Agathe Jonsdtr Grue

  General Notes:

Agathe Jonsdtr Grue (Helseth) (1870-1921) Biographical Sketch


Written by Rueben D Grue, 25 Mar 2013; revised 19 Sep 2013



Agathe Jonsdtr Grue was born on 19 Jun 1870 in Kristiansund in the county of Møre og Romsdal in Norway. She was the daughter of Jon Jonsen Grue (1822-1876) and Karen Persdtr Svorkås (1832-1905). Little is known about her early childhood. Her father was a trading agent for a fish merchant/exporter in Kristiansund, and likely he was away from home a great deal (see file for his biographical sketch). Her older brother had died at age 5 when she was only 3 years old; she had a younger brother who was born in 1872 (he likely also died young, although I haven't been able to confirm his date of death). According to the Norway Parish Registers, she left Kristiansund parish for Minneapolis, MN in 1889. On 30 Aug 1890 she was married to Jens Olson Helseth in Hennipen County, MN, most likely Minneapolis. Jens had first emigrated to the US around 1879 and had worked on railroads and later moved to Minneapolis. He was carpenter and likely made a living in carpentry in Minneapolis.

Agathe and Jens had 7 children. Their youngest son, Oskar Johan Helseth was born in 1891 but lived for only about 6 months. Two other children were born in Minneapolis. Carl (also spelled Karl) Edwin was born on 14 Oct 1892; Agnes was born on 15 Aug 1895. According to data/information on a 'public member tree' on Ancestry.com, Carl had been sick with pneumonia in 1895. Agathe and Jens decided to leave the "cold winters" of Minneapolis and moved the family to St Lucie County, Florida, about 125 kms north of Miami.

In 1895 Agathe and Jens settled in a small rural community that for awhile was known as Viking in St Lucie County; about 1919, Viking was renamed Indrio. They started to grow pineapples and later citrus fruits. Agathe and Jens first lived in a small two room cabin near the end of the railroad line. As his family grew and as the pineapples and fruit farm prospered, the house expanded into a fourteen room home. Sometime after 1910, the land in the area was drained, so Jens bought land closer to Fort Pierce and developed another fruit grove. In the early 1920's he built a house on this land, but by the late 1920's this house burned. Today, the first farm site consists mostly of vacant land surrounded by acreages, streets, and commerical establishments. Agathe and Jens donated part of their land for the Viking Cemetery \endash a stone monument/plague notes the location. Many of the Agathe's family are buried here. Apparently there is a lamp post at the cemetery that was part of Agathe and Jens' home.

Four other children were born in Viking, Florida. Arthur Richard was born on 26 Mar 1897; Cora was born on 8 Aug 1899; Oscar Harold was born on 3 Mar 1903; Harriet Louise was born on 14 Jan 1908. All of the children grew up on the farm and went to local schools. I have found little information on the early years of the family.

One record (New York Passenger Lists on Ancestry.com) shows that Agathe and the two oldest children (Carl and Agnes) had traveled to Norway in the summer in July 1905. They had arrived in New York, returning home to Viking, Florida. Their ship had sailed from Christiansand (Kristiansund) leaving 28 Jul 1905. It would appear that they had been to Kristiansund to visit Agathe's mother, Karen. Karen died on 6 Nov 1905 - perhaps Karen had been sick and that was the reason for the visit.

On 3 June 1921, Agathe died at the age of 50. The brief obituary/death notice from the Miami Herald (published on 5 June 1921) indicates that she had been brought to the Lemon City Sanatorium (in north Miami) for treatment and that she had died had at the Sanatorium on Friday evening at about 11:00 o'clock. She was buried at the Viking Cemetery.

Jens continued to lived on the farm, but in the late 1920's the house had burned down. At that time, he moved to Miami to live with his daughter's family. Jens died on 10 Jun 1944 in Miami; he is also buried at the Viking Cemetery.

Carl Edwin Helseth married Ethel Etheridge in 1918. Carl and Ethel had 4 children: Mazel born 1918, Carl Jr born in 1919, John born in 1923, and Alan born in 1926. Carl operator the Fort Pierce farms growing citrus fruits. He and Ethel divorced in 1949. In 1950 Carl married again to Ruth Worthington; they did not have any children. Carl died on 28 Feb 1972 at Fort Pierce and is buried at the Viking Cemetery.

Agnes married Albert Isaac in 1918. Agnes was a schoolteacher; Albert also taught school and was also a high school principal. It appears that they lived most of their life in the Miami area. Agnes and Albert had four children: Evelyn was born in 1918, Frances born in 1921, Mary born in 1927 and Albert Jr born in 1933. Agnes died on 20 Feb 1981 in Miami; I have not located a burial record.

Arthur Richard married Laura Shiland in 1918. Arthur was also a citrus fruit grower in the Fort Pierce area. Arthur and Laura had four children: Thurley was born in 1920, Harold in 1924 (who died in 1924), Everett in 1926, and Harold Shiland who was born in 1937. Arthur died the 28 June 1973 at Fort Pierce; he is buried at the Viking Cemetery.

Cora married Otto Link in about 1921. Otto was an Grove Inspector with State government of Florida. They lived most of the time in the Fort Lauderdale area. They had 2 children: Donald was born in 1923 and Mary in 1927. Cora died on 11 Oct 1986 at Altoona, Lake Co, FL, about 75 kms north of Orlando; I have not found a burial record.

Oscar was not married. He had lived for some time with his brother Arthur and later with his sister Cora and her family. Oscar died on 17 Jan 1991 in Miami. He is buried in the Viking Cemetery.

Harriet Louise married Harry Schwebke in 1925. He worked in sales; she worked in an office. Harriet and Harry had 2 children: Helen born in 1927 and Robert born in 1931. They lived in the early years in Maimi. Harriet died on 23 July 1965 at Boone, Watauga Co, North Carolina about 200 kms east of Winston-Salem). She is buried at the Viking Cemetery.

Agathe Grue was the only child of Jon Jonsen Grue (1822-1876) to survive into adulthood. She had a relatively short life, dying at age 50, but she was survived by 6 children. She has numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. There are 4 public member trees on Ancestry.com \endash I have copied a number of photos of the family from these public member trees that are saved in the file folders.


Sources:

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree 'Nils Oliver Botten owner Bjorkhaugen'," database (www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 Feb 2013), Jon Jonsen Grue and Karen Persdtr family data.

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree 'Link Family Tree owner lojchancy1'," database (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 March 2013), Agathe Jonsdtr Grue and Jens Helseth family data.

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree ''Helseth Family Tree owner hriverbend'," database (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 March 2013), Agathe Jonsdtr Grue and Jens Helseth family data.

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree 'Smith Veitch Ward Fairchild owner teddi2727'," database (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 March 2013), Agathe Jonsdtr Grue and Jens Helseth family data.

Ancestry.com Public Member Tree 'Percival and Helseth Families owner robertspeers1892', database (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 Sep 2013), Agathe Jonsdtr Grue and Jens Helseth family data.

"Find A Grave," database (www.findagrave.com : accessed March 2013).

Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, 1998, "Florida Marriage, Divorce and Death Index," database (www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 Mar 2013)

Genealogy Bank database, www.genealogybank.com (www.genealogybank.com; accessed March 2013); Miami Herald, 5 Jun 1921

Grue, Thoralf. Klokkervang 1822 - 29. Jun - 1922 (Med et kort slegtsregister). Røros, Norway: Dovre Printing Office, 1922-1923. Digital edition at: http://wangensteen.net/Bibliotek/klokkervang0406/index.html (Digitized by Lars Ove Wangensteen); accessed 3 Aug 2012.

"Norway Parish Registers", National Archives of Norway, "Digitalarkivet - Digitized Parish Records," database and images (www.digitalarkivet.uib.no <http://www.digitalarkivet.uib.no/>). 2013

State of Minnesota database (http://www.mncounty.com/Modules/Certificates/Marriage/Default.aspx : accessed 25 Mar 2013).

The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints, "Family Search," database (www.familysearch.org : accessed 27 Feb 2013), FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/)

United States Federal Census Collection, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940"; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Mar 2013); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623.

  Research Notes:

NOTE: Agathe's children are 3rd cousins to my grandfather Lars Thoresen Grue (1887-1958)
Agathe Grue and Simen Thoresen Grue (1823-1903) are 2nd cousins ..... .....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Ancestry.com - Public Member Trees [ 12 Nov 2022 ]

- there are 4 trees, some with errors but they generally appear to be a 'probable conclusion'
- it is likely that some of the information was copied from each other
- search through Agathe Grue, born 1870, Norway

a. Korzep/Link Family Tree [Lynette Herbert]; last access, 12 Nov 2022
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/104909158/person/260044510977/facts
- may be a bit most extensive since it does go back to Jon Jonsen Grue, born 1822 (but no source info provided)
- relationship likely through daughter Cora Eileen Helseth (1899-1986) married to Otto Daniel Link (1889-)
- provides a brief biographical sketch of Jens Helseth - Olson [saved in folder] --- BUT doesn't give a source (this is also included on 'Helseth Family Tree' that includes the bottom of the that page, and includes a note on Ole Olson and it appears that this was a brother to Jens - again no source given

b. 'Helseth Family Tree [ hriverbend ]; last accssed 12 Nov 2022
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/15135945/person/220170334/facts?usePUBJs=true&_phsrc=bfK60

- no new information, other than a note of Jens' ancestors
- relationship likely through son Arthur Richard Helseth (1897-1973) - children, two private, one died less than 1 yr old, the other died at age 17
- other than Arthur, no other information given
- one photo -thumb ... picture - poor quality; siblings as adults

c. 'Smith Veitch Ward Fairchild [teddi2727]; accessed 12 Nov 2022
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/9511771/person/6051837432/facts
- relationship likely through son Karl Edwin Helseth (1892-1972) - has some children information;
- nothing new on Agathe, etc
- close 2800 photos - I haven't looked at them all yet

d. 'Percival and Helseth Families, [robertspeers1892]; last accessed 12 Nov 2022
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/55975268/person/46003838514/facts

- relationship likely through Karl Edwin Helseth's daughter, Mazel married to ... Percival
- records Agathe's birth in the parish of Bud, but no sources; also records her parents marriage in Bud parish -- [ 16 Sept 2013 - no recording in the 'Bud parish' on Norway Parish Registers
- also records that Agathe's father (John Johnsen Grue): in his first marriage he had a son by the name of Johan Theodor Grue born Apr 1862 at Kvenes parish in Møre og Romsdal --- BUT 16 Sept 2013 - no recording other than a Johan Edvard ... [?] born 25 Arp 1862 with parents Jacob [?] Johnsen Guse [??? - doubtful that it is Grue ] and Guard [?] Andersdtr]

- see emails through Ancestry on 18-20 Sept 2013 - re; above
- Susan Percival Speers also has a website at http://percivalspeers.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=percivalspeers&view=9&ver=8567; Access code is "June"

e. 'Nils Oliver Botten owner Bjorkhaugen'; last login Dec 2012
- only indicates Agathe Grue - nothing on spouse or children

2.
note: Brevard Co, FL - Genealogical Society and USGenWeb - no useful information [ 27 Feb 2013 ]
BUT some information at St Lucie Historical Society (http://www.stluciehistoricalsociety.org/)


Viking community

Settled originally in 1892 by Major B. Daniels. He was joined three years later by Jens Helseth, who like Daniels began growing pineapples. As the tiny village grew, it came to be known as Viking, due to the preponderance of Scandinavians living there. The settlement was located north of St. Lucie Village. A portion of the area is now called Indrio. It had a post office, a school and was a flag stop on the Florida East Coast Railroad.

--- lists some books of the area; has a number of 'newsletters'

-- see Viking Cemetery; early photo and gravestone for Agathe;
http://www.flheritage.com/news/docs/fhc_9_2010/Tab%204%20BHP%20May%202010.pdf

From: http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/fl/viking.html

Viking was originally settled in 1892 by Major B. Daniels, who started a pineapple plantation. In 1895 Jens and Agathe Helseth arrived, growing pineapples in the area as well. As the settlement grew it became known as Viking, due to the large population of Scandinavians living there. It had a post office and school and was a flag stop on the Florida East Coast Railroad. Other early settlers included Jacob Ericksen and Bob Lennard, who was the first sheriff of Saint Lucie County. In 1905 Jens Helseth donated part of his estate to be the Viking Cemetary. As the area grew and expanded and the population boom continued, the pineapple farms were gradually replaced by streets and houses and stores. The southern part of Viking was absorbed into neighboring Indrio and the north western section became a protected nature preserve. Today the cemetery and a set of lamp posts from the Helseth estate are all that remain of the community. Submitted by: Jim Pike

From: www.findagrave.com

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

3. a. Birth - Norway Parish Registers, 1870

Agathe
- Den opgivne Fødsels Datum - stated date of birth 19 Jun 1870

b. 1889 Norway Parish Records - leaving Kristiansund parish - destination - Mineapolis; parts of page are missing due to fire damage --- her record is at the bottom of the page, second last name; the year 1889 is readable 5 names above Agathe's


4. Death; findagrave, birth as 1870

Family Search
- death as 3 Jun 1921 (findagrave records only the year of 1921)
- spouse - John Helseth (biographical sketch has his name Jens "John" Helseth Olson)
- BUT her birth as 20 Jun 1869 [?]; place as Christiansen, Norway; father recorded as John Gire [Grue ?]

newspaper - Miami Herald publication of 5 Jun 1921 (genealogybank.com)

- died at the Lemon City Sanitorium (in north Miami) for treatment and died there.
- little inforamtion, other than she was the wife of John Helseth, Fort Pierce

[added 12 Nov 2022]: Agathe
findagrave id 13533044: a death notice, likely the same as the above: no additional information,
- records her death as 3 Jun 1920, but FL death index and findagrave, death 3 Jun 1921 [???]; but links to:
findagrave id 13533506: Jens Helseth: a posted OBIT: Name John Helseth, b 9 Jul 1858, Norway;
died 10 June 1944, FL
- died at age 85 on Saturday at the home of his daughter, Mr and Mrs Albert L Isaac, Coconut Grove
- came to the US when he was 21. Came to Florida with his family in 1895 and built a home near the present
site of Fort Peirce; one of the areas first pineapple growers
- his wife Agatha die several years ago.
- survived by 2 other daughters, Mrs O D Link of Davie and Mrs Harry C Schebke of Miami ....
three sons, Karl E and Arthur R of Fort Pierce and Oscar of Davie

** note: Jens had remarried on 2 Jun 1926 - Susan McClendon, 1875-1930 [Percival and Helseth FT]



5. General

- ancestry.com - New York Passenger List for 6 Aug 1905
--- Agathe Helseth and the two older children, arriving in New York - departed from Christiansand (Kristiansund)

Emigration:
- likely 1890-1891 (Bio sketch indicates Jens and Agathe were married in 1890); public member trees indicate the birth and death of the youngest son was in 1891 in MN
- 1900 Census indicates emigration for Agathe as 1879, but this is the year recorded for Jens in the bio sketch
- no record on Emigrants from Trondhiem
- no record on Ellis Island or Garden Castle
- no record on Canadian Passenger Lists - index on ancestry

** see point 7


b. 1885 Norway Census - Kristiansund, Møre og Romsdal

- head of household - Karen Grue, born 1832, enke husier - household widower
- Agathe, barn, born 1870, Kristiansund


6. US Census

a. 1900 - St Lucie, Brevard Co, FL (St Lucie Co after 1905)

- Jens, age 41 born July 1858 in Norway, married 9 years <1891>, emigrated 1879; Carpenter
- Agathe, wife age age 29 born Jun 1870 Norway, married 9 years, emigrated 1879 ???; mother of 5 children, 4 living
- Carl E, son age 7 born Oct 1892 born in MN
- Agnes J, daughter age 4 born Aug 1895 in MN
- Arthika [???], daughter [ ?? ] age 3 born Mar 1897 in FL ---- this must be Arthur R
- Cora E, daughter age 10/12 born Aug 1899 in FL

b. 1910 - Fort Drum, St Lucie Co, FL

- Jens recorded as John, age 52 born in Norway, married 19 years <1891>, Farm - Fruit grower; works on own account, owns farm
- Agathe, age 40, married 19 yrs, mother of 7 children, 6 living
- Carl age 17, Agnes J age 15, Arthur R age 13, Cora age 11, Hariet age 2, Oscar age 7 - older children attended school in 1909

c. 1920 - Indrio/Viking, St Lucie Co, FL

- Jens recorded as John, age 61 born in Norway, emigrated 1879, naturalized 1897, carpenter and fruit grower, work on 'own account'
- Agathe recorded as Augusta, age 49, born in Norway, unknown emigration, naturalization, housewife
- Oscar, son age 16, born in FL
- Harriet, daughter age 11;
- and then, Olga daughter age 8 <likely 1911>, born in FL
+++ [ 2 Mar 2013 ] - none of the Public Member Trees indicate a daughter, age 8; BUT I haven't found her in the 1930 US Census or the FL Death Index; --- I guess it is possible that she could have married before 1930 Census and thus a different name; but is it also possible that she is the daughter of someone else, and she temporarily there at the time of the census and the census taker simply recorded her has a daughter
---- I have NOT recorded her as a daughter - I will need to find some collaborating evidence - birth/death certifcate ???;


7. Marriage -- 30 Aug 1890 in Minneapolis, MN

- bio sketch of Jens - 1890 [Percival .... FT - see media for Jens...] ("... he [Jens] returned to Norway in 1890 to marry Agathe Grue whom he met before he emigrated [ in 1879 ]." - this implies the marriage was in Norway
- 1900 US Census - 1890-1891
- Norway Parish Records - not recorded on Kristiansund Ministerialbok, 1880-1905

- then I looked at the Norway Parish Registers (page 11) pages Utflyttede - Leaving and she is recorded in 1889, but the page has a lot of fire damage so the specific date is unreadable (about 4 lines further up on the page indicates, June 1889 and then the next line up says Mai 1889), but leaving for Minneapolis, Agathe Grue - the next column is birth date, but it is very faint, but looks like 17/10, 70; there is something on the next column, but it is unreadable

-- then, back to Minnesota Marriages, Hennipen Co - gave date range and her last name and she is listed as Agatha Grue - he is listed as Jeus O Helset, but this is most likely to be them


8. general [ accessed 26 Mar 2013 ]

John Bennett, Agent, Altamonte Springs, FL; posted 3 Mar 2009; (not clear if he is in real estate sales): at http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Thinking_of_Investing_in_a_condo_in_Key_West_Fl-94520

G GU Ned came as he was a civil engineer and my Great Grand Dad, Jens Helseth visited KW before he settled in Frosty Fort Pierce in 1891, where my Grandmother was born in 1898). He said it was frost free then too. ; KW - refers to Key West



9. Probate Records: [ 12 May 2015 ]

... although Florida Probate Records are online ( https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2046765 ), I haven't been able to find a record of Agathe ; the records are confusing - there doesn't seem to be a true index (even thougth the first few pages implie an index, they don't seem to correspond to pages); thus it seems that I have to review page by page - I have viewed from about 475-790 and from about 503-515.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Residence - 1885, 1885, Kristiansund, Møre og Romsdal, Norway. ⁴³⁷³

2. Leaving Kristiansund, Norway, 1889. ⁴³⁷⁴ Leaving Kristiansund, Norway for Minneapolis

3. Residence - 1900, 1 Jun 1900, St Lucie, Brevard Co, Florida. ⁴³⁷⁵

4. Residence - 1910, 15 Apr 1910, Fort Drum, St Lucie Co, Florida, United States. ⁴³⁷⁶ Enumeration on 3 May 1910

5. Residence - 1920, 1 Jan 1920, Indrio, St Lucie Co, Florida, United States. ⁴³⁷⁷

Agathe married Jens Olsen Helseth on 30 Aug 1890 in Minneapolis, Hennepin Co, Minnesota, United States ⁴³⁶⁷.^,4368 (Jens Olsen Helseth was born on 19 Jul 1858 in Norway,⁴³⁶⁷ died on 10 Jun 1944 in Dade Co, Florida, United States ⁴³⁶⁷ and was buried in Viking Cemetery, St Lucie Co, Florida, United States ⁴³⁶⁷.)