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.

Nils and Gunhild Gundersen

 A photo of my great grandparents recently found on the family tree of a second cousin. I would guess it was taken most likely in the early 1950's.

my Great Grandparents

Nils Gundersen Øvald
b. 13 September 1875 Eidanger, Telemark, Norway
d. 2 February 1961 Skien, Telemark, Norway

Gunhild Marie Olsdatter
b. 14 December 1875 Eidanger, Telemark, Norway
d. 9 February 1959 Skien, Telemark, Norway

Great Grandparents Nils and Gunhild Gundersen

My great grandparents Nils and Gunhild Gundersen Øvald standing proudly in front of whose car? It certainly wasn't theirs. Nils, as always, dressed finely with his captains hat on. Great Grandma Gunhild still wearing her kitchen apron? She most likely was busy and coerced into posing for the photograph. Those clenched fists seem to say she wasn't all that happy about it either.

my Great Grand Parents

Grandma Dagmar's parents

Nils Gundersen Øvald

b. 13 September 1875 in Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d. 2 February 1961 in Skien, Telemark, Norway

Gunhild Marie Oldsatter

b. 14 December 1875 in Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d. 9 February 1959 in Skien, Telemark, Norway

**click on photos to enlarge for easier viewing**

Nils and Gunhild Marie Gundersen

On a visit to Norway in 1958 my grandfather made a movie of the family. This is a very tiny clip that my grandfather Paul took of his in-laws. These are the parents of my maternal grandmother Dagmar Gundersen Sevald, Nils and Gunhild Marie Gundersen.  I never met them and I have to admit I am more than a bit jealous of all their other great grandchildren who lived close-by and had the pleasure of knowing them. All the more reason I treasure this clip.

Nils Gundersen Øvald 

b. 13 Sep 1875 Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d. 2 Feb 1961 Skien, Telemark, Norway

Gunhild Marie Olsdatter

b. 14 Dec 1875 Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d. 9 Feb 1959 Skien, Telemark, Norway 

Nils Gundersen Øvald

Nils Gundersen Øvald 1875-1961 was my great grandfather. The father of my grandmother Dagmar, he was my only great grandfather still living when I was born. I was nine years old when he died, old enough to have remembered him but unfortunately I never knew him because he lived in Norway and I in Chicago. I recently was invited to a facebook group, "Gundersen Family Genealogy Group" which was started by a second cousin in Norway. Many of the grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren of Nils post photos and tell stories about Nils on Facebook. Many of those photos I had never seen and I have to admit a twinge of jealousy that I did not know him as they did. Just the fact that so many of his progeny still desire to get together and swap stories and photos of him, says something good about the man.

Nils was born in Eidanger, Telemark, Norway which was a small farming village which has long since been absorbed into the larger community of Porsgrund, Norway. His father was a poor crofter on the small Øvald* farm that had been run by his family since the mid 1600's. He was one of ten children. His mother died when he was just 11 after the birth of his youngest brother Karl Oscar.

Nils began his adult life, as many young men in Norway did at the time, as a sailor. Working up the ranks while raising his young family of 3 boys and 4 girls he eventually became a captain of a Union company boat on the Telemarken Canal. His three sons followed in his footsteps as sailors. He built a home for his family in Skien. A home now owned and lived in by one of his grandsons.

In photos he always appears well dressed and distinguished, back straight, looking you right in the eye, hand on hip. A few of the cousins referred to him as "the boss" but in an affectionate way.  Of course, I realize that if his daughter, my grandmother, had not emigrated to America I would not have even been born. Still, I wish that I too had known the man. Documents, photos and family stories must suffice to tell me who was Nils Gundersen Øvald, my great grandfather.

my great grandfather

Nils Gundersen Øvald

b. 13 Sep 1875 Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d. 02 Feb 1961 Skien, Telemark, Norway

double click on photos to enlarge for easier viewing

*the story of the family farm Övald can be found HERE

Telemark canal Norway

My great grandfather Nils Gundersen Øvald was a skipper on a boat that traveled 

down the Telemark Canal from Skien, Telemark Norway delivering goods.  

Today it is mainly pleasure trips down the beautiful canal

.

Nils Gundersen Øvald

Nils Gundersen @1898

My Great Grandfather Nils Gundersen Øvald was the father of my maternal grandmother Dagmar Gundersen Sevald. On the parish record of his marriage he is noted to be a sailor. My grandmother spoke of him being away from home for long periods of time but always returning with gifts from foreign places.

Skipper Nils Gundersen @1930

He later was the ship captain on the Union III. A steam powered smaller ship that traveled with goods, from Skien, at the head of the Telemark Canal,  through the canal and on to Oslo and back again. These next pictures were sent to me from a 5th cousin in Norway. He was in contact with another cousin of mine who I believe would be a second or third cousin. They appear to be from a book or newsprint. I have searched but am unable to find the origin of these photos. It appears from the photos that some of his crew were his sons and sons in law.

The Telemark Canal was relatively recent at this time. It was used not only for delivering goods but sending logs downstream. Cut out of mountainous Norway it had 18 locks.  The difference in elevation from Skien to Dalen was 236 feet. You can read more about the Telemark Canal HERE.

my Great Grandfather

Nils Gundersen Øvald

b: 13 September 1875 Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d: 02 February 1961 Skien, Telemark, Norway

**click on pictures to enlarge for easier viewing**

Nils and Gunhild at Nordre Gravlund

Great grandparents Nils Gundersen Øvald and Gunhild Marie Olsdatter are buried in the Nordre Gravlund cemetery in Skien, Telemark, Norway. Just a short walk from my grandmothers apartment, I took this photo on a visit in 1984. Their oldest son Finn Øvald is also buried there. He died first in 1946. My grandmother told me she believed he died from leukemia at the young age of 36. Since this photo was taken Finn's wife Margot and also my grandmother Dagmar are buried at this site.

my great grandparents

Nils Gundersen-Øvald

b: 13 Sep 1875 Muhle, Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d: 2 Feb 1961 Skien, Telemark, Norway

Gunhild Marie Olsdatter

b: 14 Dec 1875 Røra, Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d: 9 Feb 1959 Skien, Telemark, Norway

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

1900 Norwegian National Census - Øvald Family Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

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

Norwegian National Census of 1900
Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

This is the first census in which my grandmother Dagmar Gundersen is noted.

    

*Eidanger , a small farming community has 3872 registered inhabitants

*The extended family resides on the farm Øvald.

*Gunder Nilsen, born in Eidanger in 1842, is Nils' father and Dagmar's grandfather. His occupation is shipbuilder and carpenter. His father's first name - Nils
*Gunder is a widower (e) and I will have to find additional documentation to tell me the name of his wife and discover if she is the mother of all of the children listed.

*Gunda Marie Gundersdatter was born in Eidanger in 1877,  is Gunders unmarried (ug) daughter and runs the household meaning his wife is likely deceased.

*Lauritz Severin Gundersen, born in Eidanger in 1882 is Gunder's unmarried (ug) son. He is a sailor.

*Nils Gundersen, born in Eidanger in 1875, is Gunders married (g) son. He is also a sailor.

*Gunhild Marie Olsdatter, born in Eidanger in 1875, is Nils' wife. Her father's first name is Ole.

*Gudrun Marie Nilsdatter, born in Porsgrund December 19, 1898, unmarried (ug) is Nils and Gunhild's daughter and Dagmar's sister

*Dagmar Nilsdatter (my grandmother) is just an infant in this census, born June 10, 1900 in Eidanger

*She lives with her extended family in a farm community. Patronymics are still used. She is noted as Dagmar Nilsdatter while later her parents and all their children will adopt Nils' patronymic Gundersen as their surname. 

*The family has been in this location for some time. Three generations are all born in Eidanger with the exception of Gudrun who was born in a very close neighboring town

*they do not own the farm on which they live but are crofters on a small section.

**click on document to enlarge for easier viewing**