Ole Pederson Engen in Flesberg , Buskerud!
Michael M. ThorstadFor twenty years I looked for Helga Klokkenvenger in every nook and cranny! She is my gggrandmother. Helga Klokkenvenger is her baptismal name as related by her grandson. I always figured the family knew all there was to know, so I never questioned their information. I finally went back to basics and ordered her death certificate and low and behold, her father is listed as Ole Peterson. How Klokkenvenger became Peterson is a story in itself. I located an Ole Peterson in Clayton, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Further research has determined that he came on the ship Emilie in 1842 and stayed in Muskego, Waukesha County, Wisconsin for a few years. He was one of the signers of the "Muskego Manifesto". Further inquiries to some nice folks in Wisconsin have revealed that Ole Pederson Engen was born 21 Mar 1815 in Norway. He died 11 January 1882 in Clayton, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. He is the son of Peder Olsen Fragaat, Flesberg, Norway. He married 18 June 1840 in Norway, Thone Kittelsdtr Steensrud who was born 12 April 1816 in Norway and died 7 October 1904 in Clayton, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Thone was the daughter of Kittel Olson Steensrud. Is Klokkenvenger a farm name? How about Engen? Fragaat? Steensrud? I am assuming they are farm names and they are in the vicinity of Flesberg, Buskerud, Norway. How does one go about locating individual farms? I imagine there are thousands of farms in the Flesberg area, so I need to get my field of search even finer, but I am very uneducated as to how to search for farm names. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Ole and Thone Pederson had a daughter Gunhild Maria Olsdtr Pederson b. 9 Feb 1841 in Norway before they went to America. The rest of their children were born in Wisconsin. My Helga/Harriet was born 13 Nov 1843 in Muskego, Waukesha County, Wisconsin Territory. By 1850 the family had moved to Winnebago County, Wisconsin.
jwiborgHi, you can find all farms in Norway by using the online census'es. There is a farm called [url="http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f60631&gardpostnr=358&sokefelt=skjul"]Fraagot[/url] in the 1865 census for Fledsberg, Buskerud, Norway. In the 1900-census, the same farm is spelled [url="http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f00631&gardpostnr=104&sokefelt=skjul"]"Fraagodt[/url]", and the muncipality is spelled Flesberg. Stensrud is also a farm in 1900-census for Flesberg. Note: Spelled Stensru in 1865 census! I could not find any farm in Norway called "Klokkenvenger", but there is a farm called "Klokkerengen" in Ejdsvold, Akershus, and one in Ørkedal, Sør-Trøndelag. The one in Eidsvoll (old: Ejdsvold), are maybe the most likely one. Eidsvoll is not far from Flesberg. Jan Peter