Elias Hansen Narjord

  Research Notes:

Summary: Elias HANSON NARJORD, 1829-1898

Elias Hanson Narjord had used the surname HANSON sometimes spelled as Hansen on many records in the United States. He was born in 1829 at Narjodet Nordre in Os-Togla parish in Norway. His father was Hans Perssen Narjord (1794-1880). Hans Persen's mother was Sigrid Jonsdsdatter GRUE (1763-1823). Thus Sigrid was Elias' grandmother.

Sigrid Jonsdatter was the 5th child of my 4th great-grandfather Jon Simensen GRUE (1729-1807) and his first wife, Sigrid Estensdtr Berg. Jon Simensen GRUE was likely the first person to use "Grue" as a surname

Thus, Elias is my half 2nd cousin 3 times removed.

Elias was married on 26 Mar 1854 and the next day he and his wife left for North America from the Røros. He was likely the second person in our family to emigrate from Norway. Elias' cousin, Marit Eriksdatter Berg and her husband, Nils Olsen Eggen left Tolga a year earlier in 1853. Elias and Marit were 1st cousin's once removed. Marit's mother was Marit Jonsdatter Grue b 1756 and Elias Hansen Narjord's grandmother was Sigrid Jonsdatter Grue b 1763, a sister to Marit Johnsdatter; they were sisters).

Note that Røros, in Sør Trøndelag Co and Os, in Hedmark Co were only about 20 kms apart and many poeple in the Os area travelled and/or worked in Røros.

It is possible that Elias traveled with a cousin of Elias', Johanna Jonsdatter Midtdal (1825-1920) - this is on Elias' mother side of his family and thus Johanna (b 1825) would not be directly related to the "Grue's". Johanna was married to Esten Lassesen Elgåen (1817-). Johanna b 1825 was a niece of Elais' mother, Marit Ingulsdatter Midtdal (1794-1859).

However, it is not certain if Elias and Esten Lassesen traveled together. In 1967, a newspaper article, "Waterloo Ridge Church Observing Centennial" [see point 17] records that Elias and wife and Esten Lasseson were the first settlers in the Waterloo Ridge Community arriving sometime in July 1854. However, John Midtal in his book "Tufsingdalen Gårder og Slekter" records that Elias left Tolga for North America in 1854 and Esten Lasseson left in 1853. The newpaper article also says that Elias and Esten purchased 160 acres of land when they came in 1854. They also had built a log house with a loft and both families lived in the log house. The 2 families are both recorded in the same household in the 1860 US Census.

Elias homesteaded on Sec 7 in Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co. He lived at or very close to the current village of Dorchester, IA, but his farm was about 10 kms west of Dorchester or about 10 kms south of Spring Grove, MN This area was also known locally as Waterloo Ridge. By 1886 also had land on Sec 18 and it is on this land that the church and cemetery are located. From available information [the church 100 yr aniversary booklet], the church had paid Elais for 2 acres of land in order to build the church and establish the cemetery - this was likely in 1867 or 1868.

His oldest daughter died in 1871. His other daugther was Hilda (1855-1945). Hilda was married to Marius Eggen [1853-1931] - Marius and his brother owned a men's clothing store in Fargo, ND and later in the Los Angeles area. They had one daughter, Olga Christine who was not married.

Elias and his wife had an adopted daughter, Olava. Olava lived with them for awhile. I have not found any futher information on her.

See my Legacy database for my information.

[Rueben D Grue, 15 Oct 2022, with some additions/revisions in Mar 2023]

Note: more research is needed to confirm some information and to "clean up" my notes - 19 Mar 2023

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See my document .... Family travels from Quebec to Minnosota [written in Aug 2023];
my PC .... Grue Family Tree

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1. Source: Bygebok for Os: bygda og folket; Pages 46-47; Vol 1 [my PDF - John S Grue & Bergs, page 23]

- left for America in 1854
- page 47 - photograph - - taken in Kristiania, on way to America (på vei til Amerika)

b... marriage from Norway parish Registers; Elias birth at Narjord; Ane Kjerstine - birth at Dalen at Rørps


2. Source: Rørosboka, Vol 1, pages 487-488 ; (basic/literal translation, Rueben Grue, July 2008)


Among the first to leave or set out [dro avsted] in the springtime [våren] of 1854 was Anne Kristine Tørresdal and her husband Elias Hansen Narjord. Elias Narjord often wrote home and in correspondence - that was selected from the teacher Jon Grue in Os - about the considerable undertaking on how these emigrants had traveled the first time in the new land.

From Quebec left on a vessel/ship up the St Lawrence River, took the railroad over the border to USA and came to Chicago. This trip took 6 days and cost [8 spesiedaler] for each [person]. This [roadroad car - wagon] was at night wrote Elias Narjord, and [then they] walked further along a path to the Mississippi and up the strong/powerful/mighty [mektige] river with a steamboat. By a small town, they switched boats [and] many became ill [følget syke] from cholera and a few [en del] died, among them Henrik Jakobsen Svartviken who travelled with his wife and three children. Eventually they completed their travel at Lansing in Iowa, "where we met a few who spoke Norwegian and resulted in a yearning/desire for somebody from home since there was nobody from røros [fikk følge like til rørosingene]". (From other sources it is stated that a sizable range of hills named Waterloo Ridge by Lansing became named Røros-ridge (ryggen] because that is the location where many people from Røros lived or "unnelled" [traktene].

These people for Røros [rørosingene] had partitioned or shared [land] for the 2 years and those mentioned in letters are Tron Langen, Bernt Haanæs, Lars Raaen and Ole Bækos. "But when we came we saw 10 pretty good but strange shelters", wrote Elias Narjord. "I can [say] they looked like birch cuttings/trees [bjerkeløer i slåtten plugged with clay and pebbles. I must say that we wished ourselves back in Norway for the first day [time]." ****also see below, #4, part B written by Margit for a better translation of this paragraph.

Elias Narjord sent letters home for several years, and the tone of each was lighter or brighter. He told that the land in Iowa was hilly with mountains and valleys; the earth/soil was fertile, but the best land was sold. However, he later purchased 120 acres and he started to grow corn. "People mainly lived by bacon and wheatbread, and I and my wife do not regret leaving for America, although there are many unpleasant/uncomfortable difficulties here" he wrote after he had been there for sometime. That winther he reported "I must say that it [winter] is scarely as cold as I'm familar with in Norway."

In regards to religious concerns/circumstances, it is secular (verses state church), but still there is no church or priest. A few of the Rørosingene[s] had written home to get Didrik Iversen over for the priest; they would not have had a right/correct Lutheran learned/trained [Luther-lærdom] priest. "We live about 3 Norwegian miles from Decorah", he wrote at one time, "and around there are only Norwegian people." (1 norske mil = 10 kilometers - therefore, about 30 kms or about 18 miles) We frequently visit our acquantenances when they/we go to the country store [krambode]. I am glad since I came over here at the same time as Peder Abrahamsen Dille; thanks to God for his jounery over here from Røros and for his ability to earn his daily bread and for simple and good pleasure (entertainment, enjoyment).



3. Sources: the following were from Links using Ancestry's Rootsweb mailing lists and/or World Connect.
BUT: for the most part the rootsweb.com mailing list, messages etc are going to be "shut down" as of 6 Apr 2023.
Apparently the FamilyTrees will be on "Ancestry as a new free-access collection later in the year".
Any links that I have for rootsweb DO NOT work, and it seems to be impossible to find the information anymore
[13 Mar 2023].

Although I have the link noted in my google drive, the links do not work there either. Thus I will be creating a
separate document: "Elias Hansen Narjord from Rootsweb". This document will be saved on my PC under his
folder and also on my flash drive, new Scandisk, 32 GB



[1]. from rootsweb.com mailing lists - Archriver - Norway-L - 2003-01 > 1042231333 [no longer on-line]

- The following selection is taken from "Norwegian Settlement in the United States" published by the Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA) in 1938.

"Primary among the influences in Norwegian settlement in the Northwest were the America letters. In as much as Minnesota became the destination of so many thousands of immigrants, this state naturally came to be mentioned with increasing frequency in the letters. Many are full of praise for the new-found land; others are filled with disillusionment. Elias Hansen Narjord, writing to relatives in Norway on March 30, stated that he had been in northern Iowa but had not yet found land. He continues: "But in Minnesota there is land in plenty, and one can live there two or three years without buying, as the land has not yet been put on sale."

footnote: This letter was one of about a thousand gathered by Dr. Theodore C. Blegen in Norway in 1928-29.


[2]. from rootsweb.com mailing lists - Archriver > TRONDELAG > 2003-03 > 1048604182

- this is under [Tronder] Holtålen Community celebrates 150th anniversary of emigration from an article in the Western Viking in Seattle. The following is from the transcribed newspaper article with paragraphs titled Emigration (translated by Margit < mbakke@eot.com >, Tue, 25 Mar 2003 [this is no longer accessible - apparently the newspaper "Western
Viking" is still published in Seattle, but I have not found any on-line resources for the paper - 13 Mar 2023]


The next year there was no emigration from Holtalen, but in 1855 a new group set out. Among them were Klaus Olsen Stene, Malene Jordsli, and their five sons. This family headed for the northeast corner of lowa where the counties of Allamakee and Winneshiek meet in a landscape that is known as the Waterloo Ridge. There they met two families from Tolgen's Parish, south of Røros, who had already established a homestead in the early summer of 1854. These two families - the Esten Lassessons and the Elias Hansons - were living together in a 16 square foot log house, sharing one room and a loft, but they generously gave shelter to the family of Klaus Olsen. Peder and Kari Stensli were the next to come to the Waterloo Ridge. Eventually many of the earlier emigrants from Holtalen and many later emigrants would find their way to the Waterloo Ridge. Others settled west in Highland and Hesper townships in Winneshiek County, but the distance between was not considerable and the communities they built remain filled with their descendants today.

Waterloo Ridge is also know as Røros Ryggen because so many people from the Røros area settled there. From the Roros Boka we have the following report:

'These Rørosings had some of them been there one year others, two years, and those mentioned in the letter written by Elias Hanson Narjord are Tron Langen, Bernt Hånes, Lars Raaen and Ole Bækos."

"But when we arrived we were disappointed," wrote Narjord, "because here there were such strange houses. I can compare them with birch barns in a hayfield, chinked with clay and small stones. I have to say that we wished we were back in Norway the first days.''

As soon as these pioneers had established themselves in America, they must have encouraged others from home to make the journey.


[3]. from rootsweb.com, mailing lists - Archriver > NORWAY > 1999-05 > 0926093545

- this provides a name index from the book by Theodore C. Blegen's "Norwegian Migration to America, The American Transition" is published with the kind permission of the Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA)

Narjord, Elias Hansen, 190n, 191; quoted, 212

+++++ HYOPTHESIS

The above indicate that Elias Hansen Narjord wrote letters to family/friends in Norway. It is most likely that Simen Thoresen Grue (b 1823) and Tobias Torgersen Movold (and Esten Olsen Narjord) had received some of these letters or had read them. It is also most likely that they used this information as a guide to their own emigration. It is also most likely that when Simen Thoresen Grue came to America, he went to and likely stayed with Elias who is the most likely the person that Nels Thoreson Grue mentions in his booklet (Historical Record of the Thore Grue Family) "...at Decora, Iowa where they remained for a time..." [Decorah being about 18 miles away and likely the major center in the immediate area] and later went to Otter Tail Co, MN.

Martin Mikkelson (born about 1864) had indicated in a taped interview (likely spring, 1977 and recorded by my parents, Oliver and Mary Grue) that the "Grue's (Simen Thoreson family) had 'land connections' in Iowa, near Decorah" and that they first went there before coming to MN - again, it is most likely that this 'land connection' was Elias Hansen Narjord. Martin Mikkelson also indicated that his grandfather, Lars (Syl) Mikkelson.....[12 Nov 2012 ???? this sentence isn't complete, so I will need to review my notes about the conversation with Martin Mikkelson ]


4. Source: Norwegian Migration to America - - Theodore C Blegen (Blegen notes in the first footnote that "Transcripts of Narjord's letter as are in the possession of the Norwegian-American Association. Previously he (or possibly I've read this someplace else) also noted that the many of the "America letters" are in the Norway Archives in Olso or University of Olso Library)


a) Chapter VI Aspects of Everyday Life

page 190 - writing about the diet/food in America and letters home to family

Elias Hansen Narjord letter of 26 Jan & 26 Dec 1856 (single quotation)

"And yet another, urging his sister to come to America, said that she would have 'good food, pork that is tempting to eat, and with it wheat bread, for there is plenty of that sort of food in America.' He was thinking of sending some bacon home to Norway for Christmas."

page 191

"American cookery did indeed have its points, Elias H. Narjord admitted, but he noted that after the immigrants 'live as they like, eating and drinking what they prefer,' they tend to return to familiar Norwegian dishes." Blegen notes another letter from J S Johnson from Rock Prairie [Wisconson?] "...that there would likely be new desire for the flat bread, herring, porridge, and surprim (a cheese made from the whey of sour milk) for which they once had so gratefully said grace - even if the porridge was vasgrøt 'boiled, that is, in water instead of milk.'


b) Chapter VII Pioneer Folkways

page 212-213 Elias Hansen Narjord letter of 26 Jan 1857 (single quotation)

"Even before churches were organized, the social combined with the religious instinct to bring about informal community gatherings. The neighbors, writes Elias H. Narjord, assembled on Sundays for the reading of books of sermons. A letter of 1857 reveals the social scene in one part of the Iowa country: 'Our neighbors are for the most part from Hotaalen and often on a Sunday we gather together, sometimes for scriptural readings. Last Christmas during the holidays Bør Olsen from Holtaalen visited us and several neighbors; a month ago Jokom Nilsen Østus from Rørass and Elisabeth-Maria were here...last Easter we visited them and thus it goes. We are often visited by our neighbors from Røraas because they have to pass by our place on the way to market.'




5. Source: Platt Book located at www.sharylscabin.com/Allamakee/land_index.htm

- 1886 Warner & C.M. Foote Plat Book - E. Hansen - Section 7, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, IW
- 1903 Waukon Standard Map - E. Hansen - Section, 7

++ See, http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/atlases/id/408

- digital image of Waterloo Twp Platt, 1886
- clearly shows Elias Hansen, but a bit difficult to make out the actual acreage - looks like he has the SE¼ of the SW quarter, SW¼ of the SE quarter, NW¼ of the NE quarter of Section 7 and the NE¼ of the NW quarter and the NW¼ of the NE quarter of Section 18
- from this platt, the Norwegian Lutheran Church (Waterloo Ridge) and Cemetery is along side a road that straddles Sec 7 and Sec 18 [ today, this is likely Co Trunk Hyw A16, less than 10 kms west of Dorchester, IA ]
AND this shows that the church and cemetery is on Elias' land - did he donate the acreage for the Church and Cemetery. --- see the anniversary booklet

- digital image is also on ...historic maps work
https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/125236/Waterloo+Township++Quandahl++Dorchester++Bergen/Allamakee+County+1886+Version+1/Iowa/


US Census records: note that I have the images of the Census records on my Google Drive


6. 1860 US Census, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co

- indexed as Elert
- Elias and Ann (C) both age 30, Anna M & Hilda (indexed as Tilda); - farmer
- value of estate at $350; personal at $150
- also in the same household, John Anderson (age 14), Esten Estenson (indexed as Sostonson), Joana & B L -
it is possible that this is Esten Lasseson age 44 [b abt 1816, and his birth is noted as 1817], and wife
Johanna, age 36 [b abt 1824 - I have her birth as 1825
[ handwriting is hard to make out, but possibly Esten Lasseson - see point 17 below ]
and Anderson Pederson


6. 1870 US Census, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, IA (as of 1 June 1870); enumerated 30 Aug 1870

- lists Elias (age 40), wife Anna (age 38), daughters Anna (age 16, born in IA, <1854>) and Hilda (age 14, born in IA <1856>)
- farmer
- value of real estate - $3,000; value of personal estate - $800
- Elias and Anna listed as not being able to read or write (assuming this means English)
- also listed at the same dwelling is Louis Loring (not clear if this is the correct surname), age 27, born in Norway, as a Labourer and Deitrick, age 6 (assuming this is his son), and Peter Lorson (Larson? or maybe Lassen), age 26, born in Norway, as a Labourer.



7. 1880 US Census, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, IA (from familysearch.org)

- lists Elias and wife
- daughter, Hilda, age 24 <1856>, born in Iowa
- lists as a foster-daughter, Olava, age 8 <1872>, born in Norway ++++ family had returned to Norway in 1872?? Olava's parents came to the US and then died???

- also has the Mathias Martinson, along with his wife and 3 children, in the same household


8. 1885 Iowa State Census, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co

- Elias and wife -- farmer, Sec 7, SE SW
- daughter - Olava - adopted ?
- Marius Eggen - son-in-law and Hilda

9. 1895 Iowa State Census, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co

- Elias and wife -- farmer
- Olava, daughter


10. 1900 US Census, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co

- Christine Hanson, head; widow; emigration as 1854; mother of 2 children, 1 living
- also listed is John and Matilda Noihus, as servants; John emigrated 1876; Matilda born in Iowa ? brother/sister ?


---- 1920 US Census - Kirstine Hanson, separate house 111, dwelling 115

10. 1905 & 1915 Iowa State, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co

a. 1905 - Ane Kjerstine Hansen, person 86, (p 2)

b. 1915
- listing for Mrs Christina Hanson, age 84 <1831>, 60 years in US <1855>
- not clear if this is the same person, but most likely
- value of farm at $15000


11. Source: See file for 1860, 1870, 1880 US Agriculture Schedules



12. Source: Allamakee Co, Iowa Burial Grounds, 1845-1988 (Dale P Woodmansee, Waukon, Iowa; 1989; source location: http://iagenweb.org/allamakee/cemetery/WaterlooR.htm

- The Waterloo Ridge Cemetery, on the grounds of the Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church (Waterloo Ridge Menigheds Kirke), is 5.7 miles west of Dorchester, Iowa on Road A16 or 5.6 miles south of Spring Grove, Minnesota

- listed as Elias Hansen <1829>, Ane Kjerstine <1831>, Anna Maria <1854>
- daughter is also listed - NOTE: not confirmed that this is his daughter, but most likely
(also Johannes S Narjord)


Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church records
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/154239023:60722


image 158Elias Hanson, died 21 Jan 1898, funeral/burial 27 Jan 1898, age 68; born in Norway

image 195, Fortegnelse over Menighedslemmer = list of congregation members [images 195-201]
Elias Hanson, b 29 Oct 1829, Tolgen
wife Anne H, b 31 Apr, Roraas
dau Hilda, b 24 Apr 1855, Waterloo Ridge .... ? ??? Eggen ... marriage on image 152, 11 Jan 1884
[next family is Esten Lasseson]


cheat sheet; years 1873-1905 -
images 1-118notes, etc
image 119"Ministerial Records, 1873-1905"
images 121-137births
images 138-150confirmations
images 151-155marriages
images 156-159deaths/funerals
images 160-194register - list of names and wifes
images 194-210 congregation members

Notes: from the Newspaper article on the church was started with the quarrying of rocks for the foundation in the fall of 1867. A builing committee was established in Jan of 1868 with final completion in 1877.

See: "Waterloo Ridge Church Observing Centennial", by Mrs. Robert Askelson, Spring Grove, MN
printed in the: Winona Daily News, 10 Mar 1967 [ see PDF taken from the newspapers.com - PDF in Elias' folder ]

see: under Elias's folder





13. see Norwegian American Historical Association - website for Recollections from My Journey to America and My First Years in America by Halle Steensland translated by Odd S. Lovoll (Volume 33: Page 235)

- description of emigration in 1854 - sailing ship - Montreal to Detroit


13. b. ; see, http://www.naha.stolaf.edu/pubs/current/Front_matter-2.pdf

- lists 4 letters written by Elias Hansen Narjord to Hans Pedersen Narjord (likely his father)
7 Dec 1857, 26 Dec 1856, 30 Mar 1855, 4 Sep 1854




14. see History of Winneshiek and Allamakee County -- at google books
- general history -- unfortunately most of the "biography" section wasn't scanned
- population of Waterloo Twp - 1860-406; 1880-856

HOWEVER, at archive.org (accessed 4 June 2014), complete book is scanned, BUT no biography for Elais Hansen or Hanson or Narjord ;;; see, https://archive.org/stream/historyofwinnesh00alex#page/721/mode/1up




15. From Ancestry.com Public Member Tree, 'Peterson Family Tree' owner 'Ppattibloom', 2012 [ re; Ole Johnson Roan and Berrit Nelson Eggen family ]

- Lars Olai Pederson (one son was Olaf Nicolai Peterson who married Mabel Roan, daughter of Nels O Roan who was a son of Beret Nelson Eggen)
- Lars Olai Pederson was a Minister and was the pastor at Waterloo Ridge for 9 years - Olaf Nicolai's birth certificate affidavit indicates that he was born at Waterloo Ridge, Allamakee Co on 17 Dec 1884


16. see, http://www.sharylscabin.com/Allamakee/church/WaterlooRidgeLutheran.htm accessed 6 Sep 2014
[but no longer active - redirected to something else entirely; 16 Oct 2022]

Actually, I think this is now the Allamakee Co, IA GenWeb [ http://iagenweb.org/allamakee/] and the site is maintained by Sharyl Ferrall, volunteer coordinator [16 Oct 2022]

BUT: http://djwinsness.com/pdf_files/WaterlooRidgeKirke.pdf; found 16 Oct 2022
- this is a copy of the booklet - history of Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church. BUT it is in Norwegian and very to read the print font

- photo from a booklet, Waterloo Ridge Kirke og Waterloo Ridge Kvindeforenings Historie [likely history of Women's Society/group, written by John E Lasseson in 1926 - can be found in the Luther College library, Decorah
- photo of Elias, wife, and likely adopted daughter Olava - taken in early 1890's [ photo in file folder ]



17. "Waterloo Ridge Church Observing Centennial", by Mrs. Robert Askelson, Spring Grove, MN
printed in the: Winona Daily News, 10 Mar 1967 [ see PDF taken from the newspapers.com - PDF in Elias' folder ]

NOTE: no source for the information is given for the newspaper article, although the photos are/were in the possession of Edgar Lassesen, a grandson of Esten - it is presumed that the information travelled is from Edgar that had been passed down through the generations

- Norwegians - pioneer settlers and the beginnings of the church - Elias Hanson and his wife Ane Kjerstine Torresdahl and Hansons cousin, Esten Lasseson and his wife Johanna from Elgaaen **
- sailed from Liverpool and arrived in Quebec - 9 weeks on the ship 'Vilhema Tell' [likely from the shipyard at Hamburg, that sailed to Olso and then to Liverpool and then to Quebec
- traveled by boat from Quebec on the St Lawence to Lake Champlain [New York], Hudson River to Albany, NY and then via the Erie Canal to Buffalo, NY and then on the Great Lakes to Chicago; stopped at a town near Fort Dearborn * then via Illinois River to the Mississippi, then north to Lansing arriving in early July

* today, a part of Chicago, on the north shore of the Des Plains River at the mouth into Lake Michigan. The Des Plains River flows through Chicago in a southerly direction and at a point east of the town of Morris, MI, the Des Plains becomes the Ilinois River and then eventually it joins the Mississippi River at the junction of the Mississippi and Missouris River, a few miles north of St Louis MO. With this being the case, it doesn't make a lot of sense that at St Loius they then went north on the Mississippi to Lansing, IA, a distance of some 600 kms

** This account varies considerably from the account that Elias had recalled and was written in the Rørosbøka
[point 2 above]. But according to John Midtdal's book, Tufsingdalen .... Esten Lassessen left in 1853 and Elias Hansen Narjord left in 1854 -- thus the two travel accounts could very well be different. Any rate, they both arrived in the area of Waterloo Ridge .....



17 . b. ... -------------------- see [added 15 Mar 2023; saved under Elias Hanson folder ]

- this is downloaded from the Norwegian Ridge website
https://norwegianridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Waterloo-Ridge-100th-Anniversary.pdf

Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Chruch, 100 Anniversary booklet, page 8 of the PDF: history




A. possible routes across US from Quebec to Waterloo Ridge

[ Lake Erie through Detroit River onto Lake Huron to Lake Michigian at Makinaw and then south to Chicago; but at Chicago there is the Chicago River, where Fort Dearborn had been 1st built in 1803, but some of the Fort was lost due to widening of the Chicago River by 1855 and then the rest from a fire in 1857 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Dearborn); so,, it must have been the Chicago River, and then south branch that eventually flowed into the Des Paines River and then formed into the Illinois River (abt 20 kms south of Joilet); the Illinois River flows into the Mississippi about 50 kms north of St Louis and abt 300 kms south of Lansing, IA,

- so around Fort Hudson, they would have sailed down the Hudson River (south) to the Waterford (abt 50 kms north of Albany - with a series of locks going west on the Erie Canal; the Erie Canal follows the Mohawk River through to Utica and Rome, NY (this was also known has New York State Barge Canal) - from Rome to Oneida Lake to just north of Syracuse, continuing west onto Cross Lake and then to Rochester, NY; from Rockester, west to Buffalo
[ note this is the approximate current route, but the original route would have been a bit different - Routing changes made during the Barge Canal era in the early 1900s redirected canal traffic along rivers and lakes north of the original route; see, http://www.eriecanalway.org/explore_canal-regions/central-history.php
- length about 585 kms from New York City
- see, http://www.eriecanal.org/maps/Abbott-1852.jpg - map saved in folder
- started in 1816 and completed 1825
- note St Lawrence Seaway - some locks/canals as early as 1871; the Welland Canal, between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie started construction in 1824 and opened in 1833, but with deeper canal, a more complete or full naviagtion in 1848;
;;; see, http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/pdf/mlo.pdf , accessed 8 Sep 2014:
"All in all, by the middle of the 19th century, a continuous water route linking Lake Erie to the sea was available to vessels of less than 2.4 m (8 feet) draught." "If the embryonic seaway of 1850 could provide distance, its depth and lock dimensions precluded the shipment of heavy bulk cargos aboard large vessels." "Between 1850 and 1904 both the Lachine and Welland Canals were deepened to 4.3 m (14 feet)." ]


Also see:

Henricks MN Family Tree Project [ Henricks is very close to the SD state line and is about 150 kms north from Sioux Falls, SD ] ; first accessed in Sept 2014 and a number of times since that with the latest, 12 Oct 2016
http://djwinsness.com/hendricks/ ; active as of 16 Oct 2022



17. a. Conflict - traveling from Quebec from the newspaper article is different from the what is recorded in the Rørosboka (point 2 above)
- the newspaper article provides some more detail, but there are gaps or inaccuracies, particularly the Illinois River section
- but other questions - for example why travel up Lake Huron and down Lake Michigian - Why not travel overland from Detroit to Chicago? Why travel south on the Illinois River to almost St Louis and then 300 kms up the Mississippi to Lansing? Why not travel overland from Chicago to the Mississippi?

possbilities
- it is likely the writer of Rørosboka edited the letter from Elias Narjord to Jon Grue and simply highlighted certain areas -- but I may have made some mistakes in the translation (re-do the translation?)
- it is likely the newspaper article is somewhat more accurate since some of the information seems to have been provided by descendant of Esten Lassesen -- it is quite possible that they took a boat down and through the Erie Canal, since there were difficulties taking a large boat past Montreal due to the Lachine Rapids


17. b. Note: a problem I made when I was researching ancestry.com Family Trees as early as 2014 is that I did not record a link to the FTs

** Esten Lasseson and wife Johanne - Five Oaks FT, [SeetheUSA] access, 16 Oct 2022
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/9656751/person/6546435144/facts [ 7 pages, media gallery
- does not have information on parents of Johanne or Johanna
[also re: Bygebok for Os, vol 3, page 251]
- findagrave id, 89915688, Waterloo Ridge Cemetery


Note: --- Elias Hansen Narjord's mother was Marit Ingulsdtr Midtal born 1789 - Marit's brother was Jon, born 1797 and he had a daughter, Johanne Jonsdtr Midtdal born 1826; Thus, "Hanson's cousin would have been referring to Johanna Lassesen (not Esten) ; and NOTE: The following statement is NOT Correct: Johanna Lassesen (husband Esten) would not have been a cousin to the Grue's, since our relationship with Elias is through his parental grandmother, Sigrid Jonsdtr Grue (and not Elias' mother) ; see notes under Jon Ingulvssen, born 1797 (RIN #1629)
- the best bet is to look up John Midtdal's book "...Tufsingdalen ...." [But Elias left from Røros parish, but Tufsingdalen should have some information on the Midtals



17. c. re; above newspaper article, 1967 a number of Public Trees, most detail with Ole Eriksen Eggen

"They had friends and relatives in the Hesper, Iowa, district, 35 miles from Lansing. There were no roads and so they walked up the bluffs and through the brushlands to Hesper, where they stayed with
the Langen family."

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree, O'Brien/Thompson/Hurly/Wedum Family Tree owner PAOBrien2 from Missoula, MT with last login in Jul 2014;
Trond Olsen Langen, born 16 Aug 1821 Røros, died 15 Feb 1889 in Hesper, IA
[ Røros Ministerialbok, 1821, Trond - father Ole Bentsen Langen and Ann Marie Trondsdtr from Langen
- Trond Olsen Langen leaving Røros parish, Feb 1852, Røros Ministerialbok , page 598, line 3 (2nd side)

- 1860 US Census, Hesper Twp, IA (ancestry.com; page 15, family/dwelling 667/634) Thron Olsen family (along with son Ole, age 16)
- 1870 US Census, Hesper Twp, IA - Tron O Langen family; son Ole T Langen at St Olaf, Otter Tail Co

*** This is likely the family mentioned as "friends/relatives" by Elias Hanson Narjord ("they had friends and relatives at Hesper Iowa" since this family (along with Anders Olsen Langen) arrrived in the US before 1854

BUT no evidence of a direct family relationship

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree, 'Vardeman Family Tree owner kvardema' with last login on 10 Sep 2014
- Ole Olsen Langen born in 1791 married to Giesken Olsdtr with their residence as Liløen; her marriage to Ole Olsen Langen from Langen Røraas in 1812 with her residence as Liløen [Lilleoyen ?]
- one son, Esten Langen, married to Berit Larsdotter Bakken from Tufsdalen -- her birth Tolga Ministerialbok, page 60, line 13 (2nd side) - Berit Larsdatter born 11 Jan 1829 bap 5 Apr at Ous; parents Lars ? fr Tufsingdal and Marit ? Ingeborg Iversdtr with a couple of witnesses with last name as Narjord; handwriting in the Os i Tolga Klokkerbok is also not good - father Lars ? [maybe Simensen, maybe Semundsen] -- looking at birth for a Lars S ... there is Lars Simonsen bap 14 Jun 1795, parents Simen Larsen and Berit Nielsdtr residence as Tufsingdal, with witnesses Gischen Olsdtr from Liløen (married to Ole Olsen Langen ?), Per Jonsen and Sigri Olsdtr Narjord (but can't find in my data) ;;;
on www.geni.com - Lars Semundsen Bakken born 30 Apr 1795 with his parents as Semund Larsen Bakken and Berit Nilsdtr Østgård -- managed by Rolf Inge Holden [I have seen other family relations with his tree] and with further 'clicks' also Glen Kolb and Johannes Rye Roste BUT can't see a family relationship
ALTHOUGH this is a likely possibility

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree, 'RLJones Family Tree owner rljones116' from Wisconsin with last login on 10 Sep 2014 [ same family as above, this is bit better ]
- Berit Larsdtr Bakken married 22 Jul 1849 Esten Olsen Langen from Røros; their marriage, Tolga Ministerialbok, 1849, page 171, line 11 - her residence as Bakken, father as Lars Semundsen Bakken; one of the sponsors or presenters is Hans Pedersen Narjord [Elais' father ?]
- Esten Olsen Langen had brother Anders Olsen Langen also from Røros - one of Anders' children, used the name Henry Andrew Long

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree 'Baldwin/Strait Family Tree owner cstrait190' with last login in Aug 2014
- one of Esten's children, Olava (Olive), married to Ole Eriksen Eggen 1849-1926, died at McGregor, IA born in Tolga - parents Erick Ingebretsen (1800-1882) and Ingeborg Hakendotter (1795-1832)
[ one of their children has an obit posted on findagrave]
- another child, Ole Olsen Langen born 1845 BUT ??? the son should have been named Ole Estensen Langen; there is one son Ole born in 1845 to Ole Olsen Langen and Inger Jorgensdtr, Røros Ministerialbok, page 10, line 82;
- daughter Ingeborg Lucie, born 24 Jan 1851 at Ous, Tolga Ministerialbok, page 62, line 16

BUT according to 1900 US Census, emigration in 1870

Findagrave - Esten Olsen Langen-wife, Berit - at McGregor, IA [across from Prairie du Chien
- Esten Olsen Langen born 28 Feb 1821, Røros [ not recorded in Norway Parish Registers], died 6 Jul 1900 McGregor
- daughter, Olava (Olive) Estensdatter Eggen, nee Langen; born 6 Mar 1858 in Rørso and died 22 Mar 1945, McGregor;

[ 21 Oct 2016 ] BUT .... actual birth/baptism at Os church, Tolga parish, Hedmark, link on Digitalarkivet, https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/8907/36; parents, Esten Olsen and Berit Larsdatter Bakken, Tufsingdal
1865 Norway Census, link, http://digitalarkivet.arkivverket.no/en-gb/ft/person/pf01038049002470
- family at the farm Bakken østre, Os - Tolga, Hedmark
Esten Olsen age 40 <1825> born in Røraas parish; wife Berit age 37 <1828> born in Tolgen Parish; likey Berit's parents are Lars Semundsen age 71 <1794> in Tolgen and Ingeborg Iversdatter age 72 <1793> born in Røraas -- - Lars is recorded as Føderaadsmand (receiving support in old age)
- Lars Semundsen - there is no birth record in Røros or Tolga from 1793-1795 for someone named Lars Semundsen using Digitalarkivet's advanced person search (the only record for a Lars Semundsen in Tolga is a burial record on 31 Jul 1812 with year of birth as 1739)
- Lars Semundsen age 26 marriage [Digitalarkivet] on 7 Jan 1821 to Ingeborg Iversdatter Korsiöen from Røraas; her age is 27; Lars' residence is in Tufsingdal, Tolga and he is the farmer (brugs bonde og gaardsman), but farm not named
- Tolga parish [ Marie Tollan: Døypte i Tolga prestegjeld 1786-1814; transcription ]; as above, no Lars Semundsen, but there is a Lars Svendsen bap 16 Nov 1794 with Svend Larsen and Kari Olsdtr with their residence as Nordvang
and Lars Simonsen bap the 14 Jun 1975 with parents Simon Larsen and Berit Nielsdtr with their residence as Tufsingdal
????, Conclusion: Lars Semundsen was born someplace other than Røros or Tolgen and his birth is not indexed or transcribed OR his patronymic name somehow changed or mistakenly went to Semundsen, possibly from Simonsen or Svendsen and thus he was born in Tolga parish ????


** ++ see folder Langen under Elais Hansen Narjord, re; 2 documents received from Porter Long, 13 Oct 2016; AND a series of emails on the 14th of Oct 2016, including a photo album (I did not recognize any of the people)


17. d.
link, http://djwinsness.com/pdf_files/WaterlooRidgeKirke.pdf [accessed and downloaded/saved in file folder on 12 Oct 2016]

- this is a history of the Waterloo Church - Norwegian and the typeset is Gothic
- on page 9 and 10 are photos of Elias Hansen Narjord - same as the above newspaper article, but a better quality


17 e.. Migration

- leaving Tolga parish; Tolga Ministerialbok, 27 Mar 1854, page 328, line 4 leaving for America
- Elias Hansen Narjord and wife Ane Kerstine Thor .... [appears to be Thoresdatter]
- there are some comments on the right side of page, but difficult to make out, other than .... til Amerika

- also recorded in the Os i Tolga Klokkerbok, page 347, line 3


18. from the Norway Archives at roots.web [ http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NORWAY/2006-10/1162333013 ] - link no longer active; 13 Mar 2023
- comment on 31 oct 2006 by Travis with subject, flatbread
- John Midtdal, age 85 [b 1921], from Tufsingal visited and talked about eating flatbread
- John also had been visiting a relative, Owen Myhre from Spring Grove, MN. Owen's great grandfather, Ole Jacobsen Myhre with his wife Anne Stegen (they had 8 children) emigrated to the Spring Grove area 150 yrs ago [1856]
- "another Norwegian coming at the same time was Elias Hansen Narjord and his wife Anne Kjerstine". These two families first lived in a cave, and later both built on Waterloo Ridge

- this defers from the article on the church anniversary (see point 17 above)

[ 25 May 2015] ancestry.com Public Member Trees, http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NORWAY/2006-10/1162333013 - as of 13 Mar 2023, this link is no longer active and all the rootsweb ;
- there are a number of trees [ 13 Mar 2023 - 130] Family Trees are recorded
, search Ole Jacobsen Myhre, born in Norway; BUT I have not been able to determine a family relationship

Ole Jacobsen Myhre, 1845-1927 born in Kvikne, Oppland Co, Norway and married to Anna Paulsdatter Stigen, 1842-1907 born in Kvikne i Nord-Fron, Oppland, Nor ;
Nord-Fron parish and Oppland Co, are to the west of Tolga; this was part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal, the northern part; Gudbrandsdal along with Hedmarken was traditionally part of the the Østklandet region (the East Country, that also includes the whole of the south eastern part of Norway, including Olso)
- see findagrave id 35608232, Black Hammer, Houston Go, MN; photo and additional information


NOTE: look up John Midtdal's book, Tufsingdalen ........ [13 Mar 2023]
See: I have some notes of Libre Office writer - see Elias Hanson Narjord's file on my PC
- but also see Elias' folder for copies from Rootsweb -points 3 from above



19. general -- Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain; re; Henry Clay Dean (died 1887), Iowa "copperhead" who opposed Lincoln re civil war. (see History Detectives, S8 E4; most of the area where he was in the southern and eastern Iowa) ^{2724,2731,2732,2733,2734,2735}

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Migration - 1854, 27 Mar 1854, Tolga, Hedmark, Norway. ^{2724,2733,2735,2736} Leaving Tolga parish for North America

2. Residence - 1860, 1 Jun 1860, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, Iowa, United States. ²⁷³⁷ Dwelling 720; family 706. Name is recorded on Familysearch.org is Ebert Hanson age 30 (born in Norway), Farmer, with value of land $300 and value of assests, $150, Ann C age 30 (born in Norway), Ann M age 5 and Tilda age 4 (both born in Iowa.

Also recorded at the same dwelling is John Anderson age 14 born in Norway; Esten Sostonson age 44 and Joana age 36 (both born in Norway; familysearch.org index spelling), Farmer, and B L, age 5 (female born in IA); and Andrew Peterson age 30 born in Norway working as a day laborer.

3. Residence - 1870, 1 Jun 1870, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, Iowa, United States. ²⁷³⁸

4. Residence - 1880, 1 Jun 1880, Wateroo Twp, Allamakee Co, Iowa, United States. ²⁷³⁹

5. Residence - 1885, 1 Jan 1885, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, Iowa, United States. ²⁷⁴⁰

6. Residence - 1895, 1 Jan 1895, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, Iowa, United States. ²⁷⁴¹

Elias married Anne Kristine (Kjerstine) Tørresdal on 26 Mar 1854 in Os, Togla, Hedmark, Norway ¹⁰¹¹.^,2723 (Anne Kristine (Kjerstine) Tørresdal was born on 21 Mar 1831 in Røros, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway,²⁷²⁸ died on 9 Apr 1924 in Waterloo Ridge, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, Iowa ²⁷²⁸ and was buried in Waterloo Ridge Cemetery, Waterloo Twp, Allamakee Co, Iowa ^2728,2730.)