searching for family
gregomliMy greatgrandparents immigrated from Norway but we have no information about them before their arrival in the USA. My greatgrandfather's name, as it appears on his death certificate and census records is George T Omli, born in 1845. However, I saw his name as Thomas Omli in an old local newspaper. My greatgrandmother is Julia Thompson, born in 1869. I am not an experienced genealogist, but I want to trace my family as far as possible. Can anyone help or offer suggestions? Thank you.
BriningHi Omli is the name of the farm (gard) that he came from or lived on in Norway and Thomas (or a variation of) is probably his fathers name. Click on the link for articles below , there are a couple of good articles on names and searching in Norway. The Digitalarkivet has Norwegian census, passenger lists and much more (click on catigories when you get to the website) [url="http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/WebFront.exe?slag=vis&tekst=meldingar&spraak=e"]Click Here[/url] I did try to find a George Thomason or variation in the 1865 census but no luck so your ggrandfather probably Americanized his name. Do you know what year he emmigrated? There are a couple of records for a George T. Omli on the LDS [url="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp"]Click Here[/url] and search on the last name Omli. There are two marriage records, one says he was married in Norway and the other in Wisconsin. Good Luck Carla
Jo Anne SadlerIn Ancestry.com , Wisconsin marriage records I found: Omley, E.T.; Thompson, Julia, married October 3, 1884 in Jackson County, Wisconsin. Vital records in Wisconsin before 1907 would be available at the County Records office. When requesting a marriage certificate also request the marriage license application, if available, it usually has more information. [8D]
BriningOooh that is interesting since on the LDS there is a marriage record for Evend T Omli and Wilber (Valbor) Anondson 11/26/1861 [url="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/igi/individual_record.asp?recid=100101881043&lds=1®ion=11®ionfriendly=&juris1=&juris2=&juris3=&juris4=®ionfriendly=&juris1friendly=&juris2friendly=&juris3friendly=&juris4friendly="]Click Here[/url] Could Julia be George/Evend's 2nd marriage. The family is here in the 1880 Census be sure and click next, there are more children on the next page. [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=MINN1880&variabel=0&postnr=48160&fulle=true&spraak=e"]Click Here[/url] and if they are following the Norwegian naming practice (1st son after father's father, 2nd son after Mother's father) it would appear that George would be Evend Torjuson Omli . There is a Torger Omly in Wisconsin 1880 census. There could be a possible connection there [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=wisc1880&variabel=0&postnr=82034&fulle=true&spraak=e"]Click Here[/url] Lots of speculation but maybe you can find information to connect the dots.[8D] Carla
BriningI took a closer look and Even T in Minnesota his age doesn't match but there is a George T Umley living in Minneapolis in the 1880 census. The age isn't exactly right, 32, but a possibility and in the same boarding house is an Aslek T. and Halvor Umley, maybe brothers. [url="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/Census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1880US_8040066&HOUSEHOLD_SUB=2&frompage=99"]Click Here[/url] I may have found Aslek in the emmigration records but need to do some verifying on it Carla
Jo Anne SadlerFound the following in Digitalarkivet in the 1865 census: Telemark Fylke, Hvideseid Kommune, Kommune #0829, name of gard: Omli. Thorjus Aslaksen, husband, born 1806, Saave Olafsdatter, wife, born 1812, Halvor Thorjussen, son, born 1839, Guttorm Thorjussen, son, born 1846. The three men listed in the 1880 Minnesota census, Aslak, Halvor and George Umley may be connected.
gregomliThank you, Brining and Jo Anne, for your replies. This is the first time I have posted a message on a board of any kind and your responses were fast and detailed, and I hope I can make good use of them. The time I have to spend on genealogy is very limited; sometimes I may only be able to check this site once a week. My greatgrandparents were, indeed, married 3 Oct. 1884 in Jackson County, WI. It looks like my ggrandfather is the E.T. Omley you refer to, Jo Anne. I sent a request to the host of a Jackson County web site asking for the address to send a request for records to. Brining, you mentioned naming practices of sons in Norway. The first born son is named Thomas, the second Albert, both born in Wisconsin in 1884 and 1885. The next was born in Minnesota in 1887 and the fifth in the state of Washington in 1892. Could I make any use of this information? The records for George T. Omli on the LDS site are from me. Are you a member of the Church? Again, thank you for your help. I hope my questions are not too burnensome for this sort of message format. If so, I have much to learn about proper ettiquette on message boards.
BriningJo Anne I just found that too and I think you are correct. I could see Guttorm becoming George. I found Aslak and wife Ranne on the emmigrants leaving Kristiana [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=emikra1&variabel=0&postnr=4033&fulle=true&spraak=e"]Click here[/url] and also in Telemark, Hvideseid 1865 census [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f60829.wc2&variabel=0&postnr=2389&fulle=true&spraak=n"]Click Here[/url] Greg was George by any chance a teacher since that is Guttorm's occupation in the 1865 census [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f60829&variabel=0&postnr=1812&fulle=true&spraak=n"]Click Here[/url] I think Thorjus and Saave are in the 1880 census for Wisconsin Preston township Trempleau county. Torger and Sophia(Saave) Omly [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=wisc1880&brukar=&loc=0&spraak=e&postnr=82033&next=10"]Click Here[/url] There is an Ole Omly, another brother?? also in Preston [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=wisc1880&variabel=0&postnr=82027&fulle=true&spraak=e"]Click Here[/url] Carla
BriningHi Greg, Glad to help, I just hope the information we have found is your family. I did find a christening record on the LDS IG for Guttorm [url="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/igi/individual_record.asp?recid=100218603431&lds=1®ion=12®ionfriendly=Norway&juris1=Norw9Tele&juris2=Tele&juris3=&juris4=®ionfriendly=&juris1friendly=Telemark&juris2friendly=&juris3friendly=&juris4friendly="]Click Here[/url] If the christening date is close to his birthdate it would be another indication that this is the correct "George". There is also a listing for Aslak, Halvor and Ole born to Torjus and Saave. Don't be shy about asking questions. That is the only way you learn. I'm not a member but love the information provided on the LDS. George's 1st born Thomas could be an Americanization of Torjus. Carla
gregomliCarla and Jo Anne, thank you so much for your help. It appears that you have identified my greatgrandmother's family. They also appear in the 1880 Wisconsin census. My dad said that she has a brother named Tom and he is on every reference. Does it seem that Aslak and Rannei in the Telemark, Hvideseid census are the same family as appears on the emmigrant list? The ages differ slightly. (By the way, how do you put in your hot links? Regular html doesn't seem to work.) The evidence that Guttorm Thorjussen is my greatgrandfather looks pretty good. His age and the Omli farm are right on the money. The LDS record of Guttorm's christening is close: the date we have for his birth is 18 Nov, 1845 and the christening date is 14 Dec. 1845, with the same parents as the census. Is that close enough? Also, I see your reference to Torger and Sophia in the 1880 Wisconsin census. How good does all this look to you, Carla and Jo Anne? How can I verify this information or is it good enough to use as my family information? Again, you guys are great. You must have plenty to do anyway, so it just seems good that you would take the time to look all this stuff up for us. When I retire and have the time, this is something I will reciprocate for others like me.
Borge
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[i] (By the way, how do you put in your hot links? Regular html doesn't seem to work.)
Greg - to include the hotlinks you must use the "[url="http://www.norwayheritage.com/snitz/post.asp?method=Reply&TOPIC_ID=1025&FORUM_ID=33"]Reply to Topic[/url]" link found at the top and bottom of the table. You will then see a small icon for inserting links [img]http://www.norwayheritage.com/snitz/icon_editor_url.gif[/img]. You will not se that in the quick reply window you get on the page if you do not click the "Reply to Topic" link
BriningHi Greg I think I have found Aslak and family in Trempleau using Thompson as a last name [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=wisc1880&variabel=0&postnr=81875&fulle=true&spraak=e"]Click Here[/url] It is possible that Aslak was working in Minneapolis, included on the census there and was listed in Trempleau by the person that gave the information. You should look at the original films of the census to see if it gives you more info. Yes I think the Aslak in the emigration records and the 1865 census are the same. You will find age variations in different records due to transcription errors, it being recorded wrong, and sometimes people fibbing [;)]. You would have to get the microfilm of the parish records for Hvideseid/Kviteseid to be sure that the christening record is Guttorm's but I think the date of his birth makes it very possible it is his. The LDS has the records on film. Torger and Sophia look like the same ones in the 1865 census. I wish I could have found them and other members of the family on the passenger lists which would have tied some things together but they seem to be "hiding" I would keep trying to find more info. Maybe in Trempleau county. Hopefuly the marriage record will help. Read some of the articles at John Follesdal's site. They are a great help. http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~norway/articles.html This page has a lot of Telemark links that could help http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~norway/telemark.html Try searching at google http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en for Telemark genealogy Carla
gregomliCarla and Jo Anne, I posted my first message two years ago and you folks helped me get started on my Norwegian genealogy. It has been quite an adventure. I would never has though that I would have such a rewarding experience from searching through old, nearly illegible microfilms in a foreign language; but, such has been the case. I have, however, gotten to the end of the line with the parish registers. In Kviteseid, they go back to 1754. I can approximate birth or christening dates from death and confirmation entries and, also, from the 1801 census on the Digitalarkivet web site. There is also some information on the LDS Family Search web site, but I don't know about the accuracy and where the dates came from. An example: two of my grandparents are Jan Sommundsen (1743) and Sigri Olsdatter (1742). Are there other ways to get their vital information? Are there any local, comuterized records that may have been put together by residents of Kviteseid? I ask because I once made contact with someone in Kviteseid whe made mention of having this kind of information on his computer. My comuputer crashed and I have lost his contact information. I thank you for any help you may be able to offer. Sincerely, Greg Omli
Jo Anne SadlerHave you found this organization: http://www.telelaget.com/ These lags are invaluable in helping research your ancestors. They could probably advise you on how far back records are available. I am no expert on this but unless someone was a famous, weathly person or nobility the records don't go back farther than the 1600's depending on the area. Parishes were split up and combined over the years so research in the history of your parish may help. As far as alot of the records on the Internet, especially Rootsweb databases and LDS information sent in by people, there is alot of unsubstantiated, incorrect information that gets downloaded over and over again. These records are fine for a beginning point, but you have to verify your information as much as you can.[:)]