[#27605] Immigration from Norway (Kristiania) to US with SS 'Thingvalla' 1882 and 1888

[Gjest Knut Kvalvågnæs]

To any Americans who might read this:This is basically a translation of item no. 27332, where I ask the readers for possible help to learn about the faith of two granduncles of mine, brothers of my late fathers father.My grandfather, Nils Kristoffer Nilsen (sometimes written Christopher and Nielsen), was born in Kristiania, Norway March 20th 1864. His parents were Anders Nilsen Kvalvågnæs, born in Lindås north of Bergen in 1837 and Petra Martine Pedersen, born in Asker (near Oslo = Kristiania) 24th September 1838.My grandfather had two yonger brothers, Nicolay Nilsen, born in Kristiania 19th January 1866 and Georg Nilsen, born in Kristiania 8th July 1868.Petra Martine must have been dead in 1871, when the widowed husband Anders remarried Anne Helene Johansdatter, listed as Lina in the 1875-count.The first one to emigrate was Nicolay. He left Kristiania with DS 'Thingwalla' the 27. July 1882 together with a Sofie Nilsen, a poor widow who was not his mother, but probably the former wife of his father's best man. She was 58 years then. Nicolay was 16 1/2 years old.What makes a yong boy, 16 years old, leaving all and emigrate? I have reasons to believe that Anders (his father) died earlier the same year, and that his step-mother (Lina), was not nice to the brothers. Their destination is listed as Chicago.My grandfather was old enough to tear himself loose and become independent. But his two yonger brothers both emigrated.The 2nd August 1888, Georg left Kristiania on the same ship, DS 'Thingwalla'. The journey was dramatic. The 14th August 'Thingwalla' collided with her sister ship, the DS 'Geisir', which sank with the loss of 105 lives. Georg survived the collision and is confirmed to have reached New York the 17th of August.From here on all traces of the two brothers disappears. As this happened before 1892, I cannot search in the Ellis Islands archives.Some American data basis gives some clues, but to follow those clues costs money, too much for me to want to spend. My hope is therefore that this might be read by some descendants of my granduncles who perhaps might wonder whome their Norwegian ancenstors were, and who doesn't come further, because Nilsen is such a common name.From my point of view, this might be a little like playing 'Jeopardy!' I have the answers. What is the right questions?Best regards from Knut Kvalvågnæs

[Gjest Hans Myhre]

Where is the family located in Census 1865? I just would like to see spelling of their names before I search for the needle in the haystack.

[Gjest Hans Myhre]

Here is some Georg in 1910: Surname:NELSON Given Name: GEORGE Age: 43 Sex: M Race: WHITE Birthplace: NORWAY County: LOS ANGELES Locality: LOS ANGELES TWP T624-Roll: 84 Part: 4 Page: 72 Subpage: B State: CASurname: NELSON Given Name: GEORGE Age: 43 Sex: M Race: WHITE Birthplace: NORWAY County: DUNN Locality: 1-WD MENOMONIE T624-Roll: 1709 Part: 2 Page: 81 Subpage: B State: WISurname: NELSON Given Name: GEORGE Age: 41 Sex: M Race: WHITE Birthplace: NORWAY County: BALTIMORE Locality: 6-WD BALTIMORE T624-Roll: 554 Part: 2 Page: 144 Subpage: B State: MDSurname: NELSON Given Name: GEORGE Age: 41 Sex: M Race: WHITE Birthplace: NORWAY County: MULTNOMAH Locality: 2-WD PORTLAND T624-Roll: 1285 Part: 1 Page: 105 Subpage: A State: OR

[Gjest Knut Kvalvågnæs]

Thank you for your attention!The family is not listed in the 1865 census for Christiania, unfortunately. We find them under the family name 'Nielsen' in the 1875 census.The FamilySearch (Mormon church) has also listed the three brothers, but incorrectly given them the family name 'Andersen' after their father's first name.The spelling of my granduncle's first names are Nicolay and Georg. (This could perhaps be 'Americanised' later on).My grandfather Nils, is listed with his family in the 1900 census for Christiania (Kristiania) with his wife Josefine Marie and one daughter, Dagmar, born 1897. My father William Alfred (1902 - 1983), is of course not listed in this census.Best regards from Knut Kvalvågnæs

[Gjest Hans Myhre]

Georg was a clerk and had New York as destination in 1888. Nicolay, what destination did he have? Was the ticked prp?

[Gjest Knut Kvalvågnæs]

On the emmigration list, Nicolay's and Sofie's destination is listed as Chicago. Yes, I believe the tickets were prepaid. Please check out: Emmigrants over Kristiania 1871 - 1930, number 58178-This could perhaps have some connection with the boys father's history. In 1859 Anders left Lindås for Kristiania and became a sailor. Shortly after that, he left his ship (no idea of which one) in an American harbour. I do not know how long he stayed in America or what he did. But the 20th of March 1864 he became the father of my grandfather, Nils Kristoffer Nilsen - in Kristiania!My aunt (1897 - 1983) told me that in America, he (Anders) had accidentally killed a man in a barfight. He had then returned to Norway (Kristiania) on a Norwegian ship. After this, he never again contacted his family in Lindås. They believed he had emmigrated.As to the first of your George's: This might be a clue, as his age is not too far from the truth.Best regards from Knut Kvalvågnæs

[Gjest Hans Myhre]

Ticket was not prepaid. No Nicolay/Nikolay/Nikolai/Nicolai are matching in census 1910 as far as I can see.

[Gjest Knut Kvalvågnæs]

Thank you, Hans!No, I was not sure. The reason I believed the tickets could have been prepaid is Nicolay's travel companion, Sofie. She was 58 years old and lived on public funding (fattigunderstøttelse).To export her might perhaps seem an attractive solution.I have no more clues. I remember very vaguely that my aunt once told me that her father had brothers, but they had left for America. Then they were out of the family. As this happened many years before she was born, I can understand her. But why did not her father talk about his brothers? Surely they could write? Georg was an office clerk.But as far as I know, neither of them ever wrote. If they father was dead and their step-mother was not nice to them, I can understand that they did not write home. But they still had an older brother. Why did they never write to him?I have no clue as to why Nicolay and Sofie were aiming for Chicago. But this is where I would start looking for them.Another question on which I would like to find the answer, hidden in the darkness of history, is the one of the infamous bar fight, involving my great grandfather. It might have occured some time between 1859 and 1863, when he was back. This was (at least partly) during the Civil war. Could there be a connection?Surely a bar fight with one man down might would not have gone unnoticed in the newspapers?Regards Knut