Research Summary

Research Summary

Project id: RosvoldAndrew121902

Acct #0206

13 February 2003

Objective:

Begin with Andrew Rosvold in Wyoming, document his family, and then work with the goal of extending his family and finding where the family immigrated from for future Norwegian research.

Results:

1. Located cemetery transcriptions on Rosvold, Johnson, McTee and May family members.

2. Located multiple census records for 1930, 1920, 1910 and 1900 for Rosvold and related spellings families.

3. Located passport registration lists and immigration information on Rosvold brothers Andrew, Ole and Olaf.

4. Located birth records of Andrew[Arnt], Ole, and Olaf and other siblings in Norway.

5. Located parents, Paul Olsen and Marit Olsdatter and their siblings in Norway.

6. Located grandparents, Ole Johnson and Anne Svendsdatter in Norway.

7. Potentially three generations extended plus children, their spouses and marriages.

Recommendations:

1. Continue some cleanup research in Evanston, Rock Springs and Green River records documenting births, christenings, deaths, marriages and burials of Andrew Rosvold. family. Special interest also in children of family who died young and are presently unidentified. Correspondence for records including those of Susan Roskelley.

2. Continue research in Norway. We need to:

A. Examine the 1900 Census of Rosvoldmoan farm for the elderly parents of Arnt, Paul Olsen, and his wife Marit Olsdatter.

B. We need to search the Bǿrsa parish church records for the family’s birth, marriage, and burial records.

C. We need to search the applicable parish church records for the births, marriages, and burial records of Ole Johnson family. This should resolve 1835 marriage and 1832 Paul Olsen birth issues.

D. Due to birth and marriage extraction the IGI should be checked for all family members. Upon completion of the other items in #2, names can be submitted for temple clearance and work.

3. Continue research documenting the Pedersen family first in Wyoming and as time permits in Utah or elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

Research Report

Project id: RosvoldAndrew121902

Acct #0206

13 February 2003

 

The objective of this research was to extend the family of Andrew Rosvold and discover where they came from in Norway.

Family members and relatives were interviewed first and asked for documents concerning the family and specifically Andrew Rosvold. Document requests were made of all those interviewed. Note: While requested none have yet been received at the time of this report.

These interviews pointed out numerous unknowns and the need to review and verify the descendants of Andrew Rosvold for possible clues and missed relevant information.

Lawrence [Larry] Reaveley

We had several interviews and/or conversations with Larry Reaveley, who referred to his grandmother as Grandma Christensen Rosvold. He later was understood to state his mother was Evelyn [May] (Christensen?), her mother was Alma Alfreta Rosvold and her father was Andrew Rosvold and mother Annie Pedersen. He stated that he believed the Rosvold research had gone back into Norway and that his relatives, particularly Susan [Adams] Roskelley and mother June [McTee] Adams would have the information. He remembered over 20 years ago when his first wife died that there had been an inheritance and some legal work in Wyoming or Norway at the time. Subsequent follow-ups after discussions with June and Susan identified additional information on the family. His father Clyde Weston Reaveley according to Larry had been met with by him and no additional information was available through his father. In addition, Vernice [May] Christensen was also contacted for information on June and Susan. Larry later identified his mother as having been married to Joe May (also a reference to an Italian alias Sisero Oaiga). He recalled having learned or been told that Andrew Rosvold was in the mental hospital in Evanston due to a accident while driving a horse team pulling lumber and Andrew’s leg being crushed.

 

Ronald Reaveley

Ron did not know anything additionally that he could add on the family line and specifically Andrew Rosvold.

Vernice May Christensen & Que Christensen

We contacted Vernice, sister of Evelyn [May] Christensen Reaveley upon referral from Larry Reaveley, for information on June Adams and Susan Roskelley. She provided necessary phone numbers and addresses and identified and verified her sister Evelyn, her mother Alma, and her grandparents, Andrew and Annie Rosvold. She was later contacted for follow-up but did not return phone calls. June Adams stated she believed Vernice and Que had gone south to California for the winter and did not have contact information on them there.

June McTee Adams

We were referred to June by Larry Reaveley and subsequently Vernice Christensen. We had an initial interview and several follow-up contacts after discussions with Susan Roskelley and Larry Reaveley. She initially helped verify the family and gave contact information on her daughter, Susan Roskelley. She identified her mother as Hilda Leona Rosvold Johnson. Hilda was adopted by Charles Johnson when she was only two or three. Her Aunt Mary, older sister of Helen, possibly (12) twelve boarding with a family near the hospital and working in the hospital. Her Aunt Alma, living with another family who raised her but never adopted her and was quite mean to her. June stated the family had a small ranch outside of Rock Springs she remembered.

June identified that a small inheritance ($500-1000 per child) took place for the three living daughters of Andrew Rosvold, supposedly from Norway but they have no documentation. Andrew she recollects was or had some wealth in Norway, she only remembers she was married (married 53 years – 1949 and her husband died in 2002 October). She recalls but doesn’t know the exact date, or how many of her children she did or did not have at the time, says it was much more than 20 years ago as alluded to by Larry Reaveley.

June mentioned both a red and blue music box in possession of Susan. June believed the Red box had pictures of Andrew Rosvold and his (4-5) four or five brothers. No info on twins in Andrew’s family or knowledge of any by June. June was concerned Susan’s x-husband, Stephen, may have thrown it out.

A ranch outside of Rock Springs. June visited it but knew nothing more. June says they had no farm but a small ranch out of Rock Springs but family was poor and no money.

Vernice has gone to California during the winter per June and might know more.

Susan Adams Roskelley

On her initial interview she stated she had researched back to Andrew Rosvold who was in mental hospital. May have something farther back, has not looked at since her divorce, her husband took some. . May have tried connecting from Norway. In a later follow-up call she stated she has the mental hospital record of Andrew Rosvold copy. She may have marriage license of Andrew to Annie Pederson but was not sure. She may be able to get Andrew death certificate as he died in hospital in Evanston.

She further stated her grandmother, Hilda Leona Rosvold, was 2-3 years old when adopted by Charles D. Johnson and wife. Other Rosvold children were older and not adopted.

Her Grandma Rosvold and an infant baby are buried in Rock Springs Cemetery with grandma’s sister Mary. Susan knows this because she is the one to put flowers on all the graves in Rock Springs each year.

Susan didn’t know that Andrew (listed as father) is buried next to Andrew with infant who died in childbirth along with her mother Annie. The grave marker next to Annie is gone for Andrew.

Susan has no birth date on Annie or information on her family. No death record on Annie.

Per Larry Reaveley’s requestioning connections in Norway, Susan reconfirmed she does not have immigration or connections researched or documented to Norway. She did try doing work from Norway.

Susan’s work in Norway never has a place or connection to Andrew, she has no idea where Andrew came from. She does not know Andrew siblings or parents. She does not know if related to Rosvold families in Minnesota. That is all she has.

Susan promised to mail ForGenerations Genealogical Services a copy of the hospital record on Andrew Rosvold. Also a copy of Andrew’s marriage record to Annie Pedersen and Andrew’s death record if she has it. She also recollected possible twins in Andrew’s brothers and a farm or ranch outside of Rock Springs.

After multiple conversations with June and Susan, Susan is to find red and blue music boxes with pictures of Andrew and his brothers. Susan does not remember the red music box but does remember the blue music box. She has no info on the inheritance of Andrew’s daughters.

James Clemans later reviewed all we had done and learned with Susan and she stated it is much more than she has or knew. Susan had no place in Norway, no exact birth for Andrew, did not know about brothers of Andrew including Olaf Rosvold. Susan did mention a son of Mary, Andrew’s daughter and after her mother, June, mentioned Florence as another daughter of Mary and said Florence has a child.

Susan did some work on the McTee line – originally from Scotland where it was Mactee she says.

Research continued searching cemetery records in Wyoming. After searching many cemetery records both in Uinta and Sweetwater counties, Andrew Rosvold and other family members were located in Rock Springs Cemetery, Rock Springs, Sweetwater, Wyoming. The published transcriptions of the tombstones show Andrew, his wife Anna, and Mary McTee, daughter. Many are buried in the same plot as follows:

[Document #1 page 84]

Mary McTee, born July 12, 1892; died September 30, 1973.

Anna Rosvold, our mother, 1864-1904

Father Rosvold, 1867-1944

Andrew and Anna’s daughter, Hilda and her husband William McTee are included in the McTee plot. The tombstones included the following inscriptions: [Document #1, page 311]

William McTee, 1898-1990.

Hilda McTee, wife of William, 1901-1990.

It should be noted that two of the daughters married into the McTee family with Hilda marrying William McTee a nephew of John McTee, husband of Mary Rosvold.

Also, in the same cemetery are Hilda’s adopted parents. [Document #1, page 74]

Charles D. Johnson, 1866-1939.

Alvida Johnson, 1869-1954.

The tombstone inscriptions of the Rock Springs Cemetery were published in 1987. While daughter Alma died in Salt Lake City on 26 October 1985, she is reported to have been buried in Rock Springs. The Rock Springs cemetery inscriptions were recorded in 1986 and updated on 14 September 1997. Her tombstone inscription is not listed. However, an inscription was located for a Joseph May who was born 1888 and died in 1946. [Document #1, page 33] Could this be Alma’s husband, Joe May?

Andrew Rosvold was located in the 1910, 1920 and 1930 Federal Census as a patient in the Wyoming State Hospital for the Insane, Sulphur Springs and Evanston, Uinta County, Wyoming. In all three censuses he is listed as Andrew Roswold, widower, born in Norway of parents who were also born in Norway. In 1930 he is listed as age 64, a naturalized citizen, immigrating in 1886 and working in the dining room. [Document #2]

 

Locality		1930, Federal Census, Wyoming, Uinta County, Evanston, Election District #3Wyoming State Hospital for the Insane
ED, Sheet, Line		21-6, 3A, page 164, 49
Enumeration Date		3 April 1930
Location			Description				Birth Place
House	Family	Name	Sex	Age	Relation	Occupation	Self	Father	Mother
——	——-	Roswold, Andrew	M	64	Patient	Dining Room	Norway	Norway	Norway

 

In 1920, he is listed as age 54, became a naturalized citizen in 1887, after immigrating in 1886. [Document #4] His year of naturalization is likely incorrect, since aliens were required to meet a five year residency requirement once a person applied for citizenship.

 

Locality		1920, Federal Census, Wyoming, Uinta County, Evanston, Election District #7, Sulphur Springs Precinct, Wyoming State Hospital for the Insane.
ED, Sheet, Line		96, 2B, 56
Enumeration Date		28 January 1920
Location			Description				Birth Place
House	Family	Name	Sex	Age	Relation	Occupation	Self	Father	Mother
—–	—–	Roswold, Andrew	M	54	———–	————–	Norway	Norway	Norway

 

In 1910, Andrew was listed as a naturalized citizen but the census form did not ask for the year one became naturalized. His year of immigration is listed as 1895, which is definitely incorrect.[Document #6]

 

Locality		1910, Federal Census, Wyoming, Uinta County, Evanston, Election District #13, Sulphur Springs Precinct, Wyoming State Hospital for the Insane.
ED, Sheet, Line		125, 2B or 7B, 91
Enumeration Date		5 May 1910
Location			Description		Relation-		Birth Place
House	Family	Name	Sex	Age	Ship	Occupation	Self	Father	Mother
—–	—–	Roswold, Andrew	M	45	Patient	None	Norway	Norway	Norway

 

The Andrew Rosvold family was not located in the 1900 Federal Census of Wyoming. An Olef Roswell was located in the Gust Johnson household, in Coyote Creek, Sweetwater, Wyoming. He went by the name of Olaf Rosvold in America and would later be proven to be the “twin” brother of Andrew Rosvold. His enumeration in the 1900 census is totally correct as it shows him to be single, born in December 1866, age 33, born in Norway, Norwegian born parents, Olef immigration date is listed as 1887, in the U.S. for 13 years, naturalization pending, working as a farm laborer. [Document #7]

 

Locality		1900 Federal Census, Wyoming, Sweetwater County, Election District #2, Coyote Creek
ED, Sheet, Line		56, 1B, 66
Enumeration Date		7 June 1900
Location						Birth Place
House	Family	Name	Birth Date	Relation	Occupation	Self	Father	Mother
19	19	Johnson, GustRosewell, Olef	May 1869 Dec 1866	HeadNa	Farm ForemanFarm Laborer	SwedenNorway	SwedenNorway	SwedenNorway

Olaf is listed in the 1920 Federal Census as Olof Rosewald, living alone, in Olson Precinct, Fremont County, Wyoming. He was listed as a farmer, owns his own house, age 51, single, born in Norway, Norwegian born parents, naturalized in 1914. His year of immigration is listed as 1890, which is incorrect. [Document #5]

 

Locality		1920 Federal Census, Wyoming, Fremont County, Election District #17 & 19, Township 31 & 32, Olson Precinct
ED, Sheet, Line		139, 1A, 2
Enumeration Date		19-23 January 1920
Location			Description				Birth Place
House	Family	Name	Sex	Age	Relation	Occupation	Self	Father	Mother
2	2	Rosewald, Olaf	M	W	Head	Farmer	Norway	Norway	Norway

 

The Andrew Rosvold family was located in the 1900 Federal Census of Browns Park, Routt County, Colorado. The Northern boundary line of Routt County is the Colorado/Wyoming boundary line. Routt borders Carson County, Wyoming on the North. Carson County shares its western border with Sweetwater County, Wyoming where the Andrew Rosvold family would return prior to the birth of Hilda on 30 October 1901. The 1900 enumeration of the family shows that Andrew immigrated in 1887 and had been in the U.S. for (13) thirteen years and was a naturalized citizen. He and Annie are listed as having been married (9) nine years. More importantly, Annie is listed as having given birth to (4) four children, of which (2) were living. The (2) two deceased children whose sex and names are not recorded anywhere in the census, were likely born about 1897 and 1899. One of them could have been born between Mary’s birth in July 1892 and Alma’s birth in October 1895. In any event, both of them were deceased prior to the official date of the 1900 Federal Census, 1 June 1900. The families surname is recorded as Roswell, in the census. They were enumerated as follows: [Document #8]

 

Locality		1900, Federal Census, Colorado, Routt County, Browns Park
ED, Sheet, Line		145, 7B, 52
Enumeration Date		1 June 1900
Location						Birth Place
House	Family	Name	Birth Date Age	Relation	Occupation	Self	Father	Mother
104	104	Roswell, Andrew—–, Annie —–, Mary —–, Alma Paulson, Severt	Dec 1864 35 Mar 1864 36 May 1891 9 Oct 1895 4 Un 1870 30	HeadWife Dau Dau Partner	Farmer      Farmer	NorwayNorway WY WY Norway	NorwayNorway Norway Norway Norway	NorwayNorway Norway Norway Norway

 

Both Andrew and his partner Severt Paulson were farmers. Andrew owned his farm, however, it was mortgaged. Severt Paulson is listed as single, an alien who immigrated in 1893 and had been in the United States for (7) seven years.

Incidentally, Andrew’s Norwegian patronymic birth surname is Paulsen (spelled with an “e”). However, Andrew and Severt are not listed as brothers and do not appear to be related.

Why Andrew came to the mining town, got married and left and then returned is unknown. What is known is the origins of Coyote Creek and Bitter Creek areas later known as Rock Springs. The Railroad brought the need for coal and initially the town was a Union Pacific Coal town. The need for Coal by the Railroad caused the growth of a Coal camp into a town. The history of the area identifies only 264 Scandinavian born residents in Sweetwater County in 1890. [Document #11]

It further states that “many of the first to leave a European village or region were persuaded to do so by agents of the U.S. companies, including the Union Pacific”. This appears to be the case with the Rosvold, Johnson, and other Scandinavian families of the area.

The Norwegian postal directory lists ROSVOLD as a farm in four places in Norway, including Bǿrsa, a village and parish in Skaun Kommune [township] in Sǿr-Trondelag fylke [county]. [Document #13]

Bǿrsa is near the major Norwegian City and port, Trondheim. Andrew and his two brothers Ole and Olaf were located in the emigrants from Trondheim port records covering the years 1867 to 1930. The birth name of Andrew Rosvold is ARNT PAULSEN. There is no American [or English] equivalent of the given name of Arnt. He may have chosen the American given name of Andrew because it simply began with an “A”. His two brothers were born Ole Paulsen and Olaf Paulsen. PAULSEN is their patronymic surname and the surname that they would have used their entire lives, had they remained in Norway, even though they were connected to the Rosvold farm in their growing up years. In the emigration records each uses a middle initial “P”, obviously for Paulsen and the last [surname] Rosvold. However, in all other Norwegian records , they were and will be found under the birth name PAULSEN.

Arnt P. Rosvold purchased his ticket on 8 April 1886. He is listed as a laborer, male, age 19, resident of Bǿrsen [Bǿrsa], destination Gren [Green] River, Wyoming, ship Hero [of the Inman line]. [Document #15]

His brother, Ole P. Rosvold, purchased his ticket on 20 April 1887. He is listed as a laborer, male age 25, resident of Bǿrsen, destination Red River, Wyoming, ship Hero [of the Inman line]. [Researcher note: There is no known Red River, Wyoming. This is obviously a recording error.] [Document #15]

His brother, Olaf P. Rosvold, purchased his ticket on 20 April 1887, the same day as Ole. He is listed as a laborer, male, Age 20, resident of Bǿrsen, destination Gren [Green] River, Wyoming, ship Hero [of the Inman line]. [Document #15]

The records show that the three brothers were the only ones using the ROSVOLD last name from Bǿrsen [Bǿrsa], that went to Wyoming. [Document #16] The same records show other emigrants from Bǿrsen who went to Wyoming, but the names do not include their half brother John Johnson who was born in 1853, or anyone fitting his age or given name. [Document #17] It is possible he emigrated as a resident of some other parish or place. When he was (14) fourteen, John left home and moved to Bjugn to work as a shepherd boy herding goats. Since we did not know his name or have his information when we were searching the emigration records, we did not search for him.

Arnt sailed on the SS Hero (2) departing on 8 April 1886 from the port of Trondheim, with stops at the Norwegian coastal cities of Kristiansund and Aalesund, and then head to Hull, England. [Document #28]

Once he got to Hull, he would have boarded a train to either Glasgow, Scotland or Liverpool, England.

Liverpool is the more likely choice. Once he arrived at his destination city, he would have boarded another steamship for his trip across the Atlantic Ocean, to one of a number of Atlantic Coast ports, most likely New York.

The trip usually would have taken about seven days. Twenty-six corresponding ships were located that connected passengers of the SS Hero (2) that sailed initially from Trondheim on 8 April 1886. [Document #29]

At this point we do not know which of them Arnt [Andrew] sailed to America on. We can tell from emigration records, that he likely sailed without the accompaniment of anyone he knew from Bǿrsa. However, he would have been in the company of others from Norway who spoke his same language. Although his two brothers Ole and Olaf purchased their tickets on 20 April 1887, a little over a year after Arnt; their ship, also the SS Hero (2) did not depart to Hull until the next day, 21 April 1887. [Document #30] Thirty-three corresponding ships wee located that connected passengers of the SS Hero (2), that departed Trondheim on 21 April 1887, to their American port of destination. Most of the ships departed from Liverpool, England. [Document #31]

A report was located online that tells of the type of conditions they might have faced once they arrived at Hull, England. The report was written in 1882, four or five years prior to their emigration. [Document #34] Unfortunately, the conditions, although acknowledged to be somewhat unfavorable, probably were not soon, if ever, corrected.

A farm book was located for the parish of Bǿrsa. It identifies the families that were connected to each of the many farms and sub-farms. Bǿrsaboka was published in 1983 by the Skaun Kommune [township] of which it is included in. [Document #35] Rosvold, also known as ROSSVOLL, a farm in Bǿrsa parish, can trace its records back to 1520. Over the years, parts of it were leased to tenant farmers, also called cottagers. A male tenant farmer was called a “husmann” in Norwegian. Many times these sub-farms were not more than an acre and its occupant family could barely exist. They were impoverished people whose sons and daughters would leave home at a very young age to find work elsewhere and not to be a further burden to their parents.

The history notes that one of the sub-farms of the Rosvold farm [“gard” in Norwegian] was Rosvoldmoan [also known as Rossvollmoan]. It was first leased in 1834 by Paul Person. After Paul Person died, none of his family remained to continue the lease.

At that time, 1861, the father of Arnt, Ole, and Olav, a man named Paul Olsen and his recent bride Marit Olsdatter, acquired a lease on Rosvoldmoan. Marit had a son John, born in 1853, in Skaun parish, the son of her first husband John Evensen. Marit Olsdatter was connected to the Konstad farm in the place called Vasshaugen in the Skaun parish. She was born on the farm called Kjerrem in 1827. Her husband Paul Olsen was from Ritrǿa farm [this is a sub-farm, but now a separate farm]. He was born in 1832. Three sons were born to Paul and Marit, Ole in 1862, followed by the twins, Olaf and Arnt, in 1866. [Note: Twins were referred to by Susan Roskelley in her interview in Andrew Rosvold’s family]

The farm history notes that Arnt immigrated to America in 1886, followed by Ole and Olaf in 1887. The history notes further that Rosvoldmoan was a fine place but when the children were grown their was and intense emigration to America “og I 1887 satt brått dei gamle for seg sjǿlve-dei re sǿnene var alt I Amerika”. Translation: ” … and in 1887 [Paul Olsen] suddenly found himself an old man [and] his three sons were all in America.”

Marit died in 1903 and that same year, Paul Olsen did not continue his tenant lease on Rosvoldmoan. He was about 71 years of age. Where he went and where he died is not recorded in the farm history. It does note that he died in 1914. He would have been 81 or 82 years old when he died. The history does note that another tenant took up the lease on the Rosvoldmoan. [Document #35, pages 430-432]

A number of maps were copied to show the location of Bǿrsa [Bǿrsen] in the Norwegian county of Sǿr Trondelag. [Document #18-27]

The Norwegian Census “folketaelling” of 1865 and 1875 in Bǿrsa include the Paul Olsen family. The official date of the 1865 Census was 31 December 1865. The census shows the household was composed as follows: [Document #40 & 41]

 

Name Relation Occupation Status Age Sex

Paul Olsen Head of Household Tenant of the farm married age 34 male

Maret Olsdatter His wife married age 38 female

Ole Paulsen their son unmarried age 4 male

John Johnson their son unmarried age 13 male

Casber Jenssen lodger day laborer married age 37 male

Kjersti Olsdatter his wife married age 33 female

 

The 1865 Census notes that all of the above persons were born in Bǿrsens Prestegield or in other words Bǿrsa clerical district. Bǿrsa parish was included in Bǿrsa clerical district. The Census also notes that Paul Olsen had two large cattle, three sheep and farmed barley, oats, and potatoes. Perhaps since his sub-farm was noted as being a “bra plara” [fine place], his tenant farm was larger and could support a few more people than most of the tenant sub-farms. The farm history notes that Kirsti Olsdatter was the sister of Marit Olsdatter, and that she and her husband, Kaspar Jenssen, lodged at Rosvoldmoan until they moved to Rise. [Document #35, page 431]

The official date of the 1875 Census was 31 Dec 1875. On that date, the Paul Olsen family was composed of the following: [Document #37]

Name Sex Relation Status Occupation Birth BirthPlace

Paul Olsen M Head of household Md Tenant of the farm 1832 Bǿrsa Parish

Maril Olsdatter F His wife Md Housewife 1827 Bǿrsa Parish

Olaf Paulsen M Son 1866 Bǿrsa Parish

Arnt Paulsen M Son 1866 Bǿrsa Parish

Klemmet Sivertsen Ljakleiv M lodger Md freeholder 1824 Bǿrsa Parish

Berit Eriksdatter F his wife Md housewife 1843 Bǿrsa Parish

Karen Klemmetsdatter F dau 1869 Bǿrsa Parish

 

The 1875 Census notes that all were also born in Bǿrsa clerical district. Paul Olsen was growing barley, corn, oats, and potatoes, on his farm. Klemmet Sivertsen owned a horse under three years old and five sheep or lambs. Paul Olsen owned two cows, one calf, and five sheep or lambs.

Oppigard Ǿver – Rian farm can date its occupants as early as the year 1611. In 1836, a part of it was leased to the father of Paul Olsen, Ole Johnson from Mjǿlhus in Skaun parish. The sub-farm was named Ritrǿa. [In 1888 it was sold and became a separate farm Oppigard Ǿver – Rian farm.]

The Ole Johnsen family leased Ritrǿa from 1836 until 1875. Ole was born in 1800 and died in 1872. In 1835, he married in Skaun parish, Anne Svendsdatter of Lefstad farm. She was born in Husbyskora in 1807 and died at her daughter’s home at Viggja in 1909. She would have been age 98 or 99 when she passed away. They were the parents of eight children. [Document #35, page 330]

1. Paul Olsen born at Lefstad, 1832, married Marit Olsdatter of Konstad. See Rosvoldhåggån [incorrect, should read Rosvoldmoan].

2. Marit Olsdatter born at Mjǿlhus, 1835.

3. Berit Olsdatter, born 1837, married Paul Toressen, of Viggagjerdet.

4. John Olsen, born 1840, died in infancy.

5. Sivert Olsen, born 1841.

6. John, born 1843, shoemaker, moved to Trondheim in 1873.

7. Ingeborg Olsdatter, born 1845, married Johan Olsen, Viggagjerdet.

8. Ole Olsen, born 1849, moved away.

 

In the 1865 Census only four of the above were still living at Ritrǿa: [Document #38 & 39]

Name Relation Occupation Status Age Sex

Ole Johnson Head of household tenant of the farm married age 65 male

Anne Sivertsdatter his wife married age 59 female

John Olsen son shoemaker unmarried age 23 male

Ingeborg Olsdatter daughter unmarried age 21 female

 

The Census notes that all of them were born in Bǿrsen clerical district. Ole owned one large cow, five sheep, and grew barley, oats and potatoes, on his small farm.

In the 1875 Census, the Ritrǿa farm only had three occupants. [Document #36]

Anne Svendsdatter F Head of Household Widow Tenant of the place 1807 Bǿrsa Parish & Clerical District

Ole Olsen M householder’s son unmarried shoemaker & helps mother 1849 Bǿrsa Parish & Clerical District

Ingeborg Olsdatter F householder’s dau unmarried day laborer 1845 Bǿrsa Parish & Clerical District

 

According to the 1875 Census, Anne Svendsdatter owned one cow, one calf, three sheep or lambs, and one pig. On her small farm, she grew barley, oats, and potatoes.

Conclusion

Some research remains in America on Andrew Rosvold/Arnt Paulsen’s two brothers.

We need to bury Olaf, who may have remained in Wyoming. He should be located in the 1930 Census. We also need to locate his death certificate.

We need to determine what happened to Ole Paulsen/Ole Rosvold after he arrived in Green River, Wyoming. Again, there is no “Red River” in Wyoming. [Perhaps someone had a sense of humor.] Ole may have used the PAULSEN surname in America if he did not use ROSVOLD.

He may also have adopted an American given name.

We also need to obtain a copy of Andrew Rosvold’s death certificate in 1944. Susan Roskelley said she might have one but has not yet sent copies of it. We have also requested a copy of Andrew’s hospital or medical record, which Susan says she has. Contact with the Wyoming State Hospital indicated it would either require a judge court order or extensive family documentation and application before they would supply one. Getting a copy from Susan would save time and money. We have also requested a copy of Andrew’s marriage certificate, which Susan also thought she might have. We have contacted the Sweetwater County Court as a copy is not available at the family history library. According to them it states they were living in Rock Springs at the time of the marriage.

Further research for extension in Norway appear good. See Recommendations in summary report. It should not be difficult to extend the ancestry of Arnt’s mother, Marit Olsdatter, and his grandmother, Anne Svendsdatter, especially since we now know where each of them were born in 1827 and 1807, respectively.

It should not be to difficult to extend the lineage of Arnt’s paternal grandfather, Ole Johnson, who was born in 1800. His place of birth and his father’s name may be listed in his marriage record. His marriage took place in 1835 in Skaun parish. Many of the parish records have had birth and marriage data extracted and are found in the IGI. In addition to searching there, in all cases, we should obtain a copy of the original parish record to ensure accuracy and obtain additional data not included in the IGI.

We look forward to reviewing these recommendations and how we can move forward in continuing to document and extend your family lines.

Yours truly,

ForGenerations Genealogical Services