Sogaard/Iverson/Wasboe family in Norway

December 15, 2006

This is a rare day:  We have a new photo of a direct ancestor.  At this point in the game, there are no guarantees that any of the ancestor photos we don't have even exist.  I received an e-mail from my mother's 3rd cousin, Kristin Bachken of Oslo.  She had scanned some photos from a box her family had saved and among these pics was a labeled photo of my 5m, my mother's mother's mother's mother's mother, Anne Marie Mathesdatter Sogaard, born around 1811 in Øymark, Østfold, Norway.  She was one of a simple farming family, people who passed their years in the ordinary, joyous, noble and often difficult activities of making a living and raising a family.  To me, she looks as though she has managed to adapt to everything she encountered without complaint.  Happy, but not too happy.  Very practical and down to earth.

December 1, 2006

A little background.  My mom knew only a little about her ancestry.  From this, I've known all my life that her mother's family was from Norway, but mom never mentioned lefse and never visited Norway.  She did go see The Song of Norway about Grieg's life (she majored in piano in college).  And she did have a rosemaled breadboard hanging in the kitchen.  Other than that, our Norwegian heritage was a mystery.

In 2001, I visited her mother's father's cousins near Trondheim and Molde.  Then, I went to Østfold, a province in southeastern Norway, to visit my mother's mother's mother's side of the family, the Iversons and Wasboes.  A 5th cousin, Aslaug Nysterud, welcomed us and showed us around to the cemeteries and such.  Many of my old ancestors were buried there, but Aslaug was the closest cousin I met. 

Here I am at the Øymark church.  Then, Aslaug at the Øymark cemetery in Ørje, Norway.  Then, the Sogaard and Enger farms.

Now, I'm in touch with a 3rd cousin of my mother, Kristin Bachken.  She lives in Oslo but her ancestors are from the Ørje area.  This is great fun because she remembers her grandmother, Gina Ruud, and I have a letter Gina had written to her aunt, Thea Iverson (my 4m) in Minnesota.  So, this relationship is close enough that we both 'know' some of the same people, and might have some of the same photos.  Below,  we have Gina's mother, Karoline Kristendatter, born 1848, sister of Thea Iverson.  Then, Gina Ruud, followed by a family photo of Gina, Reidar Bachken (Kristin's father) and Anton Andresen.  Fourth, Kristin Bachken on 17 Mai, and one with her parents and an aunt.

Here's a letter from Gina, Kristin's grandmother, which Gina sent to her aunt and uncle, Thea and Anders Iverson.  No date, but she mentions the partition of Norway and Sweden of 1905, so it's after that.  And it's probably before 1924 because that's when the name of the city of Christiania was changed back to its original one, Oslo.  (Note:  Wikipedia says that the spelling 'Kristiania' was used from 1878-1924.  Perhaps Gina is using the old-fashioned spelling which would be familiar to Thea and Anders, who emigrated separately around 1870.)  Here's a translation. 

Prayer book owned by Thea:

Thea's smallpox certificate:

Love letter from Anders to Thea in Norway.  I love this one.  Here's a translation.

Emigration document for Anders.  Here's a translation.

This document concerns an inheritance Thea received from her brother, Martin, who died in Norway.  KB:  "The "overformynderi" is, the local Dept. of Justice and all cities has such a department that deals with inheritance and juridical rights in connection with death, child custody etc."

"Ms Thea Søgaard Wasbo
address
In the decedent estate after Martin Søgaard ..
the following amount is passed on NOK 192,40,-
+ rate of interest from 14 sept to date (22. jan 1922) 2,64
Sum: NOK 195.04
onehundredninetyfive 04/100
which amount will be sent You ....
confirmation of receipt will be appreciated
Sincerely

.....Braarud
"overformynderi"
 

Here are death notices from a Kenyon newspaper I found at the Rolvaag Library at St Olaf College in Northfield, MN.  The first is for Martin Sogaard, brother of Thea, who died in Oymark.  The second is for Anders Iverson, my 3md.  Notes by Kristin Bachken:  "From the death notice I understand, as I presumed - Martin had no children. His title "sveiser" means that we was taking care of the kettle at a farm and the undersigned where the owners of the farm. if he had had some family they would probably have undersigned the death notice. 

Our Loyal barnman (dairyman)
Martin Sogaard
died in silence after 2 days illness
Samol in Oymark 08-sept 1919 (this does not correspond to the note of inheritance for Thea)

Julie & Hilmar Sonstegaard"

Deathnotice:
Andrew O. Iverson, 74 years old, died this morning in his daughters Mrs. C.O. Stockes home (conservative - using the husbands name and initial
letters!)
49 Williams Avenue SE.
He was survived by widow, five sons - N C. Iverson, Minneapolis, J.B. Iverson, Seattle, Washington, H.M. Iverson, Williams, Arizona and C.M. Iverson, Deming, New Mexico. two daughters - Mrs. C.O.Stocke and Miss Mary Iverson, Minneapolis, sister Mrs. Johanna Thompson and brother August Wasboe, Kenyon.  The deceased came from Rodenes, Norway to Kenyon, Minn. 50 years ago, where he has run a shoeshop. The body will be sent to Kenyon where the funeral will take place on Saturday
 

Below are some photos Kristin just sent me.  Ramona Larson Pekarek had posted them on her site some time ago.  (Her site is not going to be up much longer, so I'm moving the content here.  Thanks, Ramona!)   I had even printed them out at the time but their significance had escaped me.  These are true family treasures that stayed in Norway.  For example, I have many toys and artifacts that belonged to various ancestors.  They were household items that anyone in that family at the time would have had a host of memories about.  Today, they are ordinary antiques, except that I know their provenance as belonging to certain families, but still there is nothing about them that identifies them as being specific to our family.  That is what distinguishes items like these.  They are important because they are family heirlooms and family records.  Items like these retain their meaning even to distant generations and they are self-documenting. 

The first is Christian Thorsen Sogaard's family bible.  It is a family record and is undoubtedly written in his hand, so this is a very personal item, one that allows us to touch something he touched.  We can imagine him retrieving it from the family trunk in the weeks after each child was born, probably during naptime, and making the entry for their new child.

This bible belongs to me Christen Thorsen Søgaard and I am born into this world 28 December 1811 on farm Søgaard in Ødemark.
And my wife Anne Marie Matisdatter is born into this World on 10 mai 1816 on farm Vestre Koppen in Ous Anex to Rakkestad Parish.
Year 1841 on 23rd August our Daughter Thea Christensdatter was born on farm Søgaard in Ødemark.
Year 1843 on 14th September our Daughter Emelie Christensdatter was born into this world on farm Søgaard in Ødemark.
Year 1846 on 20th September our Son Martin Christensen was born into this world on farm Søgaard in Ødemark.
Year 1848 on 21st October our Daughter Caroline Christensdatter was born into this world on farm Søgaard in Ødemark.
Year 1852 on 23rd Mai our daughter Else Christensdatter was born into this world on farm Søgaard in Ødemark. She died 28th October 1874 on Søgaard.
This is written on farm Søgaard in Ødemark the 11th April 1856.
Year 1874 the 9th June Anne Maria Andersdatter was born into this world on farm Søgaard in Ødemark.

This is Karoline's prayer book.  I have no translation of the inscription.

THIS IS THE REAL GEM, Thor Iverson Sogaard's and Else Brynilsdatter Gjolsjo's engagment contract.  They're Christian Sogaard's parents and Thea's grandparents.  Man, they don't do things this way anymore, do they? They were married Feb 23, 1794 in Øymark, Østfold, Norway, probably at the church pictured at the top of this page. 

(Original item is in the
personal possession of
Reidar Kristian Bachken, Norway)
Translation by Kristin Bachken:
Heavenly blessings to be given to the Wellborn and Gifted Man
Thor Iversen born on farm Søgaard in Ødemark the 29. December Anno 1761
and the Virtuous, Beautiful and Honest Woman
Else Brynildsdatter born on farm Enger in Rødenes the 29 april Anno 1770
"In the world God will give you good health. He will 'let you live' until you will see in the third generation your wonderful progeny and 'branches' and when you from days are 'tired,' God will collect your bones in the grave."
Anno 1798
J.A Rogenbiehl (the artist who designed the contract)