Olof Halstensson

  Research Notes:

Summary Olof Halstensson was born at Östmark village in Östmark parish in Värmland län on 10 Oct 1838. His parents were Halsten Persson (1804-1855) and Stina Jonsdotter (1802-1863). Around the time of his father's death (in 1855), Olof worked as a farm hand for his older brother and then his sister. In 1862, Olof fathered of a son, Halsten Olof Halstensson. Olof was not married at that time, and Halsten was raised by his mother Marit Nilsdotter. It is not clear if Olof had a lot of contact with Halsten in the early years, but Olof and Halsten lived closed to each other in Eddy Co, ND (Halsten had left Sweden in 1881). ...

In Jun of 1867, Olof left Östmark parish and travelled to Los parish in Gävleborg län. Los is north-east of Östmark and this is a distance of close to 300 kms, and so it likely would have taken about a week to walk. He arrived at the farm Rulbo and then in Aug of 1867 he married Sigrid Jonsdotter (b 1841), the daugther of Jon Johansson and Kjerstin Månsdotter also at Rulbo. It seems to me that Olof and Sigrid likely knew each other prior to Jun 1867, but I have not found any direct evidence of this. It is possible that he had known Sigrid's brother's (Johnnes Jonsson) wife Stina Nilsdotter who was from Vestanä, Fryksände.

On 8 Jul 1868, about a year after their marriage, Olof and Sigrid, along with their baby boy Johannes, left Los parish for North America. They travelled with Sigrid's brother, Johannes Jonsson and his wife.

The Swedish Lutheran Church Records for Stockholm Lutheran Church in Stockholm Twp, Wright County, Minnesota, records that Olof and Sigrid arrived and were "received" by the church in early Jan 1869. However, I have not found the family in the 1870 US Census or the 1875 MN State Census - he is not indexed on Ancestry or Family Search. Although it is quite possible that the family was not living in MN - according to the family history book "Sheyenne .... Eddy Co" (see point nine), Olof had worked on the Grand Trunk railroad and so he and possibly his family lived in various places when they first came to the US. The first census record is the 1880 US Census for Stockholm Twp in Wright Co, MN, and Olof is recorded with his wife Sigrid, daughter Christine and son Edwin.

By 1885, Olof and his family had left MInnesota for Eddy Co in North Dakota. It is here that Olof had obtained a homestead just east the town of Sheyenne ND. The records show that he had first come to the area in the summer of 1882. The family is recorded in the 1885 ND State Census.

Olof Halstensson continued to live in Eddy Co ND until his death in 1917. Sigrid Jonsdotter continued to live in Eddy Co until her death in 1936 at the age of 95.

From my research, Olof and Sigrid had 8 children, but 4 children had died before 1880, quite possibly during the diphthera outbreak that had killed a number of people, mostly children, in the eastern part of Stockholm Twp. Their oldest daughter, Christine, married a local farmer in Eddy Co. Sometime after his death in 1935, she moved to Washingston State where some of her children had moved to. There other daughter Sadie, had also married and farmed in the area. The two males, Albert and Edwin were not married.

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Ancestry FTs

Ancestry.com FTs: Primary FT: Brodin Ostlund FT; link, https://www.ancestrylibrary.ca/family-tree/person/tree/7531887/person/7003350715/facts

John Johansson - Släktträd FT; link, https://www.ancestrylibrary.ca/family-tree/person/tree/85304023/person/390007709394/facts
Carsile Zieman Bradenburg Hilde Mundt Carhalt FT; link,
https://www.ancestrylibrary.ca/family-tree/person/tree/947874/person/320158890080/facts
Jones FT, link, https://www.ancestrylibrary.ca/family-tree/person/tree/14961688/person/1179387054/facts
and another link, Jones FT ; https://www.ancestrylibrary.ca/family-tree/person/tree/14961688/person/372729475/facts?ssrc=&queryId=6236de9ce39f8dea3777e82e1123391f&ml_rpos=2

Secondary FT (mainly ancestors): Bornesäter Släktträd FT; Nowe FT


1. Living with his parents in Östmark parish - see his father's research notes

2.

Los (X) AI:6 (1861-1869) Page 128, Rulbo

Olof Halstensson, b 1838 came to Rulbo from Östmark 23 Jun 1867; married 17 Aug 1867 ; family to America 8 Jul 1868
wife, Sigrid Jonsdotter, b 1841 at Ytterhogdal
son, Johannes, b 17 Feb 1868 at Los
* Los moving in records: B:2, p 14 no 8; note that Olof Hallstensson is the only person from Östmark ?? - why ?? Los is 300 kms
* Los moving out records: Olof Halstensson and wife and on the line above is Johannes Jonson Säfstrom ?? b 28 Apr 1844 and his wife Stina Nilsdotter Sundell ??? b 2 Jul 1847 b Fryksände (all from Rulbo, page 126; looks like Johannes is the son of Johan Johansson b 1808 in Älvros and Kjerstin Månsdotter, b 1818 at Ytterhogdal; 3 of their sons, use the name Säfstrom

Findagrave ID# 134077227


3. Land Records: BLO; US Land Records - Homestead and Track Books [ 28 Jun 2020 ]
Olof Hallstenson

Eddy Co, ND; patent issued 9 Sep 1887; homestead entry; looks like he was there from 2-11 Sep 1882 (in faint handwriting) and then 25 May 1885 he made payment (receipt 773) and final 16 Sep 1886
Twp 150 N, Range 65, 5th Meridian: SW¼of SW½ and Lot 2 of Section 2; and N½of NW¼, Sec 11; 157.70 acres
Track Book; vol 73, image 65
[ link, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-889Y?i=64&wc=M7WQ-YWG%3A356164401%2C356179001&cc=2074276 ]

Note: on image 63, is Edwin Hallstenson - Sec 5, he made an initial payment on 1 Jul 1903 but cancelled 18 Jun 1908
Note: on image 65 is John P Hedman - Sec 12, initial pay on 16 Feb 1883 and cancelled 25 Jun 1884

Benson Co, ND; patent issued,15 Nov 1909; homestead entry [*see note below]
Twp 151 N, Range 66, 5th Meridian: N½of NW¼, SE¼of NW¼, and SW¼of NE¼, Section 8 [in Rock Twp, Benson Co ]
Track Book; vol 73, image 136; payment of $10 on 2 May 1905, $80 on 11 May 1906, $160 on 2 Jan 1909 and $80 on 11 June 1909

AND link, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-8ZTL?i=135&wc=M7WQ-YWG%3A356164401%2C356179001&cc=2074276

Benson Co, patent issued on 15 Nov 1909 sect 8; Twp 151 N, Range 66; son, Albert, issued on 14 Oct 1909; 40 acres ; initial payment from the Track Books, on 9 Dec 1904

* NOTE: Spirit Lake [Devils Lake] Dakota Reservation lands were opened to homesteading in 1904. Olof Halstensson, his son Albert Hallsten, and his daughter, Stina and her husband John Peterson Hedman all took out homestead land that formerly was a part of the Dakota reservation - this are then became apart of Benson Co. John Hedman took land across the Sheyenne River from the lands they had Eddy Co. Olof Halstensson/Hallsten's land in Section 8, is about 2-3 kms east of the current town of Oberon in Benson Co

About 100,000 acres became available for "white settlement". [page 2 or 3]
From: https://library.ndsu.edu/ir/bitstream/handle/10365/17353/i20-2-f77t.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
US Department of Interior. PDF. [however, there does not appear to be a date that this was written]
- about Fort Totten: The following is on page 7 of the above PDF

The Lake's proper name is "Minnewaukan" meaning "Spirit Water". Owing to a legend of the drowning of two hostile bands of Indians who met in its center the Spirit was considered bad, hence Devils Lake.

** I have not been able to find a Township Land Plat for Eddy Co or Benson Co, years - 1890-1910

Note: there is another person named Olof Halstensson b 11 Sep 1837 and he was born at Sormark in Östmark parish. He was married on 6 Jan 1862 to Stina Nilsdtr b 14 Apr 1838 at Elgahallen in Östmark. See Olof Halstensson, b 1837, research notes and family information - he first settled in Meeker Co, MN, about 10 kms or so west of Cokato, MN. This Olof Halstensson (b 1837) was also my cousin - my 2nd cousin 4 times removed.



4. US Census;

note that I have not found Olof in the 1870 US Census in Stockholm Twp - reviewed all images, 29 Jun 2020
- I also reviewed all images for the 1875 MN State, and could not find the family members - this is a record for "Ole Halstensson" age 36, and so birth would have been about 1839 in Sweden *** but why are no other family members recorded ???
This is image 169 with Ancestry (fam 160???) and image 2 on FamilySearch



1880 US Census, Stockholm Twp, Wright Co, MN; district 072 (page 1, ancestry) dw 6 fam 6
Olof Halsten, age 40 born in Sweden
wife, Sigrid age 38
daughter, Christine, age 7 [b 1873 in MN]
son Edwin, age 8 months, born in Sept 1879


[ also; Sheyenne Twp, Eddy Co, ND; dis 0225, page 4 Olof's son;
line 48, house 122, fam 122: Edwin Holstien (?) b Sept 1879 b in MN, age 20 farrm labor ;

also: Sheyenne Twp, Eddy Co, ND; dis 0225, page 4, line 40, house 121, fam 121 Olof's son;
Halsten O Halsteinsson (transcribed as Harry), b Aug 1860 ?) in Sweden and his family ]


1885 Dakota Territory, Eddy Co, (Roll 7832), page 12 (image 19 on Ancestry) dw 166, fam 167, line 28 [as of 1 Jun 1885]
Olof Hallsten (Hallstein), age 44, born in Sweden; farmer
wife Sigri, age 39 born in Sweden
daugther, Christina age 7 b in MN (Sweden???)
son, Edwin, age 4 b in MN
son, Albert, age 2, b in MN [1883]
daughter, Sadie age 6 mos b in Dakota [ Dec 1884 ]


1900 US Census, Rocky Mountain Twp, Eddy Co, ND, district 0255, page 4 (ancestry), dw and fam 198; line 4
indexed as, Ole Hotstein (but Olof Halstensson), b Oct 1838 in Sweden, married for 33 years, em 1868
wife, Sigri b Jan 1841 in Sweden, mother of 8 children 4 living*
son Albert, b Dec 1880 in MN [ Albert's birth is uncertain, but the most common is 1883-1884
daugther, Sady b Dec 1884 in ND ** this means that the family moved to ND between 1883-and Dec 1884, so likely the summer of 1884]


1910 US Census, Gates Twp, Eddy Co, North Dakota, District 0077; residence Sheyenne Avenue
- head of Household, Henry Tlorskrud, age 33, housepainter, married 3 years to Sadie, age 25 [b 1885 in ND] [Sadie - Olof's daugther]
Line, 69 and 70: Olof Hallsten age 72, b in Sweden; married 41 years; emigrated in 1868; father in law to head of household; and his wife Sigrid, age 67, b in Sweden; mother of [9 children, 5 living ?? - none of the FTs record another child ]

North Dakota, 1915 State Census. Eddy Co, ND (image 18 on ancestry; last name of 1 side,
Sigrid - 1st on 2nd side]
Olaf Hallsten, age 76; Sigrud Hallsten, age 74


1920 US Census, Gates Twp, Eddy Co, North Dakota, District 91, sheet 3A, dw 49 fam 51, line34, Pleasant Avenue, Sheyenne
Sigrid Hallsten, age 78, widow; em 1868
Albert Hallsten, son, age 36, farm [1884]
also: a lodger b in Holland, sales in a variety store

on line 26 is her daughter, Christine married to Louis (Lewis) G Soderholm

1930 US Census, Sheyenne Village, Eddy Co, North Dakota, District 17, sheet 3A, dw 41 fam 42, line 16, 2nd street, Sheyenne
Albert Hallsten, head, age 47 b in MN; odd jobs [1883]
Sigrid Hallsten, mother age 89, wid, b in Sweden, em 1874???? [maybe this is the year they came to Eddy Co from MN ???]



* so, 4 children have died - many of the Family Trees report 4 children dying in 1879, but this might mean that they died before 1879
- using the 1880 census information from MN and 1885 ND State and the FTs, we can conclude the 4 children all died before the 1 Jun 1800 US Census:
Johannes b 1868 in Sweden or John
Alfred b about 1873 in MN,
Emil, b abt 1876 in MN
Ida May b abt 1877 in MN

BUT when I was reviewing images on Stockholm Lutheran Church (church members) there is a image [image 776, family of L P Johnson, sec 17; children died in fall of 1878] for a family whose children died in 1879 and there is a notation on the far right that said "diphtheria" - there was a diptheria outbreak in eastern part of Stockholm Twp in the fall of 1878 until the spring of 1879. See my brief document, "Diptheria Outbreak, 1879, Stockholm Twp" located in Olof's folder under 'z-folder'.
- ALSO note Nils Nilsson b 1841 and family - 3-4 children died in Jan 1879 - see his research note page [there is definitely a family connection but his ancestors will need to be searched further. His wife was Maria Jonsdotter b 1839 at Ulfsjön and it seems that her patneral ancestors decend from the "Porrka" family; her mother sems to descended from Per Halstensson (b 1778)



5. Ancestry Family Trees [ search, Olof Halstensson, b 1838 in Östmark; access 10 May 2020]


John Johansson - Släktträd FT [lennart eriksson]; last access, 5 Oct 2021
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/85304023/person/390007709394/facts



Olof Halstensson and Sigrid Jonsdotter
children: [ this FT does NOT record descendants; records 4 children died in 1879, but likely means 'before 1879']
Johannes, b 1868 in Östmark
Christine, b 13 Aug 1872 at Cokota, MN [died 11 Jan 1846 in Bremeton, Kisap Co, WA]
Alfred, b 1873 in Cokato; died 1879 in Cokato
Emil, b 1876 died 1879 [Cokato]
Ida May, b 1876 and died 1879 [Cokato]
Edwin b 12 Sep 1879 at Cokato, died 8 Apr 1949 at Eddy Co, ND
Albert b 26 Dec 1880 at Willmar, Kandiyohi Co; died Mar 1996 in ND [?? records 2 others named Albert b 1881 died 1966 in Cokato, Wright, MN]
Sadie, b 3 Dec 1884 at Sheyenne, Bush Twp, Eddy Co, ND; died 9 Mar 1961 at Eddy Co, ND
John, died 1879 in Cokato

also: Olof's son, Halsten Olof Halsten b 6 Sep 1862 in Östmark; died 21 Mar 1955 at Sheyenne, Eddy Co, ND - his is married with descendants
and Halsten's mother, Maja Nilsdotter, 22 Feb 1836, Östmark; died 10 Mar 1902 at Sheyenne, Eddy Co, ND


Brodin, Ostlund FT
records descendants of Olof Halstenson's children

- this FT also records that Halsten Olof Halstensson and family were member of Augustana and Grace Lutheran Churches in Sheyenne, Eddy Co, ND [USA Evangelical Luthernan Church records:
- Member register starts on image 188 (of 627 images); Halsten O Halsten family on image 268 [ starts as of 1896; unfortunately these records are not in alphabetical order ]


- Olof's children: ** BUT there is no way to prove this, since I can't find the family in the 1870 US Census or the 1875 MN State. It seems very strange that all 4 died in 1879; although it is possible - see above, re diptheria outbreak
sons Alfred and John b b 1873 died 1879
son, Emil, b 1876 died 1879
daugther Ida May, b 1877 died 1879
Albert b 25 Dec 1882 in Willmar MN; died 3 May 1966 in Cass Co, ND; [ 1930 US at Sheyenne, Eddy Co, ND page 4 with his mother; on the same page is his sister Christine and her family; in 1940 Albert is living in Bensen Co, Twin Twp; page 4; status - single; and living with housekeeper Emma Merrick, age 35 b in ND and she is divorced ]

another Ancestry FT ... Kristie Lynn Rhodes Gibson FT
- basic information, but only on 3 children - Chistine and Sadie (likely nothing new), Edwin - no information
- Olof's son, Hallsten O Hallsten and one of his children, Ida Christine b 1892 and married to Richard A Zieman, living at Sheyenne ND

has photo of Olof Halstensson - many of the FTs have this photo

Jones FT
link, https://www.ancestrylibrary.ca/family-tree/person/tree/14961688/person/1179387054/facts


6. Familysearch FT; id # K4F7-JF4, but no children noted - likely posted by Manuel Aguilar Hendriksson [1 Apr 2020]

* Manuel: has recorded, Olof 's brother, Per Halstensson b 14 May 1823 [id# 941J-VWZ] and notes that he emigrated to the US and Manuel records Household records: Östmark (S) AI:20 (1861-1866) Page 231 (AID: v9145.b237.s231) that records the family going to North America on 26 Apr 1864 - this is Per's second wife - 3 children from first marriage; 1 - 2 from second
- Per Halstensson's family is recorded in the 1875 MN State Census, Stockholm Twp, Wright Co, MN; family 127:
Per Halstensson, age 51; wife Carrie, age 36
children:
Caroline age 14 b in Sweden
Nils age 10, born Atlantic Ocean
Pett, age 8, b in MN
Alfred age 6 b in MN
Thilda age 3 b in MN


7. US Evangelical Lutheran Church Records (Ancestry.com)

Stockholm Lutheran Church, Wright Co, MN; images 734
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61584/images/47830_554912-00100?ssrc=&backlabel=Return

image 734
Olof Hallstensson, b 10 Oct 1838, Östmark; came from Loos parish, Gävleborg; received/arriving 9 Jan 1869
wife, Sigrid Jonsdotter, b 7 Jan 1841 at Hogdal (Ytterhogdal)
son, Johannes 17 Feb 1868, Los
There is no further information on the family in this church book.

DO NOT Confuse image 695 and image 734; image 695 is the "other Olof Halstensson" born 1837 and who was another family relationship - see his research pages on my Legacy database



Augustana and Grace Lutheran, Sheyenne, Eddy Co, North Dakota
https://www.ancestrylibrary.ca/imageviewer/collections/61584/images/48258_555121-00001?ssrc=&backlabel=Return

image 348 - funeral, Mrs Sigrid Hallsten, date of death, 13 Mar 1936; funeral on 17 Mar 1936; age 95 years, 2 months, 6 days
no 20 on 2nd side

NOTE: Olof Hallstensson b 1838 - funeral is NOT recorded in the above church records


9. See, "Our Heritage, 1883-1980, Sheyenne Area"; Sheyenne Historical Society, 1980 (North Dakota)
[index starts: image 552 ]
http://digitalhorizonsonline.org/digital/collection/ndsl-books/id/86835/rec/374

image 208, page 205; "Olaf and Sigrid Hallsten" [post written by Eva Flaskrud, granddaughter living in St Paul
- Olaf's birth as 10 Oct 1838 at Varmland - parents not noted
- Sigrid birth as 7 Jan 1841 at Helsingland [Los parish in Gävleborg] to parents Jon and Kirsten Johnson
- married 24 Aug 1863
- in late 1860s left for North America [actual, 8 Jul 1868]
- 16 weeks on a sailboat; first lived in the area around Kandiyohi and Cokato, MN
- in America joined the Swedish Baptist Church - yet he was a member of both Stockholm and Grace/Augustana congregations [???]
- 9 children: John [Johannes], Emil, Alfred, and Ida Mae "died within a month of diphtheria"; three were buried in a single year
- home was destroyed by prairie fire (likely in MN, but is not clear]
- Olaf had a sunstroke about age 35 [1873] and he was left with very poor eyesight
- worked for awhile on the Grand Trunk Railroad west from Grand Forks; in 1882 filed for homestead in Bush Twp, Eddy and the family moved to Dakota in 1883; log house built in the woods by the Sheyenne River; later these woods were known as Milne Woods
- family members learned to speak Sioux since they were there were few "white" neighbors when they first arrived
- the family supplied some food (cheese and butter, sometimes eggs) to the soldiers at Fort Totten
- in Aug 1894 Olaf and Sigrid went to Wheaton, MN [Traverse Co, close to MN/Dakota border and about 225 kms from Cokato] visit Olaf's nephew, Halsten Erickson
- because of his poor eyesight, Sigrid often drove the horse buggy, and read to him from the Vecko-posten [Swedish Baptist newspaper] and the Swedish Bible
- after retiring, they moved to Sheyenne; Olaf died in 1917 and Sigrid in 1936; buried at Riverside Cemetery


12. North Dakota, U.S., Naturalizations, 1873-1952 ; ancestry.com collection
Richland Co, ND; image 1545 [2nd page, top]
- Olof Hallsten, born in Sweden in 1838; arrrived at the port of New York in Aug 1868; date the 12 May 1905 [District court of Ramsey Co


11. Findagrave id, 134077227;

12, North Dakota Cemetery Collection [ancestry], Section 10, Gates Township

Olaf Hallsten b 1838, d. 1917; and family
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/74834:62162?_phsrc=LqA309&_phstart=successSource&gsfn=John&gsln=Anderson&ml_rpos=3&queryId=234486f74c981f0e7e3f37f4b73ad079 ^8821,8822

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Emigration - 1868, 8 Jul 1868, Los, Gävleborg Co, Sweden. ⁷⁹⁸⁸ Leaving Los parish for North America, 8 Jul 1868

Olof had a relationship with Maria Nilsdotter. (Maria Nilsdotter was born on 22 Feb 1836 in Östmark, Värmland län, Sweden ⁸⁸²³ and died on 10 Mar 1902 in Sheyenne, Eddy Co, North Dakota, United States.)

Olof next married Sigrid Jonsdotter, daughter of Jon Johansson and Kjerstin Månsdotter, on 25 Jun 1867 in Los, Gävleborg Co, Sweden.⁷⁹⁸⁸ (Sigrid Jonsdotter was born on 7 Jan 1841 in Ytterhogdal, Jämtland län, Sweden,⁷⁹⁸⁰ died on 13 Mar 1936 in Sheyenne, Eddy Co, North Dakota, United States and was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Sheyenne, Eddy Co, North Dakato, Unites States.)