directory as well. She taught intermediate grades for three years in Arnegard. She also taught in Montana.
She married Melvin Brodshaug in Arnegard on 27 December 1927. In 1928, the couple moved to New York City, where Melvin studied at Columbia University and received his Ph.D. Alpha worked at B. Altman and Co. and taught at Altman Continuation School. She and Melvin had two daughters.
Melvin worked for Erpi Classroom Films, which became Encyclopedia Britannica Films. Erpi moved from New York to Wilmette, Illinois in 1945. Alpha was on the Board of Deaconesses of the Congregational Church in Wilmette.
The family moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1954, when Melvin became the Dean of the School of Public Relations, Boston University. Alpha was on the Council of the Old South Church. She did volunteer work at Boston City Hospital as a member of the Rotary Anns. She was a member of the Boston University Women's Council. She was a board member of the Boston University Women's Guild.
The Brodshaugs moved to Virginia for five years in the mid-1960s, after Melvin retired and became a communications consultant for Norfolk State College. They then moved back to Massachusetts and lived in Harwich Port, Barnstable County, on Cape Cod. Alpha and Melvin went into the production of educational sound filmstrips. Alpha belonged to the Pilgrim Service League of the Congregational Church in Harwich Port.
In 1973, Alpha and Melvin traveled to Bø, Telemark, Norway, where her (and my grandfather's) paternal grandparents had been born. They met with the local genealogist, Johannes Saga. They traveled to Bø again in 1976, along with one of their daughters and three of their grandchildren. They visited the house where her (and my grandfather's) grandfather and his ancestors had been born. They also visited the Otterholt house, where her (and my grandfather's) grandmother had lived.
Alpha and Melvin compiled the book Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark, which was published in 1984. The book contained information about the ancestral families of her (and my grandfather's) paternal grandparents, Jorgen Boe and Aaste Halvorsdatter Otterholt, and also covered their descendants. Alpha and Melvin contacted family members and requested information. I remember providing information about myself for the book. I was in high school at the time. Although I did not start researching my family history until later, when my family received our copy of the book, I read it and was fascinated.
Keiter Directory Co.'s Williston City and Williams County, North Dakota Directory, 1918-1919. Norfolk, Nebraska: Keiter Directory Co. Available from
Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Alpha was living apart from the rest of her family while she attended high school.
References
Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.
Rural Cass County: The Land and People. West Fargo, ND: Cass County Historical Society, 1976.
Alpha Madeline Boe was born on 12 November 1901 in Swift County, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Hans Adolph Boe (the brother of my great-grandfather John Boe) and Unni (or Eunice) Severina Saterlie. In 1905, she and her family lived on the Saterlie farm in Milan, Chippewa County, Minnesota. The family then moved to Williston, Williams County, North Dakota. In 1915, the family moved to Arnegard, McKenzie County, North Dakota. Alpha attended high school in Williston; she graduated from Williston High School in 1919. Alpha was enumerated twice in the 1920 United States census: once with her parents and siblings in St. Louis, Missouri, and once in Arnegard, as a boarder in the home of Walter and Josephine Robb. In both censuses, she was listed as a school teacher. She and her father were both listed in the 1920 Little Rock, Arkansas city directory as well. She taught intermediate grades for three years in Arnegard. She also taught in Montana.
She married Melvin Brodshaug in Arnegard on 27 December 1927. In 1928, the couple moved to New York City, where Melvin studied at Columbia University and received his Ph.D. Alpha worked at B. Altman and Co. and taught at Altman Continuation School. She and Melvin had two daughters.
Melvin worked for Erpi Classroom Films, which became Encyclopedia Britannica Films. Erpi moved from New York to Wilmette, Illinois in 1945. Alpha was on the Board of Deaconesses of the Congregational Church in Wilmette.
The family moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1954, when Melvin became the Dean of the School of Public Relations, Boston University. Alpha was on the Council of the Old South Church. She did volunteer work at Boston City Hospital as a member of the Rotary Anns. She was a member of the Boston University Women's Council. She was a board member of the Boston University Women's Guild.
The Brodshaugs moved to Virginia for five years in the mid-1960s, after Melvin retired and became a communications consultant for Norfolk State College. They then moved back to Massachusetts and lived in Harwich Port, Barnstable County, on Cape Cod. Alpha and Melvin went into the production of educational sound filmstrips. Alpha belonged to the Pilgrim Service League of the Congregational Church in Harwich Port.
In 1973, Alpha and Melvin traveled to Bø, Telemark, Norway, where her (and my grandfather's) paternal grandparents had been born. They met with the local genealogist, Johannes Saga. They traveled to Bø again in 1976, along with one of their daughters and three of their grandchildren. They visited the house where her (and my grandfather's) grandfather and his ancestors had been born. They also visited the Otterholt house, where her (and my grandfather's) grandmother had lived.
Alpha and Melvin compiled the book Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark, which was published in 1984. The book contained information about the ancestral families of her (and my grandfather's) paternal grandparents, Jorgen Boe and Aaste Halvorsdatter Otterholt, and also covered their descendants. Alpha and Melvin contacted family members and requested information. I remember providing information about myself for the book. I was in high school at the time. Although I did not start researching my family history until later, when my family received our copy of the book, I read it and was fascinated.
Alpha and Melvin compiled another book on her mother's side of the family: Saterlie – Fedje: Common Roots in Sogn. It was published in 1986. Melvin also published additional works on his family.
Alpha died on 4 December 1997. Her husband Melvin had died nine years earlier, on 18 May 1988.
In the acknowledgements at the beginning of Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark,
Melvin and Alpha wrote "Hopefully, some one will pick up the challenge
and extend this genealogy both in breadth and depth." I think they would
be pleased that I have continued to research the family.
References
Boe (Bø) and Halvorson-Otterholt; Shared Roots in Telemark. Compiled by Melvin and Alpha M. (Boe) Brodshaug, 1984. Published by Arlene (Boe) Christensen and Marjorie (Boe) Bergee. Printed by Anundsen Publishing Co., Decorah, Iowa.
Rural Cass County: The Land and People. West Fargo, ND: Cass County Historical Society, 1976.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
52 Ancestors: Week 10 "Stormy Weather": Thorkel Halvorson: Storms of Grasshoppers and Hail
My great-great-grandmother's brother Thorkel (or Torkel, Torkild, or Tarkild, and also known as Tom) Halvorson experienced "stormy weather" between 1876 and 1882, but things turned out well for him in the end.
Thorkel was born on 6 September 1852 in Bø, Telemark Norway. He was the son of my 3rd-great-grandparents Halvor Eriksen Otterholt and Guro Hansdatter.
Telemark county, Bø, Parish register (official) nr. 8 (1849-1861), Birth and baptism records 1852, page 44. http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20051011050493.jpg
In 1865, the family lived on the Otterholdt (or Otterholt) farm in Bø.The family immigrated to the United States in 1867. On 20 April 1867, the family departed from Skien, Telemark, Norway on the Rjukan. They arrived in Quebec, Canada on 30 May 1867.
Passenger list, Rjukan, 1867.
Passenger Lists, 1865–1935. Microfilm Publications T-479 to T-520,
T-4689 to T-4874, T-14700 to T-14939, C-4511 to C-4542. Library and
Archives Canada, n.d. RG 76-C. Department of Employment and Immigration
fonds. Library and Archives Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Available
from Ancestry.com. Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 [database
on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.
The family settled in Canisteo, Dodge County, Minnesota, and were enumerated there in the 1870 United States Census. On 28 February 1877, Thorkel applied for a land patent through the Homestead Act of 1862 for land located in the north half, northwest quarter, section 32 of Township 120 North of Range No. 41 west of the Principal Meridian, Swift County, Minnesota.
Thorkel Halvorson land entry case file no. 5986, 1884. Benson, Minnesota Land Office. Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Record Group 49; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
However, his application was suspended because he was not on the land in time.
Thorkel Halvorson land entry case file no. 5986, 1884. Benson, Minnesota Land Office. Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Record Group 49; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Thorkel became a United States citizen on 5 June 1883.
Thorkel Halvorson naturalization, 5 June 1883. Lac qui Parle District Court, State of Minnesota. From Thorkel Halvorson land entry case file no. 5986, 1884. Benson, Minnesota Land Office. Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Record Group 49; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
In a deposition taken on 25 July 1883, Thorkel explained that he had lost his crops to grasshoppers in 1876 and 1877, so he had to go off to work to support himself, and was unable to establish residence on the land until May 1878. He had to go to work in 1882 as well, when he lost his crops as a result of hail.
Thorkel Halvorson land entry case file no. 5986, 1884. Benson, Minnesota Land Office. Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Record Group 49; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
In 1873, grasshoppers came to Minnesota and began to destroy crops. R.L. Cartwright states in the MNopedia article Grasshopper Plagues, 1873-1877: "On June 12, 1873, farmers in southwestern Minnesota saw what looked like a snowstorm coming towards their fields from the west. Then they heard a roar of beating wings and saw that what seemed to be snowflakes were in fact grasshoppers." The grasshoppers were Rocky Mountain locusts. Between 1873 and 1877, they ate crops of all varieties, and even ate blankets and fence posts. They spread further into Minnesota each year. In 1876, they destroyed 500,000 acres of crops in 40 Minnesota counties.
Minnesota locusts (Rocky Mountain locust, Melanoplus spretus) of the 1870s. Jacoby's Art Gallery. Public domain. Available from Wikimedia Commons.
Farmers tried to get rid of the grasshoppers in many different ways: beating them with flails, crushing them, drowning them,burning fields, digging ditches, creating "hopper dozers" made of sheet metal covered in coal tar or molasses, shooting at swarms, and making loud noises.
Grasshopper plague in Minnesota. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 1 September 1888, volume 67, page 37. Held by Minnesota Historical Society. Available from MNopedia.
Minnesota Governor John S. Pillsbury required men to destroy grasshopper eggs one day a week for five weeks in a row. He also proclaimed 26 April 1877 as a day of prayer and fasting. The grasshoppers finally left in the summer of 1877.
As Thorkel learned the hard way in 1882, hail could also be devastating to crops. Some farmers purchased hail insurance.
On 29 May 1884, Thorkel married Rosa Haukos in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota. A month later, on 30 June 1884, he finally received his land patent.
Thorkel Halvorson, Swift County, Minnesota. Certificate no. 5986. United States Bureau of Land Management, 30 June 1884.
In 1885, Thorkel and Rosa were living in Riverside, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota. Their son Ervin Fremont Halvorson was born on 27 November 1885. Another son, Henry A. Halvorson, was born on 25 December 1887.
In 1895, Thorkel and his family were living in Madison, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota. Thorkel remained in Madison for the rest of his life. In the 1900 United States Census, he is listed as a dealer in general merchandise. He had survived the storms and had done well enough to own his home free and clear.
1900 United States census, Madison Village, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, population schedule, enumeration district 130, sheet no. 12. Available from Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
Thorkel died in Madison on 10 July 1908, and was buried on 13 July 1908 in Hayden City Cemetery, Madison, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota.
References
Bring Warm Clothes: Grasshopper Plague, 1873-1877
Grasshopper Plagues, 1873-1877
Looking Back at the Days of the Locust
Pillsbury's Best - A Tale of Faith & Grasshopper Chapel
A Plague of Locusts
Rocky Mountain locust
Thorkel was born on 6 September 1852 in Bø, Telemark Norway. He was the son of my 3rd-great-grandparents Halvor Eriksen Otterholt and Guro Hansdatter.
In 1865, the family lived on the Otterholdt (or Otterholt) farm in Bø.The family immigrated to the United States in 1867. On 20 April 1867, the family departed from Skien, Telemark, Norway on the Rjukan. They arrived in Quebec, Canada on 30 May 1867.
The family settled in Canisteo, Dodge County, Minnesota, and were enumerated there in the 1870 United States Census. On 28 February 1877, Thorkel applied for a land patent through the Homestead Act of 1862 for land located in the north half, northwest quarter, section 32 of Township 120 North of Range No. 41 west of the Principal Meridian, Swift County, Minnesota.
However, his application was suspended because he was not on the land in time.
Thorkel became a United States citizen on 5 June 1883.
In a deposition taken on 25 July 1883, Thorkel explained that he had lost his crops to grasshoppers in 1876 and 1877, so he had to go off to work to support himself, and was unable to establish residence on the land until May 1878. He had to go to work in 1882 as well, when he lost his crops as a result of hail.
In 1873, grasshoppers came to Minnesota and began to destroy crops. R.L. Cartwright states in the MNopedia article Grasshopper Plagues, 1873-1877: "On June 12, 1873, farmers in southwestern Minnesota saw what looked like a snowstorm coming towards their fields from the west. Then they heard a roar of beating wings and saw that what seemed to be snowflakes were in fact grasshoppers." The grasshoppers were Rocky Mountain locusts. Between 1873 and 1877, they ate crops of all varieties, and even ate blankets and fence posts. They spread further into Minnesota each year. In 1876, they destroyed 500,000 acres of crops in 40 Minnesota counties.
Farmers tried to get rid of the grasshoppers in many different ways: beating them with flails, crushing them, drowning them,burning fields, digging ditches, creating "hopper dozers" made of sheet metal covered in coal tar or molasses, shooting at swarms, and making loud noises.
Minnesota Governor John S. Pillsbury required men to destroy grasshopper eggs one day a week for five weeks in a row. He also proclaimed 26 April 1877 as a day of prayer and fasting. The grasshoppers finally left in the summer of 1877.
As Thorkel learned the hard way in 1882, hail could also be devastating to crops. Some farmers purchased hail insurance.
Standard (Albert Lea, Minnesota), 22 June 1882, page 10
On 29 May 1884, Thorkel married Rosa Haukos in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota. A month later, on 30 June 1884, he finally received his land patent.
In 1885, Thorkel and Rosa were living in Riverside, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota. Their son Ervin Fremont Halvorson was born on 27 November 1885. Another son, Henry A. Halvorson, was born on 25 December 1887.
In 1895, Thorkel and his family were living in Madison, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota. Thorkel remained in Madison for the rest of his life. In the 1900 United States Census, he is listed as a dealer in general merchandise. He had survived the storms and had done well enough to own his home free and clear.
Thorkel died in Madison on 10 July 1908, and was buried on 13 July 1908 in Hayden City Cemetery, Madison, Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota.
References
Bring Warm Clothes: Grasshopper Plague, 1873-1877
Grasshopper Plagues, 1873-1877
Looking Back at the Days of the Locust
Pillsbury's Best - A Tale of Faith & Grasshopper Chapel
A Plague of Locusts
Rocky Mountain locust
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