Seeking Rafael Svendsen, b.1847 Stod
KariS	Looking for any info on Rafael Svendsen, b.1847 Stod. Found in 1865 Norwegian census working as a farmhand in Stod, Nord-Trøndelag. Came to Pope County, Minnesota during1880s (?), married immigrant Nikoli Nilsdatter Finstad from Lofoten. No info on parents, etc -any help greatly appreciated. Also name variations: Raphael, Svensen, Swensen. Thanks.
Hopkins	Rafael is old enough to be living as a lodger in the 1865 census for Stod, Nord-Trøndelag. http://www.rhd.uit.no/folketellinger/ftliste_e.aspx?ft=1865&knr=1734&kenr=002&bnr=0008&lnr=000 One excellent method to determine who his parents were - would be to look for his birth/baptismal record in the parish church records for Stod. You can search these records on microfilm copies of the originals available at the nearest LDS Family History Center. Here is a link to a article which will help you understand and be able to use that type of record - http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~norway/na20.html
Hopkins	It appears that Rafael Svendsen may have left Norway for Lanesboro, Minnesota - twice. Leaving the first time in 1880 - http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=EMITROND&gardpostnr=21388&merk=21388#ovre and leaving again in 1886 - http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=EMITROND&gardpostnr=44602&merk=44602#ovre