Lars Sjursen (Louis Severson)

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Topic:

Topic author: kseverson
Subject: Lars Sjursen (Louis Severson)
Posted on: 07/04/2008 20:03:58
Message:

My Grandfather left Bergen 11 july 1901 bound for either the US or Canada. Can anyone help me find the ship name or passenger list for departures that day. He changed his name in the US to Louis Severson from Lars Sjursen, he was born in Leikanger in 1881.

My Great Granmother Kristine Larsen left Bergen 2 april 1903 on a prepaid ticket to Minnesopta. Can anyone help me track down this ship or passenger list.

Would these voyages have been direct or via the UK? I have tried all the internet sources I can find and nothing shows up. I have information for later years from the US and Canada but can't track the arrivals.

Replies:

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 07/04/2008 21:24:26
Message:

Lars Skursen Njøs (20) from Leikanger, Sogn & Fjordane, left Bergen on July 11th, 1901, with a feeder ship belonging to the White Star Line.
It took him to Hull, England where he probably took the train to Liverpool.

Lars Njos (19) departured from Liverpool on July 17th, and arrived New York on July 25th, 1901, with the ship S/S Teutonic, belonging to the White Star Line.

Jan Peter

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 07/04/2008 21:44:54
Message:

Thank you very much. I have been able to find the ship's manifest. It lists his residence as Gasgen. This location does not come up in a search for towns. Do you know where this is?

ks

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 07/04/2008 21:50:46
Message:

"Gasgen" is a transcription error..., it reads Bergen if you take a look at the original manifest...

Lars' residence was Leikanger, but it looks like everybody who departured from Bergen has been listed with last residence = Bergen. The manifest was made up in Liverpool, and they all came with the same feedership from Bergen.

Jan Peter

Reply author: Lester Hanson
Replied on: 07/04/2008 21:51:48
Message:

Here is a strange co-incidence. Lars Sjursen's name appears as a friend to Ananias Vellanger, who arrived on the Saxonia 24 May 1906 in Boston. Ananias was going to Lyle, Minnesota to see Lars.

Here is the data:
Boston Passenger Lists, 1820-1943
Name: Ananias Vellanger
Arrival Date: 24 May 1906
Age: 20 Years
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Gender: Male
Ethnic Background: norwegian
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Ship Name: Saxonia
Port of Arrival: Boston, Massachusetts
Friend's Name: Lars Sjursen
Last Residence: Norway
Microfilm Roll Number: 94

Les

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 07/04/2008 22:06:08
Message:

Amazing. We know he changed his name to Louis Severson but not when.
We know that he brought his mother in 1903 and that she died in Adams in 1905 her name is recorded as Christina Larsen. We know she was born as Kristine Larsdatter Njos in Leikanger in 1857. Her parents were Lars Thommasjen Njos and Kari Olsdatter Aaroen.

Lyle Minnesota is in the same county as Adams. Mower County.

He did not marry until 1917 to Mabel Dahlen from Dahlen North Dakota.

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 07/04/2008 22:09:51
Message:

quote:

---

Originally posted by kseverson

My Great Granmother Kristine Larsen left Bergen 2 april 1903 on a prepaid ticket to Minnesopta. Can anyone help me track down this ship or passenger list.

---

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 07/04/2008 22:30:29
Message:

I can't believe finding all of this information, super thanks very much.

I believe it is Kristine Sofie Larsen Njos, in a recent communication from Yngve Nedrebø Statsarkivet Bergen thjis information was provided---

Lars Sjursen and Kristine Larsdtr Njos

Lars Sjursen Njøs, born 1881, emigrated from Bergen July 11, 1901:

1901 11/7 Lars Skursen Njøs 20 1881 m Leikanger Leikanger ug Søn af Gbr. Stjerne Ja

Kristine Sofie Larsdatter Njøs, born 1857, left Bergen April 2, 1903 bound for Minnesota on a prepaid ticket:

1903 2/4 Kristine Sofie Larsen Njøs 46 1857 f Leikanger ug Tjeneste-pige Dominion p.p. Ja Minn.

Kristine Sofie was a female servant, and unmarried, at the time of her emigration from Norway. It seems little reason to doubt that this is the same Christine Soffie, born in Leikanger 1857, and the daughter of Lars Thomassen Njøs and Kari Olsdatter Aarøen.

I had asked about the birth year as 1857 and 1859 both appear but seems like the 1857 is correct. I have her smallpox vaccination record.

The other Njos I am not aware of, the birth year is the same as my Grandfather. We believe he brought his Mother over alone.

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 07/04/2008 22:53:13
Message:

Christine Sophie Larsen
Birth: 31 OCT 1856
Christening: 23 NOV 1856, Leikanger, Sogn Og Fjordane
Parents: Lars Thomassen & Kari Olsdr

Lars Sjursen Njøs is born 22 Oct 1881 (born out of wedlock)
Parents: Sjur Sjursen Njøs & Kristine Larsdatter

Jan Peter

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 07/04/2008 23:10:06
Message:

Most definitely the same person, my Great Grandmother but there are now 3 different birthdates.

Her vaccination certificate is in Norwegian of course and is dated 6 october 1857 spelling of name is Christine Soffie.

Is it possible to get a copy of her christening record?

Lars Sjursen Njos is correct, his father Sjur Sjursen left Norway 6 months before he was born.

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 07/04/2008 23:16:15
Message:

Her birthdate is October 31, 1856. She was vaccinated at the age of 1.

Christening record #62
Source: Sogn og Fjordane county, Leikanger, Parish register (official) nr. A 8 (1852-1868), Birth and baptism records 1857, page 29.

Jan Peter

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 07/04/2008 23:27:49
Message:

quote:

---

Originally posted by kseverson

Most definitely the same person, my Great Grandmother but there are now 3 different birthdates.

---

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 07/04/2008 23:35:32
Message:

The help you are providing is absolutely amazing! Is it possible to find the christening record for my Grandfather? Lars Sjursen Njos born :

Lars Sjursen Njøs is born 22 Oct 1881 (born out of wedlock)
Parents: Sjur Sjursen Njøs & Kristine Larsdatter

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 07/04/2008 23:40:25
Message:

Very poor quality (out of focus), but record #65 here
Christening: 27 NOV 1881, Leikanger, Sogn Og Fjordane
Source: Sogn og Fjordane county, Leikanger, Parish register (official) nr. A 9 (1869-1888), Birth and baptism records 1881, page 59.

The underlined word in the 5th column reads uægte, which is norwegian for illegitimate child, ie. born out of wedlock.
Btw; his mother Christine Sophie was also born out of wedlock...

Jan Peter

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 08/04/2008 01:23:34
Message:

Obviously fascinating information. Do records go beyond the generation of Christine Sophie's parents?

Interesting to me that the fathers were listed on the birth record even though they were not married to the mother.

We are not aware of any siblings of Lars so with both he and his Mother and his Father having left Norway there are no modern day relatives.

There must be some record of his Father in the USA but I'm not sure that is traceable with the little information that we have.

Once again you have been enormously helpful, these are things my family has wondered about for decades.

Do these parish churches still exist or was it just a parish record not necessarily tied to a church?

Reply author: Hopkins
Replied on: 08/04/2008 03:46:55
Message:

The LDS library catalog lists that Leikanger parish records are available for years as early as 1690.

The Digitalarkivet web site has been adding scanned images of the original Norwegian parish church records for anyone with Internet access since November 2005.

The Digitalarkivet web site - http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/WebFront.exe?slag=vis&tekst=meldingar
An English option is available by clicking on that word from either the left hand column or the blue link bar along the bottom of the homepage.
The scanned images are available from the homepage link "Skanna kyrkjebøker" [Norwegian version]/"Digitised parish records" [English version] which is listed along the left hand column and from the blue banner of links along the top section of the homepage.
After you've clicked on that link and a new main page has presented on the screen be sure and read the instructions that are available from the Digitalarkivet for navigating the scanned records. The instructions are available in Bokmål (official Norwegian), Nyorsk (Norwegian), Davvisámegiella (Saami), and English.
Recommended basic reading are the "Startsiden" [Norwegian version]/"Main page" [English version], "Brukerveiledning" [Norwegian version]/"User's guide" [English version] and "Om tjenesten" [Norwegian version]/"About this service" [English version].

Good information about translating the formats of Norwegian parish church records during various time periods, many of the basic terms used and understanding how to use the information should be studied at this web site -
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~norway/na20.html

Reply author: eibache
Replied on: 08/04/2008 06:51:52
Message:

In the parish clerks record it is in focus, see #32

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 08/04/2008 15:05:41
Message:

Thanks very much. So the same information appears for the same individual in 2 different records, one on page 59 the other on page 17.

Do you know why record books were duplicated?

Reply author: Lester Hanson
Replied on: 08/04/2008 16:42:31
Message:

I belive the primary reason is because of records being destroyed by fires. Very little fire protection in the old days. Copies were made and kept in different places.

Les

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 08/04/2008 16:44:15
Message:

A rescript (~"law") from 1812 instructed the parish clerk to keep/write a churchbook, called the klokkerbok ("parish clerk book"), after the same format as the parish priest's book.

The purpose of this duplication of entries was that they (the priest and the clerk) could compare their books twice a year, to correct and thus avoid mistakes or missing entries.

Also, these two books should not be stored under the same roof, so that in case of fire or accidents, at least one copy would be kept.

Jan Peter

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 08/04/2008 17:00:01
Message:

Entry #4 on page 77 10 march 1893 in the Official Parish Registry for Confirmation is a record for Lars Sjursen but the next columns read 13/2 78 and 3/3 78. If those are birth dates then this is a different Lars Sjursen correct?

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 08/04/2008 17:16:18
Message:

# 17
Source information: Sogn og Fjordane county, Leikanger in Leikanger, Parish register copy nr. A 1 (1873-1916), Confirmation records 1896, page 129.

Jan Peter

Reply author: eibache
Replied on: 08/04/2008 17:31:47
Message:

quote:

---

In the parish clerks record it is in focus, see #32

---

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 09/04/2008 00:54:14
Message:

Sjur Sjursen Kjørnæs (Njøs) (25) left Bergen on a ticket with the Inman Line April 20th, 1881.

But when and where did he arrive in America?

In 1901, Lars Sjursen Njøs arrived New York 14 days after leaving Bergen.
In 1903, Kristine Sofie Larsen Njøs arrived New York 17 days after leaving Bergen.
In 1881, one Lars Olsen Onarheim left Bergen on 21 April 1881 and arrived New York on 14 May 1881 with the Cunard Line

So you would expect Sjur Sjursen Njøs to arrive New York in the beginning of May, 1881.

He might have arrived in Boston or Quebec, but it looks like all the Inman Line ships was headed for New York...?

In 1881, the following Inman Line ships sailed from Liverpool to New York:

S/S City of Chester arrived New York on 02 May 1881
S/S City of Richmond arrived New York on 02 May 1881
S/S City of Montreal arrived New York on 16 May 1881
S/S City of Paris arrived New York on 23 May 1881
S/S City of Berlin arrived New York on 23 May 1881
S/S City of New York arrived New York on 23 May 1881
S/S City of Brussels arrived New York on 28 May 1881
S/S City of Rome -- no arrivals recorded for April-May-June 1881

I could not find him in the New York arrival records, but he might not be indexed, so to be sure you should probably take a look at the original manifests...

Jan Peter

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 09/04/2008 02:25:31
Message:

Thanks I will follow up with the other records.

Sjur Sjursen Njos (father of Louis Severson) was born in 1854 and was the son of Sjur Sjursen (1836) and Kari Nilsdatter (1846). ((the 1875 census for the farm Njos in Leikanger))

This information was sent to us in 1984 from the Statsarkivet i Bergen. Do these records exist only in the census and not in the registers. I can't find any of them.

Thanks again to all of you that have helped thus far.

Reply author: eibache
Replied on: 09/04/2008 08:08:45
Message:

It is most unlikely that Sjur Sjursens mother was born in 1846 if Sjur was born in 1854!
I think Sjur was born in 1855 and that he was a twin see #1
his father Sjur Sjursen Qvale was born in 1836, see #43
Sjur Sjursen (b. 1855) is at Nedre-Njøs in 1865
Sjur Sjursen (b. 1836) in 1865 is
1389
His twin sister Anna is here
Sjur Sjursens (b. 1855) mother Dorte Ellingsdatter was at Kjørnæs when Sjur was born.
In 1865 she was here
and she was born 1839, see #117

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 09/04/2008 17:06:41
Message:

In 1881, the following Inman Line ships sailed from Liverpool to New York:

S/S City of Chester arrived New York on 02 May 1881
S/S City of Richmond arrived New York on 02 May 1881
S/S City of Montreal arrived New York on 16 May 1881
S/S City of Paris arrived New York on 23 May 1881
S/S City of Berlin arrived New York on 23 May 1881
S/S City of New York arrived New York on 23 May 1881
S/S City of Brussels arrived New York on 28 May 1881
S/S City of Rome -- no arrivals recorded for April-May-June 1881

Where can I find these passenger manifests, my searches turn up nothing?

Reply author: Lester Hanson
Replied on: 09/04/2008 19:02:33
Message:

Ancestry.com has these ships manifests lists. If you are not a subscriber, check your local library. Looks like their are a total of 168 pages to go thru.

Les

I browsed through all the manifests by primaily searching just the Norwegian passengers, and did not find Sjursen. Because the handwriting is very crowded, I would give my search accuracy about 70%.

Les

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 09/04/2008 19:14:31
Message:

Kresters l Njos b 1859 [Kristine Sofie Larsen Njøs] arrived Boston, Massachusetts on April 19th, 1903, with the ship S/S Mayflower, belonging to The Dominion Line.
Keistine Njos b. 1881 [Kristine Pedersdtr Njøs] from Leikanger, arrived with the same ship.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I found the manifest on ancestors.com the 2 entries are Kristine L Njos 44, and Kristine Njos 22, both are going to Aiken MN to ther brother and cousin respectively, Ole Mortsen.

That doesn't seem right--

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 09/04/2008 20:25:45
Message:

I went through all the passenger lists carefully there is no Sjursen there.

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 11/04/2008 03:52:35
Message:

I found the 1920 US census showing Louis Severson, wife Mabel and my father Melvin living in Beltrami MN. That record shows Louis year of immigration as 1897.

Where can I find the emmigration records for that year from Norway so I can resolve the discrepancy in dates?

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 30/04/2008 01:56:19
Message:

I have tracked Lars Sjursen to Hermansverk, Leikanger, Njos area. According to an old letter he lived on the "Lars place" near Sjur Formansfjorden gaard.

Are the farm names form 100 years ago still used?

The Sjur gaard above is apparently very near Hermansverk as I have a sketch of the Hermansverk pier (brydja) that my grandfather made in 1912 when he went back to visit.

Is this a farm name?

Is this farm or the descendants from it traceable?

Reply author: eibache
Replied on: 30/04/2008 07:40:21
Message:

Quite a few farm names from 100 years ago still exist - other may have become the name of small towns and others are gone with the wind.
This map can be used to find existing farms. Insert the name (æ,ø,å have to be used) and click SØK (Search).
Several option may come up and you have to click on velg (choose) for your choice.
Zoom in or out and using the Hybrid option to see more names in the map.

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 30/04/2008 23:35:39
Message:

found the following from the 1900 census and no question Lars was living with his Mother and 5 others at Henjesand farm 17 unit 42. When I put this farm name into the map it gives me what I assume are 2 street addresses of local residents one on either side of Hermanswerk.

1900-telling for 1419 Leikanger
Person list Circuit Circuit Farm no. Farm unit no. Farm Outhouse No. of pers. No. of persons No. of pers. domiciled Grain, potatoes Cattle Poultry Bee-hive Vegetable garden Orchard
123 19 Leikanger 5 17 42 Henjesand (Henjum) n 6 6 6 n n n n n n
Household no. Given name Last name Sex Resident Family pos. Marital status Occupation Year of birth Birth place Nationality Religion
745 1 Peder Handal m b Hf g Skomager 1870 Hyllestad n s
746 Britha Anderssen k b Hm g Hm. 1865 Lærdal n s
747 Torvald Pedersen m b S ug S 1896 t n s
748 Martha Pedersen k b D ug D 21031900 t n s
749 1 Kristine Larsen k b EL ug Dagsarbeide 1857 t n s
750 Lars Sjursen m b EL ug Skomager 1881 t

This farm name does not show up on the farm search site. Does that mean it no longer exists?

With your help I've accomplished a lot but perhaps this is the end of the road in Norway! Thanks.

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 03/05/2008 15:05:22
Message:

Entry 62 Leikanger Birth registry 1856 is Christine Sofie. The spelling is unusual, Christine instead of Kristine and the use of a 2nd given name Sofie.
There is a very faint 2 above and below the L under the Sogn column, does this mean something?

Lars Thomasjen Njos and Kari Oldsdatter Nybo are clear but the other words in this column are not. it looks like Alveen Bergen and Aaroen respectively, are those just describing the family or place names of these 2 people?

I can not find Lars in any census or parish registry for Leikanger even though Njos is a well known farm in the area.

In the 1865 census Christine Sofie is shown as a foster daughter of Thomas Edres and Dorthe Larsdatter on the Nedre-Njos farm even though I can find no record of death for either of her parents.

If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate the comments.

Reply author: jwiborg
Replied on: 03/05/2008 15:17:34
Message:

The column you refer to is for the sogn (sub-parish) in Leikanger parish, to indicate which church the child was christened in.

F - Fresvig
L - Lekanger
R - Rinde

Christine Sofie is born out of wedlock, so the number "2" should indicate that Christine Sofie is both the father and the mother's second illegitimate child.

Ungk. Lars Thomassen Njøs (...) paa Alvøen (...) Bergen
Pige Kari Olsdatter Nybø (..) fra Aarøen i Sogndals (...)

Bachelor Lars Thomassen Njøs from Alvøen ... in Bergen.
Girl Kari Olsdatter Nybø from Aarøen in Sogndals parish.

Alvøen and Aarøen are farmnames.

Jan Peter

Reply author: eibache
Replied on: 03/05/2008 21:55:11
Message:

May I offer how the record reads:
Ungk. Lars Thomassen Njøs der nu tjener paa Alvøen wed Bergen
Pige Kari Olsdatter Nybø quinde fra Aarøen i Sogndals Prestegjeld
which is:
Bachelor Lars Thomassen Njøs now a servant at Alvøen close to Bergen.
Girl Kari Olsdatter Nybø woman from Aarøen in Sogndals parish

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 04/05/2008 03:52:47
Message:

Thanks.

Entry #64 Sogndal birth register 1838 Kari Oldsdatter Aaroen

I can't read the word under the name of the parents. Can you tell me what it is?

Reply author: eibache
Replied on: 04/05/2008 07:06:41
Message:

It is an abbreviation Hmdf. (Huusmandsfolk) - Cotter people

Reply author: kseverson
Replied on: 04/05/2008 15:50:39
Message:

The draft land registry from 1950--for example the following entries for Njos Farm #24 shows the owners in 1950, there are a total of 104, but what does the "0 mark 80 ore" mean and why overstroket (crossed out)?


4 Hermansverk 0 mark 80 øre Henrik P. Knutsen Njøs (overstrøket)
5 Hermansverk 0 mark 16 øre Johannes Johs. Njøs Njøs (overstrøket)

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