Margreta Monsdatter Lunde was born in 1801 and baptized on 13 Sep 1801 at the Voss Church at Vangen. She was the daughter of Mons Torsteinson Lunde (1761 – ) and Brita Davidsdatter (1769 – ). Brita’s mother is from the well documented Mosafinn family in Voss. She was married on 22 May 1833 to Paal Iverson Dale. Paal was born 28 Mar 1806 in Ulvik, Granvin, Hordaland and was the son of Ivar Nilssen Dale (1772 – 1826) and Guri Helgesdatter Espeland (1778 – 1840). Margreta lived in Ulvik in Granvin after her marriage. She and Paal had two children born at Dale: Iver b. 6 Dec 1860 and Torstein b. 6 Dec 1835. In 1836 the family, along with Paal’s sister Ingebjørg went to America. They settled in Adams Twp., in LaSalle County, Illinois where they had two more children: Nelson (Nels) b. 1838 and Betsey (Brita) b. 1843. Paal died sometime between 1843 and 1850 as Margreta is a widow in 1850. She is farming with her 4 children and her real estate is valued at $800. I have not located her after this date so perhaps she also passed on. Her son Torstein (Thomas) is farming in the same community in 1860 and the value of his real estate is recorded as $3000. He had personal assets of $50. There is a possible candidate for Iver who is married to a Rosina, but without a marriage certificate, etc. it is not possible to say for certain if this is him. The other children I have not located. The family went by Everson and in 1860 Thomas was using Iverson.

Anna came to America 28 Apr 1843 as a hired girl with her cousin Anders A. Kløve. They left from Bergen on the Lucy Marie which arrived in New York on 15 July 1843. They went to the Muskego settlement in Norway, Racine County, Wisconsin. On 23 Nov 1844 she married John Johannesen Dale who a widow.

John was the son of Johannes Torbjørnson Dale and Agata Jonsdatter Dalseid and was born Aug 1795 in Bruvik, Vaksdal. His first marriage was to Anna Sjursdatter Vaksdal (1803 – 1839) and they had at least two children: Agate and John. He and his family immigrated in 1837.

1850 finds them living in Norway Twp., in Racine County, Wisconsin. John is a farmer and they have real estate valued at $1000. John’s 17 years old son John (from his first marriage) is living with them. Their name is recorded as Darley.

Anna died in 1871 and is buried at Norway Lutheran Church cemetery at the church on Indian Hill. John died December 1882 and is buried beside his wife. (One source states that Anna is buried at Muskego Lutheran Cemetery.)

Anna and John did not have any children together.

Lars Eirikson Lødve was the son of Eirik Madson Lødve (1768 – 1841) and Ranveig Larsdatter Meringen (c1766 – before 1841). He was the 6th born of their 10 children and the 4th son. He was born 3 Sep 1796 and baptized at Voss on 11 Sep 1876.Lars was married on 23 Mar 1824 to Herborg Torkelsdatter Våle. She was the daughter of Torkel Johannessen Våle (1796 – 1839) and Ragnild Olsdatter Lille Skiple (1773 – 1853). She was the first child born in a family of 5 girls. She was baptized on the 23 July 1797 at Voss. They lived at Våle, Voss and had 4 children born there. On 7 Mar 1837 they all set sail for America.

He spent brief periods of time in Chicago, Beaver Creek, and the Fox River Settlement. He settle in Ottawa for 4 years and found work on the canal project and later became an assistant surveyor (chainman).He then took up farming on the property he had purchased outside of town.

In 1841 they are found in LaSalle county, Illinois near the Fox River and 7 miles from Ottawa. Lars had purchased 26 acres of land for which he paid $260. It was woodland and was near to where other Norwegians had settled. His eldest son Eirik was working in a store and earning $100 per year plus clothing. His daughters Randvei and Ragnild also worked for him but earned different amounts. Randvei earned 3 orts a week, but no clothing and Ragnild earned food, clothing, and schooling. Torkel was at home and perhaps he was helping his father. Lars and Herborg were also new parents to a son Charles Benjamin who was born 13 Apr 1841.

Lars and his family stayed in the Fox River area and his sons Torkel and Charles helped to divide the counties and served on the town councils. His son Eirik served in the Mexican war, and he and his brother Torkel were among the first gold prospectors in California. In 1848 Lars officially became a citizen of the United States.

By 1850 the census shows them living in Rutland in LaSalle County, Illinois. Lars’ real estate is then valued at $600. By 1855 he is shown to have $930 worth of livestock. By 1860 he has increased his real estate holdings to $4480 and has personal assets of $800.

Lars wrote many letters writing of the opportunities and encouraging folks to come to America. He liked his new home and the opportunities it presented to him and his family. He lived to be 75 years old and Herborg outlived him by 4 years. They adopted Erickson as their surname.

Their son Eirik (9 May 1824 – 1850) died unmarried in California.

Randvei became known as Marinda (24 Aug 1826 – 1907, Chicago) was married twice. Her first husband Abraham Keefer died in 180 in California. He went there with Marinda’s brother Eirik. They had a daughter Esther. Marinda then married Steffan Sherman, a fellow Vossing who was born Steffan Sjurson Gjerald. He had emigrated with his parents in 1844. They had 3 children.

Torkel (22 Feb 1829 – 19 Aug 1883) also was in California and in 1853 he went to Australia, returning to the USA via England. He married Helen Pearson (13 Jan 1840 – 11 May 1917) in Chicago in March 1858. They had 11 children.

Ragnhild, later known as Nellie (6 Sep 1831 – 1901) was married in 1857 to J. G. Seward who died of wounds he suffered in the Civil War. She married again about 1890 to Peter Cornelius Nelson (20 Jan 1830 – 10 Dec 1904). Peter was the son of Norwegian immigrants.

Charles (14 Apr 1841 – 23 Jan 1930) was married to Anna Nelson (22 Jan 1845 – 6 Oct 1934). They moved to Iowa and lived in Humboldt County. They were the parents of 9 children.

Nils and Torbjørg were the first of the Vossings to emigrate. They, along with Nils Bolstad and John H. Bjørgo and others had heard Gjert Hovland’s letter read by a lay preacher travelling through Voss. It was this letter that prompted them to leave their home for America. Nils had no land in Voss so was able to leave quickly and by the 18 April 1836 the Dean had registered them as being emigrated after evidentially receiving a minister’s certificate. They left perhaps from Stavanger on one of the Köhler brigs, or from Bergen. For the first year or two they lived in New York. One source states they were in Orleans County and another indicates they were in Rochester. It is likely that they were at one of the Norwegian settlements at Kendall or Murray townships in Orleans County which is near Rochester. They were reported to have been living in primitive conditions and they later went to Chicago. In 1839 they and many others were reported to be living under limited circumstances in a log house on the north side of the river. Nils had purchased some land and in 1840 built a home on the property where he planned to move. The family fell ill and remained in Chicago. In June 1844 Randver Lydvo and Lars Knutson Dykesten were married in Nils’ and Torbjørg’s home by the Rev. Flavel Bascum of the First Presbyterian Church. Knut died before 1847 as Torbjørg was mentioned that year as being a widow and living in a house she owned in Chicago.

Nothing more is known about them or their children. Being the first Vossings to emigrate, there is of course much interest about what happened to them and their children. If you can help with this mystery please contact me.

Odd Eirikson Arnetveit was the fifth child of Eirik Kolbeinson Arnetveit and Marta Sjursdatter Tveite Hb. His brother Sjur (Sievert) had gone to America in 1880 and when he came home for a visit in 1884, Odd left with him. When they left Bergen in May their destination is recorded as Minnesota, but by June they were both in Chicago and by 1890 he and his brother had joined together and formed the Erickson Brothers Construction Company.

In 1893, at the age of 24 Guri Larsdatter Møn left Voss to make a new life in America. She was the daughter of Lars Møn and Johanna A. Hellesnæs and had a brother Anders who also came to America. She and Ed, as he became known; were wed on 26 Sep 1896 in Chicago. Guri died just 9 years later at the age of 36, and 5 years later, at the young age of 45, Ed also died, leaving an 12 year old son and 11 year old daughter. The children are found in the 1920 Cenus living with their cousins Isaac and Marie Vinsand in Chicago. Elmer was the owner of his own furniture making company after learning the trade at the Colonial Chair Company. Margarethe was a stenographer for an insurance agency. The family used Erickson as their surname.

I have not been able to find anything further on Elmer or Margarethe, and as always if you have any further information to add, you may contact me using the contact form.

Photo from “History of the Norwegians in Illinois”, pg. 308, published 1905.