The Laurdal (ex "Statica Morse", named after the daughter of the ship building family in Phippsburg Maine, she was married to Captain Eli Perry) was built in 1850 at Phippsburg in Maine, USA. Her burden was 303 Norwegian Commercial lasts. According to some research done by Cordell Kittelson, the original name of the ship seams to have been "Statica Morse". After some service she ran aground in either 1854 or 1855, then sold off at auction to a Norwegian concern. At the time of the Laurdal's voyages with emigrants, the owner was P. M. Petersen in Porsgrunn. The Laurdal sailed with emigrants from Norway from 1863 till 1872.

In 1863 the Laurdal (rigged as a bark) departed from Porsgrund on April 2nd, and arrived at Quebec on June 8th. She was sailing in ballast, and was carrying 77 cabin and 26 steerage passengers. She arrived at the quarantine station on Grosse Île on June 8th, and proceeded Quebec the same day. There had been one birth on the voyage. Master was Capt. Petersen. Because the National Archives of Canada [NAC] did not start the archiving of passenger lists before 1865, and the Norwegian emigration records did not start before 1867, there is no surviving passenger list for this voyage in any of those archives. In 1864 she departed from Porsgrunn Apr. 9th, and arrived at Quebec May 21st. She was mastered by Capt. Petersen. There is no surviving passenger list for this voyage, see above. In 1865 she departed Porsgrunn on Apr. 9th and arrived at Quebec on May 22nd. She was carrying 372 passengers. Her tonnage was given to be 648 tons, and she was mastered by Capt. J. L. Petersen. The passenger list is kept by the National Archives of Canada [NAC].

Newspaper announcement from Correspondenten in Skien, 13th January 1864: Passenger accommodation for America. The ship "Laurdal" burden 300 Norwegian Commercial lasts, belonging to Mr. P. M. Petersen a.o., mastered by Captain L. Petersen, will sail with passengers from Porsgrund to Quebec in April this year if a sufficient number signs on within medio February. Fees and other conditions can be negotiated with the undersigned, where enrolling also is done. Skien 10th January 1864. J. Ericksen

In 1866 she departed Porsgrunn on Apr. 8th, and arrived at Quebec May 29th. She was sailing in ballast, and was carrying 327 steerage passengers and 22 cabin passengers. 3 infants had died of marasmus and there had been born during the Atlantic crossing. She was mastered by Capt. J. L. Petersen, and had a crew of 17. The passenger lists are kept by the National Archives of Canada [NAC]. In 1867 the Laurdal departed from Porsgrunn on Apr. 18th, and arrived at Quebec on May 28th. She was carrying 352 passengers. Master was Capt. J. L. Petersen. (613 tons) The passenger list is kept by the National Archives of Canada [NAC].

Renee Dawson have sent us the following story that was written by Clarence Swendseid:

Rolliev Swendseid decided to venture across the sea in 1867 and engaged passage for his family, as well as his widowed mother, Dordi Olvsdatter Kleppe Svendseid, as well as his brother Olav and his sister Anne. He did leave one son in Norway who was to inherit his uncle's farm, but Tov did not tarry long, he came to join his parents a year later. The ocean passage was made abroad the Laurdal, a small sailing vessel that embarked from Porgrunn. Grandmother Swendseid often told of this journey across the broad Atlantic how the mothers would cook the meals for their families out on the open deck. How they had scant provisions for this long sea voyage, what a problem it was to fed this hungry family with salt pork flatbread, dried meat. This indeed a great undertaking and no one knew what the promised land would be. A baby was born on board the Laurdal in mid ocean. Father often told of this event. The first mate baptized the baby Laura Atlanta. The Laura from the ship's name and since the baby was born in mid ocean her second name was Atlanta. It seems peculiar that we had tow Lauras in our family. No doubt father insisted on these names. My brother Theodore married a Laura. To carry on this matter along we have an Atlanta as well. Anthony called his oldest daughter Eleanor Atlanta. Father was nine years old when he crossed the ocean the first time. This baptism on board the sailing vessel must have made a great impression on him. I can visualize that scene. The ships company and passengers standing on deck, the heavy seas, the weather beating, first mate reading the baptismal vows, giving the infant the name Laura Atlanta. Many years later father met this girl at one of the Telemarkenlags, she had grown to womanhood in South Dakota.

In 1868 she departed from Porsgrunn on Apr. 19th, and arrived at Quebec on June 8th. She was carrying 336 passengers. Master was Capt. J. L. Petersen. (585 tons) The passenger list is kept by the National Archives of Canada [NAC]. In 1869 the Laurdal departed from Porsgrunn on Apr. 12th, and arrived at Quebec on May 18th. She was sailing in ballast, and was carrying 335 steerage passengers and 15 cabin passengers. One child died of pneumonia, John age 2, son of Halvor Østensen and Kirsti. Also on this voyage the Laurdal was mastered by Capt. J. L. Petersen, and she had a crew of 19. (585 tons) The passenger list is kept by the National Archives of Canada [NAC].

In 1870 the Laurdal departed from Porsgrunn on Apr. 12th and arrived at Quebec on June 12th. She was sailing in ballast, and was carrying 333 steerage passengers and 18 cabin passengers. There was an outbreak of measles, and when the ship arrived at the quarantine station on Grosse Île twelve were sick. They were landed. There were births on the voyage, on May 24th, Kittel, son of Ole Gulbjørnsen and Geni Tollefsdatter, on June 12th, Halvor, son of Even Aslaksen and Gunhild, and on May 26th, Hans Christ, son of Jacob Tollefsen and Anne. There were also two deaths after the arrival at Grosse Île, the first on June 14th, Nini age 2, the daughter of Torsten and Bergit and the second on June 8th, which was an elderly person. The Laurdal was mastered by Capt. J. L. Pedersen as usual, and had a crew of 16. (600 tons) The passenger list is kept by the National Archives of Canada [NAC]. In 1871 the Laurdal departed from Porsgrunn on Apr. 16th, and arrived at Quebec on June 5th. She was sailing in ballast, and was carrying 7 cabin and 187 steerage passengers. There were 3 births on the voyage, and one child had died from bronchitis. It was 6 months old Østen, son of Ole Aasmundsen (32) and his wife Ingeborg (38). Master was Capt. J. L. Petersen, with a crew of 16. The passenger list is kept by the National Archives of Canada [NAC]. In 1872 she departed from Porsgrund on Apr. 13th, and arrived at Quebec on June 1st. She was mastered by Capt. J. L. Petersen and was carrying 241 passengers The passenger list is kept by the National Archives of Canada [NAC].

The ship Laurdal crowded with emigrants at Østsiden dampskipsbrygge in April 1870, preparing to depart for America
Photographer: unknown. - Source: Porsgrunn bibliotek - License: Contact Porsgrunn bibliotek

Passenger ticket for Tollef Tollefson in 1867