Sibling Saturday - The Gundersen brothers

Rolf, Oddvar, Finn and Nils Gundersen - Skien Telemark, Norway

The late 1930's - my great grandfather Nils Gundersen Øvald (far right) poses outside his home in Skien Norway with his three sons. At the time all three were working for him as he captained the boat Union III up and down the Telemarken Canal.

        My Grand Uncles (left to right)
        Rolf Gundersen
        b. 26 September 1912 Skien, Telemark, Norway
        d. 03 January 1997 Skien, Telemark, Norway
        Oddvar Gundersen
        b. 19 November 1917 Skien, Telemark, Norway
        d. 09 May 1991 Skien, Telemark, Norway
        Finn Gundersen Øvald
        b. 27 June 1910 Gjerpen, Telemark, Norway
        d. 21 Dec 1946 Skien, Telemark, Norway

I met both Rolf and Oddvar when I visited Norway in the early 1980's. You could not find two nicer men. They were quite respectful of their older sister, my grandmother Dagmar, and their wives and families were equally as kind and welcoming. Exemplary people.

1910 Norwegian National Census - Nils Gundersen Family Gjerpen, Telemark, Norway

each Sunday I explore a census record and list the genealogical clues it contains (or doesn't)

The Nils Gundersen, Gunhild Marie Olsdatter Family
(my maternal grandmothers parents)

This is the most recent census that Norway has released to the public.

• The family now has adopted the surname of Gundersen. The days of patronymics are over. Where my grandmother Dagmar was noted in the 1900 census as Dagmar Nilsdatter, she now is called Dagmar Gundersen. The family has adopted as their surname, Gundersen, which was the patronymic of Nils, the head of the family.

• The family is no longer in the small village of Eidanger but in Gjerpen. They have been living here since at least 1904 as my great aunt Hanna is the first family member born in Gjerpen. Nils has built a house for his growing family for which I have documentation which states they moved there in 1909. I know the house is in Skien, apparently Gjerpen was incorporated into the larger city of Skien some time after 1910.

• My great grandfather Nils is no longer a sailor or "somand" but is now a"Skibskaptein" or ship captain. I know he captained a boat going up and down the Telemarken canal, however I do not know if he has that particular position at present.

• There are now 5 children in the family Gudrun, Dagmar (my grandmother), Hanna, Solveig and Finn. Two more boys, Rolf and Oddvar will be born in the next few years