Martin Edvardson Gross. Norway to California via?
Helen McNamara	My grandfather, Martin Gross was born in Flekkefjord, Norway in 1863. After receiving a good education in the Norwegian schools, he went to sea at the age of 14. He spent six years in the sea trade and sailed to numerous foreign ports. Much of his time at sea was spent working on the Barque St. Lawrence which was owned by unknown parties from Arendal, Norway. On a voyage from Savannah to Liverpool, England the St. Lawrence wrecked off the coast of Fleetwood, England. The ship was lost, but all the crew survived. This was the last long voyage my grandfather went on during his employment at sea. He worked for another year an a half in the coastal sea trade. In 1885,at age 22, he decided to emigrate to the United States. I don't know the date he left, nor the port he left from, nor the ship he left on, nor the route he took BUT sailed to the Port of San Francisco, California stopping just long enough to freshen up and obtain passage on a coastal vessel sailing up the Pacific coast to Humboldt Bay, where he arrived on May 1, 1885. I would like to determine the ship he left Norway on. The ship he left a secondary place on [if there was one].i.e. Hull, Hamburg etc. I believe since he sailed mostly out of Kristiansand that he very well might have left his homeland from that Port, although it is my understanding that it was a small harbor. San Francisco Port records are hit and miss. They weren't the best to start with, then most records compiled earlier were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and ensuing fires. They have few passenger arrival or ship's lists available, especially on line which I am limited to use for researching. I have tried to learn more from the Emigration records in Norway and have been unsuccessful. Can anyone help? Thank you for your patience, Helen Mc nee Gross I would also like to know more about the Barque St. Lawrence, which I have been unable to learn anything about.
Borge	Hei Helen I am not able to help much, but think maybe you will find most of the answers in the Norwegian "Maritime inscription - registers of seamen". below on this page you will find a link to an article about those records. I don't know if the St. Lawrence Martin sailed on could be the same as the [url="http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=stlau"]St. Lawrence [/url] we have in our index, which sailing with emigrants from Namsos in 1867 - mastered by Capt. Z. Tobiasen. Børge Solem
ninakarls	There are two Gross families found in Norway in 1865. Both husbands are born in Germany: 244 512 176 Ø. 18de Qvartal Christiansand Underskrift: E. Gross 10 Personnunner Nytt hushold Fornavn Etternavn Familiestatus Yrke Sivilstand Alder Kjønn Fødested Eduard Gross Huusfader Fabrikmester ved Tugthuset g 47 m Tyskland Regirungsbogrik Dusseldorf Sophie Gross* f Foss Huusmoder g 45 k Christianssand Anna Catrine Gross* Datter ug 18 k Justine Olene Gross* Datter ug 16 k Emma Gross* Datter ug 13 k Eduard Gross* Søn ug 11 m Jacob Gross* Søn ug 9 m Thea Louise Gross* Datter ug 7 k Emilie Sophie Gross* Datter ug 5 k Mathilde Gross* Datter ug 2 k 304 308 40a Skippergaden Vor Frelsers Menighed Christiania Carl Gross Husfader Filhugger g 39 m Grensen Johanne Marie Gross* f Huth Husmoder g 35 k Deshau Otilie Gross Datter 10 k Christiania Carl Gross Søn 8 m Christiania Rosalie Gross Datter 6 k Christiania Nathalie Gross Datter 4 k Emma Gross Datter 2 k
Borge	Nina The "Mathilde Gross* Datter ug 2 k" could be him, taken that it is an error in the online census, so that it should actually be "Martin" not "Mathilde". That would give us "Martin Eduardsen Gross b. 1863". Børge Solem
ninakarls	In 1900-census: Arendal, Kastelveien 19 Emma Gross ug sysselsat med Husstel 1853 Mathilde Gross ug Lærerinde v/Folkeskole 1865 Kristianssand Barbu, Damdalen %Centralgaden, Strømsbu% Carl Schogen Aas. g Kontorfuldmægtig ved Handels og Skibsrederiforretning 1850 Den evangelisk luthersk Frikirke Justine Olene Aas. (maiden name) Gross g Hustru 1850 (born in)Christianssand Esther Aas. Datter 1889 Lilly Aas. Datter 1894 Kristiansand, Kirke Gade 30 Emilie Gross ug Brødudsalg 1861 Frikirken There may be reason to believe that the Gross'es in Norway were of Jewish origin