Odd Jonson Himle, b. 1816; emigrated 1837Posted on June 9, 2012 Odd was one of the early emigrants from Voss and he and his family have many descendants in America. He was born on the Himle farm in Voss and his parents were farmers. His father was a blacksmith and is known for making a chest hardware and locks. His father’s father Amund Johannesson øvre Himle fought in the war against Sweden in 1809 – 1814 as a drummer, and was later promoted to battalion drummer. Drummer’s in the military would drum out messages to another battalion. Amund was the first crofter (tenant farmer) at Moatråen in Granvin and when his house burned down he purchased the Lae farm at Tykkebyd in Voss, which is now a part of Hylle. He later purchased a farm at Himle where he eventually stayed. Amund had two sons that came to America; Sjur and Lars.

** Edited ** The previous wording was done poorly. I hope this is clearer.

The ancestors of Odd’s mother Anna are connected to the well-known Glimme family and as such has many connections. Her line of descent is as follows:

1. Torgeir Glimme m. Marta, who was mentioned in documents in the years 1603 – 1635.
2. Tormod Torgeirson Glimme, m. Anna Rasmusdatter Gjelle, dtr. Of Rasmuss Arneson Gjelle and Anna Nilsdatter.
3. Lars Tormodson Glimme m. Ragnhild Oddsdatter.  They had 6 children: Marta, Per, Sjur, Anna, Gjertrud, and Rannveig.
4. Anna, m. Odd Nilson Himle
   
   
5. Tormod Oddson Himle married to Arnguna Larsdatter Rue. 
6. Odd Tormodson was married to Inga Nilsdatter Gjelland and their son Nils was the father of Bjarne Nilson Himle who came to America in 1839.
7. Anna, born in 1786; was married to Johannes Amundson Himle and was Odd’s mother. Odd’s mother died young after having 2 more children; Amund and Brita. Johannes married again to Marta Aslagsdatter Flatekvål and had 5 more children, many of them having descendants in America.

When Odd first arrived in America he began working on the canal, which had been started to Ottawa, Illinois, and surveyed to the Mississippi River. Then he started with farm work until he took a trip to Voss in 1844. Anders Flage writes in 1840 that Odd Himle was making 2 dollars a day in harvesting which was more than commonly paid. Odd made his home in the Fox River Settlement as many of the early emigrants had. In the fall of 1839 he was hired by three young Voss men living at the Fox River Settlement to help them look for cheap land in Wisconsin. Odd had been in the country long enough to have learned the language tolerably well and also was skilled in evaluating land so he had been hired These young men had heard about rich land in Wisconsin and that there were great possibilities for anyone with courage and strength. Those fellows were Nils Sjurson Gilderhus, Lars Nilson Bolstad, and Odd. Magne Botolvson Bystølen was to be among them, but had gotten sick and had to remain behind, but land was selected for him and he joined them the following year. They all chose land between the border of Deerfield and Christiania. It was these men who founded the settlement at Koshkonong and earn the distinction of being the first Vossings and the first Norwegians at Koshkonong.

In the fall of 1844, Odd went back to Norway and was married the following spring on “Brudetirsdag” or Bridal-Tuesday; to Mari Larsdatter Gjermo. Odd, along with his bride went back to America. His father-in-law and his family went along with him. They sailed on the “Statsraad Van Vogt” and during the voyage a baby was born to Olav Anderson Dyvik (Haus) and Kristi Olsdatter Bolstad (Evanger) and was named Mons Statsraad Van Vogt Dyvik. Sadly, the baby did not survive and was buried at sea. After some weeks at sea they saw smoke. As they drew closer they could see it was a burning ship and as they neared they saw the deck collapse. Soon it wall all aflame and then sank. It had been a freight ship and had no passengers on board. In all, it took nine weeks and three days to reach New York. When they arrived they were asked if they wanted to travel by rail or by canal boat to Buffalo. Since they had heard that Lars P. Gjermo’s son Peter had injured his leg when he rode on the railroad earlier in the summer, they preferred to go by boat.

After being instrumental in founding the settlement at Koshkonong in 1839, Odd then moved in 1845 to Portage Twp., which became Leeds Twp. in 1846; and became one of the founders of the big settlement at Spring Prairie north of Madison. It had been discovered the previous autumn by Knut Langeland from Samnanger. In the fall he was joined by a Sogning, Ole Klæben. When Odd had returned from Voss he had brought many of the emigrants with him. Many of them had first gone to Koshkonong and found that what appeared to be the best land there was already claimed. That was the land that lay a little higher than the other prairie land and had little forest. This led Odd Himle, who, as a good judge of land, to look elsewhere, and several went with him. They heard of some outstanding land that lay about 20-25 miles farther to the northwest, and there went Odd and his following. It was this district that was called Spring Prairie. It lay partly in Dane County and partly in Columbia County, Wisconsin and was about 18 miles north of Madison. The mid-point of this area seemed to be Leeds Center which was a place in Leeds Township in Columbia County. This region now has the familiar sounding places of Keyser, Morrisonville, Windsor, DeForest, Columbus, Arlington, and Poynette Rio. Thus, they became the actual founders of this big settlement. Odd purchased 40 acres (SW. ¼ of SW. ¼ in section 36, town 10. North range 10 E.) and a cabin at Spring Prairie from Ole Klaeben and then made his home there. This cabin (hut) turned out to be the first dwelling of a Vossing on Spring Prairie, and it as a result a number of people in his party soon had lodging. This became Odd’s permanent home. He continued to purchase land until he owned more than 300 acres and in 1860 he had real estate valued at $4,000 and personal assests of $500. By 1870 he had increased this and his real estate value was $5000 and his personal assests were $1200.

Many families joined him in his home that first winter. Beside him and his wife, there was his father-in-law Lars P. Gjermo and his wife and six children, Sjur S. Reque with his wife and five children, hired boy Mons Småbrekke; and also Ole Klæben. The next winter there were also several families, among them Styrk Ivarson Vike, who had come from Muskego.

Odd was an obliging and helpful pioneer, and he took an interest in the future of the colony. He was interested in establishing a church and it was he who first got Pastor Dietrichson to come to Spring Prairie. He and Knut Fosmark went and got him from Koshkonong and Odd’s children were the first to be baptized at Spring Prairie. For one reason or another he became dissatisfied with the high church ministers from Norway, and when Elling Eielson Sundve came there in 1846 and started a congregation,Odd adhered to him. First he gave free land to the church on his property, and Eielson’s Society, as it was often called, had its church there. He subsequently became a member of Hauge’s Synod. The result was, that two congregations were started in 1846, one with Dietrichson as minister and one with Eielson.

In 1890 he moved to the village of DeForest, WI, where he spent the last three years of his life.

Mari, Odd’s wife was the daughter of Lars Pederson Gjerme, born 11 Dec 1822, and was the granddaughter of Peder Larson Gjerme and Marie Madsdatter Sæve. Marie’s great-grandfather was sheriff Mads Torbjørnson Sæve of the old Norwegian Dal family. Her paternal grandmother, Gudve Knutsdatter Raudstad’s was Inger Klausdatter Miltzow of the well-known and documented Miltzow family.

Mari’s father had his father’s farm at Gjerme until he, in 1845, sold it to his sister and her husband Anders Strykson Rekve, who then started to live on Gjerme. After his arrival to Spring Prairie, Lars bought land beside his son-in-law Odd; but he didn’t grow old in America. He was already dead in 1847, leaving eight children: Mari, Peder, Margaretha, Eli, Synva, Asgjerd (Ester), Knut and Martha. After Lars Gjerme’s death his widow, Asgjerd, married widower Ole Knutson Fadnes (Rongo).

They had seven children. Some used the name Johnson.

1. Johannes (11 Mar 1846 – 1847)
2. John (2 Sep 1847 – 1917). In 1867 John went to Iowa and bought a farm in the Forest City area. He never married.
3. Lars (c1849 – ). Lars died between 1850 and 1853. He is buried in Spring Prairie Lutheran Cemetery.
4. Ann (31 May 1851 – 2 Jan 1924). Ann was married to Andrew Leedahl (20 Feb 1842 – 29 Oct 1925). He was born Endre Hermandson Leedahl in Sogn, Norway. They lived in many places Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Oregon. Andrew was a farmer. They had 9 children: Ed Henry, Lewis Robert, Mary Matilda, Judith Anna, Burnie Mathias, Carl Alfred, Esther L., Arthur John, and Emma J.
5. Lewis O. (19 Sep 1853 – 1932) m. to Inger Sjursdatter Rindal (1861 – 1898), 6 children: Minnie, Edward, Sivert, Nellie, Arthur, and Jennie.
6. Esther (20 Nov 1855 – 18 Oct 1920) m. 1870 to Ole Illand, 13 children: Ole, Emma, Adolph, Lewis, Christian, Otto, Willie, Josephine, Henry, Joseph, Marie, Lilly, and Ida.
7. Inger (1860 – )
   
   

Sources: 1885 Iowa State Census; 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 US Census Records; A History of Norwegian Immigration (Flom); History of the Emigration from Voss (Rene); Norwegian Immigrants to the United Steates, Vol. I (Naeseth); Spring Prairie-Hauge Cemetery Records (Leeds, Columbia, WI); Vossaboki, Vol. IV (Kindem); Vossingen, 3rd yr., No. 3 (1921); Zion Lutheran Cemetery Records (Noonan, Divide, ND)

Bård Jonson Rogne, or Lassehaug, b. 1794; emigrated 1837Posted on June 7, 2012 Bård Jonson Stora Rokne was the eldest son and child of Jon Bårdson Rokne and wife Sygni Arnfinsdatter Rogne. He had five other siblings. He was born in 1794 and bapitzed on 1 Jan 1975 at Voss. His lineage goes back to the Losna family to Filip Erlandson of Odensland who was born about 1290. Bård’s father owned the Rokne farm and his mother owned the Rogne farm. On the 24th of Jun 1817 he married Inger Andersdatter Kyte (1793 – ) at the Voss Kirkke. She was the first of Anders Torsteinsen Kyte and Brita Olavsdatter Gjejak’s five children and was baptized on 14 Jul 1793 at Voss. When he married Inger he inherited the Rogne farm from his mother and in 1824 he got the Rokne farm. He lived at bruk 1 at Stora Rokne until 1828 when he traded it with Lars Mikkjelson for Lassehaugen. In 1837 he sold Lassehaugen to Eirik Magneson Rykke for 760 spd. and came to America with his wife and his wife and 7 children. In “The History of the Norwegians of Chicago” it is mentioned that Bård, his wife, and 5 children arrived in 1837. This is either an error or they lost two children along the way. The same publication also mentions Rev. Paul Anderson as having mentioned that Bård and his wife arrived with their five children in 1837. I have not been able to find anything on Marta or Inger so that may have been the case.

Bård’s family had a long-standing history in Chicago. In the beginning they lived on Cass Street and Bård found work as a labourer in the Dutch Settlement and by 1840 he had greatly improved upon his beginnings. Anders Flage reported on Bård that after renting a house for a time, he had his own house built. For a time Mads N. Sonve and Knut E. Rokne lived with him. In 1843 Bård’s son Anders, who was very involved with prohibition wrote that his father had become totatlly abstinent. That same year Bård sold his house and moved into the country. His sons John and Anders had purchased 320 acres of land and he and his wife and younger children Arnfin and Syngi moved on to this land. John and Anders had good jobs, running their own lumber business in Chicago; and stayed there. Later the family moved back to Chicago. It is possible that Inger, Bård’s wife died while in the country.

In Norway they were also known as Rokne and Lassehaug. The family used Johnson as their name in America. They had 7 children:

1. John B. (1819 – ), m. to Synva Andersdatter Buland (c. 1823 – ), a daughter of Anders Buland. In 1839 John was a labourer in Chicago and by 1843 he was a store clerk. His brother, Anders tells in a letter that John earned ten dollars a month and he, nine. In 1860 his occupation is recorded as a teamster. Later he and his brother Anders had started a lumber business, which they ran together until 1871. In 1860 his home was valued at $5000 and he had personal assets of $400. He lived next door to his brother Anders. John and Synva had 6 children.
2. Brita (26 Sep 1920 – Dec 1842) m. to William Frank. William was of German descent. He and Betsey, as she was known; had two children. Their daughter Maria married the well-to-do Vossing and Chicago publisher John Anderson. Their son Frank lived in Racine, Wisconsin.
3. Andrew B. (17 Aug 1823 – 11 Jun 1890); m. Laura Anderson (c1827 – 1897), a daughter of Anders Buland. Anders  was a waiter for John H. Kinzie in 1839 Chicago. In 1843 both he and his brother John were employed as store clerks. Seventeen years later he had become a very succesful businessman in Chicago and held a number of respected positions. He was a member of the Board of Supervisors and the Board of County Commissioners.  For a time he was president of the County Commissioners. He was also a member and for a time president of the of the Board of Education. He and his brother John ran a successful lumber business in Chicago. In 1880 he was dealing in real estate. He is buried in Grace Cemetery in Chicago. He and Laura had 7 children, 5 sons and 2 daughters.
4. Martha (16 Apr 1826 – )
5. Arnfinn (3 Jun 1829 – ). He was also married to a daughter of Andes Buland. They did not have children. In 1839 Arnfinn was working as a tailor for Simon Doyle on Kinzie Street in Chicago. That apparently became his trade. He and his wife later moved to California.
6. Sygni (14 Jan 1832 – ), m. to John Gittleson (c1835 – 7 Jan 1897). John was a Norwegian immigrant. He was a sailmaker and businessman in Chicago. He and Sygni had 4 children; 1 son and 3 daughters.
7. Inger (28 Sep 1834 – )
   
   
   

SOURCES: 1850, 1860, and 1870 US Census Records; A History of Norwegian Immigration [Flom]; A History of the Norwegians of Illinois; Fergus Directory of the City of Chicago 1839; History of the Emigration from Voss [Rene]; Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths 1916 – 1847; Migrants from Voss (Digital Archives); Norwegian Immigrants to the United States, Vol. I; Norwegian Sailors on the Great Lakes (Gjerset); Voss Parish Records (Digital Archives); Vossaboki, Vol. I, III

Magne was the son of Botolv Magneson Bystølen (1753 – 1819) and Åsa Larsdatter Store-Hyrt (1767 – 1844) and was the twelfth child born in a family of thirteen. In 1837 he left his home Voss and headed for America. In 1839 Magne was living in at the Fox River Settlement in Illinois. He was supposed to go with some fellow Vossings; Nils S. Gilderhus and Nils L. Bolstad to go to Wisconsin. They had hired Odd J. Himle, also a Vossing, to with them as an interpretor as they looked for land. Magne became ill and was not able to go with them. The three who went found their land and returned to Milwaukee and purchased 160 acres with 40 acres belonging to Magne. In the spring of 1840, the two Nils’, Magne, and another Vossing Aners Fenno moved to Koshkonong and built a cellar on Magne’s land, which they all used. This was the first building built on Koshkonong in the town of Christiana by Norwegians. They all started farming the same year.

In the winter of 1841 Andres Nilson Lee and his wife Gunvor Sjursdatter Gilderhus, and their two children came to Koshkonong and spent the winter with Magne and the 3 bachelors in their ground cellar. Later that same winter a man from Nummedal, Tore Kaase arrived and also moved in with them.

In 1841 Magne was one of a number of Vossings at Koshkonong who supported Pastor C. Willerup, A Danish Methodist minister, and as a result was instrumental in bringing about the first Norwegian-Danish congregation in the world.

In 1843 John Haldorson Qvileqval wrote in a letter from Chicago to his parents in Voss, that Magne was living in Wisconsin and had fellow Vossing, Haldor Bryngelson Løn living with him. He reported that Haldor had been ill for some time, but was on the mend.

On 15 Jan 1847 Magne was married to Mari Nilsdatter Giere (c1823 – 1 Aug 1861). She was from Hallingdal.

In 1850 Magne had real estate valued at $600. In 1855 he sold his property to Gulleik Saue and moved to Olmsted County, Minnesota. In 1860 Magne’s neighbor was Eirik Larson Skjerve. Magne continued to farm and at that time had property worth $800 and personal assests of $125.

Magne and Mari had five children:

1. Botolf (4 Nov 1847 – 1917); m. to Ella B. Roe (Dec 1857 – ). Ella was born in Norway and came to America in 1885. Botolf owned 180 acres of land in Olmsted County, Minnesota and made his living farming. They had no children. Botolf is buried in Zion Cemetery in Rock Dell Twp., Olmsted, Minnesota.
2. 2. Åsa (2 Nov 1849 – 16 Dec 1877); m. to Ole Ellingson who was born about 1846 in Norway. Ole was a farmer. He and Åsa had 5 children. She is buried at East St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery in Rock Dell, Olmsted County, Minnesota.
3. 3. Ester (c.1851 – )
4. 4. Marie (22 Nov 1854 – )
5. 5. Nils (8 Oct 1868 – 1934); m. 8 Jul 1877 in Wisconsin to Mari Giere (Apr 1857 – 1933). Nils had attended the Lutheran College in Decorah in preparation for going in to ministry, but decided that the calling was not for him. Instead he went into general merchandising and had a business and was postmaster for 20 years in Rock Dell. He later sold he business and took up farming on 228 acres in Section 8 in Rock Dell Twp. He was civic minded and held many positions, notably town treasurer and county commissioner. They had five children. Both Nils and Mari are buried in Zion Cemetery in Rock Dell Twp., Olmsted, Minnesota.

They were known as Bystol, Botleson, and Magneson

Sources: 1850, 1860 US Census Records; East St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery Records; History of Olmsted County, Minnesota (Leonard); History of the Emigration from Voss (Rene); History of the Norwegian Settlements (Holand); Norwegian Immigrants to the United States, Vol. I (Naeseth); Voss Church Records, Birth and Baptisms (1780-1810); Vossingen, 5th, 8th, and 18th years; Ættebok for Vossestrand

Susan was the daughter of Kristoffer Guleikson Herheim, b. Sundvesflyne and Ingebjørg Davidsdatter Herheim who emigrated in 1873. They are my great-great aunt and uncle. Susan was born 22 Jan 1879 and was their second child born in America. Susan grew up in Logan Twp. in Winnebago County. On 1 Nov 1899 she was married in that county to Charles S. Vigdahl and they made their home in Mason City, Cerro Gordo, Iowa. Charles was a car repairman for the the Stearns Railway. Susan was a superintendant for the Mission Unions Sunday School and was involved with doing translations for the blind.

She and Charles had four children:

1. Elsie Geneva (21 Feb 1900 – ); married the first time to Walter H. Patton (1893 – ), son of Charles R. Patton and Elizabeth Husted. They had a daughter Prudence (21 Feb 1925- ). Prudence was married 3 times and had a son. Elsie married a second time to Mr. Higgins.

2. Margaret Estelle (1 Dec 1911 – 24 Feb 1999); married 14 Sep 1931 in Mason City, Iowato Claude Charles Kennison (30 Nov 1908 – 30 Aug 1987). He was the son of Grady Kennison and Edith Emery and was born in Decorah, Iowa. When he was young his parents moved to Canada but came back to Decorah in 1925 and he graduated from Mason City High School in 1931. Both he and Margaret attended St. Paul Bible College for a year. They moved back to Mason City and in 1948 moved to Orchard when they farmed. At the same time Claude continued to work as a station engineer at the powerhouse in Mason City for Jacob E. Decker and Sons. Margaret worked in the dietary department at Park Hospital in Mason City. She outlived her husband and her three siblings. She and Claude had 5 children, four sons and a daughter.

3. David Christopher was married to Doris Nelson. In 1942 he moved to Alaska and worked as a civilian contractor on the Alaska Highway. His wife and son David followed three years later in 1945 and Palmer became their new home. David was born in Mason City on 26 Jun 1932 and died 18 Dec 2005. He was married and had a son. He worked with his father on many Alaska road contracts and for a time was a gold miner near Eureka, Alaska. In 1960 he joined Local 302 of the Operating Engineers and worked in construction for a number of contractors building road, airports, and working on the Alaska Pipeline. He love construction and had his own company called Glacier Construction which he ran until he retired in 1995.

4. Ansil Severt (4 Mar 1904 – 20 Mar 1988) m. 7 Mar 1935 in St. Johns Catholic Church in Bancroft, Iowa to Leona Sandschulte (3 May 1905 – 17 Sep 1935). She was a teacher and died in childbirth. Ansil worked in Detroit. I believe he was remarried to a girl named Irene.

Susan and Charles are buried together at Elmwood St. Joseph Cemetery; Mason City, Iowa.






Sources: SOURCES: 1895 Iowa State Census Records; 1880, 1930 US Census Records; Anchorage Daily News; Elmwood Cemetery Headstone; Gullickson Family Tree Book (Gullickson); History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa; Vol. II; Iowa Birth and Baptism Records 1830-1950; Iowa Marriage Records (1809-1992); Letter, Kennison to Ward (in authors possession); Mason City Directory (1923); Mason City Globe Gazette; St. Johns Cemetery Headstones

Ole was the son Kristoffer Guleikson Herheim, b. Sundvesflyne and Ingegbjørg Davidsdatter Herheim who emigrated in 1873. They are my great-great uncle and aunt.

In 1900 Ole and his mother Ingebjørg were living with his brother Gilbert. He was working as a farmer’s helper. In 1910 he was still living with his brother Gilbert. Celia, who would become his wife, was also living in the same household and was working as a servant for the Herm family. Celia was the daughter of Hans Johnson and Martha Langeland who were from Samnanger, Norway. Celia was born in Chicago on 31 Aug 1886.

Ole attended Iowa State University and graduated in 1914 with an engineering degree. He was a civil engineer with the M. & St. L. Ry. Co. in Minneapolis for a time and then was an engineer and surveyor in Marshalltown, Iowa. On 9 May 1925 he filed a patent for an Automatic Planimeter and in Sept the same year he filed for patent on an engineers instrument for taking various measures. On 30 Apr 1928 he filed another patent for stitching on awnings that prevents unravelling of the fringe. In 1930 his home was valued at $3400. He built many of the bridges in Marshalltown which have since been torn down. He died while in his office in 1930 and was found by his son Robert.

Ole was very high up in the Mason’s and as such had a very large funeral. He had been presented with a gold sword from the Mason’s which had his name engraved upon it. This was donated to Mason’s museum. Celia died in 1968.

They had 7 children and they were foster parents to Ingebor and Rueben after their father died. Their father was Dr. Gilbert Herm, Ole’s brother.

1. Martha (1 Jan 1912  – ); married to Willard Forbes, 4 daughters.
2. Robert James Herm, Sr. (16 Sep 1913 – ); alive in 1994; married to Margie Eno, one son.
3. Harriet E. Herm (9 Oct 1915 – 22 Oct 1994); m. 8 aug 1941 to Clifford W. Hesseltine; 1 son, 3 daughters.
4. Richard E. Herm (8 Jan 1918 – 4 Dec 1982); was briefly married for 6 weeks. Served in the army in the Pacific during WWII and enlisted 11 Jun 1942. Before joining the army he was employed as a store clerk.
5. Edna Herm (13 Jun 1920 – 2003); m. to Robert Adams.
6. Howard Herm (16 Aug 1924 – 1937). He had polio.
7. Margie Herm (15 Dec – 1929 – 13 Jan 1994); m. 13 Feb 1949 to William Matson. One son, and one daughter.