Who was my grandad ?
nilbergMy granddad ENGVALD (NILBERG) was born 29. september 1889. His mother was Marie Iversen and his father unknown (actually his father was a shipowner in Trondheim, Norway whom Marie Iversen worked for. We don't know his name). At the age of 15 (approx 1904-05) he was sent (by his father) to America to get an education. He started his own business over there and was (or so I have been told) moderately wealthy. He was a member of Nordmanns-Forbundet and left America just before WW1. It was meant to be a short visit to marry my grandmother Emilie Lillevold Johansen, but as the big war started she did not want to go. They stayed in Norway and later moved to Strømmen, Norway, where they stayed untiol my grandfathers death at by cancer 42 years old. I've been searching the web for information about his life in America. We're having problems because we don't know if he took the name Nilberg before or after leaving Norway for America. My aunt thought his fathers name was Johan and that he might have used the name Johansen. OR the his mothers name Iversen. Search in Norwefian databases has not helped to find any records of his birth or of his mother Marie. We wonder if he started a family in America before he went back to Norway and that this might be the reason why he did not return ..... Any ideas where we can go from here ? Kind regards Elisabeth Nilberg
TrondHei Elisabeth, At Digitalarkivet’s record of emigrants leaving Trondheim there is information of Engvald (Ingvald Johan) leaving Trondheim in May 30, 1906 on the steamship Salmo for Hull England. His final destination was Edgerton, Wisconsin. According to the Ellis Island records Engvald arrived in New York on June 13 on the S/S Caronia of Cunard Line. He is filed under the name Ingvald Nelberg There is no scanned image of the manifest, but the manifest might give some additional information where he was going in the US and other valuable information about Engvald. Trond Austheim Edited by - Trond on 15/10/2002 00:38:40
nilbergThanks Trond ! I did find Invald Johan Nilberg in Digitlarkivet under Emigrants from Trondheim 1867-1930. But things did'nt look right. Of course this is because my old aunt has not been told the complete truth. After your message I checked Digitalarkivet again, and came up with Invald Olsen born 1889 (no Nilbergs) in the "1900-telling" for Trondheim. And guess what ! He lived with his unmarried mother Marie Iversen and brother Birger Johansen. They were supported by fattighuset...no wonder this is not a topic in my family ! This must be the right person, as when my grandfather came back to Norway and later married, he called his firstborne son Birger. Does this seem plausible to you, am I on the right track ? Kind regards Elisabeth
thelebrityThis looks very plausible to me, although it weakens the theory about the father being a ship owner from Trondheim, as the 1900 records stats that Ingvald was born in Dønna, Nordland. The parish registers of Dønna aren't online, but a look up at the state archives of Trondheim should reveal the father. Per Helge Seglsten
nilbergHello again ! I think the shipowner bit is made up to make family history sound better than it is. Dønnes sound plausible, as his mother is born in Næsne, which is the same area on Helgelandskysten. She probably lost her job and went back home to give birth. Didn't make things better that she had another son out of wedlock som years later (Birger). My grandmother is said to be from Næsna which also fits in...I'll keep on searching. My aunt is 80 and her mamory is a bit selective. Have found some Nilbergs in the US, I'll write them and check if there's a link. Thanks for all your help so far ! Kind rgds Elisabeth
thelebrityFrom the records you can see that Birger is born in Trondheim with another father (the Jacobsen your aunt mentioned?). I would think that if anybody in this mystery is a ship owner it's Birger's father. Ingvald was probably born in Dønna before Maria moved to Trondheim. Another mystery seems to be the name Nilberg. I cant find it to be a farm name. Do you have a clue? Per Helge Seglsten
thelebrityThis is probably Maria in the 1865 census: http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=arkivverket/ft1865/f61828&variabel=0&postnr=2840&fulle=true&spraak=7 unfortunately she is a fosterchild, so it's hard to find her parents without any baptism records. This might be Maria in the 1875 census. It doesn't give much new, except that her middle name is Jonette. http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=arkivverket/ft1875/f71828&variabel=0&postnr=3097&fulle=true&spraak=F [url][/url][url][/url] Per Helge Seglsten
nilbergThanks again guys ! I had a loooong talk with my old aunt, and she admitted that her father had a halfbrother named Birger Johansen (she did not remember untile I told her). She is determined that Ingvald/Engvalds father was a shipowner, and that he paid his ticket to US, his stay and his education AND fixed him up in business in Nittedal when he came back to Norway before the big war (1914). I found a person that could be (or not) his daugher. Born 3/4-1911. Edith Nilberg unfortunately died 17/10-01. But I will write the rest of the Nilbergs there and check if they know anything about their family history. This family history business is quite consuming, can't think about anything else and hardly get any work done here at work ! Kind regards Elisabeth
nilbergSorry, forgot some info here. My father and his sister claims my grandfather took the name Nilberg before leaving for the US. From WHERE ? We don't know. Have not found anybody in Norway with this name except our known family. It's not from a farm, I think he simply made it up....after all there IS a lot of Olsens ! I also received info that there is a big "america suitcase" in the attick of my aunts house. She will not let anybody up there. I tried when I was there a week ago, but no way ! I have talked to my father (who visits her once a week) to make a try. Interesting ! Rgds Elisabeth
thelebrityThere are other Nilbergs in Norway. At least a bass player in a blues band in the Stavanger area. Found him on the net. Good luck with gettin permission to open the suitcase in the attic. Per Helge Seglsten
nilbergHello again ! All Nilbergs in Norway are our family, - as far as I know. My father Bjarne Brann, my aumt Bergliot, my brother Bjørn the blues player - his wife Carol Stewart Nilberg (they currently lives in the US), my nephew Thomas lives in Denmark, and myself..... I found a Jon in the US, have sent him an e-mail...waiting for answer Thanks again ! Elisabeth
nilbergHello again ! All Nilbergs in Norway are our family, - as far as I know. My father Bjarne Brann, my aumt Bergliot, my brother Bjørn the blues man (guitarist and singer) - his wife Carol Stewart Nilberg (they currently lives in the US whre my brother works for DNV), my nephew Thomas lives in Denmark, and myself..... I found an Olaus Nilberg from Tretten in Troms, who died during the war (he was amerchant marine and his ship was hit). I found a Jon in the US, have sent him an e-mail...waiting for answer Thanks again ! Elisabeth
nilbergJust a few lines to tell you how my searching is getting on. As I told you I found 6 persons in the US with my surname. Two of them dead, and one listed twice under Jon and Jonathan. I just received an answer from Jon in Apple Valley, CA. He told me their family originated from Estonia. His father Peter age 61 (not on my list) and his parents and brothers arrived just after WW2. We're not related, but have decided to keep in touch anyway. The only one unaccounted for is Edith Nilberg, whom he didn't know. Peters brother Eric lives in Vancoucer,BC and Peter and Eric might have more to tell. Maybe they know abouth Edith,- then I can tick her off my list as well ! This is exciting, new friends, even if they're not related
thelebrityIn 1894 Marie was living at Hospitalsløkken 19 in Trondheim according to the Trondhjem adress registers: http://www.tfb.no/db/adresseboktrondheim/1894/3_0_20021002_145912.pdf I can't find her in the registers of 1893, but a plumber named Iver Iversen lives at Hospitalsløkken 19 this year. Could it be someone related to Marie? http://www.tfb.no/db/adresseboktrondheim/1894/3_0_20021002_145912.pdf[url][/url][url][/url] Per Helge Seglsten
thelebrityIt' s probably just a coincidence that Iver Iversen lives at Hospitalsløkken in 1893-4. He is in Trondheim also when Ingvald is born in Dønna. Per Helge Seglsten
nilbergThanks ! I never expected to get more info from this page ! Iver Iversen might be related, but Iversen, or Iversdatter is Maries maiden name. We know she worked in Trondheim when she got pregnant, but probably went back to Dønna to give birth. My grandmother was also from the same area and my grandfathers cousin, - on maries side of course, as we don't know anything about my grandfathers father other than that he lived in Trondheim. My aunt knows more, but she refuse to talk about it....my father is working on it..... rgds Elisabeth
BorgeThat Marie who was living at Hospitalsløkken 19 in 1894, was actually living just next to my gggrandfather's house. He lived in number 16 Børge Solem
thelebrityAs Ingvald is born in Dønna and his halfbrother is born in Trondheim, I would think that Marie Iversen came to Trondhjem about when she first appears in the adress books - around 1893/94. In 1894 she makes a living from sewing. There was a national census in Norway in 1891. I think you would find Marie and Ingvald in that census - in Dønna. Unfortunately it's not microfilmed yet, so you wold have to get someone at the Riksarkivet in Oslo or someone with the time to do a lookup to check the census for you. Or make a trip to Norway yourself - lots of americans visit the Riksarkivet in Oslo during the summers to search for ancestors. Here is the english web page of Riksarkivet: http://www.riksarkivet.no/english/about.html[url][/url] Per Helge Seglsten
thelebrityJust to inform you that Marie Moved from hospitalsløkken to Kirkegaten 57 (57 Church street) between 1896 and 1897: http://www.trondheim.folkebibl.no/db/adresseboktrondheim/1897/3_2_20021105_131227.pdf[url][/url] Per Helge Seglsten
nilbergThanks again ! You guys are JUST GREAT ! So far I've reach a dead end in my search for my grandads life in the US. I have sent a letter to Soceial Security services with Edith Nilberg SSC no (from US Search) WITH a check of US$ 27 and ansked for a total printout. Hopefully her application will include parents name. As far as I know all US citizens had to fill in a sort of form when this system started in the 1930's. This could be my fathers half sister and my aunt ! I'll let you know ! In Norway I have found some more info about my grandads half brother Birger. Their mother Marie apparantly died when they were quite young, I guess it must have been around the time Engvald left for the US. Birger also changed his name to Nilberg and kept in touch with his cousin Erik (my grandma's brother). Unfortunately Erik is long gone...I think I know who his children are, and maybe his grandchildren. Anyways...Birger lived in Trondheim and was a goldsmith there. He married a lady called Ingrid. My old aunt in Norway, Bergliot, visited him in Trondheim or at Inderøya (she cannot remember) sometime after WW2. He was also visiting at Strømmen. And he gave my aunt some silver cutlery he had made for her. I don't know if this was before or after Engvalds death. Ingrid died some years later and they did not have any children. I have also been in contact with a guy called Johansen in western Norway with the middle name Nilberg. He did not have a clue where the name came from, he "inheritet" the name from an uncle who lived at the Finnmark coast. His uncle also had it as a middle name. This guy did not want to talk to me and was not interested, so I just gave up ! .... after checking for Nilbergs all along the Finnmark coast ! Next step is as you recommended to check the registers in Trondheim.... Thanks again ..... the seach goes on !
thelebrityHi again! Just a little more about Marie Iversen's movements in Trondheim: In the 1900 census she is living in Rosenborggaten (Rosenborg street) 26. But in the 1900-01 adress book of Trondheim she is living at Øver Bakklandet (Upper Bakklandet) 46. At the same adress one Anna Iversen (also making a living from sewing) is living. Hope this is any help at all. Per Helge Seglsten
nilbergThanks again Helge ! The Norway side of my search is more or less finished. All the Nilbergs are found and accounted for and I'm not getting further back than the 1865 census. I'm still waiting for the information from US Social Security (the total printout) re. Edith Nilberg, who may/may not be a relation. All other Nilbergs in the US are accounted for. One is my brother and his wife, the others originating from Eastern Europe. I sent Edith's request more than a moth ago but still have no answer. I have also posted messages on different message boards but had no luck so far. You're the only one giving feedback here ! I'll let you know what the Social Security thing turns up (if anything). In the meantime, I wish you and your family a happy new year ! Regards Elisabeth N
nilbergNews for the Nilbergs (still don't have a clue where the name comes from). A cousin of mine in Norway (I never knew I had one) was searching for info on our family and found this site. She contacted me and we have shared our info. She found our great grandfather ! His name was Krüger/Krueger. He was married 4 times, rich and it's said he owned Nittedal Fyrstikfabrik. This can explain his contact with Hambro. Krüger lived in Dønna at one time, but we cannot find his name in the records. Our great Grandmother Marie Iverdatter was exceptionally pretty, or so we've been told...The story say Krüger paid for my grandfathers US passage and his eduation bacause he saw that his son was an intelligent young man... My grandfather also worked for one of his ventures when he came back to Norway just before WW1. My cousin has placed a request with Nittedal Bibliotek to find out more. Any ideas how we can find out more about this Krüger caracter ? Regards Elisabeth Nilberg
BorgeOooops, could that be Ivar Krueger, the well known Swedish Match King The story of Krueger’s decline and fall is told in a book by John Train - "Famous Financial Fiascos" Børge Solem Edited by - Borge on 14/02/2003 23:07:25
nilbergOh my, I certainly hope this is NOT the right guy ! I checked the net and this WAS a rich guy, but not very popular... Have to check this out closer....and read some more. Found a picture of him on the net,- if we put in a little goodwill there is some likeness to my grandfather, big nose and full lips. But that does not explain what a rich man like that was doing in Dønna. The search goes on ! Thanks again. Regards Elisabeth
nilbergPuh, Ivar Krueger is NOT my great grandfather. What a relief ! In his autobiography is said: "1900 Exam as construction engineer in Stockholm with high marks. Want to marry his Norwegian girlfriend but her guardian says no, due to Kreugers financial shortcomings. Goes to New York and works in different construction companies." Sounds like my gransfathers story, - engineering and emigrating to the US. Working with construction and architecture. All fits very well. BUT Krueger was born in 1880 and my grandfather in 1889...father a child at 9 ? I don't think so....Another dead end. Another farmname has also popped up - Rotnæs in/near Nittedal, we're working on that as well.
nilbergNEW IMPORTANT INFO ! GRANDFATHER FOUND - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED !!!! Cousin have received info from Nittedal Bibliotek. My great grandfather was Lorentz Didrik Klüver (not Kruger). He was a shipowner and also owned Rotnæs Bruk in Nittedal. Have also found a homepage http://home.no.net/lorentzd/, owner of page is the grandson of my great grandfather, he is the son of my grandfathers halfbrother. Long family history back to the 1200 century in Germany. I sent him an e-mail, and I've received a reply. All details are correct. GGF was a shipowner and owned Rotnæs Brug at the time in question. Home page guy has not heard of my grandfather or our name, but he will check things out his end. I also found out some more reasons why my family "kept it in the dark", but that's another story ! I will thank you all for inputs and info you have given through the last 6 months ! Thanks again.... and I will keep you posted re Edit, probably another one of my grandfathers daughters ???? Regards Elisabeth Edited by - nilberg on 16/02/2003 10:45:26 Edited by - nilberg on 19/02/2003 10:36:04 Edited by - nilberg on 19/02/2003 10:37:24
nilbergI got no further in my search. Edith Nilbergs papers are not official, even if we paid to get social security record. No records of other family there. The Klüwer family have not answered several requests and are clearly not interested in contact. [V] But today we found something.....I gave my name to a client at work. And he recognised the name Nilberg. He told me there used to be a mayor at Liland in Evenes Kommune, Norway with the name of Nilberg. We will now check this link ..... [8D]
jurnieDO you have any clues on the names of these Krugers. There as Ive been finding out TWO prominent Krugers in Norway. My family is from the Bergen Area. Then there is a branch in northern Norway. Which may be one of my 5th Great Uncles. Feel free to email me if you need Janet kruger
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Originally posted by nilberg
News for the Nilbergs (still don't have a clue where the name comes from). A cousin of mine in Norway (I never knew I had one) was searching for info on our family and found this site. She contacted me and we have shared our info. She found our great grandfather ! His name was Krüger/Krueger. He was married 4 times, rich and it's said he owned Nittedal Fyrstikfabrik. This can explain his contact with Hambro. Krüger lived in Dønna at one time, but we cannot find his name in the records. Our great Grandmother Marie Iverdatter was exceptionally pretty, or so we've been told...The story say Krüger paid for my grandfathers US passage and his eduation bacause he saw that his son was an intelligent young man... My grandfather also worked for one of his ventures when he came back to Norway just before WW1. My cousin has placed a request with Nittedal Bibliotek to find out more. Any ideas how we can find out more about this Krüger caracter ? Regards Elisabeth Nilberg