Ship Norden, Gott. Thomsen

From Peter Gandrud in Minnesota we have received some material he has collected about the ship Norden, on which his Grindheim ancestors from Mosterøen crossed in 1867.

The ship NORDEN was built at Bath, Maine in 1849. It was built and owned by Thomas Harwood who sold it that same year to London interests. Its original name was ZENOBIA. It was sold to a Bergen shipowner in 1863 and the name changed to NORDEN. She was a full-rigged ship of about 833 gross register tons. In 1866 the Norden departed from Bodø on June 3rd, and arrived at Quebec on August 8th. She was sailing in ballast, and was carrying 443 steerage passengers and 27 cabin passengers. 3 children died during the crossing. when the ship arrived at the quarantine station on Grosse Île, 3 of the passengers were ill with debility and diarrhoea. 6 children had been born on voyage. She was mastered by Capt. S. Haavaldsen and had a crew of 18. According to the local newspaper "Bergensposten" in a notice dated May 8th, 1867, the "Norden" was cleared to sail on the 8th but left Bergen on the 9th of May. According to other sources she departed from Bergen May 10th, and arrived at Quebec on June 19th with 437 passengers. In 1875 it was sold to Drammen (Norway) where it belonged until 1891.

The emigrant ship NORDEN at Drammen
(on this picture rigged as a bark)