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Debra
Junior member
USA
71 Posts |
 Posted - 01/11/2003 : 17:48:04
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Jan, thanks. And thanks for helping me even realize how you get this information. I am so limited in what I know to do. Someone on another (Sweden) list was telling about going to the LDS and looking up stuff and they got really sick? Some others were telling they do too as the film is moving? Since I haven't done that yet I can't imagine as I have never looked at those type of records but I get 'sick' with motion sickness very easily lol. I did look up the LDS locally and think I know where it is. I have been wanting to try it but they aren't open that often it seems and run by volumteers I think. I think it would be very interesting if I ever get there.
Even though I have read about the names etc it just seems so neat how you can find anyone in those years in Norway. I am still trying to figure out (even after your explanation) how you and Carla and Borge and the rest of you figured out this was my family. The same thing happened in Sweden when I gave them the little information I had (from the letter in black). Within a couple of days I had my family traced back to the 1700s and I was amazed! One lady even went to the town and found some people who knew my Grandfather's brother (only one who hadn't come to America). It is amazing how much you all are willing to help. I would do the same though I guess if someone wanted to know about someone here where I live. I just feel so stupid as I really have to admit I know very little what to do next. How do I try to find these people here in America--what names would they go by here--I think they are Sarah, Mary and Anna but never heard of the boys and I think they went by Nelson (Grandmother and Anna did anyway). I tried looking up the boys last night and found nothing on either LDS or Ancestry.com.
I read all about that Bell Gunnes last night, wow, she was quite an interesting lady! I also looked up what I could under searches about that little town Grandmother came from. I sure wish I could find out more about her. I read in a book from where she settled here that she got some education in Norway before leaving and I would love to know what that meant--grade school or what? She was a very pretty lady (I only have ONE picture of her, her wedding day) and some relatives who met Sarah (but they were very young then and don't remember anything about her) said she was very pretty too--oh how I would love to see pictures of them and feel I 'knew' them a little.
What more can I do now to find out more about this family by using the Internet. I haven't said it on here before but it may explain my hesitance to go places to look things up. I have been diabetic for 46 years and have had many complications from it including losing both legs and going blind in 2000. Although I have sight in one eye again I have problems with small print and certain lighting because of all the laser treatments and the three vitrecto ies etc I have had (am completely blind in other eye). I can get around quite well but use a scooter or wheelchair for out of the home. I am sure the LDS place would be quite accessible but I am always chicken going somewhere the first time and when that lady said she got sick ti sort of scared me as I get feeling weird quite easily. I am sorry if I sound like a baby, I am NOT but some things are harder for me now. I am willing to pay someone to help me, send for things or anything I need to do but some things I cannot do myself and maybe this will help you understand why. Thanks so much for understanding. I finally had to tell this on the other list too as they were giving me all these great ideas of what to do and I just couldn't do them, mostly because of my sight. I can read the computer very well but some things just don't work. I have the lighting set right etc here at home.
Debra |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2003 : 01:05:24
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Hi Debra,
I'm sorry to hear about your illness. I hope it doesn't affect you too much in your search for ancestors...! 
About the search at the LDS center:
The churchbooks for every parish are photographed down on "microfilms".
The film look exactly like a filmroll, and contains picture of every page in the book.
You put the desired film in the microfilm-viewer, which magnify the picture on a monitor.
I don't think you would get sick of that, but it could of course be a struggle with your
disability. Luckily there are some voluntarily look-ups on the Net...
About the school in Selbu, I would guess she went to some kind of elementary school.
One of the first things to do must be to check the Selbu bygdebook, volume VII, to see what it says about the Sesseng farm. You should get Ingeborgs brothers and sisters there, plus maybe other useful info. Use Floie Vane!
The Sesseng farm is so close to the city of Trondheim, so I can't think of any other port of emigration. Emigrants from Trondheim 1867-1930.
A search tip when it comes to Digitalarkivet, is to search for parts of the name, since the spelling varies a lot! For instance, if her name was Ingeborg, you should search for firstnames containing the 4 characters: ngeb.
That would cover variations like Engebor, Ingebor, Ingeborg, Ingeborg-anna etc.. I guess you get the picture...
And if you want to trace the family further back, then the parish records would come in handy.
The online LDS version only contains marriage and christening records from Selbu for 1843-1859.
It looks to have been updated with some more records, but I don't think the necessary years 1800-1842 are covered.
Looking up the birth record for Nils Pedersen born 1825 would give you his parents. Hopefully the farmname Sesseng is written in the churchbook, in case there would be several boys named Nils, with father named Peder in the book for that year...
His confirmation (1839-1841) could also be useful.
The same plan for his future wife, Kari. She is born (around) 1831, and her fathers name was Jonas.
Jan |
Edited by - jwiborg on 02/11/2003 11:03:45 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2003 : 01:47:55
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Just to drop in with two interesting links:
Terje might have some useful info, but I see that his page have not been updated for a while...
Jan |
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Brining
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
868 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2003 : 05:13:53
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Hi Debra, You could try calling your local LDS and explain your situation. They could tell you how accessible they are and they might know of people willing to do the research for you. I stopped by the one near me and they were very nice. I think mostly volunteers and willing to help.
Jan's advice on searching is right on. Also remember that their names will probably be spelled differently in every record you find. Their ages will change and if it is the person you are looking for the census taker will completely miss spell the name.  You are just a "baby" at this and you are doing great.
You might want to join the Norway L mailing list at rootsweb. Lots of great people to help and a lot of fun. Click Here to go to the owner of the lists website. You can browse some of the postings if you click on the subscribe link. A mailing list is done through email so if you join you will get a bunch.
Carla
PS On the Digitalarkivet, when the list comes up to make a selection, you can select more than one by clicking on one name holding down the shift key, and then click on another name further down the list. Also if you hold the ctrl key down you can select different names in the list (I won't tell you how long it took me to figure that one out |
Edited by - Brining on 02/11/2003 05:23:15 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2003 : 11:35:50
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Hi again,
Carla gave you some good tips regarding the search @ Digitalarkivet ...
I've used for several years, but I realize it might be hard to find stuff if your not familiar with the content.
The main thing to remember is that the spelling of names varies a lot. So you will have to narrow your search based on the criterias you know.
Example from the 1865 census: (Lets say we're looking for Nils Pedersen in Selbu, born ca 1825.)
- First name starting with "Ni" gives you 28290 hits, if you select both Niels and Nils.
- Narrow the hit with last name starting with "Ped", and you're down to 1200 possibilities.
- With Birthyear = 1825 +- 2 years, you're down to 100 hits.
- Selecting Sør Trøndelag county, you're down to 7 hits, and 5 of them are in Selbu parish.
- Looking into the 5 possibilities, you'll find the one married to Kari Jonasdatter...
And to do a search for the Sesseng farm: - Click here for the 1801 census.
- Select "Sør-Trøndelag" in the left margin.
- Select "1801 census for 1664 Sælboe."
- Search for formname (Gard) containing Se.
There will be no hits for "Sesseng", but there is a farm called "Setseng", it must be the same!
Note: People moved some in those days as well, so I'm not saying that you'll find ancestors there in 1801, but the possibility is there.. 
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Jan
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Debra
Junior member
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2003 : 17:56:18
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Hi, Thanks for all the information and the hints. They really help. Between this site and the other Swedish list I am on, I may have enough nerve to call the LDS in our city today to see how they can help me or if they think I will be able to manage ok there. I am excited to go there as I know I will just love getting in to the records but it is just so much easier sitting at home doing it and waiting for the mail to come in every day lol. I have already emailed Floie Vane and waiting for her response. I emailed I think on Friday so I hope to hear from her maybe this week? I have been trying to work more with the Digitalarkivet but still having problems with it. I don't understand how I am supposed to know when I find what I am looking for sometimes when everything is in Norwegian? I am sure one day I will be on there and ding, ding!! The light will come on but for right now it seems really hard for me. When you all find me something and I look at it, it makes sense but when you give me somewhere to look up something like I tried looking up that Sesseng farm above and somehow I managed to get lost and not find anyone I was trying to find. I couldn't even get to the Sesseng farm? It said Sesseng farm but wouldn't give any names or whatever and I couldn't understand what it was telling me. I know I sound stupid but I am just not doing something right and it is so hard when I can't read everything so I can just figure it out.
You mentioned the fact that I am new to this, very new actually! We went to North Dakota in August to see where my mom grew up and when I saw where she went to school, lived etc I got so excited to learn more. That was the first time I had EVER been interested in learning anything about people I hadn't known. Then I started thinking about Grandmother and Grandfather, who I really never knew, and how sad it must have been to leave family and country, I just had to find out more. It became more personal and it has really gotten addicting. I am sure they were just very normal, everyday working people but I want to learn more about their personal lives.
I never knew it would be so confusing. I thought it would be hard because I knew so very little but never realized about all the name stuff-what an education. Anyway, thanks so much for all the help, especially helping me to realize what I have to learn to do along the way. I have gotten a long ways already because of all the people so willing to help me. I also have a list a mile long of what I still have to do, mostly looking up people here in the US after they got here and finding those families, they seem to have gotten lost along the way. I really need to find out the story about Anna too as I feel so bad about her. I have her death certificate and have some information on it that will help me even more yet I hope.
I also had already tried to get on that email Norwegian List (Carla's) last week and never got a confirmation (OR any emails). Yesterday I actually wrote her an email and also tried the list again and still haven't heard anything. I would love being on there as that is the type I am on with the Swedish email list too and love hearing all the queries as I have learned so much. I am not sure if I am doing something wrong or what but ti seems funny I am not hearing anything?
Debra |
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Brining
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
868 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2003 : 19:56:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Debra
I also had already tried to get on that email Norwegian List (Carla's) last week and never got a confirmation (OR any emails). Yesterday I actually wrote her an email and also tried the list again and still haven't heard anything. I would love being on there as that is the type I am on with the Swedish email list too and love hearing all the queries as I have learned so much. I am not sure if I am doing something wrong or what but ti seems funny I am not hearing anything?
Debra
Hi Debra, Is it possible that you have an anti spam program that is blocking the mail or does your ISP have blocking? If you don't hear from Norway List Carla try emailing the Tech Guy. There is a link on the main page under Norwaylist Advisors
Carla
PS Check out this page it might help
Click Here |
Edited by - Brining on 03/11/2003 20:00:50 |
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Debra
Junior member
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2003 : 20:44:28
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Carla, As far as I know I have nothing as far as blockers, I get spam! I also am on another list from RootsWeb (Sweden one). I did read that page before, thank you though, I am not sure what it is unless she is just behind but I would think the subscribe thing would just be automated and fast? I will wait and see if I hear from her today as I did send her a personal email yesterday. Also still waiting to hear from that lady about the Selbu book. Just been doing lots of reading today about Selbu and reading on another list about that area, interesting.
I looked up when our LDS place is open to the public and it isn't open today or I would have called, it is snowing so I wouldn't have gone there anyway. I was going to ask about them ordering what I need and asking about help when I get there or whatever. I may do just fine by myself too. I also looked up more on Genline as that would be another answer but if I didn't do any better on there than I do with Ancestry.com it wouldn't help much. I can't find anyone hardly on there. I have found some so I guess I shouldn't complain but it seems they are hiding! I love their census abilities though with Ancestry.
On the Bresseng farm census for 1900 Ingeborg is still on there? What does it say over a ways that looks like sister? Does that say that she went to live with her sister? I thought the dictionary on the bottom would help me but that is in Norwegian too. I get going on something on here and then it is time to do something else and I get sidetracked and frustrated lol.
Debra |
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Debra
Junior member
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2003 : 20:48:03
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oops, I meant Sesseng farm, I guess I need to proof a bit better. I have also been finding lots about the Sesseng farm. I sure hope that is our family as I am learning lots about everything concerning the area etc.
Debra |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2003 : 22:51:08
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Hi Debra,
just for your information; above each posting, there are some small symbols. Clicking on the symbol containing a pencil, you can edit your postings... (if you want to change the "B" in the fam name instead of writing a new post...)
The Sesseng farm in 1900:- 1) Nils Johnsen, farmer, born 1858
- 2) Ingeborg Olsdatter, farmerwife, born 1864
- 3) John Nilsen, son, born 1887
- 4) Sigrid Nilsdatter, daughter, born 1890
- 5) Gurene Nilsdatter, daughter, born 1893
- 6) Ole Nilsen, son, born 1895
- 7) Erik Nilsen, son, born Feb. 3rd, 1899
- 8) Ingeborg Johnsdatter, farmers sister, not married, born 1869, illness: Aa.
- 9) Nils Pedersen, pauper, widower, poor relief, born 1826
Aa (illness on #8), is probably short for Aandsvag, ie. mentally retarded.
Number 9) Nils Pedersen looks like Ingeborg (Inga)'s father. He is a widower, and dies (according to the farm book) two years later, on March 11th 1902.
But who is the rest of this family??
I can not see the link to the housefather or his wife, can you? None of the Ingeborgs listed are your Ingeborg...
This could be him at the LDS:
Niels <JOHNSEN> Birth: 07 Jul 1858, Christening: 05 Sep 1858 Place: Selbu, Sor-Trondelag, Norway
Father: John ERIKSEN, Mother: Sigri OLSDR
Could it be so that all of Ingeborgs siblings have left for the US, and left the poor old man for himself??? 
Btw; here is a Norwegian - American Dictionary
Jan |
Edited by - jwiborg on 03/11/2003 23:13:16 |
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Debra
Junior member
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2003 : 00:19:25
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Thanks Jan, This is what I have been batting my head about too. You all thought this was my family and yet I couldn't quite figure out the names (although Sigrid and Ane and Marit made sense with the switching of names?) but then it looked to me like that Ingeborg was there yet in 1900 and I know she had come to America by then? I was confused but I was hoping you were all right as I wanted to find my family so bad! I am learning stuff so fast but not quite fast enough lol as I want the right names and correct years and that isn't going to happen the way names were changed and Americanized and also the incorrect numbers so often put in. Anyway, thanks so much for helping--all of you--I am confused but still having fun and waiting every day for your posts to see if YOU have figured anything else out for me LOL. Someday I will be able to help someone else I hope.
I just looked at this family again and I don't see how it could be mine either but wish it was. I do see, if the mother died early, like we thought before when Grandmother was six (now that may not be her?) but anyway, I know most of the family came to America, anyway Mom used to talk about Mary, Sarah, Anna and Grandmother Ingeborg came to America as I think Mom knew them or at least heard about them and seemed to know something about them and told me she couldn't remember if Grandmother had any brothers so she must not have known them personally?
My sister is here from New Jersey now and I am going to pump her for answers to see if she remember Mom saying ANYTHING as she is older than I am and knew Grandmother some where I was much younger and never knew her. I am still waiting for more answers from some other family too. When I think of what I knew when I started with this and what I know now, I have come a long way (thanks so much to all of you on here!!) but I sure have a long way to go even to know for sure where Grandmother for positive came from. (And I hope Børge doesn't get upset with me for using so many pages) I thought of changing the subject again so it would start again with page 1!! I will just have to cut my posts down some. I talk this much too!
Debra |
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thelebrity
Senior member
Norway
234 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2003 : 08:40:55
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There is a norwegian 1891 census that probably would be very interesting for you. It isn't microfilmed or digitalized or anything so you would have to get someone look up the Sesseng farm in the original census at the Riksarkivet (the national archives) in Oslo. But this census would probably capture your family just a few years before they emigrated to the USA.
You might know this already, but the Digitalarkivet site is in english too. Although the census and parish register information still is in norwegian. Anyway, here's the address: http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/WebFront.exe?slag=vis&tekst=meldingar&spraak=e |
Per Helge Seglsten |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2003 : 09:52:15
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Debra;
I do really believe this is your family!!
Nils Pedersen (listed as number 9 in the 1900 census for Sesseng) must indeed be Inga's father, I think there is no doubt about that. And I still think this Inga/Ingeborg is your ancestor.
But it looks like Nils has been left alone. His wife is dead, and the childen (Ingborgs siblings) have left the farm.
All of the children could have emigrated, or some of them might still be living in the area, but on different farms. The farm book might tell! The book might tell the relation between Nils Pedersen and the other ones living at the farm as well. This Nils Johnsen could for instance be an nephew to Nils Pedersen. Only the future will tell...!
There was no home for the elderly people at that time, usualy they where living on their "surrendered property", which this Nils Pedersen indeed do, he is on the Sesseng farm.
Jan |
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Debra
Junior member
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2003 : 16:26:09
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My sisters and I were talking last night about this and I had said what you said about them leaving him (an old man and he died soon after they all left). They said that could be him as my one sister thinks she remembers our mother saying that Grandmother lost her mother while she was young. Also, I do know that the ones Mom talked about were here (Sarah, Mary and Anna). I never heard about the boys? To make sure I have this straight, you think the name Lesswig now is Sesseng (soundex type thing?) and that is how Carla found the farm they were on. I just want to make sure I have the facts straight in my mind as this is really neat but so different with this name thing. That is the reason you really think this is my family? I realized I wasn't sure about everything last night when I was telling my family--I felt kind of stupid--of course they are just starting to TRY to understand the name stuff from those days too. I think I have read it all and know what I am talking about and then I'm not so sure again. I read several pages on things like that on the Digitalarkivet site last night about naming and stuff (have read it before too) but I don't see how anyone knew who anyone was as they all had the same first names and every other generation had different last names and they may have a different farm name too? Confusing.
So you still think this family and all the information I have gotten so far about them is my family? I hope it is so I can go on but I am still sort of confused? I am trying here in America now to find some of them that came over, so far with no luck. I have tried under the name Sesseng plus what they went by here that I knew of (Nelson). I tried finding the boys too with no luck that I got on here about them coming over and the one coming to his brother.
My sister is completely convinced that this is 'our' Inga too as she was coming to Halstad, Minnesota and we know that could have happened especially with knowing Anna may have been mentally ill and her husband maybe not being well as he died a couple of years later (Grandmother came in 1896 or 1897 and Ole Halstad died in 1903 of diabetes so he would have been maybe ill for years before that?). I just wish I could talk to them lol.
I didn't know there was an 1891 census in Norway. Grandmother would even be on that one! Everyone should be from the family actually as I believe Anna was the first to leave (that I know of anyway) and she left in 1892 I think. How could I get somneone to read it for me or how do I go about that? Would I pay someone to search it for me-and where do I get the information? Grandmother was born in 1878 and left in 1897.
Our family is so different than what happened there, everyone leaving poor G Grandfather, poor and old and alone! We are very sensitive and caring for family. I understand it was so different then but it sounds so sad. I hope we find that maybe that was a relative that was living there with him so he had someone. I would love to find other relatives and get them on the family tree too. I really would love to find some living relatives that are still there but I can't even find the ones here in America although I have found the whole Halstad family now and actually talk with them quite often now and may go to visit them soon. It has been a very good experience for me. Next summer my husband and I are going to take another trip to where Mom grew up and take a 'different' look at it, like taking more pictures of the area, getting more information and visiting the Historical Society etc, more of an 'exploring' trip. Hopefully we will uncover some 'clues' then too for more information. I have written the area Historical Society with very little luck. I know my grandparents were settlers there (read it in the town's book) and got some newspaper articles about Grandfather when he died (from the University in that state, they were very good to me).
Debra |
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Debra
Junior member
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2003 : 05:00:15
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I learned how to use the microfishe (spelling?) machine today. My niece and I went to a library in a small town to look at their local papers to get some information from a long time ago (in their papers) and I found I did not get sick doing it. I can see why people would when they are going fast through years etc as while we were looking for the year we wanted and the week etc we went fast and that was hard on the eyes but it got better. I will now call the LDS center and dare to go there now that I know I won't make a fool of myself and get sick! I need to get a list of years etc for what I need so they can send for it. I am quite excited about it. I have been quizzing my sister and she doesn't know any more about Grandmother either. I need to get those records from LDS I guess to confirm some birthdays and stuff. I hope I can find the brothers so I feel more comfortable about them too.
Debra |
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Nils Pedersen family, Sesseng farm in Selbu
