[#15998] Anton Kristiansen, Dalbyengen ovre

[Gjest Mary Ellen Peterson]

Looking for birth date and any other information on Anton Kristiansen b. 1896, son of Kristian Johanesen b. 1845 in Biri and Marit Halvorsdatter b. 1871 in Etnedal Valdres. In the 1900 census he was 4 years old on the Dalbyengen farm. He may have visited his half-brother, John Kristiansen Oppegaard in Ettrick, Wisconsin around 1920-30 and his ship may have met with disaster on the way back to Norway. John Oppegaard was my grandfather. Thank you kindly, Mary Ellen Peterson

[Gjest Bjørn Herberg]

I am sitting here with a copy of a letter from John Oppegaard, Ettrick, to his cousin Andreas Mathiassen Aastaje, b 1870, dated 1945. He tells about his son Kolbjørn and his daughter Gerda, and her son Kristian. On a trip to Wisconsin in 1997 I met a lot of people at 'Norske Nok' in Osseo, among them Kolbjørns widow, Irene Oppegaard, and a son of Gerda, John Sander. Kristian Johansen, b 1845, lived at Roen (Bjørnstad farm, Biri), a tenant farm about 500 meters from where I live. he was son of Johan Pedersen and wife Karen Olsdatter. Kristian had a brother Johannes, b 1842. Kristian married Kari Amundsdatter, b 1844, in Biri church Oct 12th 1869. Kari was the sister of Agnete Amundsdatter married to 'Dear cousin', Andreas Mathiassen Aastaje. Anton was born in Faaberg and I will try to find his birthdate there. Kind regards Bjørn.

[Gjest Mary Ellen Peterson]

Hello Bjorn, I met you and your wife at the Norske Nook in Osseo,Wisconsin in 1997. Since then, I have researched many of my Norwegian ancestors. My mother, Irene Oppegaard is now 96 and keeps her own apartment and drives her car. Her memory is so great and she has helped in all the research. Here is what we know about the man who was lost at sea on the way back to Norway. We have his picture taken in Chicago. Gerda wrote on the back that it was 'Anton, her mother's brother', but as I researched John's wife, Annette's family, I found that she had no brother named Anton. Then I came across the census record and found that John had a half-brother named Anton and besides that, the picture resembles John Oppegaard. In the Digitalarkivet:Emigrants from Oslo 1867-1930 I found an Anton Kristiansen Oftedal born 16-09-1898 coming to America in 1929. According to the 1900 census, Anton would have been born about 1996, so that is close. I have tried to find records of ships that went down at sea, but I do not know the exact year, so that has not worked out. It is so nice to hear from you. Mary Ellen Peterson Wisconsin

[Gjest Bjørn Herberg]

Hello Mary Ellen. My e-mail adress is: bjorn.herberg@c2i.net. Bjørn