Marit Olsdatter Narjord

  Research Notes:

Summary:

Marit Olsdtr Narjord b 1829 was my half-2nd cousin, 3 times removed. Her mother was Sigrid Estensdatter Grue [b 1795] and Sigrid was the grand daughter of my 4th great grandfather, Jon Simensen Grue [1729-1807].

Marit Olsdtr left Norway for North America in the spring of 1870. I haven't found an emigration although she is recorded in the 'moving out' records for Tolga parish - her 'surname' on this record is "Lillenarjord", which I think is a part of the larger Narjord farm. At the time she left Tolga parish she was single, and appears to have traveled on her own. Marit Olsdtr did have a daughter that was born outside of marriage - the daughter was named Marit, born in 1850 but died in 1858 [the father was Rasmus Amundsen Røsten].

Although I have no direct evidence, it is likely that Marit Olsdtr Narjord traveled to the area known as Norwegian Ridge in northwestern Allamakkee Co, IA and northern eastern part of Winnishiek Co, IA. Her sister was Johanna Olsdatter Narjord [1843-1933 who was married to Mikkel Petersen Narjord [1828-1913]. Mikkel and Johanna homesteaded in Highland Twp in Winnishiek Co, Iowa and had emigrated in 1869. And Marit had a brother, Esten Olsen Narjord [married to Ingeborg Olsdatter Røstbakken, my second great aunt] who homesteaded in Tordenskjold Twp, Otter Tail County and also emigrated in 1869.

The Geni.com FT [see below] notes that Marit had been married to a person named Esten Lesseth, but this FT provides no other information.

With no other information on Marit, I did a general person search on Ancestry for Marit O Narjord, b 1829, and one Ancestry Family Tree [FT] records her was Marit Olsdatter Lillenarjord, b 1829, and married to Esten Pedersen Leset, born 1830 in Norway. This same FT records her relationhip with Rasmus Amundsen Røsten, and he daughter named "Marit Rasmusdatter Lillenarjord, 1850-1858]". This same FT also notes that Esten Pedersen Leset had 2 other marriages [Sophia Jonsdatter and Beret Pedersdatter]. This FT does not provide any more information, other than the names or 4 children. I then found a couple other Family Trees [FTs] - see below. The problem with these FTs is that they do not connect the different sources to one another and do not make any comments on any discrepencies.

There is a link from the FTs to Findagrave. The gravestone photos for both Esten Pedersen Leseth and Marit Leseth are difficult to read since the gravestone are in poor shape with lichen. It is a combined gravemarker with the top part recording Marit Leseth, birth as 20 Mar 1829 and her death as 22 Nov 1890. The lower part of the gravemarker is more difficult to read, but the name is Esten Leseth with dates unreadable - the findagrave post records his birth as 4 Mar 1830 and death as 12 Jan 1894. The Cemetery is Hesper Lutheran Cemetery - this cemetery is in Highland Twp, Winneshiek Co, IA.

I have also reviewed the 1880 US Census for Canoe Twp, Winneshiek Co, IA. The head of the household's first and given names are only recorded by E L Peterson, with the first initial debateable. But he is recorded with the age of 50 with a calculated birth at 1830 and his wife as Marit O age 51 [born 1829], and his daughter Sofie age 15 and son Peder E , age 28. All are born in Norway. Unfortunately the 1880 census does not give any other information.

The 1885 IA State Census for Canoe Twp, again with E L Pedersen as head of household, wife Marit and 2 of his sons and I think his grandson.

Note / Conclusion: the information records in the US for Marit Olsdatter Narjord/Lillenarjord are very limited, and do not provide much evidence. Additionally some information is simply not available, at least on-line. However, based on my review of the information I have found, I think that the following is accurate, at least to some extent:

1]. Marit left Norway in 1870 and most likely went to the area near her sister, Johanna.
2]. Sometime before 1880, Marit married Esten Pederson Leseth, aka E L Peterson, aka Esten Leseth Pederson/Petersen. However, I have not found a marriage record
3]. Esten was born in 1830 in Sør Trondelag county in Norway. His first wife, Sophie died in 1859, and in 1861 Esten married again to Beret Persdatter. In 1867, Esten along with his wife and 4 children and his father and mother emigrated. It is believed that he went to the Winneshiek Co, IA.
4]. Marit and Esten continued to live on the farm in Canoe Twp, Winneshiek Co.
5]. I have found no evidence that Marit and Esten had any children
6]. Marit died on 22 Nov 1890, but I have found no death record. Esten died in 1894, but again I have found no death records
7]. Both Marit and Esten are buried at Hesper Lutheran Church Cemetery in Winneshiekt Co, IA. They have a common gravemarker that is in poor shape, based on a photo taken in Arp 2017.

Although the above has only limited accuracy, it is a reasonable conclusion. I have entered Marit's information into my database, but as I have indicated the accuracy is questionable. Keep in mind that when you review this information on my Legacy databse it appears to be without question. But the information has only a marginal level of evidence.

Perhaps in the future, more conclusive evidence can be found.

notes by Rueben D Grue, 18 Jun 2018
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Resarch information reviewed: June 16, 17 and 18, 2025

.... ancestry FT for Esten Pedersen Leset [I think this started with Marit O Narjord, gen search]
Ola A N FT [naesteby] ; accessed 17 Jun 2025
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/163354111/person/332124372318/facts

BUT then another FT on ancestry ...
Janae Geraldine Carlsen FT [Janae Carlsen Morales]
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/72197222/person/34382100712/facts
.. different information: marriage in 1852 to Sophia Marit Jonsdatter Ranloo, 1829- died 1859 in Norway
.. and a link to Canadian Passenger List from Jun 1867 ... he is now married to Berth Persdatter, age 32 [ https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1263/records/7207139 ]

Burns FT [Shannon Burns]; accessed 17 Jun 2025
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/199979958/person/262614464391/facts
.. wife Sophia Marit Jonsdatter b 20 Mar 1829, died 22 Apr 1859
.. he married Beret Persdatter, b 16 May 1835, Leset, Haltdalen, Sor Trondelag, Norway.. died ? in IA

AND then ...
I did a general search on Ancestry for Esten Pedersen Leset
... and findagrave .. 89944758 at Hesper Lutheran Cemetery and link to wife id 89944971
Marit Leseth b 20 Mar 1829, died 22 Nov 1890 at Hesper
.. gravestones are in bad shape

I also searched Winneshiek County IAGenWeb; https://iagenweb.org/winneshiek/index.htm
BUT ... nothing .... on surnames, biographies except for a Thomas J Leseth, son of Peder and Ellen Leseth ..
.. this Thomas was born 28 Sep 1916, Canoe Twp, .... so this Peder Estensen Leseth** and wife Ellen Haaverson , married 1883. ... It appears that Esten Pedersen Leseth may have been married 3 times - to Ellen [from above]. Sophia Johnson, and then 'our' Marit but I haven't found a date for Marit's marriage

** there is a death cert for this Peder E Leseth, 1852 died 3 Mar 1930 with informant Thomas J Leseth. Thomas J records Peder E's father as Esten Leseth and mother Marit Ranloo ???

1880 US Census, Canoe Twp, Winnishiek Co; ED 0341; image 16 on ancestry; dw/fam 136/141
? L. Petersen, age 50 b in Nor
Marit O, age 51 b in Nor
Sophia, age 16 [1864] b in Nor
Peter E, age 28 [1852] b in Nor
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4241237-00314?usePUB=true&_phsrc=Cgg6&pId=23960799


1885 IA Census, Canoe Twp, Winnishiek Co
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1084/images/IA1885_278-0195?pId=6944634
E L Pedersenage 54[1830], farmer, ... given name must be Estensec 5 SW¼ofSE¼
Marit Pedersenage 55 [1829]
Peder E Lesethage 32[1853]
Esten Lesethage 26[1841]
Edvard T Lesethage 1[1884]

1895 IA Census, Canoe Twp, Winneshiek Co; dw/fam 157/157 ...enumeration as of 1 Jan 1895
family of Peter E Leseth family - Peter age 42 [line 8]
line 15 ... Osten Leseth age 64 .... but then the information is crossed off ... BUT he died 12 Jan 1894



Norway Emigration Records, on Ancestry .... 30 Apr 1867
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61757/records/720568

Esten Lieseth37 [1830]
Bent Pedersdatter Hustru (Wife)32 [1835] ... given name recorded as Beret Pedersdatter, [transcribed, Bent]
Peder Estensen, 15 [1852]
Beret Estensdatter11
Sophie Estensdatter3
Peder Estensen1 [1866]
Peder Estensen, Far67 [1800]
Beret Johnsdatter, his wife65 [1802]
John Pedersen, brother33 .. he died in 1870


FamilySearch FT, id MQ4C-GXB - for Esten Pedersen [Leseth], 1830-1894
.. only records his 2nd marriage to Beret Pedersdatter ... BUT then uses the dates of birth and death as indicated on the gravemarker on Findgrave for "Marit Leseth", 1829-1890. Even though the FT notes the marriage in 1861 in Norway, where Beret's age is recorded as 26 with a calculated birth as 1835

--------------------------------------------
birth: there is a bit of confusion on Marit's birth: BUT . ...
Parish register (copy) no. 2, 1815-1844, p. 94-95 [formerly, the Klokkerbok], no 12 ... name as Marit Olsdtr Nören, parents Ola Olsen og Sigri Estensdtr ... with "innerster"= houseroom on Verjäa [ https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/9224/49 ]
So, this is basically saying that Ole Olsen Narjord and Sigri Estensdtr Grue had a room in a house that was on the farm, Verjäa
....... The Bygebok for Os, vol 3 page 83 suggests that the mother's name was Sigrud Jonsdotter but on the Miniesterial bok it is difficult to read but it seems that Jonsdatter is crossed off and above it in smaller writting is Sigri Estensdtr ??? makes it very confusing .....
[ https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/9226/61 ]

Then, John Midtdal's book, Tufsingdalen, page 499
- notes that Marit Olsdatter Narjord born 16 Feb 1829 went to America in the spring [våren] 1870 .... but she also had a daughter outside of marriage who was name Marit, b 2 Nov 1850 and died 10 Jun 1858 ... the father was Rasmus Amundsen Røsten [p 495]
- John Midtdal also wrote, "Marit was the sister of Ingeborg on Broen søndre [page 259 at the bottom] .. not clear who John Midtdal is referencing, but likely Ingeborg Olsdatter Narjord, who had married Mikkel Ingebretsen Broen ... Ingeborg was the mother of Engebret Broen, b 1863 and he is the person Nels Grue writes about in his 1978 booklet on the history of the Thore S Grue, as "Professor Broen"
.. Marit Narjord, the younger ... b 2 Nov 1850, died 10 Jun 1858



Out-Migration, Parish register (copy) no. 4, 1845-1887, p. 358, no 2 .... Pige Marit Olsdtr Lillenarjord, 1 Apr 1870 to America
.... doesn't appear that she is traveling with anyone else [17 Jun 2025]

geni.com FT, ..... https://www.geni.com/people/Ole-Olsen/6000000007559324717?through=6000000007559769365
- notes she was married someone named Esten Lesseth, b bet 1799-1856 ... that is not very helpful since a range of 50+ yrs
- no other information about Marit or Esten
added:Johannes Rye Røste on September 3, 2008
Managed by:Olve Jan Ulfsnes, Anki [Ann Chatrin] Olsson, Tove Ryen, Olaf Ø. Storbækken and Kristian Knutsen less

---------------------------------------------

Marit married Rasmus Amundsen Røsten, son of Amund Rasmussen Røsten and Marit Jonsdatter Haugen. (Rasmus Amundsen Røsten was born on 20 Mar 1829 in Tolga, Hedmark, Norway and died on 6 Sep 1893 in Tolga, Hedmark, Norway.)

Marit next married Esten Pedersen Leseth before 1880 in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. (Esten Pedersen Leseth was born on 4 Mar 1830 in Haltdalen, Sor Trondelag, Norway, died on 12 Jan 1894 in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States and was buried in Hesper Lutheran Cemetery, Hesper, Winneshiek Co, Iowa, United States.)