Martha Hommelvikstrø and family
DebraI am looking for more information about Martha Hommelvikstrø, born June 23, 1886 and christened August 15, 1886 in Norway. Her parents were married in the Malvik church in Strinden parish. The family emigrated from Strinden in April of 1892. Martha died in Anoka County Minnesota on April 13, 1926. Her family, consisting of Severin and Marit Hommelvikstrø and their children, Johan, born in 1883, and Martha. I am trying to find this family once they reached Minnesota, USA. Martha (and I am sure the whole family) went by the name Homelvig. The way it looks, because of finding her family's name on her death report (MHS) she never married. I haven't been able to find Johan anywhere yet (used name John too). On their emigration record it looks like they were going to Halstad, Minnesota. Any help on this family would be appreciated. I think Marit changed her name to Mary when in America. I am sending for Martha's death certificate to , first of all, confirm that this is Mary's daughter and second of all, to see if there is any help on it as far as names to search. Thanks for any help you can provide in helping me find this family here in the US or anything personal about their family from Norway too. I know nothing about Severin and his family. Marit is my grandmother's sister. Debra
BriningHi Debra Wild Rice Lutheran Church Cemetery Flom Township, Norman County, Minnesota [url="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~maggiebakke/wildricecemetery.html"]Click Here[/url] has 4 Homelvig's listed including a John. Maybe yours? Carla
BriningHi Debra I did a little more looking and found that this family came in the 1870's [xx(] Oh well, I will keep looking Carla
DebraThanks Carla for trying. I have done oodles of Google searches plus the regular ones and have went through many sites about Norman County trying to find this family. I found the death notice that fits this Martha (Marta?) but need more proof plus to find the rest of the family. I am getting closer and closer to finding the relatives here in the US though and it is exciting. The Martha Hommelvig in the cemetery you found didn't have the right middle initial either but two of those names could have fit (Martha and John). I know if someone can find it, you can as you are the one who found the Sesseng farm! I just don't have the knowlege of what all to look for yet although I am learning more and more each day. I have learned so much about my family so far and get some new clues quite often now. Deb
BriningHi Deb Is this the marriage record for Marit and Severin? [url="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/vr/individual_record.asp?recid=30623608&lds=4®ion=12®ionfriendly=Norway&juris1=5&juris2=34&juris3=603&juris4=®ionfriendly=&juris1friendly=Norway&juris2friendly=Sor%2DTrondelag&juris3friendly=Strinda&juris4friendly="]Click Here[/url] If so then you could also be looking for Olson since they could have used that name in the US. In the Halstead death index there is a Severine Olson, which is a female name but might be a typo or a daughter? Carla
DebraHMM, I need to do more reading on what I have on this family. As far as the dates it sounds fine as their son was born in 1883 so that would be a year after the wedding date of 1882. The person from Norway who has been helping me found their emmigration records and they used the Hommelvikstrø name but he said most people changed that to Hommelvig here in America and there were several around the Halstad area who changed their name to that name that were from the area Marit and Severin were from. Then we found that Martha Hommelvig's death notice and it matched this Martha. I am sending for her death certificate to see if I can get more information from it (plus I like to prove the facts). I thought it was interesting that Marit and her family traveled with Sigrid (Sarah), her sister, to the USA in 1892 and Anna had a prepaid ticket (most likely from Ole) and she went to Quebec where he maybe picked her up and Marit and her family went to Halstad. Out of curiosity, how would he have went and picked her up--especially since she would have had a trunk with her (I know from family that Anna had her trunk with belongings from Norway). I don't even know how they traveled much back then. That would have been quite a trip from Quebec to Halstad, Minnesota. I am still hoping to find Sigrid (Sarah) but she is going to be very hard to find as so far I know very little about her. One family member said she remembers visiting a lady called Mrs Thompson and thinks she lived in Kellier, Minnesota by the Canadian border but she was very young and doesn't remember enough about it and children were told to call their elders Mr and Mrs then so she doesn't remember her first name but thinks that may have been Sarah--or it could have been Mary too (Marit). Deb
jwiborgHi Debra, I read a story about some immigrants travelling from Quebec to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1873. They went by train from Quebec to Grand Haven, Michigan, then crossed the Lake Michigan by boat, and then travelled by train again from Milwaukee, Wi. to their final destination of St. Paul, MN. I belive travelling by train was the most common means of transport in those days, also if the arrived at Ellis Island. Read this article [url="http://www.naha.stolaf.edu/publications/volume33/vol33_07.htm"]"Conserning emigration?"[/url], posted in the Norwegian "Billed-Magazin", spring 1869. It's interesting reading, and decribes several routes to the west, and how to cross Lake Michigan. Jan
DebraThanks Jan, I just read that whole article and saved it, very interesting. I did realize that people used the train back then for travel but I was wondering if Ole went to 'pick up Anna' what mode of transportation most likely would he have used--the train? I am, of course, thinking of our van etc lol. I thought it wa a bit rude to make her sister and family go all the way to Halstad, MN but then realized I suppose it would be a bit much to take all of them plus their life's belongings from Quebec to Halstad. Deb
BriningHi Debra I don't think Ole would have gone to pick her up at least not to her port of arrival, maybe to the train station [:D] . It wasn't unusual for women to travel to their destination alone. I know both of my Great Grandmothers made the trip with children by themselves. Also I don't know if Ole would have been the person to have paid for her trip since he emigrated before Anne was even born. More that likely another relative or friend paid her fare. Carla
DebraCarla, remember that Ole and Anna were married though and had five children together. She married him the year after she immigrated so I am quite sure that he was the one who prepaid her ticket as it was someone in America and her and Marit (and family) were the first ones to come over unless Sigrid (Sarah) did and I doubt she would have sent her a ticket and not Marit? My sister and I were wondering if Ole and their father knew each other as they were close to the same age and from the same area? I am going to start looking for the name Olsen for Marit's family but I still think that death notice is Martha, Marit's daughter. I will be able to tell when I get the death certificate I hope. I think that marriage on the LDS is Severin and Marit (Marit is spelled wrong) as it is the same date and year that I have and place--the Malvik church in Strinden. Another clue to go on. Deb
BriningHi Deb I still think it would have been more likely for a Uncle or cousin to pay for the passage but who knows. Strangely there seems to be more of a connection between Severin and Ole Halstad. [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=1660daap&variabel=0&postnr=3591&fulle=true&spraak=e"]Here[/url] is Severin's christening record. His father and mother were not married. He is listed as female but I'm sure that is wrong. In the [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f71660&variabel=0&postnr=6007&fulle=true&spraak=e"]1875 Census[/url] living with his mother and step father on Halstadtrø. Ole and Severin are about the same age so could have know each other. Hopefully Severin didn't die and Marit/Mary re marry. You might have to check out the Norman county marriage index. Carla
DebraOh my, this family is getting most interesting the more I find! I printed those two things out (from above) and am trying to figure them out since I don't read Norwegian--maybe you or someone can help me. Why would Marit and Severin go by Hommelvikstrø when his last name was Olsen (or a bunch of other names)? Also, what does mors mosted mean and under that it says Hommelvigthøen? Another place on there it says Hmemmedåp Uekte and under it says opg. af Anders L. Hommelvigtrøe. 1. Leirm. I don't think I did so well on that but I tried! It doesn't seem to make sense to me but I see the 'names' there so would like to know what the rest is if you would please translate for me, thanks. About Ole Halstad--I didn't quite understand everything about all of that but I understood about the ages. Remember though that Ole married Anna the year after she came to US and Marit and family had came at the same time--then Anna was married to Ole until he died and she actually had her last child AFTER he died in 1903. So I don't think Marit had anything to do with him but they maybe (most likely) all knew each other! So Ole and Severin were on the same Halstad**** farm in Selbu? This is all a very interesting story. I am still trying to find another girl we lost somewhere in Norway. Grandmother's sister Kari (yes, her mother was Kari too) married Andersen Fleskhus in 1885 and had a daughter Kristine. In 1888 Kari died (Kristine would have been 3 years old). In 1900 census it shows her father Andersen Fleskhus and his new wife Gurine living in Trondheim with new daughter Helene (born in 1889). Where did poor little Kristine go, she would have only been five years old and we lost her!! (for a little background, Kari, her mother was born in 1859 to Kari Jonasdatter Øver-Solem and Neils Pedersen in Selbu on a cotter's farm on the Sesseng farm-I am sure you remember helping me with those people). I feel so bad for poor little Kristine as we don't know where she ended up--why wasn't she with her father--or WAS he her father? Her aunts on her mom's side all went to America and her one uncle died and the other had a large family of his own and she wasn't on the census with his family at the Sæter farm. Thanks for all the help. Deb
jwiborgHi Debra; Mors bosted means "mothers residence". Fars bosted means "fathers residence". This is the christening record of Severin, and it says that his mother Joneta Andersdatter lived on the farm Hommelvigtrøen. Severin is an illegitimate child, and the priests source for this information is a man by the name of "Anders L. Hommelvigtrøen"... [:)] 1. Leirm. ("leiermål") means that this is their first illegitimate child. Note: Under sex ("kjønn") ist says Female...! (K=kvinne [female], M=mann [male]. I guess that's why there is some exclamation marks behind the name... One of the two coloumns are wrong, because Severin is not a female name. It also says O.d., which looks like short for Olsdatter, ie. the daughter of Ole.... I guess the "K" is wrong though. Severin was christened at home ("hjemmedåp") by Ingebrigt Fodvold. In those days it was common to add the farm-name to the persons name, just to indicate where the person came from. And since he is the son of Ole, his patronym would be Olsen. His full name in those days would then be Severin Olsen Hommelvigtrøen. Whether or when he used the farm-name is more randomly. If he moved to a new location, the old farm-name would of course not be a valid lastname anymore. Jan
jwiborgHi Debra, here is a map covering the area. Hommelvik is the bay you see between Malvik and Trondheim Airport Værnes. (Vik = Creek / Bay ) The distance Hommelvik - Selbu is about 60 miles. [img]http://www.veiseth.no/kart.jpg[/img] Jan
Brining
quote:
Originally posted by Debra
About Ole Halstad--I didn't quite understand everything about all of that but I understood about the ages. Remember though that Ole married Anna the year after she came to US and Marit and family had came at the same time--then Anna was married to Ole until he died and she actually had her last child AFTER he died in 1903. .
On Ole Halstad, my assumption is that he lived on one of the Halstad gaards (farms) as did Severine (at least for a while). There are other Halstad gaards in Norway so Ole may not have been from the Strinda area. One thing you have to remember is that it was a whole different situation back then and marriages could happen fast and they were as often for conveniance as for love. No long courtship needed [;)] My great grandmother married a man 20 years her junior! Sometimes you just wish you could go back and get the real story. [:I] I think I have found the death record for Ole's 2nd wife Anna. It is listed in the Norman county death index as Anna Holstad (typo or transcription error) She died Jan 3 1893, which would have been after your Anna arrived and 6 months before she married Ole. Carla
DebraThat is interesting. My family and I have talked about this a lot and we think maybe they all knew each other? Maybe our Anna went to help out the Halstad's if that Anna was sick and then when she died those two got married, sounds terrible but sort of sounds right too?! I will look in Norman county for that death record as I want a printout of it for my records in case it is her. I am trying to get a timeline in that family as well as trying to figure them out. Trying to figure the whole family out is quite interesting. I think they were very poor and did what they needed to survive. I do still think that Ole sent for Anna though as her family was way too poor to help her much. I don't know for sure if Ole was married three times or not. His grandson says he was but I can't find proof of it and someone who was helping me from Norway doesn't think he was unless we can find proof of it. I had found a marriage between Ole Johnsen and the Ane that was on the Halstad farm at the same time as he was but she would have been way too young to be married so I guess it wasn't her. And Jan, thanks so much for the map. I love looking at where things happen to get an idea of how things were at that time and where--that map you sent here is really good--I printed it out. Deb
DebraOh, and Jan, thanks so much for all the explanations, those really helped. I need to start doing more of the Norwegian/English looking myself I guess. I just get so frustrated when I look at those forms and I see words I know I want to know about but don't know enough! Anyway, that really was interesting finding out more about him-not blood related but very interesting. Now if only I could find that elusive Sarah and Kristine! I need to get what I have together and try to put some things together better and then start begging for more help lol. Sarah is about impossible to find here in the US as I just dont' know enough about her. All I really know is her birthday, maybe when she emigrated and then what relatives have told me--that she may have lived in Kellier, MN or by the Canadain border and she 'may' have been 'Mrs. Thompson'!!! (told to me by a relative). Deb
jwiborgJust to recap..., could this be Ole Halstad? [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f61660.wc2&variabel=0&postnr=5613&fulle=true&spraak=e"]1865 census[/url] , [url="http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_list.asp?jo=2248&ps=22310"]Passenger list S/S Peruvian, 1865[/url] ... ? Jan
DebraJan, the age is close and Selbu is right too. I thought he came over with a wife and child but I am not so sure about that now. What I got from the Halstad book tells me that he had a wife (first Anna) and a daughter when he settled in Halstad in 1871 but the family doesn't remember anything about that first daughter AND his first son John was born in 1868 which was before he settled in Halstad and he was never mentioned in that book!! Now I am not so sure I believe anything about what it said, he said he had a daughter Indger and she later married Peter Tonder and Kjell (from Norway) pointed out to me that it couldn't be-way off in ages (she was too old) and now I find these other things that don't quite add up to that first information I got. Anyway, what you found certainly could be him but I would have thought he was traveling with a wife and maybe a child--but if that wasn't his daughter then maybe he wasn't married either--but on the census later it says his wife was born in Norway too (the other Anna that wasn't our family). They sure had worse messes back then than we even do now!! I sure wish I could get his marriages straightened out. I only know the last one--when he was married and when he and she died--but the rest before her is quite vague. I did print these out though just in case it is him for sure. I also need to follow the ages on everyone to see where they fit and see the story better but seems everyday I am going to do that, something else happens and I don't do it. Deb
jwiborgWell, from what I remember from previous postings, the 1900-census shows that he has been in the country for 35 years, ie. he immigrated around 1865. He settled in Halstad in 1871, so he must have lived 5-6 years somewhere else. At his age (22), it was very common to travel alone, to seek the new and promised life "over there". My guess is that he met his wife in the first years after arriving in the US.... [:)] It could very well be a girl he knew from his hometown though... NB: There is a problem about him being on both the 1865-census, and on the emigration list..., I belive the census was made very late in 1865, months after the Peruvian trip... Jan
BriningHi Deb, This is a possibility for [url="http://129.177.171.80/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=EMITROND&variabel=0&postnr=65256&fulle=true&spraak=e"]Sigrid/Sarah[/url] emigrating in 1891. She is from Strinden but since Anne and Marit also lived there when they emigrated it is possible. She is going to Moorhead MN There is a Kelliher Minnesota in Beltrami county, could that be Kellier? Here is the Beltrami Genweb site [url="http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnbeltra/"]Click Here[/url] Searching the Beltrami census for any Sarah/Sigrid that fits her age and emigration year would probably be your 1st step in trying to find her Carla
DebraCarla, Kjell (from Norway) had brought that to my attention too about that Sigrid in 1891. I have it printed out just hoping to prove it is her. I really think it is her but have no way of proving it as the other sisters came using other names although I guess Anna used that name in emigrating. Anyway, I really think that is her. That Kelliher, MN sounds good. I went to that site but don't have time to get in to it enough right now but saved it and need to study it more tonight (my husband teaches on Thursday nights so I have more time then). It is just so hard to know what to look for when I don't even know her married name for sure--just that it 'may' be Thompson as Anna's granddaughter remembers visiting a 'Mrs Thompson'--who could have been anyone!! That is all I have to go on though. It is really interesting learning more about Severin's family though, I am looking up the mother's name and trying to follow some of them--I am just not good at it like all of you are. I am amazed at reading the emails from the Sweden and Norway list at how people find things!! I feel so limited in what I do but I am sort of stuck doing things on the Internet too and depending on others because now that it is snowing and icy here I go out very little by myself. This diabetes has not been nice to me the last couple of years. I know I shouldn't say anything much personal on here but just to let you know how much I appreciate all of your help, I like to let you know what is going on. I go to Mayo clinic the week after Christmas to get tested for a kidney/pancreas transplant as my kidneys have about had it and that is my only hope right now but I doubt I will pass it because of my other health issues--oh well--gotta try. This genealogy is not only exciting and loads of fun and I feel like I almost know these people--but it is very good for me too as it is something I can work on for me and my family and they are thrilled someone is finding this stuff out that we never knew. So thanks everyone for helping. Deb
DebraI was looking through all the Kelliher, MN stuff last night and thinking about how far we have come with this family. I knew nothing but my grandmother and grandfather's names when I started and now I know everyone in both families for a ways back. I know quite a bit about most of them, just have to 'prove' some of it. I can only think of two people that are 'lost' and am gaining on them. I have some lost people on the Swedish side too but I know all about them-just can't find them here in the US even though I know their names and their children's names AND where they lived their lives and even what their children did for a living--too common of names and I don't know dates-ugh--still working on it though--anyway--Sarah is the one on the Norwegian side that I am really working on finding now. Actually I need to really find Mary and Sarah but know quite a bit more about Mary than Sarah and I have sent for Martha's death certificate which should tell me for sure if she is the 'right' Martha (Mary's daughter) and maybe some other information. I need to call Anna's granddaughter again as it seems everytime I talk with her I get a little more information. Last time she told me Sarah could me the 'Mrs Thompson'. She is also the one that told me Sarah was from Kellier MN which sure could be Kelliher I would think. It is about in the right area too. Today I am either going to call there or email them to ask about their 'history book' and while talking to them ask some questions--I should be able to tell right away whether I dare ask much or not--their population is a whole 300+! I am sure Sarah was just another 'person' in the community and not known but you never know until you ask if someone knew of her. According to Mom she was in her 80s when she died so someone may know of her or her family? I came from a small town and we knew everyone-besides I am getting desperate to find her lol. Deb
DebraI got the death certificate back for Martha Homelvig and it isn't Marit's daughter so now I am back to square one--but now am more comfortable looking for the Olsen name--now that I don't know for sure what name they used in the US. Marit and Severin and family had destination as Halstad which made sense as that is where Anna was going and she was going to be with Ole Halstad as they got married a year later. Where Marit (Mary) and Severin went after they got there I don't know and hope to find out. I have tried the census for Halstad where I can find them after they got there but so far nothing. I have also checked all the Halstad information as far as marriages etc for the children and have found nothing so far but was looking more for the Homelvig or that other long name--not much for Olsen as it was so common. Thanks for any help offered--these relatives when they got to America just sort of vanished! Deb
caflehartyDebra: I am so excited about these entries of yours and can't wait to talk to you! I can fill in the pieces of Martha's life. She lived a long life--84 years! Please contact me.
caflehartyDeb: My great grandmother is Marit and my grandmother is Martha. I would love to talk to you. Please contact me. I never dreamed I'd find a site like this. Wow! I can give you much information and share some pictures! Carol
DebraCarol, and others on this site--This is so neat. I have found most of my family with the help of oodles of people but could never find my Grandmother's sisters Mary and Sarah after they got to America. I could find Marit and Severin coming to America with Martha and Johan but that was where it ended--and now this--wow--this is so exciting as I had to stop researching them as I had no last names to go on with Sarah as I knew she married and I couldn't find Marit and Severin with their last name. I am now emailing Carol and hope to find out so much more and maybe offer her some information on the extended family. This site is great, thanks so much. This is the site that got me started--and by the way--I have been in contact with two cousins from Norway, gotten pictures of the place Grandmother was born (only rocks left unfortunately) and even got a picture of her brother who stayed in Norway. I t has been very exciting. I also went and did a couple of family talks this past summer with the Halstad family--I found out all about Ole and his three wives and found their graves etc--it was very exciting. I have come a long ways since starting out on this site not knowing even the last names of my grandparents--thanks to all of you--and a bunch of other very helpful people. Carol, I hope we have lots of information to share, thanks for emailing me. Deb