[#2346] Kjersti Neilsdtr, born Oct. 21, 1807

[Gjest Erling Erickson]

Kjersti (my great-great grandmother) wrote in a family Bible: "Year 1807, the 21st of October was I, Kjersti Neilsdt., born to this sinful world at County House, Naj. Aardalen." I have checked the 1801 census for Buskerud and cannot find a "County House" or a "Naj." Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I should look for. Thank you.

[Gjest Yngve Nedrebø]

My guess is that what looks like "Naj. Aardalen" also can be read "Næs Aadalen", and Nes is a part of Ådal parish near Hønefoss, Buskerud.The parish registers of Nes are found at Statsarkivet i Kongsberg, Frogsvei 44, N-3600 KONGSBERG.

[Gjest Kjell Hamberg]

In the emigration records for Christiania 1869 you will find one Kirsti Nielsdatter (61) from Aadalen, Buskerud County. Destination: Prairie du Chien. Her age indicate that this might be your g.g.grandmother? She's going with the ship "Argo" in a group of 4 people. She married, but the passenger status says she's "EF", which I believe means something like "Single relative".

[Gjest Kjell Hamberg]

Corrections and addenda! "EF" means "spouse". I was confused by Kirsti Nielsdatter's age in the emigration list (61) and the age of the man she's travelling with, Erik Eriksen (54). I then entered the 1865 census for Aadal and found (farm's name = Hougen) that they were definetely married and that his age in 1869 should be 64, not 54. So, the other three in the emigration list are their children, also found in the 1865 census. The census, however, lists 6 children, one of them already married. The fact that the family knew exactly where they were going in 1869, indicate that a relative had emigrated a couple of years before. (Haven't looked in the emigration list for a possible candidate, but that might be worthwhile doing).Think I got it correct this time!

[Gjest Marianne Hella]

I don't really have any information to add, but this interests me because I come from Nes i Aadal, and I know where Haugen is. Maybe you still have some relatives there?