A welcome gift from new found cousins

 Through Ancestry.com's DNA matches I "found" a new third cousin. Her great grandfather, Lauritz (Louis) Gundersen, was the younger brother of my great grandfather, Nils Gundersen. She put me in contact with her grandmother Adeline. I met with Adeline, a sharp and energetic lady well over 90 years old, and much of her family. We talked about our family and their immigration stories. Read about that meeting HERE. When Adeline passed, just one month shy of her 100th birthday, the family invited me to her memorial held at her home. They shared family photos and!!!! I now have a photo of my great great grandparents Gunder Andreas Nilsen and Marthe Marie Halvorsdatter! Marthe Marie died young in childbirth. In the second photo Gunder Andreas is pictured here, I believe, with his daughter Gunda who took over housekeeping duties after her mothers death.

  Thank you my cousins,

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

A short sad little life - Karl Oskar Gundersen

March 25, 1887 my great great grandmother, Marthe Marie Andersdatter, at the age of 39 gave birth to her tenth and last child. A little boy. She and her husband Gunder Andreas Nilsen named him Karl Oskar. He was baptised at home by the family pastor Holmboe and Karl's older sister Josephine Gunderdatter on March 31. Unusual because generally only a baby who seemed sickly at birth was home baptised and then immediately, the very day of birth. He was presented in the Eidanger church on April 17, 1887. Among his sponsors were his paternal grandfather Nils Jensen Øvald, his paternal uncle Halvor Martin Nilsen and his maternal uncle Nicolai Andersen

source: Digitalarkivet SAKO, Eidanger kirkebøker, G/Ga/L0002:
Parish register (copy) no. 2, 1879-1892, birth & baptisms p. 86 

Quick link: https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/kb20061128070093

Perhaps, and I am just guessing here, he was baptised March 31 to comfort his mother who was ill. Marthe Marie died the next day, April,1, 1887. She died, as many women did in those times, of childbed fever. Her death left little Karl and his siblings, among them my 11 year old great grandfather Nils, motherless. Gunder Andreas never remarried.

source: Digitalarkivet SAKO, Eidanger kirkebøker, G/Ga/L0002:
Parish register (copy) no. 2, 1879-1892, death & burials p. 268

Quick link: https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/kb20061128080125

Unfortunately the same page of the parish record documents not only the death of Marthe Marie but the death of her baby Karl Oskar.  November 5th 1887, the 7 month old little boy died of cholera.

R.I.P.

my second great uncle

Karl Oskar Gundersen

b: 25 Mar 1887 Muhle, Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

d: 05 Nov 1887 Muhle, Eidanger, Telemark, Norway

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

1865 Norwegian National Census - Øvald, Eidanger, Telemark

This census shows my 3rd great grandparents Nils Jensen and Johanne Olsdatter and their family. They live on Øvald, considered the family farm and occupied by my family since the mid 1600's. Johanne is the seventh generation on the farm. The farm is actually a small part of the Prestegaarden or priests property, owned by the Norwegian State church. Their oldest son, Gunder Nilsen, will inherit the right to farm Øvald. Gunder and Marthe Marie are my 2nd great grandparents. My great grandfather, Nils, will be born in 1875, ten years after this census.

CLICK HERE to view the online census

Nils and Johanne were known for their entertaining/party skills. I do not know if this was a side job to earn some extra money or they just enjoyed having family and friends over.

My 3rd great grandparents:

Nils Jensen 1812-1897

Johanne Elisabeth Olsdatter 1809-1884

(click on documents or pictures to enlarge for easier viewing)