Elling Vebjørnsen Ohnstad, f. 1880, hva skjedde med han i USA?

[Asbjørn Ramsøy]

For noen dager siden la vi inn i forumet spørsmål om ovennevntes bror Ole Andreas,

som dugnadsgjengen her hjelpte oss med, som vi takker hjerteligst for.

Nå viser det seg at han også hadde en bror, Elling, som utvandret 1896,

som vi ikke vet lagnaden til, eller når han døde.

Jackie hadde en fin oversikt fra Family seach, se under:

 

 

[Jackie K Marler]

Elling and Andrew live on adjacent farms or addresses in the 1900 census:

"United States, Census, 1900", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9VK-GG6 : Thu Jan 01 19:20:02 UTC 2026), Entry for Henry Hanson and Elling Ohmitactad, 1900.

 

But with a  very bad spelling of Ohnstad in the original.....Elling is working as a painter.

[Lars Johannessen]

Han ble etterlyst i Nordisk Tidende i 1922, da står det at han skrev fra New York i 1905 at han skulle reise vestover. 

https://www.nb.no/search?q="elling vebjørnsen"

 

[Jackie K Marler]

Way interesting.  Who was looking for him in 1922 and why?  And why not before?

 

Here is Elling's arrival, #76 in 1896:

"New York, Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1925", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JXQS-1MR : Thu Nov 27 03:01:23 UTC 2025), Entry for Elling W. Ohnstad, 31 January 1896.

 

Name	Elling W. Ohnstad
Sex	Male
Age	16
Nationality	Norway, Norwegian
Event Type	Immigration
Event Date	31 January 1896
Event Place	Ellis Island, New York City, New York, United States
Page Number	125
Series Number	M237
Affiliate Film Number	M237-0653
Affiliate Publication Title	Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897
Departure Port	Liverpool
Ship Name	Britannic

[Jackie K Marler]

This is probably about Ole Andreas Ohnstad, coming on Brittanic in 1898, same boat as Elling, but going to an uncle at Petersburg N.D.  So who was the uncle living there in 1898?

"New York, New York, Index to Passengers Lists of Vessels, 1897-1902", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZPZ-Y5TP : Sun Aug 31 20:01:52 UTC 2025), Entry for Andrias Olmstad, 1898.

[Jackie K Marler]

Okay the reason he wrote in 1905 from New York is he was returning to U.S. after a trip home and he wanted to let them know he made it okay?

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/557/pe00000000711849

[Jackie K Marler]

This might advance some information on Elling.  It appears that the brothers seem to "go by" their initials.  The brother Kristen Vebjørnsen was in America, too according to the 1920 Norwegian census: 

SAB, Folketelling 1920 for 1421 Aurland herred, 1920, s. 1812
Brukslenke for sidevisning: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/fs10151607182790

 

Grand Forks Herald, Thursday 31 May 1900 page 6 col 3:

"E.W. Ohnstad of the Bank of Rugby, came in yesterday and will spend some time in the city, the guest of his brother K.W. Ohnstad with W. C. St. Clair."

 

In the family tree mentioned in the Ole Andreas topic, there is a brother named Ole who died in 1929 in Bismarck, N.D.  There was a newspaper story about his death, due to diabetic coma, on the train at Bismarck.  The article lists his survivors as his wife Ada, two daughters and a sister in Minnesota, but not Andreas nor Elling or A.W. nor E.W.

 

 

 

 

[Anton Hagelee]

9 hours ago, Jackie K Marler said:

 

Grand Forks Herald, Thursday 31 May 1900 page 6 col 3:

"E.W. Ohnstad of the Bank of Rugby, came in yesterday and will spend some time in the city, the guest of his brother K.W. Ohnstad with W. C. St. Clair."

 

Perhaps the same guy? Det er en K W Ohnstad nedenfor E W Ohnstad?

 

E W Ohnstad

in the U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995

NameE W Ohnstad

Residence Year1902

Street AddressHotel Webster P

Residence PlaceFargo, North Dakota, USA

OccupationTravel Agent

Publication TitleFargo, North Dakota, City Directory, 1902

 

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/records/1051340437?tid=&pid=&queryId=7293a9fc-ac8a-431c-96fe-6d314cac6c6a&_phsrc=qsF3&_phstart=successSource

 

Endret 16 timer siden av Anton Hagelee

[Anton Hagelee]

Kristien emigrated in 1898. Did he return to Norway?

 

Kristen Vebjörnsen Ohustad

in the Norway, Emigration Records, 1867-1960

NameKristen Vebjörnsen Ohustad

Marital StatusUgift (Single)

Emigration Age20[20]

Birth Date1878

Birth PlaceAurland

Last Known Residence PlaceAurland

Emigration Date16. sep 1898 (16 Sep 1898)

Emigration PlaceBergen, Norge

Emigration ShipStjerne

Household Members (Name)Age

Kristen Vebjörnsen Ohustad20

 

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61757/records/375807

 

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/557/pe00000000695273

 

 

 

 

[Anton Hagelee]

K W Ohnstad

Census • Minnesota, State Census, 1905

 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPSJ-3CY?lang=en

 

https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/pedigree/landscape/LYY4-VCT

 

Kristen Vebjørnsen Ohnstad

 

https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/pedigree/landscape/LYY4-VCT

 

 

[Anton Hagelee]

Kristen W. Ohnstad

in the Web: Cass County, North Dakota, U.S., Marriage License Index, 1873-1944

NameKristen W. Ohnstad

GenderMale

Marriage Date7 Dec 1903

Marriage PlaceCass, North Dakota, USA

SpouseMinnie Swendig

License Number03248

 

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/70839/records/10978

 

 

[Anton Hagelee]

Kristen W Ohnstad

in the U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995

NameKristen W Ohnstad

Residence Year1904

Street Address227 1st St N

Residence PlaceFargo, North Dakota, USA

OccupationTailor

Publication TitleFargo, North Dakota, City Directory, 1904

 

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/records/1045036857

 

 

[Lars Johannessen]

39 minutter siden, Anton Hagelee skrev:

Kristien emigrated in 1898. Did he return to Norway?

Lenken Jackie la ut fra FT 1920 oppgir at han oppholdt seg i Amerika fra 1898 til 1913.

Han døde i 1923. I dødsmeldingen står det at han var enkemann ( i tellingen i 1920 står han som gift), og det oppgis bare at moren lever, og en bror i Ulvik (Vebjørn født 1884)  

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/sk10611811206067

 

[Anton Hagelee]

Familien til Kristen fra Ancestry.com.

 

Wilhelmina Schwendig

BIRTH 21 DEC 1880 • Kansas, USA

DEATH 1938 • Wenanchee, WA

 

Sonner

 

Walter A Ohnstad

BIRTH 1903 • Minnesota

DEATH 12 MAR 1960 • Roseburg, Douglas, Oregon, USA

 

Walter Ohustad

Census • United States, Census, 1910

 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2LK-2YG?lang=en

 

Herbert Roy Ohnstad

BIRTH 25 OCT 1905 • Moorhead, Clay, Minnesota

DEATH 8 MAR 1989 • Hennepin, Minnesota

 

https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/pedigree/landscape/LYP7-LZZ

 

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/160945776/person/202099692324/facts?_phsrc=qDB3&_phstart=successSource

 

 

Endret 14 timer siden av Anton Hagelee

[Anton Hagelee]

Foreldre

 

Michael Schwendig

in the U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current

NameMichael Schwendig

GenderMale

Birth Date18 Jul 1848

Birth PlaceRussia

Death Date1892

CemeteryEmanuel Lutheran Cemetery

Burial or Cremation PlaceRose Hill Township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota, United States of America

Has Bio?Y

FatherMichael Schwendig

MotherAnna Schwendig

SpouseWilhelmenia Schwendig

ChildrenMartha Gertner

 

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13848303/michael-schwendig?_gl=1*1jsd750*_gcl_au*MTc3MTQ2OTIuMTc3NzczNDY0MQ..*_ga*NDE3OTYyOTA5LjE3Nzc3MzQ2NDI.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czc5MWRiNzA5LWEwN2YtNDU1NC1hMzg1LWEyOWY5NDE5MTE2ZCRvMiRnMSR0MTc3Nzc0MTkxMiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czc5MWRiNzA5LWEwN2YtNDU1NC1hMzg1LWEyOWY5NDE5MTE2ZCRvMiRnMSR0MTc3Nzc0MTkxMiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.

 

 

Endret 14 timer siden av Anton Hagelee

[Jackie K Marler]

In the Cooperstown Courier (Cooperstown, N.D.) for Thursday, 10 Sept  1903, page 5, col 1:

"Word comes from Fargo that E.W. Ohnstad was successfully operated upon at Fargo for appendicitis, last Saturday and that the operation was a success and Ed. is getting along nicely.  His many friends at Cooperstown hope that he will continue to improve and get home again right away quick."

 

So he may have adopted Ed for a nickname rather than Elling?

 

In the The Cooperstown Courier Thu, Oct 01, 1903 page 5 col 1:

"E.W. Ohnstad returned to Cooperstown on Tuesday.  He is looking thin and pale but says he is improving right along.  We are glad to see Ed. back again."

Endret 11 timer siden av Jackie K Marler

[Jackie K Marler]

Ex-wife of Kristen W Ohnstad: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68586673/minnie-reade

Her death certificate: file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/edd245b7-6f5a-4d5e-a3c6-88da8962fa8c.pdf

 

First Name:	Minnie
Last Name:	Reade
Date Of Death:	8 Aug 1938
Age:	57
Gender:	Female
Father Name:	Mike Schwendig
Mother Name:	Unknown
Batch Id:	276950
Batch Locality:	Washington, United States
Death Place:	Tacoma, Pierce, Washington
Mother Name Gn:	Unknown
Spouse Name:	John Reade

Here she is with her son Walter (given the name Reade), husband and an apparent step son plus her sister Albertina and Albertina's husband in 1920:

"United States, Census, 1920", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHNN-C1K : Fri Jan 17 10:25:40 UTC 2025), Entry for Jack Reade and Minnie Reade, 1920.

 

Walter E Reade grown and married with children living next door to John and Minnie Reade:

"United States, Census, 1930", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCSV-6BQ : Mon Jul 22 00:51:09 UTC 2024), Entry for John Reade and Minnie Reade, 1930.

 

FAG for Walter Reade:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3887311/walter-e-reade

 

Sad end for Walter: obituary in Roseburg, Oregon The News-Review, Monday 14 March 1960 page 2 col 4:

"Walter E Reade, 55 died Saturday after a lengthy illness at the US Veterans Hospital in Roseburg.  

Reade was born July 17, 1904  at Moorhead, Minn.  He is survived by no known relatives.

Services will be held Wednesday in the  Veterans Chapel at 11 am with the Rev Nathaniel C. Wallin officiating.  Interment will follow in the Veterans Hospital Cemetery."

 

His enlistment: 

Name	Walter E Reade
Birthplace	MINNESOTA
Enlistment Place	SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA
Marital Status	Divorced, without dependents
Occupation	6813
Civilian Occupation	Fruit and vegetable graders and packers
Race	White
Military Rank	PVT
Term of Enlistment	Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Army Component	Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Education Level	1 year of high school
Event Type	Military Service
Event Date	30 Oct 1942
Event Place	Sacramento, California, United States
Box Film Number	14307.1
Reference	Civil Life
Serial Number	39401544
Affiliate Publication Title	Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946

 

Walter's wife Bertha marries again after their 28 Feb 1936 divorce:

https://digitalarchives.wa.gov/DigitalObject/Download/16f1a01b-aa85-4d6b-b079-f9711ca095a7

 

Bertha Lucille Schafer dies in 1991, death certificate here: informant is a woman named Gloria Kinnamon of Sacramento California (Gloria Reade?)

https://digitalarchives.wa.gov/DigitalObject/Download/ee7522d5-434c-4fea-9b51-4bea3c172554

 

 

Endret 3 timer siden av Jackie K Marler

[Jackie K Marler]

Last little bit from the Cooperstown Courier, Thursday 4 May 1905 page 5 col 4: 

"E.W. Ohnstad writes us from Richland, Oregon, to send the Courier to him at that place.  He says he will open a bank there on the 15th of June.  His many freinds sic at Cooperstown will wish him success."

 

1905 shaped up to be a very busy year with trips to Oregon and back and forth to Norway.