Time Travel

There is a movie currently playing in theaters called "The Time Traveler's Wife" based upon a novel by Audrey Niffenegger.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book when I read it a few years ago.  I'm not a big sci-fi fan, but I am intrigued by the concept of time travel -- especially the practical and ethical aspects of it.  Niffenegger's book explores those concepts while telling a romantic tale.  (1)

 

If you're wondering what this has to do with my Nordic ancestors -- not much.  But it does have something to do with my passion for genealogical research.  I find researching family histories involves a sort of time travel -- not the sci-fi sort, but a mental exercise.  One of the highlights of research is being able to transcend time and bring an ancestor to life in my imagination.  By emersing myself in details of his life, time and place, my image of him gains animation.  As I imagine him living his life, I am briefly transported to his world.  
  
The portal for this type of time travel is research.  Before stepping into my ancestral world, I  develop a dossier of sorts.  In addition to whatever personal information I have about him, I add information about the social, commercial, religious, political, geographic or climatic characteristics of his place in history.  I may not use all the information I gather, but having a well developed foundation allows me to add depth and color to his known characteristics.

 
I recently decided to focus my attention on the world of my gg-grandparents, Sevat and Kari Starkey.  Since they were born in Norway around 1820,  part of my research has to cover early to mid 19th century Norwegians.   This is my first time to delve into Norwegian research, so my initial task was to develop a list of sources.  I decided to begin with a couple of Norwegian-American genealogy websites and drill down through their references, capturing promising ones as I progressed.  This can be a time consuming process and is not as exciting as looking at data specific to my subject, but it is key to a successful search.  Investing the time in developing sources and a research plan generally saves time later by making it easier to recognize mismatches and inconsistencies.  Still, it requires some discipline to invest in this step before getting to the fun stuff. 

Not long into my pursuit of Norwegian research materials, I discovered two searchable databases previously unknown to me which I expect will be of great value as I go forward.  Although I knew it was premature to start an efficient search of these databases, my curiosity got the better of me and I  threw discipline aside and decided to take a peek.  I entered Sevat's byname (Stake), the supposed name of the farm where he was born, and searched a database of Norwegian farms.  To my surprise and delight, it reported a match on one locale!  (2)

I was excited, but knew the match does not prove it is the farm of Sevat's youth.  Nonetheless, it's location added to my curiosity.  It is located in Buskerud County near Gol.  This area was familiar to me from previous reading of local histories in Allamakee county, Iowa (where Kari and Sevat lived as their family matured).  These histories and a few mini-biographies told of a group of families coming from Gol, Norway to America, settling first in Rock County, Wisconsin, and soon moving to Allamakee County, Iowa.  Their migration together was not accidental, but coordinated by members of the group.  These people were neighbors (and possibly family) of Sevat and Kari and of others who at one time or other  adopted Stake or Stakke as a surname.  Though it is not conclusive evidence, it does improve the probability that Sevat and Kari came from the area.  (3)

   

Armed with this information, I turned to the other database and searched church records for the area near Gol.  I found three records that document significant events in Kari and Sevat's lives.  One is their marriage record from June of 1846; one their daughter's birth in April of 1847; and the last, their departure from the church (for emigration to America) in May of 1847.  I need to do a lot more research before I say with a high degree of confidence that the Sevat Knudson of Stake and Kari Syverson of Hesla, whose marriage is recorded on line 18, page 374 of the 1837-1863 Gol ministerialbok, are my gg-grandparents.  In the meantime, I am excited at the discovery and look forward to learning more about that area of Norway.  (4)
   

Gol, part of the Hallingdal district of Buskerud fylke (county), is located about 200 kilometers northwest of Oslo and about 300 kilometers east of Bergen.  It lies where the Hemsil and Hallingdal rivers merge, on the northeast side of the two rivers.  Stake farm, where Sevat Knudson was born,  is located about 6 kilometers northeast of Gol along a road leading to a modern day ski resort.  Hesla farm, where Kari lived when she married Sevat and where their daughter, Kirjste was born, is located a few kilometers from Gol, on the west side of the Hemsil.    Though a highland area, Gol is flanked by higher mountains, especially to the north and west.  Ancient migration routes to western Norway traveled through the valley bringing traders who populated the area.  Iron from the local marshland provided a resource for trade and, with poor soil in the area, even farmers turned to trade to supplement their livelihood.  Cattle raised in the valley were driven to markets in Vesterlandet.   (5)

Perhaps this trading heritage made the local people good candidates for the adventure of going to America.  It may partially explain why so many from Gol emigrated to Wisconsin and Iowa.  At this point, I'm  not sure.  I have much more research to do to understand the history, geography, climate and customs of the Hallingdal.  But once I've gathered the information and compiled a more complete list of family members, I'll be ready to time travel -- destination 1840's Hallingdal valley Norway!

    Map of Gol on the Hemsil and Hallingdal rivers in Buskerud, Norway.

Hesla farm is located in the bottom, center;

Stake farm is located in the top right 1/3 of the map.

(double click map to enlarge)

Endnotes:   

1.  Niffenegger, Audrey, The Time Traveler's Wife, (Orlando, Florida:  Harcourt, Inc., 2003)

2.  Oluf Rygh: Norwegian Farm Names, searchable database of Volumes 1 through 17.  Online at:  http://www.dokpro.uio.no/rygh_ng/rygh_form.html [15 September 2009].

     v.5, p.109

     12, 8.  Stake.  Udt. sta2ke.

    Er vel identisk med det sedvanlige hallingdalske stakje "Stage", der enten har været  Navn paa en Høide i Nærheden (Bruget selv ligger i en Dal) eller er at forklare som Gaardnavnet Stang (jfr. Indl. S. 80). Samme Navn er Stage under Aal GN. 113.
3.   Bergmann, Leola Nelson, "The Norwegians in America", The Palimpsest, Vol XL No 8, August 1959, The State Historical Society of Iowa, pp 289-303, Online: http://www.sharylscabin.com/Allamakee/ImNat/norweg_tx2.htm  [15 September 2009 ]

     Flom, George Tobias, A History of Norwegian Immigration to the United States fom the Earliest Beginning Down to the Year 1848, Iowa City, Iowa: privately printed, 1909,  Online:  http://www.books.google.com/  [18 September 2009].

     Hancock, Ellery, Past & Present of Allamakee County,  Chicago, Illinois: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913, pp 288-301.  Online at:  http://www.sharylscabin.com/Allamakee/history2/chap19d.htm   [13 September 2009]

     Ulvestad, Martin, 'Nordmændene i Amerika', Allamakee County Translation, 1907,  Online: http://www.sharylscabin.com/Allamakee/ImNat/nordmaendene.htm  [ 15 September, 2009.

4.  "Skannede Kirkeboker", Arkivverket Digitalarkivet, Gol:  1837-1863, Ministirialbok, Ekteviede, 1846 (374-375), line 18, 23 June, Sevat Knudson and Kari Syversdatter,  Online:   http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=7751&uid=ny&idx_side=-198 .

     "Skannede Kirkeboker", Arkivverket Digitalarkivet, Gol: 1837-1863, Ministirialbok, Fodte og dopte , 1847 (96-97), line 11, 11 April, Kirsti, Online:  http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?show=54&uid=121954&urnread_imagesize=gigant&hode=nei&ls=1  .
     "Skannede Kirkeboker", Arkivverket Digitalarkivet, Gol: 1837-1863, Ministirialbok, Utflytedde , 1846-1848 (706-707), line 10-12, 11 Mai, Sevat Knudson Hesla, Kari Syversdatter, datter Kersti, Online:  http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=7751&uid=ny&idx_side=-355  .
5.  Statens Kartverk, Online map of Norway:   http://kart.statkart.no/adaptive2/default.aspx?gui=1&lang=2  [16 September 2009].

What's in a Name? (part 2)

My gg-grandfather, Sevat, was born in Norway and came to America as a young adult. He lived first in Wisconsin where his eldest sons were born, then moved to Iowa where the family continued to grow and where he became a naturalized citizen of the United States . He eventually moved to Dakota Territory (present-day Jerauld county, South Dakota ) where he filed a homestead claim and lived out his remaining days. It is in South Dakota that his surname changed. Census records in Wisconsin document him as Severt Knudson and his son as Knudson Severtson. In Iowa census records, the family members are recorded with a common surname based on his patronym, Knuteson or Knudtson (spelling dependent on the recorder.) Census, land, and historical records in South Dakota identify the family as Starkey or Stake. (1)

The explanation for the change from Knudson to Starkey is found in Sevat's homestead land documents. The claim was filed under "Sevart K. Stake". In proving his claim, Sevat (or Sevart), was required to fulfill the terms of the Homestead Act: he had to provide evidence he had filed a claim for the land at least five years earlier; was a U.S. citizen or intended citizen; had never borne arms against the U.S. Government; had lived continuously on the land; and had improved it by growing crops and erecting a structure at least 12 feet by 14 feet in size. In reviewing his evidence, a discrepancy was noted between the name recorded on his naturalization papers and the name under which the claim was filed. To remedy this inconsistency, Sevat provided an affadavit of explanation which was then added to his documentation. The following is an excerpt from this affadavit recorded by a clerk on Sevat's behalf.
 

"...he was a native of Norway. that by the custom of that country his name was Severt Knudson, "Stake" the latter part not being used except as a distinction in case of similar names that is if literly translated he would be known as Severt Knudson of "Stake" the word "Stake" referring to the name of the farm or district where he was born and had no other significance. After he came to this country and at the time he took out his citizen papers in Waukon Allamakee county Iowa on the 9th day of September A.D. 1857 he was told that Severt Knudson would be the proper name in this country, in consequence thereof he took out his citizen paper as Severt Knudson. In 1883 when he came to Dakota to take his homestead he was informed that in all land matters he must give his name in full spelled out in full. In consequence thereof he gave his name in full, being unable to write his own name or read writing, the party who made his papers wrote his name to the filing papers. affient signing with "his mark" upon recipt of his Recipt he was informed that his name had been written Sevart K. "Stake" thinking the change imaterial he became known among his neighbors as Sevat K. "Stake"." (2)
  

In this way, Sevat traded his name for his home. He relegated the patronym he'd carried since birth to his middle name and adopted the name of his home in Norway as his new surname. In so doing his name no longer conveyed as clearly his relationship with Knud, his father, but it continued to convey a connection to his heritage. His sons then passed on to their heirs, not their grandfather's, their father's, nor their own name, but the name of a place far away where many of their family traditions had originated and continued to be observed. And so, the name I still carry, does indeed tie me to my heritage -- not just my family, but the home they left over 150 years ago.   Heritage is what is in my Nordic name!
  

Endnotes

1. 1850 United States Federal Census, Schedule I, Rock County, Wisconsin, District No 21 of Avon, page 749, Dwelling 3, Family 3, Severt Knudson household, (online database: www.ancestry.com,, accessed 31 August 2001.)

Severt Knudson, 28 years, male, farmer, $350 [value of real estate], Norway [birthplace]

Kari Knudson, 32 years, female, , , ditto [refers to Norway as birthplace]

Knudson Severtson, 1 year, male, , , Wisconsin [birthplace]

1860 United States Federal Census, Schedule I., Allamakee County, Iowa, Supervisor’s Paint Creek township, page 224, Dwelling 1664, Family 1629, Severt Knuteson household (online database: www.ancestry.com,, accessed 31 August 2001.)

Severt Knuteson, 38 years, male, farmer, 2,000 [value of real estate], 600 [value of personal property], Norway [birthplace]
Caroline Knuteson, 45 years, female, housekeeper, , , do [refers to Norway as birthplace]
Knute Knuteson, 11 years, male, , , , do [refers to Norway as birthplace], attended school
Sivert Knuteson, 10 years, male, , , , do [refers to Norway as birthplace], attended school
Cristen Knuteson, 8 years, female, , , , Iowa [birthplace]
Louis Knuteson, 5 years, male, , , , do [refers to Iowa as birthplace]
Even Knuteson, 2 years, female, , , , do [refers to Iowa as birthplace]

1870 United States Federal Census, Schedule 1, Allamakee County, Iowa, Paint Creek township, Elon and Waterville post office, page 11, dwelling 73, family 76, Severt Knudtson household (online database: www.ancestry.com,, accessed 31 August 2001.).

Severt Knudtson, 57 years, male, white, farmer, 4600 [real estate], 1786 [personal property], Norway [birthplace], father of foreign birth, mother of foreign birth, cannot write, male citizen over 21 years
Caroline Knudtson, 57 years, female, white, keeping house, , , Norway [birthplace], father of foreign birth, mother of foreign birth, cannot read, cannot write
Christena Knudtson, 18 years, female, white, at home, Iowa [birthplace], father of foreign birth, mother of foreign birth, cannot write
Lenia Knudtson, 14 years, female, white, at home, Iowa [birthplace], father of foreign birth, mother of foreign birth, attended school, cannot write
Edward Knudtson, 9 years, male, white, at home, Iowa [birthplace], father of foreign birth, mother of foreign birth, attended school
Gilbertson, John, 19 years, male, white, farm laborer, Norway [birthplace], father of foreign birth, mother of foreign birth

1880 United States Federal Census, Schedule I., Allamakee County, Iowa, Supervisor’s District 2, Enumeration District 14, Paint Creek township, page 2, Dwelling 173, Family 179, Severt Knudtson household (online database: www.ancestry.com,, accessed 31 August 2001.)

Sivert Knudson, white, male, 55 years, married, farmer, cannot read, cannot write, Norway [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace]
Carrie Knudson, white, female, 59 years, wife, married, keeping house, cannot read, cannot write, Norway [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace]
Even B, white, male, 20 years, son, single, laborer farm, Iowa [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace]
Olina, white, female, 24 years, daughter, single, at home, Iowa [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace]
Caroline, white, female, 16 years, daughter, single, at home, Iowa [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace]
John, white, male, 14 years, son, single, at home, Iowa [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace

1900 United States Federal Census, Schedule 1, Jerauld County, South Dakota, Wessington Springs township, Supervisor district 2, Enumeration District 202, sheet 8, dwelling 113, family 113, Andrew Gilbertson household (online database: www.ancestry.com, , accessed 31 August 2001.)

Andrew Gilbertson, head, white, male, May 1845 [birth], 55 years, married, 26 years married, Norway [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace], 1870 [year of immigration], 30 [years in country], Naturalized citizen, farmer, able to read, cannot write, speaks English, owns farm with mortgage, farm schedule 51.
Christina Gilbertson, wife, white, female, Jan 1843 [birth], 47 years, married, 26 years married, 10 births, 7 living children, Iowa [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace], able to read, able to write, speaks English.
Gilbert Gilbertson, son, white, male, Nov 1877 [birth], 22 years, single, Iowa [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Iowa [mother’s birthplace], farm laborer, able to read, able to write, speaks English.
Adeline Gilbertson, daughter, white, female, October 1884 [birth], 15 years, single, South Dakota [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Iowa [mother’s birthplace], attended school 4 months, able to read, able to write, speaks English.
Edward S. Gilbertson, son, white, male, September 1886 [birth], 13 years, single, South Dakota [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Iowa [mother’s birthplace], farm laborer, attended school 4 months, able to read, able to write, speaks English.
Carl A. Gilbertson, son, white, male, September 1885 [birth], 12 years, single, South Dakota [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Iowa [mother’s birthplace], farm laborer, attended school 6 months, able to read, able to write, speaks English.
Richard A. Gilbertson, son, white, male, January 1891 [birth], 9 years, single, South Dakota [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Iowa [mother’s birthplace], attended school 6 months Clarence E Starkey, nephew, white, male, May 1879 [birth], 21 years, single, Iowa [birthplace], Wisconsin [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace], farm laborer, able to read, able to write, speaks English.
Carrie Starkey, m-in-law, white, female, May 1815 [birth], 85 years, widowed, 58 years married, 6 births, 6 living children, Norway [birthplace], Norway [father’s birthplace], Norway [mother’s birthplace], able to read, cannot write, does not speak English.

Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Land Management Land Patent Details (www.glorecords.blm.gov : 16 Sep 2006), Sevart K Stake Homestead Claim, Patent Certificate Number 10330, Accession/Serial Number SDMTAA 140743, Montana State Land Office.

2. Bureau of Land Management, Sevart K Stake Homestead Claim, Patent Certificate Number 10330, Accession/Serial Number SDMTAA 140743, Montana State Land Office.

What's in a Name?

From our ancestors come our names, but from our virtues our honor. ~Proverb

When I married my husband I had a decision to make. Would I take his surname or retain my maiden name? I opted to keep my maiden name for several reasons, one being its tie to my heritage. My husband and I are comfortable with this decision although I have encountered a few raised eyebrows when people learned my name differed from his. When our children were born, there was no debate over whose surname they would carry. They share their father’s. Naturally, I've often been mistakenly addressed by his surname but, unless there is a specific reason (such as a legal reference or expected long-standing relationship with a person), I rarely feel compelled to correct the misconception. Not having a name that conveys a tacit relationship with my husband and children requires us to explicitly acknowledge our relationship when meeting others. There are times I find this cumbersome and question my decision, but I like my maiden name and the connection to a part of my legacy it communicaates . 
 

Nonetheless, my attachment to our family name is a bit ironic. When I opted to preserve my maiden name, I was unaware of how few generations had carried it or of how it came to replace the patronym of our immigrant ancestor. Although I attached importance to the name engraved on my gg-grandfather's tombstone, he did not consider it his family name. Starkey was my father’s and grandfather’s surname, but it was not the patronym that travelled from Norway to America with my gg-grandfather, nor was it the patronym by which his son was known during childhood. (1)

Being of Norwegian ancestry, it is not uncommon to bear a surname other than the patronym brought from the homeland by one's immigrant ancestor. In many cases, the name change occurred through the immigrant's offspring. The son or daughter took as surname a patronym derived from the immigrant’s Christian name, following the naming convention of Nordic people, and this became the surname inherited by later generations according to  American conventions. Thus American descendants of Sevat Knudson could come to carry a surname of Sevatson.

Another, slightly less common surname change occurred when names were recorded in American documents by clerks unfamiliar with Nordic naming conventions on hehalf of immigrants unschooled in American laws and conventions and struggling with a new language. In Norway, a man was known by three names: a Christian name, a patronym and a byname, usually the name of the farm or district in which he was born. This byname was intended to be useful in differentiating two individuals with identical names. In America, when asked to provide his "full name" a Norwegian immigrant would likely give these three names. In recording his name, an American clerk, not recognizing the third name as a byname, would enter the three as first, middle and last names. The immigrant might then adopt the byname as a legal surname either to validate the document's legitimacy or to acknowledge the family's claim to a Norwegian farm.  (Farm ownership conveyed elevated status, if not wealth, in Norway.)  This is how I came to be a Starkey.

         ... continued in part 2 ...

Bjs

postscript 7 November 2009 -- In research since the above post, I've learned that Norwegian's attach elevated status to farm ownership (even though it does not ensure elevated financial status), so I've edited my post to reflect that information.

______________________________________________________________________
(1)  According to John Follesdal in his online arcitle,  the given name was the name with greatest significance in rural Norway until the 20th century.  The patronym and byname were used to distinguish between two or more individuals with the same given name.  For more information, see Mr. Follesdal's online article, Norwegian naming practices, hosted by rootsweb.