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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
 Posted - 31/08/2019 : 01:54:00
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Then you've answered the question "The Jorgen on the Census and the Jorgen on the headstone are the same person correct?" yourself.
I had to take a TRIP to see the old church records for my family in rural north-midwest US. Their oldest records were locked in a safe in the pastor's study. But the church council gave me permission to view them at their location. I luckily already had a little experience in studying church records kept in Norwegian.
A couple other locations where my early immigrant ancestors lived have recently appeared in online collections such as Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org. I have never subscribed to Ancestry so only use that at a local public library or the nearest Family History Center at a LDS church.
If you are not sure which church they belonged to then you should probably investigate ALL of them. After all - didn't that 1885 census show the family in Hubbard township? and didn't another earlier response on these pages make it possibly appear that Jorgen was a member of a particular church? |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9216 Posts |
Posted - 31/08/2019 : 03:13:36
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The ELCA records on Ancestry.com have not shown much of value in my searching. The only church listed for Polk County is Den Sv. Ev. Luth. The records for this church start about 1890 with most records found from 1900 forward.
The beginning page for the record book lists the church as Union Lake, Polk Co., Minn.
Likely a Svensk (Swedish Church) |
Edited by - AntonH on 31/08/2019 03:21:40 |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 31/08/2019 : 03:29:50
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The book "Norsk Lutherske menigheter i Amerika 1843-1916" (available through LDS library and online catalog) lists pages and pages of Norwegian Lutheran congregations in Polk Co. Minnesota.
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Jdkrags
Medium member
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 31/08/2019 : 04:42:48
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| Thanks for that! I looked all the way through the Polk County section, but didn’t find a name I recognized anywhere. It certainly doesn’t help that it is all in Norwegian. Definitely a great resource for sure! |
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Jdkrags
Medium member
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 31/08/2019 : 04:58:52
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| I found a great resource also. The U of M has an entire pdf series on the Bicentennial of Polk County. You tap on a township (The Knutsons lived in Climax, Crookston (maybe), Nielsville, and Hubbard) and it gives you a history on the area and the families living there. Go to Climax at the top, and read Knute Boe (my relative’s) family story. It talks about Jorgen Knutson and “his” land while he was a squatter. Jorgen went to Polk in 1871 and returned in 1873 with his family (I assume he went back to Houston to get Asjer and such). Check it out and tell me what you think. http://umclibrary.crk.umn.edu/digitalprojects/polk/index.html |
Edited by - Jdkrags on 31/08/2019 05:02:59 |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 31/08/2019 : 14:31:04
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The book "Norsk Lutherske menigheter i Amerika 1843-1916" is NOT a substitute for the actual church records. It should be used to find out what Norwegian Lutheran churches existed in the area and over what time periods.
Most often the names actually listed for each of the churches in that book are the names of the persons who served as pastor or priest.
Records of births/baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths/funerals, or just membership are NOT included in that book.
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Jdkrags
Medium member
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2019 : 05:14:34
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| I suppose the only solid lead we have as to which congregation the Knutson’s attended is when jkmarler provided us with info that mentioned a Jorgen Knutson being a charter member of Sand Hill Lutheran (thanks for that by the way). And when lyndal40 recommended that we fill the 1870-1880 gap for the family, I think we have done a great job so far. We have the censuses and we know when Jorgen and the rest of the family got to Polk Co. Is there any resource that we don’t have that is a part of that gap? There aren’t many if any Knutson family biographies. I think we could confirm our Southern MN info and determine that we have found the right Jorgen because we have done a good job with that time gap I think. And I can’t say this enough: thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to help me with my genealogy. |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2019 : 16:08:38
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quote:
Is there any resource that we don’t have that is a part of that gap?
Undoubtedly. But it is YOUR family and YOUR search. Have you kept track of what resources you've already consulted? Have you studied what resources are currently available for the geographic areas you have interest in?
If it were my search I'd study the histories and geography of the areas of interest, check the availability of vital records for each area, decide what my first goal would be and find out HOW to best get access to the same.
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9216 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2019 : 22:16:44
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One gap yet filled is where is Jorgen Knutson in the 1870 Censu?
Brothers Gunder and Kittel are living in Yucatan, Houston, Minnesota in adjacent farms according to the 1970 Census.
Gunder Knudson
in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Name: Gunder Knudson
Age in 1870: 33
Birth Year: abt 1837
Birthplace: Norway
Dwelling Number: 40
Home in 1870: Yucatan , Houston , Minnesota
Race: White
Gender: Male
Occupation: Farmer
Father of Foreign Birth: Y
Mother of Foreign Birth: Y
Cannot Write: Y
Male Citizen over 21: Y
Personal Estate Value: 400
Real Estate Value: 1000
Household Members:
Name Age
Gunder Knudson 31
Kettle Knudson
in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Name: Kettle Knudson
Age in 1870: 42
Birth Year: abt 1828
Birthplace: Norway
Dwelling Number: 41
Home in 1870: Yucatan , Houston , Minnesota
Race: White
Gender: Male
Occupation: Farmer
Father of Foreign Birth: Y
Mother of Foreign Birth: Y
Male Citizen over 21: Y
Personal Estate Value: 300
Real Estate Value: 1600
Household Members:
Name Age
Kettle Knudson 42
Future wife Asjer Tovsdatter lived in the adjacent county of Fillmore.
Ester Tofodatter
in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Name: Ester Tofodatter
Age in 1870: 27
Birth Year: abt 1843
Birthplace: Norway
Dwelling Number: 93
Home in 1870: Norway, Fillmore , Minnesota
Race: White
Gender: Male
Occupation: Domestic Service
Father of Foreign Birth: Y
Mother of Foreign Birth: Y
Household Members:
Name Age
Ester Tofodatter 27
It is likely that the couple were married in Caldonia, Houston County in 1871.
Jorgen Knudson
in the Minnesota, Marriages Index, 1849-1950
Name: Jorgen Knudson
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 16 May 1871
Marriage Place: Caledonia, Houston, Minnesota
Spouse's name: Hester Thompson
Spouse Gender: Female
Event Type: Marriage
FHL Film Number: 1316885
Finding Jorgen in either of those two counties in 1870 would do a lot to increase the likelihood of the conclusions we drew being correct. |
Edited by - AntonH on 02/09/2019 22:25:53 |
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Jdkrags
Medium member
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2019 : 04:52:35
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| Alright! Thanks a lot for clearing that up! I checked through all the results for the Fillmore and Houston residents in the 1870 US Census on Family Search.. I didn’t have any luck. Any other place I could check? |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7765 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2019 : 12:50:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Jdkrags
Alright! Thanks a lot for clearing that up! I checked through all the results for the Fillmore and Houston residents in the 1870 US Census on Family Search.. I didn’t have any luck. Any other place I could check?
A kind of long shot, but perhaps if the two proposed brothers are in the baby business in the late 1860s and early 1870s maybe Jorgen stood as godparent for a baptism or two? Searching for Elstad or Highland parishes in Fillmore county might lead to those records...
By the by, did you search line by line through the 1870 census of Fillmore and Houston counties, rather than rely on the search engine? |
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Jdkrags
Medium member
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2019 : 14:26:43
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| No I didn’t. But I did look through all the results of the search engine, some 250 I think. A least we know that the only way to find him in that Census would be looking through it line by line. But that was my fault, I was short for time yesterday. |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9216 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2019 : 17:31:56
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Here is the Family Search version of the 1870 Census. Gunhild is listed as Cornelia. They have four children.
Gunder 1870
Kittel 1870
Kittel was married in Norway to Birgit Aadnesdatter Midgaarden, here called Betsey |
Edited by - AntonH on 03/09/2019 17:40:36 |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9216 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2019 : 17:51:22
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I have looked at some but probably not all the ELCA records that I could find on the two brothers, but did not find any reference to Jorgne or Asjerd. In this record the witnesses include Gunder and his wife Gunhild. As well as a Halvor Olsen (also from Moland according to the membership list) and a Ronnaug Aanundsdatter (likely a sister of Birgit).
Birgit Knudsen
in the U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969
Name: Birgit Knudsen
Baptism Age: 1
Record Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 9 Jan 1871
Baptism Date: 3 Mar 1872
Baptism Place: Peterson, Minnesota, USA
Father: Kittel Knudsen
Mother: Birgit Aanundsdatter
Church Name: Highland Prairie Lutheran Church
Church Location: Peterson, Minnesota
In this one Kittel and Birgit are witnesses,
Olaus Knudsen
in the U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969
Name: Olaus Knudsen
Baptism Age: 0
Record Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 22 Nov 1871
Baptism Date: 3 Mar 1872
Baptism Place: Peterson, Minnesota, USA
Father: Gunder Knudsen
Mother: Gunild Torgersdatter
Church Name: Highland Prairie Lutheran Church
Church Location: Peterson, Minnesota |
Edited by - AntonH on 03/09/2019 22:47:13 |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2019 : 20:08:56
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Not necessarily all inclusive - but a fairly good list of the basic resource items to review and endeavor to search for United States investigations.
Vital records are also available from various levels of government, published sources, and religious organizations. These types of records include:
- Church registers---for baptism/marriage/death/burial records, lists of congregation members
- Newspapers---for birth/wedding notices, obituaries
- Municipal/County records (city hall or county courthouse)---for birth/death registers, marriage licenses, estate and probate records (wills, inventories), land deeds, citizen and naturalization papers (before 1906)
- State records (vital statistics)---for birth/death certificates, contact the appropriate state office of vital records, state censuses
- Local and state archives/historical societies/libraries---for copies or transcriptions of all the records listed above, and published family histories
- Federal records---censuses, citizen and naturalization papers (1906 and later), military service records, homestead records
Secondary sources which are often overlooked
- Published histories of counties, cities and/or churches
- Sibling research: Sometimes a person’s siblings hold the key to the information you seek |
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Knutson Family
