My Great Great Grandparents, Nels and Ragnhild
from
Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Oppland, Norway
Nels (Nils) Anderson Revling Øddin
Born on June 05, 1833 in Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Oppland, Norway
Died on January 28, 1898 at Simon Lake, Gilchrist Township, Pope County, Minnesota
Married Ragnhild Lagesdatter Hjelle on December 29, 1857 in Nord Aurdal
Ragnhild Lagesdatter Hjelle
Born on February 03, 1831 in Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Oppland, Norway
Died on January 24, 1904 at Simon Lake, Gilchrist Township, Pope County, Minnesota
Nels is recorded some places as Nels Anderson Revling and some as Nels Anderson Odden. These are both farm names in Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Oppland, Norway. We find Nels and Ragnhild’s names spelled in various manners in various records. Nels' pedigree chart says he came from the Revling farm, he lived on the Øddin husmann place on Revling and is recorded in some of the Pope Co. records as Nels Anderson Odden. Nels and Ragnild came to the U.S.A. in 1865 on the ship the Galathea. They first lived in Dane Co., Wisconsin for 7 years and then came to Pope Co., MN. I found Nils and Rangel living in Vermont Twp., Dane Co. Wisconsin in the 1870 census records. They are listed as having Adelia age 12 and Andrew age 2. We are not sure why, but their daughter Dorthea was also called Adelia or Delia. In the 1875 census we find Nels and family living on a farm right next to Klas Knutson Mosafinn and his son Knute Clauson in Gilchrist Township, Pope County, Minnesota. I am not sure what piece of land they lived on but it must have also been along or close to Simon Lake. The 1880 MN Census shows them living in Barsness Township in Pope County, Minnesota. The 1900 Minnesota Census shows Ragnild living in Langhei Township, Pope County, Minnesota with her daughter Lena Stavik. Lena was ill with TB at this time and Ragnild was there helping. Nels and Ragnild's last years of life were spent living at Simon Lake with their daughter Dorthea and family.
Nels and Ragnhild are both buried at West Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery in rural Pope County, Minnesota under the last name of Odden. We have checked and there are no gravestones for them.
Coming to America
Nils, Ragnild and Dorthea made their way from Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Oppland to Bergen and from there went on the ship Galathea from Bergen to Quebec, Canada. They made their way to Wisconsin and lived for a number of years in the Dane County areas where other people from Valdres had settled. In the early 1870's the family went to Pope County, Minnesota. They came with Jul and Siri Hjelle who were sister/brother to Nils and Ragnild.
This is the link to the information on the Galathea that brought the family to America:
http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=galat
This is the link for the passenger list for the Galathea, Nils, Ragnhild and Dorthea are entries #88, 89 and 90, there are many people from Valdres who are listed on this manifest including other relatives of Nels and Ragnhild. It had to have been a sad day for the Valdres area when all these people left and started the journey to Bergen:
http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_list.asp?jo=657
Passenger list 1865 - ship Galathea
Captain Departure Arrival Source
L. Petersen Bergen June 6 Quebec July 18 NAC C-4520 list 44
88 Nils Andersen Lynvold 30 m farmer - Residence Valders (Lived at Øddin and Revling farms,info: Jean Marthaler St. Joseph, MN) This should say SYNVOLD not Lynvold
89 Ragnilde Lynvold* 28 f wife - Residence Valders (Born on the Hjelle farm, info: Jean Marthaler St. Joseph, MN)
90 Dorthea Nilsdatter* Lynvold* 7 f child - Residence Valders (Born on the Anmarkrud farm, info: Jean Marthaler St. Joseph, MN)
91 Jul Lagersen Hjelle 38 m farmer - Residence Valders
92 Sigrid (Andersdatter) Hjelle* 28 f wife - Residence Valders
93 Lage Julsen* Hjelle* 5 m child - Residence Valders
94 Anders Julsen* Hjelle* 2 m child - Residence Valders
95 Ingeborg Julsdatter* Hjelle* 3/4 f child - Residence Valders
Dorthea and her future husband, Knute Clauson in 1875 census:
In the 1875 census, Nels and Ragnild are living in Chippewa Falls Twp., Pope County, Minnesota. They are living right next to Klas Knutson Mosafinn and his son, Knute Clauson who became the future husband to Dorthea. When Dorthea was a young woman she helped Klas and Knute with their housekeeping and that is how she ended up marrying Knute. The census record says Chippewa Falls Township but it is actually what became Gilchrist Township.
Nels and Ragnhild had 4 children, Dorthea was born in Norway, Ida and Andrew both were born in Dane County,Wisconsin and Lena was born in Minnesota.
Family information for Nils and Ragnhild:
Husband: Nels (Nils) Anderson Revling Øddin
Born: June 05, 1833 in: Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Oppland, Norway
Married: December 29, 1857 in: Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Norway
Died: January 28, 1898 in: Simon Lake, Gilchrist Twp., Pope Co., MN
Father: Anders Halvorson Mælum Revling Øddin
Mother: Dorte Nilsdatter Prestegarden
Wife: Ragnhild Lagesdatter Hjelle
Born: February 03, 1831 in: Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Oppland, Norway
Died: January 24, 1904 in: Simon Lake, Gilchrist Twp., Pope Co., MN
Father: Lage Knudsen Hjelle
Mother: Ingeborg Juelsdatter Skavelden
CHILDREN
1. Dorthea Nilsdatter Anderson
Born: November 01, 1857 in: Nord Aurdal, Valdres, Oppland, Norway
Died: September 13, 1941 in: Gilchrist Twp., Pope Co., MN
Married: December 26, 1879 in: Pope County, Minnesota
Spouse: Knute Clauson
2. Anders (Andrew) Anderson
Born: April 1868 in: Dane Co., Wisconsin
Died: 1939
Married: December 24, 1895 in: Pope County, Minnesota
Spouse: Mary ( Margit) Olsdatter Vrolson
3. Ida Julia Anderson
Born: May 11, 1872 in: Blue Mounds, Dane Co., Wisconsin
Died: October 19, 1934 in: Williston, N.D.
Married: September 22, 1892 in: Pope County, Minnesota
Spouse: Knut Knutson Krøssjordhaugen Hauge
4. Lena Mathilde Anderson
Born: April 13, 1875 in: Gilchrist Twp., Pope Co., MN
Died: September 22, 1900 in: Langhei Twp., Pope Co., MN
Married: July 02, 1892 in: Pope County, Minnesota
Spouse: Edward Olaus Markussen Stavik
___________________________
Nels and Ragnhild's daughter, Dorthea and her husband, Knute Clauson. My great grandparents.
The woman on the right hand side of the picture is Nels and Ragnhild's daughter, Ida. This is Ida with her three daughters.
This is Nels and Ragnhild's daughter, Lena with her husband, Ed Stavik and their two sons. Lena died at the age of 25 from TB.
The gentleman here on the left is Knut Hauge who was the husband to Nels and Ragnhild's daughter, Ida. Knut also was from the Nord Aurdal area. The gentleman on the right is Nels and Ragnhild's son Andrew (Anders) Anderson. He used the last name of Anderson.