In Search of Information: Charles Burton Johnson (Not His Norwegian Name) Born 1867, from Spitsbergan, Norway

[Anton Hagelee]

14 minutes ago, Carl Nilsen said:

 

He is the son of Johannes Godtskalksen. He is still living there in 1891, so if this is the guy he must have emigrated later. He has a brother Elling Andreas, and a sister Ingeborg Eliane (=Elvira?):

 

But maybe not too much later. Here is a seaman arriving 1893 with a similar name. 

 

Knut B Johnhusen

 in the New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957

Name:Knut B Johnhusen

Gender:Male

Ethnicity/ Nationality:Norwegian

Age:26

Birth Date:abt 1867

Departure Port:Havana, Cuba

Arrival Date:23 Nov 1893

Arrival Port:New York, New York, USA

Ship Name:Saratoga

 

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=7488&h=4000601250&tid=&pid=&queryId=791c4eed21dfadeea1434a779beaf978&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BqY1&_phstart=successSource

 

Being a seaman he may not show up in the Norwegian emigration records.

 

 

 

 

Endret Juni 27, 2021 av Anton Hagelee

[Barbara Scates]

When some of Charles' children were baptized in Philadelphia, his brother Andreas Johnson and an Ingeborg (looked like Andersen or Anders something) were present in Philadelphia.

[Anton Hagelee]

Knud Bertinius Godstkalksen

 in the Norway, Select Baptisms, 1634-1927

Name:Knud Bertinius Godstkalksen

Gender:Male

Birth Date:9 jan 1870

Baptism Date:27 mar 1870

Baptism Place:Finnås, Hordaland, Norway

Father:Johannes Godstkalksen

Mother:Martha Knudsdr

FHL Film Number:278055

 

Nr. 21 

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070221640492

 

 

 

 

Endret Juni 27, 2021 av Anton Hagelee

[tom askerøi]

How about this being the father of Knut/Charles - and his parents as well?

 

Johannes Gotskalksen - Ministerialbok for Evanger prestegjeld, Evanger sokn 1877-1899 (1237Q) - Digitalarkivet

 

(another shot in the dark - but the name is pretty rare...)

[Anton Hagelee]

Probably the marriage of the brother.

 

Elling Andreas Johannessen Spidsøen

 in the Norway, Church Records, 1812-1938

Name:Elling Andreas Johannessen Spidsøen

Marriage Age:25

Record Type:ekteskap (Marriage)

Birth Date:12 jan 1886

Birth Place:Finnaas

Marriage Date:10 des 1911 (10 Dec 1911)

Marriage Place:Haugesund, Rogaland, Norge (Norway)

Marriage Municipality:Haugesund parish

Residence Place:Haugesund

Entry Number:106

Father:Johannes Gotskalksen

Spouse:Olgine Olsdtr. Tolland

 

Nr. 106

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20050902010922

 

 

 

 

Endret Juni 27, 2021 av Anton Hagelee

[Anton Hagelee]

It looks like the son of Elling Andreas also lived in America.

 

Oscar Spidsoen

in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Name:Oscar Spidsoen

Gender:Male

Race:White

Birth Date:10 Nov 1912

Birth Place:Haugesund, Norway

Death Date:25 Dec 1996

Father:Ellingand R Spidsoen

Mother:Olgine Stursen

SSN:133185410

Notes:Dec : Name listed as OSCAR SPIDSOEN

 

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/16205442:60901

[tom askerøi]

And maybe even him (Johannes' father) going to America?

 

Godtskalk Nielsen - Ministerialbok for Voss prestegjeld 1855-1886 (1235P) - Digitalarkivet

 

 

[Carl Nilsen]

Bømlo Bygdebok says that Knut Bertinius from Spitsø emigrated to America (though nothing more):

https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2018012329002?page=567

Endret Juni 28, 2021 av Carl Nilsen

[Carl Nilsen]

Here is, maybe, the smoking gun:

Elling Andreas Johannesen Spidsø travels "to his brother in Philadelphia" in 1906

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/8/pe00000000713814

Endret Juni 27, 2021 av Carl Nilsen

[Barbara Scates]

I think you may have found the smoking gun. It makes sense.

 

What did you guess Charles' real name was? I cannot believe you found this. I'm so happy. You may have found it.

[Barbara Scates]

Carl, Gronas is a relative......this has to be the right person. Also Knudsen is in my ancestry.  I am blown away.

SMOKING GUN IS RIGHT!

[Carl Nilsen]

Here is Knut Bertinus Johannesen's ancestry from Spidsø, highlighted. The family has been living there since the mid-1700s, when Johannes Johannesen (not a local) married the widow of the previous owner:

 

Endret Juni 27, 2021 av Carl Nilsen

[Carl Nilsen]

[Anton Hagelee]

Barbara, 

 

I think there is little doubt that Carl found the right person. 

 

The fact that he found him in an area close to where his wife was from makes it fairly certain that he is the correct person. 

 

His name in Norway would have been Knud Bertinius Johannsen.  The change to Carl Burton Johnson would come from an Americanization of the name. 

[Barbara Scates]

Anton, I see you are from Minnesota. I am absolutely speechless......all of you did so much work and FAST. It just has to be him. Quite of few of those surnames I have on my tree - gotten from DNA matches.  I wish my mother was able to understand what you all have found. Her dementia is getting worse and she is unable to communicate. I am glad I decided to post on the forum. I put a message on Ancestry's message board but didn't hear anything then decided to post on this board. 

 

 

[Anton Hagelee]

Here are some baptism records for some of the other children. The records are from Ancestry.com so you should be able to access them easily. 

 

Gabriel Johan Johannesen

 in the Norway, Select Baptisms, 1634-1927

Name:Gabriel Johan Johannesen

Gender:Male

Birth Date:10 jan 1869

Baptism Date:25 mar 1869

Baptism Place:Finnås, Hordaland, Norway

Father:Johannes Gotschalksen

Mother:Martha Knudsdr

FHL Film Number:278055

 

Nr. 21 

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070221640486

 

The record is found in two parish books. This one is a little easier to read.

 

Nr. 5 

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070507620678

 

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60606/images/kb20070507620678?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.2872048.1197176914.1622840774-552999773.1576285696&pId=11659210

 

 

 

 

Endret Juni 27, 2021 av Anton Hagelee

[Barbara Scates]

Thank you!

[Anton Hagelee]

Here is the baptism for Edvard Johan. 

 

Edvard Johan Godtskalksen

 in the Norway, Select Baptisms, 1634-1927

Name:Edvard Johan Godtskalksen

Gender:Male

Birth Date:16 nov 1879

Baptism Date:18 jan 1880

Baptism Place:Hordaland, Norway

Father:Johannes Godtskalksen

Mother:Martha E. Knudsdr

FHL Film Number:124504

 

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=60092&h=8905958&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=60603

 

Note that he is a twin with Rasmus Martin.

 

Nr. 5 and 6 

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070507630102

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endret Juni 28, 2021 av Anton Hagelee

[Anton Hagelee]

You can also use Ancestry to take this family line further back in time. Here is likely the baptism of the father Johannes Gotskalsen.

 

Johannes Gotskalksen

 in the Norway, Select Baptisms, 1634-1927

Name:Johannes Gotskalksen

Gender:Male

Birth Date:10 feb 1841

Baptism Date:28 feb 1841

Baptism Place:, Finnas, Hordaland, Norway

Father:Gotskalk Johannessen

Mother:Ingeborg Simonsdr

FHL Film Number:124503

 

Nr. 23 

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070507620265

 

 

 

 

Endret Juni 28, 2021 av Anton Hagelee

[Anton Hagelee]

His marriage 

 

Johannes Gotschalksen

 in the Norway, Select Marriages, 1660-1926

Name:Johannes Gotschalksen

Gender:Male

Age:24

Birth Date:1841

Marriage Date:29 des 1865 (29 Dec 1865)

Marriage Place:Finnås, Hordaland, Norway

Father:Gotschalk Johannesen

Spouse:Martha Elina Knudsdr

FHL Film Number:278055

 

Martha Elina Knudsdr

 in the Norway, Select Marriages, 1660-1926

Name:Martha Elina Knudsdr
[Martha Elina Thronsen] 

Gender:Female

Age:19

Birth Date:1846

Marriage Date:29 des 1865 (29 Dec 1865)

Marriage Place:Finnås, Hordaland, Norway

Father:Knud Thronsen

Spouse:Johannes Gotschalksen

FHL Film Number:278055

 

Nr. 31 

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070221640557

 

 

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=60095&h=780554&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=60092

 

 

Endret Juni 28, 2021 av Anton Hagelee

[Anton Hagelee]

Baptism of wife Martha Eline

 

Marthe Eline Knudsen

 in the Norway, Select Baptisms, 1634-1927

Name:Marthe Eline Knudsen
[Marthe Eline Thronsen] 

Gender:Female

Baptism Date:31 mai 1846 (31 May 1846)

Baptism Place:, Finnas, Hordaland, Norway

Father:Knud Thronsen

Mother:Eli Olsdr

FHL Film Number:124503

 

Nr. 83 

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070507620312

 

 

[Carl Nilsen]

19 timer siden, Anton Hagelee skrev:

Being a seaman he may not show up in the Norwegian emigration records.

 

You are correct. Knud Bertinus Johannesen was indeed a seaman:

https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/78941/201

 

His record shows that he jumped ship in Pensacola, 1891-08-26, and was apparently never heard from again. This matches his arrival date "12 years ago" mentioned in Ditlofa's immigration record from 1903.

 

In his records he is referred to as Knud Bertinus Johannesen Grønnås Spidsøen, using the farm names from both his mother's and father's sides.

Endret Juni 28, 2021 av Carl Nilsen

[Matthias Kolberg]

Knud Bertinus was last a hired crew member onboard the Sherwood of Haugesund from December 1890 to August 1891.

 

I think this is a photo of the bark Sherwood

https://www.sjohistorie.no/en/skip/25651/

 

[Anton Hagelee]

21 hours ago, Carl Nilsen said:

Here is, maybe, the smoking gun:

Elling Andreas Johannesen Spidsø travels "to his brother in Philadelphia" in 1906

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/8/pe00000000713814

 

It would be nice to find the arrival record for Elling as it may list the person he is going to visit. 

 

I have searched for his arrival without much luck. My approach for difficult find is to look for the person before and after him on the emigration lists such as the one posted by Carl Nilsen. I did both of those passengers but still was not able to find Elling. Either he travelled on a different ship or I missed him as I scanned the page. Both other passengers are on page 31 of the manifest. 

 

Here are the arrival records of the other passengers. 

 

Emigration of Jørgen Knudsen Glomnæs

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/8/pe00000000713813

 

And his arrival 

 

Krusdsen Jórgen Glomnes

 in the New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957

Name:Krusdsen Jórgen Glomnes

Gender:Male

Ethnicity/ Nationality:Scandinavian

Marital status:Single

Age:59

Birth Date:abt 1847

Departure Port:Liverpool, England

Arrival Date:2 Jun 1906

Arrival Port:New York, New York, USA

Final Destination:Lisseton St.

Money in Possession:$52

Ship Name:Baltic

 

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?ti=0&indiv=try&db=nypl&h=4010296282

 

 

 

[Anton Hagelee]

And the page on which Jørgen is found. He is Nr. 16

 

Endret Juni 28, 2021 av Anton Hagelee