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Ola Stevenson
Starting member
Australia
14 Posts |
 Posted - 11/07/2011 : 11:33:00
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G'day from Brisbane, Australia!
I am trying to find out about my father, William Stevenson, who died when I was a toddler. Unfortunately, I have very little information, but I'm hoping that maybe someone could help me with where to go looking? I've looked at a number of ancestry sites and various archives with little or no result.
The only details I have are as follows:
William STEVENSON
Date of birth: Unknown
Place of birth: Bergen, Norway
Father: William Fraser STEVENSON
Mother: Gwendolin Olga Watson (also noted as Matson, presumably a misreading)
Date of death: 1942
Place of death: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
I have assumed, from the above information, that my grandparents were probably from the UK, but I have no details of how they got to Norway for my father to be born there. Also, somewhere along the line, my father emigrated to Australia. Again, the details are unknown and I have had no luck trying local immigration records, due to the common name.
The only written records I have are my mother's Australian birth certificate and marriage certificate. (My mother died when I was a teenager.) I located my father's date of death from Australian records.
It is a very vague memory of my family (all older than me, now long deceased) that he may have had something to do with ships as an occupation. I believe that my father was in his 60s when I was born in 1939, but that is unconfirmed.
The only thing I have been able to find is the following record from http://www.rhd.uit.no/folketellinger/folketellinger_avansert_e.aspx:
First name Surname Family status Marital status Birthplace Birth year
Alfred Oscar Stevenson deres Sĝn ug Throndhjem 1864
Charles Randolf Stevenson deres Sĝn ug England 1855
Fransese Jen Stevenson deres Datter ug Throndhjem 1861
William Stevenson Husfader g England 1821
Nikles Robert Stevenson deres Sĝn ug Throndhjem 1850
Wiliam Stevenson deres Sĝn ug England 1858
John Phillip Stevenson deres Sĝn ug Throndhjem 1861
It may or may not be relevant, I really have no idea.
As I have three sons, and three beautiful granddaughters, I would really like to be able to pass on some information about their Norwegian heritage before I, also, pass on (not that I'm planning on that for a good few years yet!) 
Is anyone able to offer any suggestions or assistance please?
Thank you,
Ola Stevenson
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Kċarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2011 : 16:30:35
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Hi.
This is the family you mentioned above in 1865 living in Trondheim
Not sure if this is correct William in the 1885 census for Bergen, born 1884 in Bergen living in Fredrikberg-street 7, 2. floor, lastname Williamsen (Norwegian naming pratcises, Williams son) which means his father was Willian ??.
Seems like 9 of 15 persons who lived in this house were children, no parents for William age one is mentioned.
Kċre |
Edited by - Kċarto on 11/07/2011 16:36:24 |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7789 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2011 : 17:43:33
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Hi,
Is there an age given for your father on the marriage record or on your birth certificate?
Jackie M. |
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Kċarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 00:29:47
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Regarding your first name Ola.
A more Norwegian name than Ola does not exist.
A personification of the whole population in general is "Ola Nordmann", Ola the Norwegian.
Kċre |
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Ola Stevenson
Starting member
Australia
14 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 12:39:48
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Hello again!
Kċre, thank you very much for looking up what you have! I think that the Stevenson family from the 1865 census is probably not mine, as it would have made my father too old by about 20 or so years. However, the other one you found, from the 1885 census could be a possibility! :D I wonder if the household was some sort of orphanage if no parents were mentioned?
Thank you also for the information about my name - I didn't know that and have often wondered about the origins of my name! My middle name is Sever. Does that have any particular meaning?
Jackie, thank you for showing an interest in my situation. I will look out the marriage and birth certificates tomorrow and double check them for ages. If I can find any more information, even if only crumbs, I will post them here. :)
I am very impressed by the quick responses to my post, so thank you everyone. *thumbs up*
Cheers,
Ola
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Edited by - Ola Stevenson on 12/07/2011 12:40:53 |
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Kċarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 13:51:10
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Hi,
Sever is probably changed from Siver, a common name in Norway.
Just a thought that opens new possibilities;
I have seen last name Steffensen changed to Stevenson in English-speaking countries.
Olga is a common name in Norway.
Another option;
William Stevensen age 8 in the 1865 census from Trondheim born in England could be your fathers father.
The problem is to find out if he married Gwendolin Olga Watson.
Matson is Madsen in Norway.
Many if´s, sorry.
Kċre |
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Ola Stevenson
Starting member
Australia
14 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 14:02:54
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Yes, the possibility of a change of spelling has occurred to me, but I'm hoping that is not the case as it would make my search so much harder!
The option about the 8 year old William is, of course, a possibility. I don't know what I was thinking!! ;) Concentrating too much on one person (my father), I guess!
Do not be sorry about the ifs! Many have gone through my mind, but, as a starting point, I am trying to use the only solid information that I have to hand at present. *sigh* The ifs will certainly be worth investigating if (haha!) I get nowhere with existing facts.
Tell me, please, are the names Ola and/or Sever (Siver) commonly male or female, or even both?
Cheers,
Ola
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Kċarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 14:40:41
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Both Ola and Sever (Siver) are male names.
Kċre |
Edited by - Kċarto on 12/07/2011 14:41:16 |
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Kċarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 14:55:16
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The Stevenson family in Trondheim 1875
William b. 1858, occ; "Fyrbĝder ved Singsaas Dampsaug "Stoker at Singsaas steam saw-mill, unmarried.
Kċre |
Edited by - Kċarto on 12/07/2011 20:18:14 |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7789 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 19:37:08
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Hi,
There are 2 William Stevensons in the 1875 census,with approximately the same information, both in Trondhjem and Singaas. It may be the same man counted twice. Here is pasted in the other listing in Singaas:
48 8 1 Weljam Antene Stivelson %Stevenson% m Logerende ug Maskinist 1857 Nevkastl England mt
In the Singaas listing it appears that his middle name is Anthony born 1857 in Newcastle England.
Hilsen,
Jackie M. |
Edited by - jkmarler on 12/07/2011 21:04:54 |
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Kċarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 20:25:33
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The two William Stevenson are father and son.
William Stevenson the elder b. 1821 was a Locomotive engineer at Trondheim-Stĝren rail road.
Kċre |
Edited by - Kċarto on 12/07/2011 20:26:42 |
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dodgeboy12
RIP
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 21:19:57
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This looks like the family when the twins were born.#41and #42
1861
This looks like William Anthony's wedding. #25
wedding |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7789 Posts |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9284 Posts |
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Kċarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2011 : 23:40:15
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To the question;
The birth record of William Stevenson born in Norway probably in the 1880s, died 1942 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Parents;
William Fraser Stevenson and Gwendolin Olga Watson (Matson)
Kċre |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7789 Posts |
Posted - 13/07/2011 : 00:09:38
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Hi,
Two trains of thought here, to rule Willam Anthony Stevenson b. 1858 in or out of the tree of Ola Stevenson in Australia.
You might either find a record which proves a link --a son named William about whom further information could be found or you can collect information which through its weight makes William Anthony Stevenson impossible to be in the tree.
Names are the best clues but also are malleable, particularly across borders and cultures and times. William Anthony Stevenson may or may not be in the family of Ola Stevenson. But he was one person Ola himself had found and so needs to be examined.
Hilsen,
Jackie M.
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William STEVENSON
