Solems in Norway
haney1	I have hit a brick wall trying to find out origin of my great-grandparents, Isaac Jacob Solem, b. 1843, and Johanna Magrethe Andersen, b. 1844. It's possible that Johanna came from the Skofteby, Tune, Ostfold area. It's also possible that her parents were Anders Olsen and Elen Brynildsdr, but not proven. I have absolutely no other information on Isaac, except that they showed up in Chicago Census in 1873. My grandmother claimed that Isak Jakob was Jewish. Any help would be appreciated. Please respond to my e-mail address. haney7@charter.net
Hopkins	The 1880 US census extraction on the LDS familysearch.org website shows 'Isaac Solom' (married, occupation - tailor) to be living in Chicago with his wife and two young children. The 1900 US census lists Isak (handwriting makes it appear more like Seak) J. Solem was born in January of 1843, he works as a tailor, he immigrated in 1873 and is a naturalized citizen, he has been married for 27? yrs. Johanna and the three surviving children are still living at home. By the 1910 US census 'Isaac Solem' is 67 yrs old and that census lists that he and Johanna immigrated in 1872, they have 3 children and 2 of the daughters are still living at home. His occupation might be a clue in finding him on any Norwegian emigrant databases. Narrowing down the year for that departure is also a help even if you decide to research into passenger arrivals in America.. We'd hope to be able to find an Isak (or any other spelling variation) about 21-23 years old in the 1865 Norwegian census. I find one who might prove to be of interest to you - living in Solum district of Telemark, Norway - 21 years old and living with widowed mother and siblings - http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f60818.wc2&variabel=0&postnr=4091&fulle=true&spraak=n
askeroi	You have a suitable couple here: http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/WebCens.exe?slag=hentglobal®ister=fornavn&pgj=7&teljing=ft1865&filnamn=f60114.wc2&amt=1&funnenr=304 Though no suitable brother.
haney1	Thanks very much for your help on the Solom and Anderson family. However, I cannot read the language, so it doesn't do me much good. Thanks anyhow. Deanna
Jo Anne Sadler	Recommend this dictionary: http://home.online.no/~otjoerge/files/word.htm If you want to do research on ancestors from foreign countries, you are going to have to be able to read basic records[:)]