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Annonymous
- 2016-10-09 My Great-great grandparents also crossed With Victoria in april 1868. I later found a "warning to Norwegian emigrants written in "Nordisk Folkeblad" in Chicago Aug.6.th 1868.It is writtenin Norwegian, but I have done my best to translate it: From “Nordisk Folkeblad 1” nmb. 22 (from Chicago) 6 august 1868. ; Warning to Emigrants from Norway. 2 1/2 month on board in an Emigrantship with bad treatment on board in “Victoria” lead by captain L.T.Lyngaas. April 30t. this year (1868) , the undersigned and others, all together 135 passengers, left Norway on board in the Bark-ship “Victoria” lead by captain L.T. Lyngaas from Toendsberg. We find the treatment we had on board indefensible in many ways; We find the captain complete unqualified for the responsible job to be captain on a ship with more than 300 emigrants (there were314) across the Atlantic. Therefore we want to warn our countrymen back in Norway who might want to immigrate to USA not to deal with captain Lyngaas or the emigrant-agent O.R.Tandberg in Christiania ( Oslo). Even if we, as written over, left Norway April 30, we did not reach Kvebek (Quebec) until noon July 15th. The reason for this long lasting journey was partly the incompentance of captain Lyngaas and partly the bad construction of the rigging of the ship, which broke several times. We would not have complained so much about this, although it is indefensible for a man as incompetent as captain Lyngaas to accept such a responsible task. But what we find most unrespectable is the following; When we signed the deal with the agent, O.R. Tandberg, we were not told that we, the passengers, had to wash down the deck or clean the water-houses. However, as soon as we entered the ship we were told to do this work. A passenger, who refused to do it, was not allowed to take water from the water-reservoirs that day. A few days before we left Christiania, another ship, named “Manilla” took off for the same destination (Quebec). A man, named Hans were supposed to go with this ship with his three children. The captain of “Manilla”, however, refused to take them aboard because the children had measles. Captain Lyngaas on the other hand, was not so careful with his other passengers’ welfare, so he accepted these, by measles suffering children, to come on board, direct from the refusal of the captain on “Manilla”, even if everyone could see that they were suffering from this illness. The result was of course that after 3-4 days on board, most of the children was attached by the illness, and before we reached Kvebek, 20 of them had died. Added to this, a 60 year old woman died from constipation. When we arranged with the agent, we insisted that there should be enough medicine on board, but this was not the fact. Except for “camphorated spirits” and some other “universal herbs” there were no medicine on board, and we find this to be the reason for the high mortality. The captains behavior to the passengers was highly brutal; a kind word was seldom heard, but on the contrary – a lot of words of abuse. He even threatened a passenger to put him in irons, and the only reason was that this passenger had asked him if he could buy some bread. Because of the long time we stayed aboard, it was natural that someone went short of food. Then they had to buy from the captain to a very high price, and even then they did not get as much as they needed – this was because the captain did not have enough food for the crew. Therefore he stopped all the ships we met across the Atlantic, and if he had not been lucky enough to get food from three of these ships, there would even have been a hunger on board. But even the food we were lucky enough to get from these ships would have saved us from hunger, if we not, 8 days before we arrived Kvebek, under the Canadian coast had met some human Englishmen who sold us 8 barrels of flour and gave us 400 pounds of bread, meat, fish sugar and other different needs. If we had not been lucky enough to meet these kindhearted people, God alone knows what would have happened to the main part of the passengers. Even as the situation was, many of the passengers were suffering – all alone because of captain Lyngaas. When we signed the deal, the condition was that we should have a Norwegian interpreter joining us all the way to Chicago or Milwaukee. In Kvebek, captain Lyngaas, engaged a German man who could speak some Norwegian to lead us, but we saw this person only three times on our way from Kvebek to Sarnia, and after leaving this place, we never saw him again. He was therefore of no use, even if we several time really needed someone who could speak the language and speak for us. Coming to Montreal, another child died, and here, in La Porte two other children from our group have died, and other children as well as adults are very sickly. All because of the many losses, the happenings and sufferings we have been through on our journey. Added to the former mentioned appeals against agent Tandberg, we also must remark that many of us changed our money with him, and whether we should be pleased with this service, the following will tell; He said he did not have any American gold, but he had Spanish gold-money that was as good as the American money. Several people changed their Norwegian money into this Spanish money. They had to pay 116 Norwegian Shilling for 1 dollar gold. For an amount mr. Tandberg told us we would get 20 dollars, we only got 15 ½ dollar, and the gold-money he sold us and told us were worth 84 ½, we only got 83,75. We will however take the opportunity to thank the chief mate, Nils Bjørnæs from Tøndsberg, for all his kindness, concern and helpfulness he showed the passengers. We also want to express our satisfaction as he appeared to be a very competent sailor. We have only him to thank that the journey, in spite of all trouble, ended as it did, and he will be reminded with love by all of us. Arnt Enger Engebreth Enger The Morning-paper (in Oslo) are asked to print this. All the undersigned authorize mr. Arnt Enger from Elverum to write in American and Norwegian newspapers about the treatment on the emigrant-ship “Victoria” and the disgraceful conveyance from Kvebek and up through the land. (33 people have signed this warning) |
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Linda Wollum Peterson
- 2016-09-21 My father's family came over on the Victoria in 1868 (Vallem). I was wondering what it was like on the ship. Thank-you for sharing |
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Susan
- 2008-07-13 Fascinating. My great-grandmother, Helga Kristiansen came over on this ship in 1868. My grandmother told me stories of her mother's little sister being buried at sea, so I found this part of the crossing very touching. |
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JoAnne Walsh, Hackensack, MN
- 2008-02-15 Thank you for this great picture of what travel was like on the ships in 1961. I can only imagine this was the experience of Ole Knutson Stoen and his wife Gundbjor Olsdatter Gulsvig, of Nes, in Buskerud. They are the earliest relatives of mine to leave for America in 1861, headed for MN. They finally settled in North Fork Twnshp in Stearns Co. Mn. as well. Other family members also are from Barrett. It seems whole communites migrated to the same areas when they left Norway. With no passenger records available for these early years I am especially appreciative of the narratives like this one. |
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(Joy (Olson) Hardin
- 2007-05-24 I also am related to the Lien family. There is a Lien township in Barrett, MN where Ole Lein donated land to build a church, which is still standing! Ole Lien was a cousin to Tollef Nelson who also came from Parish Gol Hallingdahl, Norway. They came to America together and I was told by Tollef Nelson's (my gr. grandfather) son that Ole Lien and Tollef came to Barrett and picked out their homesteads. I was shown this land. Then they returned to Spring Valley, MN and brought them to this area to homestead (which is now Barrett, MN.) We must be cousins! There are many many Liens in MN. |
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Joy (Olson) Hardin
- 2007-05-24 I am sure that my great grandfather, Herbrand Olson, (his Norwegian Name was Lostegaard) was on that ship also. They left the same port, Drummond, 1861, to Quebec, Canada, down the St. Lawrence River into Chicago, and Wisconsin. They stayed in Wisconsin for a few months then on to Iowa where Herbrand's son was born and they eventually homesteaded in North Fork, MN (town of Brooten). Herbrand was raised in Parish Gol Hallingdahl, Norway and it sounds like all these Norwegians came from the same area, MANY were related and ended up either in Wisconsin or MN. |
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- 2007-05-24 Thanks for submitting this great description of the voyage. I believe my great, great grandmother was on this ship with her six children. Her maiden name was Guri Herbrandson Jeglum (Jegleim). She was raised in the Gol parish and married to Asle Lien. I would appreciate confirmation if anyone has relevent data. Ron Lien |
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