[#5339] Frederick Olson and Josephine Hanson

[Gjest Amy Junites]

I'm looking for my ancestors who came from Oslo, Norway. His name was Frederick Olson but I'm sure it was spelt differently. I have no dates on him. He married a Josephine Hanson (no dates) and had two daughters. Amanda and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was born in Oslo, April 6,1879. I believe her sister was 4 or 5 years older. They came from Oslo, Norway and ended up in Cherry Grove Twp. Wexford Co. Cadillac,Michigan. Josephine died from TB. She probably was around 53 years old. (this happened in 1883) I know the names have changed and would like any advice to where I go from here. Thank you!

[Gjest Torun S. Soknes]

First of all: I'm afraid it might prove very difficult to find your ancestors if this is all you know about them... Hanson and Olson (Hansen and Olsen) are very common names (if we assume that these are the names they used in Norway), and when coming to the US, many norwegian immigrants stated Oslo as place of birth/origin, when they very well could have been born in a neighbouring town or county. And to have so few dates to go on, makes it a lot harder.Second: This doesn't mean we have to give up without trying! But I have to warn you, what I have found is based on a lot of "if's" and "maybe's", and must not be interpreted to be the right answer.What I have found, though, is that one Josefine Olsen (age 33), emigrated from Kristiania (old name of Oslo) June 6, 1879 (no. 1869A, post 49768). She was a married woman, but her husband was not with her, which indicates that he might have travelled ahead. Josefine travelled with three persons: her daughter Amanda Olsen (age 2) her daughter Bolete Olsen (age 9 months)(did she become Elizabeth?), and widow Amalie Olsen (age 41). Their last residence was Fredrikstad, which is in Østfold county, a bit south of Oslo, and their destination was Bay City, Michigan.A married man by the name of Fredrik Olsen (age 27), emigrated from Kristiania April 25, 1879 (no. 473, post 47670). He was a labourer, his destination was Bay City, Michigan, and he travelled without his wife (possibly in the companionship with two other labourers also going to Bay City, both who appears to be from Sweden, as Glemminge is in Sweden). Fredrik appears to have been born in Sweden, or maybe just resided there for some time, but this is hard to tell. This may be Josefine's husband, but it's just a guess.I have found a family in Fredrikstad in the 1865 census with a daughter by the name of Josephine Hansen (born 1847). This name matches the info you have. This Josephine has a brother by the name of Amandus, which might indicate that she would have a reason to name a potential daughter Amanda (if we assume this is her given name). I have no other reason to believe that this might be the right Josefine, besides the name resemblance, and the fact that this Josephine and the Josefine emigrating both came from Fredriksstad. Your problem when locating your ancestors will partly lie in the fact that there are so many Josefine Hansen's to chose from (10 only in Oslo and Østfold counties...). There is a Josefine Hansen, born 1850 in Fredriksstad, which is a widow in the 1900 census. If this is the same Josefine, or one which has aquired the Hansen name by marriage, is impossible for me to say.I have also found a Fredrik Olsen, born in Sweden in 1851, and residing in Oslo according to the 1875 census. He is a housepainter apprentice.I'm not sure who Amalie Olsen is, the widow travelling with Josefine. The Olsen name might in her case be aquired by either marriage or by birth. So she might be Fredrik's older sister, a relative of Josefine, or just a friend.I have found just one Amalie Olsen, born in Sweden (Gothenburg). She's born in 1839, so the age matches, but I have yet to find a link between her and Fredrik/Josefine. This Amalie also has a son (illegitimate), Edvard Wilhem Kristoffersen (born 1864 in Kristiania), who as far as I can tell is still in Kristiania in the 1900 census. I find it a bit hard to believe that Amalie would just take off and leave her son all by himself in Norway at the age of 14 or 15, but who knows...Conclusion: I'm inclined to believe that the Josefine Olsen emigrating is the right one (even though this means she died of TB at the age of 37 and not 53... It's a big age difference here, it comes down to how sure you are about Josefine being 53 at the time of her death), and maybe even that the Fredrik Olsen emigrating is her husband. I'm much more unsure about the persons I've located in the censes.I hope this might help you along. Regards, Torun S.