Kersti Tollefsen

   Other names for Kersti were Christie Tollefsen, Christine Tollefson ⁶⁰⁵⁶ and Kirsti Christina Tollefson.¹⁹⁵

  Research Notes:

1. birth/confirmation. Bethany Lutheran Church records at Windom, MN. Windom is about 15 kms north/west from the farm of John Johnson Egge and Ingeborg Evensdatter, even though it is in a different county.

2. An Illustrated History of Jackson Co, MN.........., pages 366 (re; Henry Knudson, pages 365-367)

A.
- birth; born 3 Feb 1861, but reports this as Belmont Twp (presumably Jackson Co)
- records her parents as Tollef Olson Slaabaken and Ingebor Slaabaken
- twin sister of Ole Tollefson, "...who now lives on a fine large farm near Arville, North Dakota [likely Arvilla, ND - see Ole Tollefson's notes, re; 1910 US Census]
- married 24 Dec 1876 to Henry Knudson (she was age 15)

also: Henry Knudson's half siblings (Henry's father died in 1870 and his mother died in 1854 in WI; father remarried sometime after 1854. The book doesn't name his second wife..., but it records, "from his father's second wife).... "Esther, Mrs Ole Tollefson, wife of properous farmer of Arville, North Dakota" [likely Arvilla, ND] ....
Stark Christy, farmer at Bellecreek, Goodhue Co

B.

page 367
Henry Knudson and Christine Tollefson had 2 children: (1) Ida Anna born 18 Mar 1879; (2) Christian Henry born 16 Oct 1880 and died 14 Aug 1882

Kersti (Christine) died on 17 Oct 1880


3. Mother Ingeborg Evensdatter's obit from 1927

.... "In 1880, during the memorable 'October' snowstorm, her daughter by her first marriage, passed away, leaving 2 small children to be cared for by their grandmother."



4. 1875 MN -- Henry Knudson is living at Des Moines Twp, Jackson Co - page 4 (1st side), family 37

5. 1880 US Census

1880 US Census, Heron Lake Twp, Jackson Co, MN; (ED 121, page 18; image 2 of 5 on ancestry); dw 156, h161
Henry age 36 <1844> farmer born in Nor; Christine, age 19, wife, born in WI, daughter Ida A age 1 born in Mn; and in the the same household, Ole Tollefson, brother in law, age 19 born in WI
'96 Henry remarried in 1882 and is still at Heron Lake in MN 1885 Census along with his daughter Ida Anna (image 34 of 95 on ancestry)

6. Land - Henry Knudson: Patent issued, 10 Apr 1873; E½NE¼, Sec 10, Twp 104 N, Range 37
patent link, http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MN2460__.437&docClass=STA&sid=krdxaujb.4mq

US Track Books; link, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9W3-MF1B?i=102&wc=M7W7-GTR%3A356163101%2C356218401%3Fcc%3D2074276&cc=2074276

- entry 1 Jun 1870, 80 acres; final #2472 on 7 Nov 1872

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Birth, 1861, 3 Feb 1861, Wisconsin, United States. ⁸⁰⁷ The only direct source that I have found regarding Ole and Kersti's birth is from their Confirmation Record from Bethany Lutheran Church [Windom, MN] records on Ancestry.com. The confirmation record records their parents as Tollef Olsen and Ingeborg Evenson and that they are twins born on 3 Feb 1861 in Wisconsin (Rock Co). Ingeborg's obituary of 1927 notes, "...Tollef Olsen Slaabakken … drafted in summer [of 1861] …. [he left MN] in October leaving her alone on the claim in the wilderness with a pair of twins only nine months old [Jan-Feb 1861]."

Although this is not "absolute proof" of their birth, it is a reasonable conclusion.

2. Confirmation - 1875, 14 Nov 1875, Windom, Cottonwood Co, Minnesota, United States. ⁸¹¹

3. Residence - 1880, 1 Jun 1880, Heron Lake Twp, Jackson Co, Minnesota, United States. ⁶⁰⁵⁷ Household members: head, Henry Knudson age 36 born in Norway, farmer, wife Christine age 19, daughter Ida A age 1, and brother-in-law, Ole Tollefson age 19, working as a Laborer.

4. Death - 1880, 17 Oct 1880, Heron Lake Twp, Jackson Co, Minnesota, United States. ⁶⁰⁵⁶ An Illustrated History of Jackson Co, MN notes that:Henry Knudson and Christine Tollefson had 2 children: (1) Ida Anna born 18 Mar 1879; (2) Christian Henry born 16 Oct 1880 and died 14 aug 1882

Kersti (Christine) died on 17 Oct 1880

Kersti married Henry Knudson on 24 Dec 1876 in Jackson Co, Minnesota, United States.¹⁹⁵ (Henry Knudson was born on 26 Sep 1843 in Nordre Audral, Valders, Norway ^195,6058 and died on 19 Nov 1928 in Heron Lake Twp, Jackson Co, Minnesota, United States.)