Olia Halverson born 1846

[Susan Derry]

 

We are looking for information on my husband's maternal great grandmother, Olia Halverson born July 1846. She was married to Tollof Thoreson on 18 May 1871 in Wisconsin, United States. So she emigrated to the US prior to 1871. We do not have proof of the birth date. We also do not know where in Norway she was born. 

 

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Thanks. 

 

[Grethe Flood]

????

T Torrison

United States Census, 1880

Name	T Torrison
Event Type	Census
Event Date	1880
Event Place	Dover, Buffalo, Wisconsin, United States
Gender	Male
Age	40
Marital Status	Married
Race	White
Race (Original)	W
Occupation	Farmer
Relationship to Head of Household	Self
Relationship to Head of Household (Original)	Self
Birth Year (Estimated)	1840
Birthplace	Norway
Father's Birthplace	Norway
Mother's Birthplace	Norway
Sheet Letter	B
Sheet Number	355
Person Number	0
Volume	1

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
T Torrison	Self	M	40	Norway
Olea Torrison	Wife	F	35	Norway
Herman Torrison	Son	M	13	Wisconsin, United States
Betsey Torrison	Daughter	F	8	Wisconsin, United States
Henry Torrison	Son	M	6	Wisconsin, United States
Edward Torrison	Son	M	4	Wisconsin, United States
Julia Torrison	Daughter	F	0	Wisconsin, United States

[Grethe Flood]

 

[Susan Derry]

Yes, that is Tollof and Olia and their family in the USA. We are hoping to track Olia back to her roots in Norway. 

[Stine H Kvistad]

Hi, 

What is the source for the weddingdate 18 May 1871 ? Herman Torrison was born 1867, and there is a Thomas Torrison in  Dover, b 1863. There were noe Thoresen among the sponsors in Osseo, Wis for the babtizms. Where did this family move?

 

Name:	Thomas Torrison
Age:	17
Birth Date:	Abt 1863
Birthplace:	Wisconsin
Home in 1880:	Dover, Buffalo, Wisconsin, USA
Dwelling Number:	61
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Marital Status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	Norway
Mother's Birthplace:	Norway

Betsy Oline Reiersón

30 Mar 1872   Baptism           23 Jul 1872     Independence, Wisconsin       Tollef, Olia     

Henrey Carel Thoreson

30 Dec 1874   Baptism           31 Jan 1875    Independence, Wisconsin       Tollef, Alia     

Julia Thoreson

4 Sep 1879      Baptism           5 Oct 1879      Independence, Wisconsin       Tollef, Olia     

Edward Toresón

22 Apr 1877    Baptism           13 Mar 1877   Independence, Wisconsin       Tollef, Olia

Endret Januar 15, 2018 av Stine H Kvistad

[Susan Derry]

According to a history written by Tilda Stittle (nee Thoreson) in Elfros, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1955 (when Tilda was 72 years old):

Tollof Thoreson was married twice before he married Olia Halverson. 

"They settled in the State of Wisconsin. That is where they met and was married after my father had had the misfortune to lose two wives." He had one son with each of his first two wives, the oldest named Robert Thoreson and the second named Herman Thoreson.

Tilda put her father's birth as April 21, 1837, but that date does not match Tollof's age in the Census records. 

She stated that the family left Norway in 1855 (date may or may not be accurate) and that her father had stowed away on the ship, rather than stay behind to wait for them to send him fare to travel to the US. She put his age at 18 when he and his family left Norway. 

She gave Tolloff and Olia's marriage date as 18 May 1871. 

 

Tilda Thoreson's Father.pdf

[Susan Derry]

In her history about her family Tilda Stittle (nee Thoreson) also said:

"My Mother (Olia Halverson) was born in Norway, she was five years old when she came across in a sail ship with her parents, it took them thirteen weeks to cross the ocean."

[Grethe Flood]

????

Robert Thoreson

Canada Census, 1901

Name	Robert Thoreson
Event Type	Census
Event Date	31 Mar 1901
Event Place	Assiniboia (east/est), The Territories, Canada
Gender	Male
Age	37
Marital Status	Married
Nationality	Us
Ethnicity	Norway
Religion	Lutheran
Relationship to Head of Household (Original)	Brother
Birth Year (Estimated)	1864
Birthplace	USA
Immigration Year	1900
Page	1

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Olia Thoreson	Mother	F	54	Norway
Tilda M Thoreson	Sister	F	17	USA
Robert Thoreson	Brother	M	37	USA
Tilda Thoreson	Wife	F	28	USA

[Stine H Kvistad]

Robert was born Rasmus to Tollef  Reiersen later Thoresen from Sør-Aurdal, https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/9380/90

 

 

Name:	Rutmås Reiersen
Event Type:	Baptism
Birth Date:	27 May 1863
Baptism Date:	14 Jun 1863
Baptism Place:	Dane, Wisconsin, USA
Father:	Tolles Reiersen
Mother:	Ragnild Oled
Church Name:	Perry Norwegian Lutheran Church
Church Location:	Dane County, Wisconsin

[Susan Derry]

Interesting. When did Tollef change his name from Reiersen to Thoresen? 

[Susan Derry]

It looks as though Tollef had changed his name before his second son Herman was born. 

 

 

[Susan Derry]

On 1/15/2018 at 4:33 PM, Stine H Kvistad said:

Hi, 

What is the source for the weddingdate 18 May 1871 ? Herman Torrison was born 1867, and there is a Thomas Torrison in  Dover, b 1863. There were noe Thoresen among the sponsors in Osseo, Wis for the babtizms. Where did this family move?

 

Name:	Thomas Torrison
Age:	17
Birth Date:	Abt 1863
Birthplace:	Wisconsin
Home in 1880:	Dover, Buffalo, Wisconsin, USA
Dwelling Number:	61
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Marital Status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	Norway
Mother's Birthplace:	Norway

Betsy Oline Reiersón

30 Mar 1872   Baptism           23 Jul 1872     Independence, Wisconsin       Tollef, Olia     

Henrey Carel Thoreson

30 Dec 1874   Baptism           31 Jan 1875    Independence, Wisconsin       Tollef, Alia     

Julia Thoreson

4 Sep 1879      Baptism           5 Oct 1879      Independence, Wisconsin       Tollef, Olia     

Edward Toresón

22 Apr 1877    Baptism           13 Mar 1877   Independence, Wisconsin       Tollef, Olia

and Tilda Maria Thoreson born 26 July 1883, Beadle, South Dakota, USA  Tollef, Olia

[Grethe Flood]

There is one Olea Halvorsdatter, age 22, from Grue parish, Hedmark county, who is emigrating from Kristiania in 1869:

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/8/pe00000000399031

 

But her destination is Austin.

 

Entry no 68 - on the right hand side:

Hedmark county, Grue in Grue, Parish register (official) no. 10 (1864-1873), Out-migrated 1869, Page 350
https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/8882/299

 

I guess her date of birth is 13 July or 13 September 1846 and here is a Olia Seria, born 13 September 1846 - see entry no 233:

Hedmark county, Grue, Brandval in Grue, Parish register (official) no. 7 (1830-1847), Born and baptised 1846, Page 137
https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/9156/138

 

This girl is called Olia Seria, and I don't know if your Olia had a double name.... Here is Olia Seria in the 1865 public census for Grue:

https://digitalarkivet.no/en/census/person/pf01038041001137

 

I'm far from sure if this is the right person, but this is the closest I've come so far, when tracing Tollef Thoreson's wife.

 And now i see that your Olia is born in July 1846....

 

 

 

 

Endret Januar 17, 2018 av Grethe Flood

[Susan Derry]

Thank you. According to Tilda Thoreson (Olia's granddaughter) Olia was 5 years old when she left Norway. 

[Susan Derry]

I am wondering if this might possibly be Olia Halverson born 1846 who married Tollof Thoreson on 18 May 1871 in Wisconsin, USA. The information I have from family records is that Olia left Norway when she was 5 years old (about 1851). 

 

Olea Kirstine Halvarsdatter baptized 26 July 1846, Telemark, Norway

[Dag Thorsdalen]

This is the baptism at Solum, Telemark (#67):

SAKO, Solum kirkebøker, F/Fa/L0006: Ministerialbok nr. I 6, 1844-1855, s. 21

Brukslenke for sidevisning: https://media.digitalarkivet.no/kb20060720050146

 

Her parents are mentioned here in the online "bygdebok". Unfortunately, without any further information about their whereabouts after their wedding i 1838: https://www.solumslekt.org/slekta/famark.php?person=19837

 

However, I find her father buried in Solum in 1864: https://digitalarkivet.no/view/267/pg00000000810116

 

So, if this is the right Olea she emigrated without her father.

[Dag Thorsdalen]

I find this Olea Kirstine confirmed in Solum in 1860 (#1):

SAKO, Solum kirkebøker, F/Fa/L0007: Ministerialbok nr. I 7, 1856-1864, s. 172

Brukslenke for sidevisning: https://media.digitalarkivet.no/kb20051005030550

 

This doesn't fit very well with the story you are telling about a girl emigrating at the age of five.

[Susan Derry]

You are right, it does not fit well. Thanks. 

[Susan Derry]

Another possibility is Karen Olave Halvorsen born 23 July 1846 in Orskog, More Og Romsdal, Norway. Might she be the be Olia Halverson born 1846 who married Tollof Thoreson on 18 May 1871 in Wisconsin, USA. The information I have from family records is that Olia left Norway when she was 5 years old (about 1851)?

 

[Susan Derry]

If I am understanding this correctly Karen Olave Halvorsdatter died when she was 15 days old, which would mean she definitely is not the Olia Halverson who emigrated to the US in ~ 1851.

[Dag Thorsdalen]

That's correct.

[Susan Derry]

Thanks. :)

[Randi Elisabeth Haugros]

Do you know if Olia had older or younger siblings?

Have you found her in census 1860 or 1870?

Do you know about relatives of Olia?

You write that Olia marries in 1871. 

Do you have a source of marriage? If not, try to find it. 

It may contain information about the parents.

 

 

 

[Susan Derry]

Olia or Olea was married to Tollof Thoreson (born Tollof Reierson). Tollof lost two wives before he married Olia. His second wife was Kari Halvorsdatter, daughter of Halvor Jonsen Rindy born 1805, Telemark, Norway and Kirsti Jensdatter born 1809, Telemar, Norway. I am wondering if it is possible that Kari was a sister of Olia and if Halvor and Kirsti may be her parents? 

[Dag Thorsdalen]

According to local history book, the Bø-soga vol. 2:4 p. 324-325 Halvor Jonsson and Kirsti (Kjersti) Jensdatter Rinde had the following children:

1. Jon, b. 1829

2. Jens, b. 1831

3. Ingeborg, b. 1834

4. Kari, b. 1837, d. 1839

5. Kari, b. 1840

6. Olav, b. 1842

7. Halvor b. 1846

 

The parents and their three youngest children went to America in 1855. Their son Jon followed in 1866. By then he was married, having 5 children. Rinde is a small croft at the land of the Vindbekk section of the Folkestad Farm, Bø Parish, Telemark.

 

Susan, you are unable to open this link from your US computer. Nevertheless I'll include a link to the book meant for Norwegians readers: https://www.nb.no/nbsok/nb/b93b5dc972b697ce456bea828a7d4193?index=4#327

 

The child the book names Olav was born on 26 Aug 1842 and baptized as Ole on 4 Sept. (#95):

SAKO, Bø kirkebøker, F/Fa/L0007: Parish register (official) no. 7, 1831-1848, p. 100

Quick link: https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/kb20051011050120 

 

Both Ola and Olav are male names. On the other hand they are very close to Olea, so one might think that the name had been misunderstood. However, the record when they registered their emigration in 1855 doesn't support such a theory (right page, at the bottom):

SAKO, Bø kirkebøker, F/Fa/L0008: Parish register (official) no. 8, 1849-1861, p. 362

Quick link: https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/kb20051011050791