Torsteinsen Emigration
Neil	My great great grandfather, Torstein Torbjørnsen, emigrated to America in 1880. I have found his family in the 1865 and 1875 Census living in Fjelberg, his father's name was Torbjørn Torsteinsen and his mother was Anna Iversdatter. In the 1875 Census Torstein had two sisters Siri, b. 1860, and Britha, b. 1863, and two brothers Johannes, b. 1866, and Torbjørn, b. 1870. A brother Iver, b. 1857, per the 1865 Census presumably died as he is not in the 1875 Census. Torstein came to Wright County, Iowa and took the name Thomas T. Hill. I have located Torstein's brother Torbjørn, also in Wright County, Iowa, in the 1910 Census. He took the name Ben T. Hill. But have not been able to find Ben (or Torbjørn) on the passenger lists, or to determine when he came to America. Can anyone help me find when Ben came to America. Also, I don't know if any other members of his family emigrated. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jo Anne Sadler	Ben (Tørbjorn) T. Hill, born Norway, can be found in the 1920 census, in Belmont, Jackson, MN, immigrated 1887, wife and first two children born in Iowa, married about 1904. There is a Ben T. Hill, died May 4, 1926 in Jackson, MN in the online MN Death Index. Have not been able to find their emigration records online at Digitalariket (just means I can't find them). Have you tried to search in the Bygedeboks - farm history books? There is a lookup volunteer on Norway List for Fjellberg, Hordaland, that may be able to help you, you know the name of the farm, etc: http://www.rootsweb.com/~norway/lookups.html#Risvold The 1865 and 1875 census states Torstein and his parents were born in Strandebarms Praest. (where ever that is) and his later siblings were born in Fjellberg.
Hopkins	Neil - in the 1900 and 1910 US census it appears he lists his year of immigration to this country as 1883 or 1884. In Norway he is listed in the 1875 census as born in 1870 Ølen (then Aalund annex of Fjelberg, Hordaland) - in the 1900 US census he lists his birth as Feb 1871 and in the 1910 census he lists himself as 38 yrs old. http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f71213&gardpostnr=267&sokefelt=skjul Have you found a way to check the bygdeboker for Ølen yet? or checked the parish records?
Hopkins	The then Aalund annex area of Fjelberg, Hordaland is not included in the bygdeboker for Fjelberg - it is in the Ølen books.
Brining	In the 1900 census HILL TOM T 45 M W NORW IA WRIGHT NORWAY TWP born Feb 1855 immigrated 1880 In the emigrants from Bergen in 1880 there is Thorstein Thorbjørnsen Rørvig born 1855 born Strandebarm [url="http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=EMIBERG&gardpostnr=6829&merk=6829#ovre"]Click Here[/url] which would be a possibility. Carla
Neil	Thank you very much. I have reviewed the US Census and the Norway Census, and I have the information on Thomas Hill's (Thorstein Thorbjørnsen Røvig) emigration. I was hoping to find Ben's, or the other family members, emigration information on-line here, but just haven't been able to find it. Alternatively, if I could find the other family members in Norway that would help narrow my search for them to one country. I can order the parish records from the LDS FHC to see if the other members stayed in Norway. I don't have easy access to the Bygedeboks, but that is another source. I didn't think to check the Minnesota Death Index for Ben so that info. helps. Thanks again for all the help.
Hopkins	Neil - since you posted on the 17th about the "Hill" family, I've spent a great deal of time searching the Bergen emigration records - I can't find "Torbjørn Torbjørnsen/Ben Hill" by any name combination, his original name formats or new. I tried searching with age listed wrong, birthplace listed wrong, any and all combinations I could think of... Perhaps he tried out another "new name" before he settled on Ben Hill. He might have slipped through the cracks of the recording of emigrants -- OR perhaps he left from another port. There are also a few of the "Johnson/Chelsvig" family members I've also never found in the Bergen emigration records, and I may never find them. I've just decided that I can live without that particular detail for a few members of the family. (Note to others - the daughter Johanne of the "Johnson/Chelsvig" family married the young Norwegian man, Torstein Torbjørnsen, later known as Tom Hill in Iowa and Minnesota. The "Johnson/Chelsvigs" were also from the Bjøa area of what is now Ølen in Norway. I have close direct family ties to the "Johnson/Chelsvig" family and Neil and I have privately corresponded before.)
Neil	Thank you very much, I thought perhaps I was just over looking something. If you can't find him then there isn't much hope. I'll give it up and look elsewhere. Just another mystery in the on-going battle. Thanks again, as always you have been a big help.