[#2413] Carl Olsen, b. 14 Oct 1879

[Gjest Valerie Reynolds]

Valerie Raynolds har bedt meg legge dette temaet inn i debattforumet. Lillian Koehler.I am looking for any information on my great grandfather Carl (Karl) Olsen b.14 Oct 1879 supposedly in Bergen, Norway. Carl's parents were Knut(e) Olsen and Susan ? I have no information as to when/where Carl's parents were born, or who his grandparents were.   Carl had 2 sisters: Hannah & Sarah; 4 brothers: Olaf, Sam, Levi and Louis. Unfortunately, I have no information as to when/where any of them were born.   My grandmother, Carl's daughter, told me that her father said his "papers" "are still in the Lutheran Church in Bergen". I know that most, if not all, of the churches in Norway are of the Lutheran affiliation, which makes finding any trace of him this much more difficult. I have no information as to any farm or parish name from which Carl or his family came from. My grandmother believe's that her grandfather was a fisherman, as told to her by Carl.   At some point, Carl and family moved to the Stavanger area. But again, we have no information as to where exactly...no farm name, no parish name, etc.   Carl came to the US by himself at the age of 12. Depending on when he left Norway, this would have Carl arriving  in the US sometime during 1891/1892. Carl told my grandmother that his parents stayed in Norway. It isn't known if any of Carl's siblings came to the US before or after him. When he left Norway, he supposedly went to Hamburg first, then on to the US. We have no information as to his departure date/place, ships names or arrival date.   Carl said he arrived at Hoboken, New Jersey. He went by train, we assume, to Des Moines, Iowa to live with relatives who were already living there. We do not know who these relatives were, or how long he was in Iowa. He also lived in the Meade County area of South Dakota. I found that he had purchased 160 acres of land on 15 May 1911.This is the only record I have found on him. From South Dakota, he went west to Oregon, where he lived out the rest of his life. Carl died 5 May 1956.   As far as any family members having any of Carl's important papers...that is ruled out, as his wife, for some unknown reason, THREW AWAY all of his papers! This included his Naturalization papers, and any letters, memorabilia from his family members from the US and Norway.....I cannot understand why his wife, or anyone for that matter, would do such a thing.    I have a copy of his obituary, but it doesn't say where in Norway he was born....makes no mention of relatives other than his wife and daughter. The same applies to his death certificate.   I have tried to locate Carl on the US census' but have had no luck. I have also tried to get information through our National Archives and the Immigration & Naturalization Service, but have been told that I don't have enough information for them to conduct a search.I have also searched through the Social Security Death Index and have found no trace. I have gone into the Digital Archives site online(birth records, baptismal records, emigrant protocol records, etc), and the Tromso site, but have had no luck there either. I found a Karl Olsen Stamnesleiren...but this is not my Karl.   I apologize for this message being "long winded", but feel that the more information I can provide will only be to my advantage. I certainly appreciate any assistance or suggestions that anyone can provide me. Thank you so very much for your time, Valerie Reynolds Texas, USA midget@vvm.com 

[Gjest Torun S. Soknes]

It's a long shot, but there was born a Karl Emil in Korskirken in Bergen October 14 1879. His parents' names were (unfortunately) Martinus Larsen and Oline Olsen.Mvh Torun S.

[Gjest Svein Bjarøy]

If you look in the Census 1900 for Bergen - Magnus Barfodsgate - matr.nr. 25 there might be some of the people in question. There is a (45787) Susanne Olsen born 1845 - widow She is home doing house for the next persons on the list - among Olaf Olsen, Samuel Olsen. I can not find them in the Bergen 1891 cencus. Can this be a start ? Good luck !!

[Gjest Bjørn Helge Johannesen]

I checked the Cencus mentioned above once more, and found that this Susanne Olsen, born 1845 was born in "Søkelven (Sykkylven), Søndmør (Sunnmøre), Rom (Romsdal)". I then looked up the 1875 Cencus with search name = "Susan Olsen", and found the following:Susanne Gurine Olsen, born 1845 in Ålesund (which matches the origin stated above). She is mentioned as "Nedanførte Olsens Kone", (Wife of Olsen), but her husbond does not live at this address at the moment (Fisherman?). The following children are listed: 1. Jenny Sofie Elonara Olsen, born 1869 (Sarah?) 2. Alfred Ingvald Constanten Olsen, born 1870 3. Carl Olaf Olsen, born 1871 (Olaf?) 4. Gustav Adolf Olsen, born 1874 5. Anna Susanne Olsen, born 1875 (Hannah?)If you match this children list with the ones mentioned in the 1900 Bergen Cencus, you see that Olaf is both places, born in 1871. The other ones are born after 1875: Magna (1879), Stener (1878), Samuel (1882).This may be loose ends, but there are some common information too.Also, I find a death of a Mr. Knud Olsen (in Bergen)21/1 1882 (a Knud born in 1837), and another one died 21/7 1886 (a Knud born 1844). One of these may be "your" Knud.Maybe another one can check of one of these Knud left behind Susanna as a widow????I have not found any marriage or baptism records of the above mentioned persons, since I don't have access to any church-records from the city of Ålesund. Maybe another one can check this??What about records listing moves from Ålesund to Bergen? Anyone have access to such??This is areally exciting search, and I wish you best of luck in the following seraches.Regards Bjørn H (mail = bjohejo@online.no)

[Gjest Bjørn Helge Johannesen]

PS. The 1875 Cencus used is at the Tromsø site (RHD, Registreringssentralen for Historiske Data), in case you'd like to trace the search. BjH

[Gjest Valerie Reynolds]

Hello-- I just wanted to tell everyone Thank You for all of the help that you wonderful people have provided me in my search for information in regards to my great grandfather and his family. I also want you to know that I certainly appreciate all of your time and effort in providing assistance to me. The information found on some of Carl's siblings, showing that they were born in Aalesund, looks like a very good possibility of this being the area he was from.    Is it possible for someone to look in the Aalesund Church records to see if Carl's and/or his siblings information is there?   Is it also possible for someone to check in the Sykkylven Church records for any information on Susanne Olsen b. 1845? I would like to find out who her parents and siblings were, where they may have come from, etc.    And lastly, has anyone been able to find my great great grandfather Knut Olsen, leaving behind his widow Susanne when he died?   I again Thank You so very much for all of your time, effort and assistance in helping me with this.....   Valerie Reynolds Texas, USA"

[Gjest Bjørn Helge Johannesen]

Can anyone check the death-record for Knut Olsen, and see if the widow's name is Susanne?? (See details above in my first reply).Can anyone check the Ålesund-churchbooks?BjH

[Gjest Lillian Koehler]

Valerie Reynolds har sendt meg et scan av Carl K. Olsens søknad om Social Security Number hvor han oppgir foreldres navn. Hans fars navn er greit nok, men nå får vi også fullt navn på moren "Susen Segvesen". Er det Sigvesen som står oppgitt eller kan det være noe annet? Ta en titt på http://www.bgnett.no/~lilliank/slekt/carlols.htm hvor jeg har lagt opp bildet. Kan vi da kanskje bedre hjelpe Valerie med å finne "røttene"? Jeg har søkt etter Sigvesen i tellingene uten resultat ....Lillian Koehler