BLACK DEATH in Norway

My grandmother Dagmar was the last of our line to be born on the family farm, Øvald.
Øvald had lain vacant and bare since the Black Death decimated Norway. 
Her 7th great-grandmother, Maria Lukretia von Boeselager, a German immigrant, bought Øvald as a christening gift for her granddaughter, Sophia. 

I direct you to the website "Norwegian Genealogy and then some" and an interesting and informative article on the Black Death in Norway by Martin Roe Eidhammer.

click here→ THE BLACK DEATH (Svartedauden) in Norway

The blog NORWEGIAN GENEALOGY AND THEN SOME has many articles of interest should you, as I am, be interested in our Norwegian family history, 

Check it out as I highly recommend,

Here also is my post on Øvald → Dagmar's Ancestral Home - Øvald

Christmas In Norway (Jul i Norge) - Norwegian Christmas Traditions, Food...

Time to make everything "KOSELIG"

 This has been a tough, grievous year for me. And now comes winter?

The view from my Suburban Chicago patio door. Ugh, our first snow. Winter can be harsh in the Midwest. Take a hint from the Norwegians. It's time to make everything... 

"KOSELIG"

The Norwegians define Koselig as "creating a warmth inside their home that does not exist anymore in the outdoors". Koselig is a warm comfortable home, a home filled with warm quilts and candles. Koselig is a state of mind as well as an action. A warm embrace and a positive attitude. Norwegians embrace the unavoidable necessity of the weather and craft it into a opportunity to enjoy the company of others and a connection with nature.

Sounds like just what I need as winter sets in across Chicagoland. 

For me? I will light my favorite scented candle, wrap in my favorite scrappy quilt, lay on the sofa and sip my coffee. I think I will enjoy a Downton Abby marathon with my dog Gus snuggled at my feet!

My Gus, waiting for me to join him

Tomorrow, I will invite a few close friends for an afternoon of cheese, crackers, wine, talk and laughter. Maybe a game of cards. Lord, how I love those ladies who love me.

"KOSELIG"

A state of mind that appreciates the moment and finds joy, even in challenging situations.

 

 Joy, that's my choice this winter,

1893 Columbian Exposition Viking Ship finds a permanent home after 132 years!

Replica Viking Ship now in Geneva, Illinois

The GOKSTAD, the Viking ship that the Geneva's ship is a replica of, was unearthed in 1880 in a Norwegian burial ground. Norwegian researchers determined it was dated to about 900 A.D. . It is now in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo Norway. 

Captain Magnus Andersen, a Norwegian mariner and journalist, forwarded the idea to build a replica with the same materials, tools, and design as the GOKSTAD had been 900 years earlier. 15 brave Norwegian men sailed her from the North Sea to Chicago to exhibit her in the Columbia Exposition. To say Leif Erickson came here 500 years earlier in a similiar vessel?

After the fair she was sailed down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. The captain went to Washington D.C. to propose she go to the Smithsonian but that did not happen. Instead she returned to Chicago where she was anchored in the Jackson Park Lagoon as a permanent exhibit.

In 1920 she was moved to Lincoln Park. In 1983, to expand the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Chicago Park District planned to give her over to the Museum of Science and Industry. The museum intended to display her as a focal point of a new section devoted to maritime and navigation. She was temporarily stored in West Chicago, Illinois untill 1993. The American Scandinavian Council assumed responsibility for her restoration when she went to be displayed at the Good Templar Park in Geneva, Illinois

 Finally, now in 2025 she will get a permanent indoor home. Property has been bought in downtown Geneva by the "Friends of the Viking Ship", a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to preserve her for public display in a permanent museum with climate control.

Geneva, Illinois is just 30 miles west of Chicago. I have seen her in the Good Templar Park and I have also seen the original GOKSTAD in the Oslo Museum. A little far to head to Oslo Norway? Geneva Illinois is a trip worth taking.

*right click to enlarge for easier viewing*

200th Anniversary of Norwegian Immigration to America

 The journey began on July 4, 1825, when 52 passengers set sail from Stavanger aboard the sloop Restauration, seeking religious freedom, economic opportunity, and a new life in North America

One hundred years ago my Norwegian grandparents came to America.  Two hundred years ago came the first Norwegians. Read about it in a favorite blog of mine

                                      NORWEGIAN GENEALOGY AND THEN SOME

Check out also other interesting posts the author, Martin Roe, has blogged. A great help especially to beginning Norwegian genealogists.

Thank you Martin!

Mommy in Norway - 1947

 

My Mom, Grace Sevald, 19 years old, posing for the camera on a joyous trip to Norway to visit family. This trip was particularly joyous as our American family had not heard from their Norwegian family in years.  Norway had been occupied by Germany in WWII. Luckily they discovered all of their family had survived the Nazi occupation unharmed.

Norway's National Day - All About 17 May Syttende Mai

An important celebration in Norway perhaps not very well understood by Americans of Norwegian backround. Happy Syttende Mai!

WWII: VICTORY IN EUROPE: D-Day to V-E Day Celebrated Across the Globe, May 5, 1945

         

Victory in Europe Day meant the long march from Omaha Beach to Berlin was over.

My Dad, Melvin Kallman, would be coming home.

Thank you Dad, Uncle Arnold Sevald, Uncle Howard Johnson, Cousins Soderstrom, Jacobson, Kallman and all the others who served. Members of "The Greatest Generation".

Norway Cities: The 8 Must-Visit Cities in Norway

April 1865, Norwegian Family in the Civil War

April 1865 the U. S. Civil War ended. 

The Family farm Øvald had been worked by our family since 1650. By 1865 my third great grandmother Johanna Elisabeth and her husband Nils Jensen had inherited the familial right to farm on Øvald. Her younger sister, Karen, was not so lucky. She was widowed with three daughters. She remarried and she, her husband and three daughters were the first in our family to head for a chance of a new life in America. In America her daughter Hanna married another Norwegian immigrant named Charles Oleson. 

 November 27, 1861 Charles enlisted as a private in the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry to fight with the Union in the Civil War. So far this cousin, 4 times removed, is the first I find, and perhaps the only in our family who fought in the Civil War.

Charles Oleson 1843-1907

The 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry initially recruited 1,127 officers and men. An additional 998 men were recruited as replacements for a total of 2,125 men.

The regiment suffered 24 enlisted men killed or died from wounds in action and 4 officers and 284 enlisted men who died of disease for a total of 312 fatalities.*

*Wikipedia 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment

Half a century now - My Mother is gone

It seems so long ago, yet like yesterday. My Mom died 50 years ago today.  I am now 25 years older than Mom was when she died. Unlike me, she never had the aches, pain and losses of old age. but never the joys of getting older either. She missed out on lots. But in my opinion the greatest joy? She never lived to know her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

My Mother
Grace Gunhild Sevald Kallman
b. March 4, 1927 Chicago, Illinois
d. April 21, 1975 Park Ridge, Illinois

    The greatest tragedy? They never knew her.

The Anne and Svend Tolstad Family

 

This is Anne and Svend Tolstad and family, Anne was the sister of my great grandfather Anders Sevaldsen. She and her husband Svend, who was a teacher, had two daughters, Karen and Sigrun.

Anders wife, my great grandmother Anne Marie, died in 1909 of childbed fever. Their seven young children were now motherless. Anders quickly remarried and his new wife agreed to keep 2 of the younger children. The others were farmed out to family members to help work their farms. Magda, my grandfather's sister, is pictured in the middle. She spoke of a happy loving childhood with her beloved aunt and uncle, Anne and Svend. She was the luckiest of the siblings. Or so she said.

Magda would immigrate to the U.S. as my grandfather did. She married and had three children there, but ultimately returned to Verdal, Norway where she remembered a happy childhood.

Earlier extended family immigrate to the U.S.

 My grandmother emigrated from Norway in 1924, Members of her family had emigrated far earlier. 

My 4th great grandparents, Ole Gundersen 1775-1860 & Karen Halvorsdatter, had ten children. As often happened in the past, only 3 would reach adulthood. Four sons to inherit the farm had passed. Three of the six girls remained; Aaste Helene, Joanne Elisabeth and Karen Oline. Aaste, the oldest child never married. Johanne, the eighth child and her husband Nils Jensen, my third great grandparents, inherited the right to work the farm Øvald. Karen, the baby? She married but unfortunately her husband died young. She remarried and she, her husband and children left for America in 1863. They settled in Michigan.

Here is a lovely photo of four of Karen's grandaughters. I found this on Ancestry.com posted by a DNA cousin.

Anna Oleson Lee  1877-1920

Jessie Oleson Hood  1883-1955

Mabel Oleson  1884-1974

Louise Oleson  1875-1951

  I do love those upswept hairdos, Louise however could use a do-over.

1920 Norwegian Census - Paul Sevaldsen in Skien, Norway

In 1920 my grandfather Paul is working in Skien Norway as a chauffeur. My grandmother is working in Oslo where she recently went after the breakup with her boyfriend Harald. 

Harald and Paul were friends and Paul now confided to Harald that he was interested in the dark-haired Dagmar. Harald, still mad, said "fine with me, you can have her". Paul then went to Oslo to find Dagmar.

Paul and Dagmar soon returned to Skien together. They married in 1922.

The story of Dagmar and Harald can be found HERE

Frogner Park | Vigeland Sculpture Park Oslo Norway

Frogner Park. Just beautiful, if ever in Oslo you must visit. I did!

Maren Eliasdatter Stene

 My grandfather, Paul, immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century. He no doubt had the "Amerika fever" as did many of his family before him. The mid 19th century saw many, many of my Norwegian family coming to the United States for a better life.

 My 4X removed cousin, Maren Eliasdatter, married John Johnsen in 1862. They and their two boys, John and Christopher, left Verdal Nord-Trøndelag and immigrated to Grant county Minnesota. The couple had another boy in Minnesota, Anneus (Andrew).

John Johnsen Stene 1830-1885, Maren Eliasdatter 1832-1888
Anneus Edward Stene 1872-1960

In Minnesota the family dropped their patronymic names and took on the name of their farm in Norway. The farm Stene. This photo is in the collection of my 5th cousin, a DNA match!

1920 Norwegian Census - Dagmar Gundersen in Oslo Norway

 The 1920 Norwegian Census is the latest that is released to the public. Here I find my grandmother Dagmar working as househelp in the home of Thorvald Richardt the "director of the research council". I am not sure what that title entails but it sounds impressive doesn't it? She is working in Kristiania (now known as Oslo). The story Grandma told me was that a friend of hers from her home town was working in Oslo and told her she could get her a good job there if she wished. She had had a fight with her boyfriend Harald and stomped off to Oslo in defiance. Harald's friend, my future grandfather Paul, followed her there and the rest is history.

1937 Visit to Skien, Telemark, Norway

 

On a 1937 visit to my grandmothers family in Norway my grandfather, Paul Sevald, poses with his father-in-law Nils and two of his brothers-in-law, Frithjof and Sigvold.

Johannes Johannesen signs a contract to go to Chicago.

Emigrating from Norway to America was a fairly involved process. The Norwegian emigrant would sign a contract with an agent. That agent would, for a price, arrange the trip every step of the way, from Norway to England to the U.S. and to the final destination. They would meet the emigrant at the takeoff point giving them instructions and tickets for each step of the journey. An additional agent would meet the emigrant at each stop along the way insuring a safe and correct journey to the final destination.

This is the contract signed by my cousins grandfather, Johannes Johannesen, 22 years old. He was known in Chicago as John Johnson. As kids I remember him as "Old Man Johnson".

CONTRACT
between

CUNARD LINIEN (The Cunard Steam Ship Co. Ltd.
and passengers listed below regarding Carriage
to Chicago (Cook) Illinois for Kr. 199.00
and Johannes Johannesen age 22

I, Ivar Grotte, Chief Agent for Cunard Linien, hereby undertake to convey the persons mentioned herein to the Determining Office for the above-mentioned Sum, which I acknowledge to have received as full payment.

The journey must take place as follows:

1. From Bergen on 6/3 1907 on or about with Midship Steamer in Mellemdæk to Hull.

2. By rail from there to Liverpool.

3. By Midship Steamer from Liverpool to New York.

4. By Rail from New York to Place of Destination.

Bergen on 5/3 1907

signed Ivar Grotte

Presented at the Police Chamber on 5 March 1907 for the Chief of Police
Official stamp and signature of the Police Chamber

Note that 199 krone would buy approx. $53 dollars worth of goods in 1907. A hefty amount no doubt for a poor Norwegian.

Johannes Severin Johannessen (John Johnson)

b. 7 Sep 1884 Sandviken, Bergen, Norway

d. 8 Jun 1971 Chicago, Cook, Illinois USA

**click on contract to enlarge for easier viewing on your computer**

p.s. If Johannes had left Norway a decade or so later his journey would have been less involved as Norwegian steamships left for the New World directly from Norway eliminating the need to first travel to Liverpool for a cross Atlantic trip.

Norway Timeline: A Journey Through Norwegian History

I am always interested to know a bit more of the history of  Norway to perhaps understand better the lives of my Norwegian ancestors.  

An article written by David Nikel from his "Life in Norway" blog. 
I follow and highly recommend his informative and interesting blog.

click here → Norway Timeline: A Journey Through Norwegian History