Thursday, August 27, 2015

Introduction

Ten, twenty, thirty years ago when I was working on our family genealogy, I neglected to put together a “book” on the family of Mathilda HUSEBY (Mrs. Sigvart Williams). However, I did do some research and corresponded with others, especially with the wife of a descendant of August HUSEBY.

This effort will attempt to put together what I have done into a collection of the information I have. It would be appreciated if others who see it would add to it.

Verla Williams
4333 Pine Ridge Trail NE
Iowa City, IA 52240

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

HUSEBY Surname History

In United States, the Huseby name is not as common as it is in Norway. Huseby is an ancient name literally meaning “house by the town.” However there is a connotation that is not as readily apparent. During Viking times, Huseby was an administrative center of the ancient royal families. The kings organized their realm by installing an ombudsman on each Huseby farm to administer their royal properties in the area. Whenever there was a royal entourage of nobles and soldiers, they would stay at the Huseby farms and conduct their business. Then they would gather enough supplies to reach the next Huseby farm. Since these were royal properties, these farms were neither small nor poor. Therefore Huseby came to represent a “farm with several fine houses.” The word, “hus,” may also have meant a garrison or fortified farm. For example, the Akershus in Oslo was the name of its royal fortress. So it is easy to understand how this definition could have come to be.

There are about 52 Norwegian farms and estates with variations of the name of Huseby. In Sweden, there are another 70 farms and Denmark has eight farms. The name can even be found in the Orkney Islands and in other places like Estonia where Vikings used to travel. These are the different spellings of the name: Husebye, Husabø, Husaby, Husby, Husebø, Husebo and Husbø. In America, you can also find it changed to Huesby. Since we don’t have the letter “ø” in English, you may find the letter changed to “oe” as in Husaboe or Huseboe. Although Norway did not have a strong medieval society during the Middle Ages, some Huseby farms may have been owned by the church. But with the Reformation, these properties were confiscated by the king and sold to replenish their national treasuries.

[SOURCE: Steinnes, Husebyar. Cited by Ancient Faces (Accessed 25 Aug 2015).]

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Map of Norway with Counties and Towns


Norway map. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Grue, Hedmark, Norway

The HUSEBY family is from the kommune of Grue, in the county of Hedmark in Norway. Grue is part of the traditional region of Solør, which consists of the valley between Elverum in the north and Kongsvinger in the south.


Hedmark county, Norway. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.


Grue kommune, Hedmark, Norway. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

The HUSEBY Farm

The HUSEBY farm is located south of Kirkenær off of Kilavegen.


HUSEBY farm, Grue, Hedmark, NOR. Image courtesy of Google Maps.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

"Huseby," Grueboka II

På Huseby har vi frå vest mot aust disse enkelt-gardene: Nystua, Søstua, Nilsstua, Evenstua og Austgarn. Til ut i forrige hundreåret var det ennå et bruk, lengst mot vest, men dette er gått inn under de to Skjelvergardene, med en halvpart under hver. Av de fem bruk som er rekna opp ovafor, er de to nå underbruk under andre gardner -- Nystua under Evenstua, og Nilsstua under Holstad.

Huseby er helst blitt gard ei god stund før vikingtida, og heilt til noe etter 1600 var garden bare ett bruk.

I siste delen av 1300-åra kom en del av Huseby under Hellig-Legemsalteret i Hallvardskjerka (Domkjerka) i Oslo. Alteret var skipa av biskop Øystein, og i den namngjetne jordeboka hans frå omkring 1400 leser vi at det åtte "så mye i Huseby (Husaby) i Grue sokn som Sæbjørn på Sætre åtte der."

Translation (Google Translate)

At Huseby we have from the west to the east these single-farms: Nystua, Søstua, Nilsstua, Evenstua, and Austgarn. For the last century, there was yet another user, farther west, but this is entered under the two Skjelvergardene, with one half under each. Of the five users reckoned upon above, two are now under utilization in other farms - Nystua under Evenstua, and Nilsstua under Holstad.

Huseby has been farmed a good while before the Viking era and completely to anything after 1600 were farms for just one use.

In the last part of the 1300s part of Huseby came under Holy-Legemsalteret in Hallvard church (Domkjerka) in Oslo. Altar were the ship by Bishop Øystein, and in the namngjetne his landbook from around 1400, we read that there are eight "so much in Huseby (Husaby) in Grue parish as in Sæbjørn by Saetre eight there."

Friday, August 21, 2015

Pedigree Charts for Arne and Johanna HUSEBY


Pedigree chart. Arne Johansen HUSEBY (1824-1894). Image courtesy of Williams Family Pages.


Pedigree chart. Johanna Margrete Johansdtr HUSEBY (1827-1904). Image courtesy of Williams Family Pages.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Ole Olsen HUSEBY (d. abt 1660)

The farm histories and parish records allow us to trace Arne Johansen HUSEBY's paternal line back an additional two generations than the pedigree chart above to an Ole Olsen HUSEBY "who had use of the farm from about 1630 until he died in about 1660." (Harald Hveberg, Grueboka II: Gardene, Bind 1, "Evenstua og Austgarn," Grue kommune, 1949, p. 304.)

We also learn that he had a wife named Eli (b. 1614) and at least two sons, Ole Jr. (b. 1636) and Even (b. 1640).

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Even Olsen HUSEBY (b. 1640)

Even was born in 1640 and bought the farm in about 1690. Further research is required to determine the various sub-farms of the HUSEBY farm, but for now all we know for certain is that the farm he bought was then named after him and called Evenstua. (Hveberg, 304.)


Evenstua. Image courtesy of Harald Hveberg, Grueboka II: Gardene, Bind 1 (Grue kommune, 1949), p. 305.

Even married Kari Olsdtr and they had a son named Ole who took over the farm after his father.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Ole Evensen HUSEBY (d. 1729)

We don't know for sure when Ole was born, but he married a Marthe Siversdtr and they had at least one son, Even, that they named after his paternal grandfather as was the tradition.

Ole died in 1729 (Hveberg, 304). Unfortunately I was unable to find a record of his burial in the Grue parish records for that or the surrounding years.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Even Olsen HUSEBY (1711-1750)

Ole and Marte's son, Even, was born in 1711 and took over the farm from his father shortly after the latter's death in 1729. (Hveberg, 304.)

According the Grue parish records, Even was betrothed to Anne Olsdtr By, daughter of Ole Olsen By and Lisbet Arnesdtr Holmen, on 21 Nov 1733 and married on 29 Dec. Hveberg gives the date as 1734, but the parish records are probably more reliable in this case.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 1, 1712-1748, s. 290-291.

Even and Anne named their first son, Ole, as tradition warranted. Even passed away late in 1750, his burial being recorded in the Grue parish records on 16 Dec. We currently have no record of Anne's burial.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 2, 1749-1774, s. 31-32.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Ole Evensen HUSEBY (1734-1804)

Hveberg (304) informs us that Ole Evensen HUSEBY was born in 1735. However, the Grue parish records indicate that he was baptized on the 3rd Sunday in Advent in 1734 (12 Dec). So obviously Ole was born sometime before that.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 1, 1712-1748, s. 304-305.

Ole married Eli Amundsdtr Mo (Hveberg, 304). Eli, the daughter of Amund Knutsen Mo and Marthe Jonsdtr Skytre, was baptized on the second Sunday of Easter in 1736 (8 Apr).


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 1, 1712-1748, s. 322-323.

Ole and Eli's marriage took place in 1765 (Hveberg, 305). The Grue parish records give the date as 22 Oct.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 2, 1749-1774, s. 347-348.

The couple had at least four children: Amund (b. 1766), Even (b. 1769), Marthe (b. 1770), and Anne (b. 1775).

Apparently Ole was an "enterprising and clever man." (Hveberg, 305) If my translation is correct, he sold Eli's inheritance to her brother, Jon Amundsen Mo and then set out to be the sole owner. In 1795 he bought the farm of Mogens Larsen for 530 daler. Larsen, however, kept for himself the woods.

Ole and Eli both died in 1804 with Ole being buried on 25 Apr and Eli on 12 Jul.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 4, 1792-1805, s. 225.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 4, 1792-1805, s. 228.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Even Olsen HUSEBY (1769-1827)

Even was born in 1769 (Hveberg, 305). I searched in the Grue parish records but was unable to find an entry for his baptism. Even was betrothed to Anne Johansdtr Brynn (b. 1774) on 12 Aug 1796 and they were married on 26 Oct.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 4, 1792-1805, s. 98.

Even and Anne had at least five children: Ole (b. 1796), Johan (b. 1798), Karen (b. 1802), Eli (b. 1806), and Anne (b. 1809). Hveberg (305) mentions six.

In 1816 Even was apparently subjected to a "silver tax." The record from Norway's Digitalarkivet is below.


NOBA, Norges Bank/Sølvskatten 1816*, 1816-1817, s. 19.

The Grue parish records indicate that Anne died on 28 Jul and was buried on 4 Aug 1819.


SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 6, 1814-1830, s. 103.

Their second son, Johan, took over the farm in 1824 (Hveberg, 305). Even passed away on 27 Mar 1827 and was buried on 6 Apr according to the Grue parish records.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 6, 1814-1830, s. 118.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Johan Evensen HUSEBY (1798-1853)

Hveberg (305) states that Johan was born in 1798 and the Grue parish records confirm this showing his baptism on 2 Dec.


SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 4, 1792-1805, s. 140.

Johan married Marte Johannesdtr Sander, daughter of Johannes Evensen Sander (Hveberg: 305), on 29 Apr 1824. We know from her gravestone (see below) that Marte was born on 11 Dec 1803 and from the Grue parish records we can determine that she was baptized on 18 Dec 1803.


SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 4, 1792-1805, s. 218.


SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 6, 1814-1830, s. 215.

Johan and Marte had eight children: Arne (b. 1824), Johannes (b. 1827), Eli (b. 1829), Marte (b. 1832), Johanne (b. 1835), Maren (b. 1837), Martin (b. 1841), and Ole (b. 1845).

On 15 Apr 1853, Johan, his wife Marte, and their children, Johannes, Marte, Johanne, Maren, and Martin, left Norway for America. Arne, their oldest son had already left in 1851, and their youngest, Ole, sadly had passed away in 1847. As of this time we don't know what happened to Eli.


Detail of Hedmark fylke, Grue, Ministerialbok nr. 8 (1847-1858), Inn- og utflyttede 1853-1857, side 372. Image courtesy of Digitalarkivet.

For a long time what had happened to Johan was a mystery. Over the years Vince and Verla Williams had looked in cemeteries throughout Winneshiek County for his gravestone. Recently I uncovered a memoir written in 1916 by Kjersti (Lovbraaten) HUSEBYE, the wife of Johan's son, Johannes. In it she mentioned that his family had arrived in Chicago in 1852. (I assume she probably meant 1853.) Several were ill with fever. Johan died and was buried there. The location of the grave is unknown. The remaining family soon after moved to Winneshiek County.

On 8 Apr 1862 Marte remarried Niels Hansen Katterud (b. 24 Jun 1798, Lier, Buskerud, NOR).


Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.


Portrait. Niels Hansen Katterud and Marte (Sander) HUSEBYE Katterud (bef. 1875). Image courtesy of Georgette Lommen.

Niels passed away on 18 Jul 1875 and was buried beside his first wife, Live, at Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery, southeast of Decorah, Iowa.


Gravestone. Niels Hansen Katterud (1798-1875). Image courtesy of Iowa Gravestone Photo Project.

Kjersti HUSEBYE stated in her memoir that Marte moved to North Dakota in 1884 to live with them. Marte passed away shortly after that on 13 Jul 1885 and was buried in the Norman Cemetery in Cass County, ND.


Gravestone. Marte Johannesdtr (Sander) HUSEBYE Katterud (1803-1885). Images courtesy of Findagrave.com.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Johannes Johansen HUSEBY (1827-1897)

Before we delve into Arne Johansen HUSEBY's descendants, I thought I would include some information on some of his siblings. His younger brother, Johannes, was born 12 Aug 1827 in Grue, Hedmark, NOR.

Johannes married Kjersti Hansdtr Lovbraaten on 22 Mar 1864. The portrait below is purportedly from 1864 and could be a wedding portrait.


Portrait. Johannes and Kjersti (Lovbraaten) HUSEBY (1864). Image courtesy of chaz8993 (Ancestry.com).

Johannes and Kjersti had at least ten children that lived into adulthood: Julia (b. 1864), Martha Marie (b. 1866), Henry (b. 1870), John Albert (b. 1873), Emma (b. 1875), Clara Johanna (b. 1878), Mina Pauline (b. 1881), Oscar Martin (b. 1881), William (b. 1884), and Ida Elionora (b. 1888).

We are fortunate that there is a surviving portrait of the entire family.


Portrait. Johannes Johansen HUSEBY family (Kindred, ND: c. 1896). Back: Clara, Emma, Henry, and Albert. Middle: Oscar, Martha, Johannes, Kjersti, Julia, and Mina. Front: Ida and William. Image courtesy of chaz8993 (Ancestry.com).

Johannes died on 7 Aug 1897, in Kindred, Cass, North Dakota, at the age of 69, and was buried in Norman Cemetery, Cass County, North Dakota. The inscription on the grave marker reads: "AF JORDEN SKABT, AF JORD HAN ER. AF JORDEN HAN DOC OP SKAL STAA. NAAR GUD HAN LAR SIN BASUN GAA." In English, this means roughly, "Made of earth, of Earth he is. From Earth he shall rise up, when God sounds his trumpets."


Gravestone. Johannes Johansen HUSEBYE (1827-1897). Norman Cemetery, Cass, North Dakota. Image courtesy of Findagrave.com.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

"Memories" by Kjersti (Lovbraaten) HUSEBYE


Kjersti (Lovbraaten) HUSEBYE (Bef. 1923). Image courtesy of chaz8993 (Ancestry.com).

On 25-26 Jun 1916, the HUSEBYES had a family reunion. This was documented in the Kindred Tribune for 30 Jun 1916. Kjersti HUSEBYE apparently had either given a speech or written an account that came down through the family and was transcribed and eventually uploaded to Ancestry.com. It is reproduced below.


Kjersti HUSEBYE, "Memories," (Kindred, ND: 25 Jun 1916). Transcription of "A Two-Day Family Reunion Held at the Old Husebye Homestead," Kindred Tribune (30 Jun 1916). Images courtesy of chaz8993 (Ancestry.com).

KJERSTI HUSEBYE
"Memories"
June 25, 1916

My husband, Mr. J. J. Husebye, came from Norway together with his parents, three sisters and one brother to Chicago in 1852. Arriving there, several members of the family were ill with fever. His father died and was buried there. The first work Mr. Husebye did was to help build the plank streets of Chicago. When the family had recovered from their illness all the money they had was $5.00.

My husband, Mr. Husebye, was a pioneer of two states. He came to Iowa in 1853 when he was twenty-six years old. He bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in Winneshiek County and lived there for twenty-six years. In that time he had made a little fortune on that small farm. His mother kept house for him for seven years. In 1864 we were married, my name was then Miss Kjersti Laubraaten. Our family steadily increased. In 1878 we had six children, four girls and two boys.

A friend of ours, Mr. Jacob Shelver, told us of the nice land in North Dakota in the Red River Valley. In the early spring of 1878, Mr. Husebye decided to go out to see for himself how he liked it out here. Finding a homesteader who wanted to sell, he bought one hundred and sixty acres east of Sheyenne River for six hundred dollars. He also bargained for the adjoining hundred and sixty acres, but fortunately did not get it.

Mr. Shelver went to Fargo and purchased for us four hundred and eighty acres from the Railroad Co. for three thousand dollars. This land was a great deal better than the other which was low gumbo soil. Mr. Shelver hired John Kjos and Steffen Hvamstad brake forty acres on this Railroad land that summer of 1878.

In April 1879, Mr. Husebye came out here with a car of horses and other things that he needed. Fargo was the nearest railroad station. Spring came early that year. He seeded forty acres here and twenty acres on the other place. He also planted the first willows on this place. He was alone that summer and it was hard to get a place to board and room as the houses were small. Mr. and Mrs. Evan Knutson boarded him that summer. After harvest he started to build a house for the family. He had to haul all the lumber and other things from Fargo, twenty-two miles distant. It was also hard to get help.

In November that year, myself and six children, Julia fifteen, Martha thirteen, Henry nine, Albert seven, Emma four, Clara one and a half years old, came to this place. We stayed with a neighbor until our house was ready enough so we could live in it. It was a sixteen by twenty-four foot structure with one room downstairs and unfinished upstairs.

In the fall of 1880 the St. Paul, Mpls., and Manitoba R.R. came across the Sheyenne River. The Fletcher brothers, Lee and John, were the first to build grain elevators in Kindred. They too had a hard time to find a place to live. They came to Mr. Husebye and wanted to stay with us. At first there were only four of them. Later on we shared our food and shelter with nine bridge builders who came out here to put the first R.R. bridge across the Sheyenne River. Rather than see the bridge delayed another year because builders could not get places to board, we did our best and took them in. I remember one builder who very seriously offered to pay double board because he ate so heartily. The Fletchers stayed with us until Christmas.

In 1881 when building began in Kindred, there was no hotel there so again we had our house more than full. That year we built a kitchen and later a summer-shanty and welcomed the arrival of a fine pair of twins. Building, boarding, and baby-tending kept us busy.

Our house now had three bedrooms, a sitting-room, and two kitchens, making more room for the large family. William, our youngest son, was born in 1884, Ida in 1888. Mr. Husebye's mother came to North Dakota in 1884. She had lived with us four years in Iowa. Remembering the fourth Commandment which tells us to "Honor thy Father and Mother." That is what Mr. Husebye did. He always remembered and cared for his mother when she needed help. She died in 1885 and was laid to rest in Sheyenne Cemetery.

Mr. Husebye was fifty-two years of age when he started his pioneer life in North Dakota. He was a strong and hard worker. He died in 1897 and was laid beside his mother.

Coming west was surely a good move for this family. The Red River Valley was called the "Breadbasket of the World" and it certainly was! Now after thirty-six years it has changed some and they raise other things besides wheat.

The younger generations have much to thank the pioneers for, for it was they who opened for them.

We, sixty-three in all, have gathered again in our old home. We rejoice to have half a hundred offspring, ten children, thirty-five grandchildren, and three great-grandsons, also in the fourteen (husbands and wives) brought into our family circle by marriage. May all live to perpetuate and brighten our family. Today let us all think of Mr. Husebye and his mother, the great-great-grandmother, who lived such useful and worthy lives; honored be their memories.
The Old Farm, Kindred, N.D.
The text of the Kindred Tribune article regarding the Husebye family reunion is reproduced below.
A Two-Day Family Reunion Held at the Old Husebye Homestead
Kindred Tribune, Kindred, North Dakota, June 30, 1916

On Sunday and Monday, June 25th and 26th, a grand family reunion was held at the old Husebye homestead. Mrs. Kjersti Husebye, who is now 71 years of age, and all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, numbering 63 souls in all, were gathered for two solid days of enjoyment. All the members of this family tree were present excepting one, Dr. Lommen, of Fordville, who could not come. It is needless to say that they had the time of their lives. Old and young frolicked and played like children and indulged numerous childhood games. On Sunday afternoon the Kindred Concert Band was there and rendered a number of choice selections. A feature of the afternoon was a grand march by the many couples; stepping lively to the music. The spacious residence was beautifully decorated for the occasion. Mrs. Kjersti Husebye was presented with a handsome and costly diamond pin from her children and grandchildren. On Sunday Mrs. Husebye handed out to each of her ten children an envelope which contained one thousand dollars each. On Monday five auto loads of the older folks went over to the Norman Cemetery and strewed flowers on the graves of J. J. Husebye and his mother, whose remains repose there. The festivities wound up on Tuesday with a large gathering at the home of Oscar Husebye.

The families represented at this gathering, besides Grandma Husebye, whose present place of residence is Mayville, N.D., were Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Ellertson and 5 children of Minneapolis, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Ellertson of Minneapolis, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Otto Ramstad of Poplar, Mont. Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Ellertson of Pipestone, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Johnson and 7 children of Mayville. Mrs. C. Lommen and 2 children of Fordville. Mr. and Mrs. Leon Johnson and child of Mayville. Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Husebye and 5 children of Kindred. Mr. Albert Husebye of Williston. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Stenehjem and 5 children of Arnegard. Mr. and Mrs. Julius Erickson of Eckman. Mr. and Mrs. O. M. Husebye and 3 children of Kindred. Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Stenehjem and 7 children of Williston. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Husebye of Williston. Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Sorg and 3 children of Circle, Mont.

Kjersti (Lovbraaten) HUSEBYE died on 5 May 1923 in Mayville, Traill, ND, and was buried beside her husband in Norman Cemetery. Her obituary appeared in the Kindred Tribune in May of 1923.


Obituary. Transcription of "Former Kindred Pioneer Laid at Rest," Kindred Tribune (May 1923). Image courtesy of chaz8993 (Ancestry.com).

Former Kindred Pioneer Laid at Rest
Kindred, North Dakota, Tribune, May, 1923

Funeral services for Mrs. Kjersti Husebye, whose death was mentioned in last week's issue, was held from the Norman church at 1:30 o'clock last Thursday afternoon, Rev. Endresen officiating. A large assembly of her pioneer friends and relatives gathered to pay tribute to her memory. The church was decorated in mourning and the beautiful and profuse floral offerings were a slight token of the high esteem in which she was held. Interment was made beside her husband in the Norman cemetery.

Mrs. Kjersti Husebye was born in Hadeland, Norway, August 8th, 1845. At the age of four years she came with her parents to America, settling first in Wisconsin and moving later to Decorah, Iowa. She was married in Iowa in 1864 to J. J. Husebye. They lived there until 1879 when they moved to the Husebye farm near Kindred now occupied by their son, H. J. Husebye. Mr. Husebye died in 1897. Later, Mrs. Husebye moved to Mayville and for the past twelve years she has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. A. H. Johnson, of that place, making frequent visits to all her children. About the first of the year she was taken sick with cancer of the liver, and although everything possible was done towards her betterment, she grew steadily worse and passed away at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 5th. All her children had visited her during her last illness and all were present at her funeral.

Funeral services were conducted from the Mayville church at two o clock Wednesday afternoon and the body shipped to Kindred that evening, members of the family accompanying the remains.

Mrs. Husebye is survived by ten children: Mrs. E.  E. Ellertson, Minneapolis, Minn; Mrs. A. H. Johnson, Mayville; H. J. Husebye, Kindred; J. A. Husebye, Williston; Mrs. A. A. Stenehjem, Arnegard; Mrs. Julius Erickson, Sawyer; O. M. Husebye, Kindred; Mrs. T. A. Stenehjem, Williston; William Husebye, Aberdeen, S.D.; and Mrs. A. A. Sorg, Circle, Mont.

Mrs. Husebye was another of those worthy pioneers of whom it can be truly said, "She did all things well."  One of the founders of the Norman congregation, she was always a staunch worker in and supporter of the church, a woman possessed of a true Christian and moral character who influenced many for good, and most important of all, a fine mother to her large family, rearing and educating them to become good and useful citizens respected each in his place.

Other out of town relatives and friends present at the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Helmer Tiyhus of Mayville; Mrs. Iver Siem, Blanchard; Mr. Ellertson of Mpls.; Mr. Johnson, Mayville; Mrs. J. A. Husebye, Williston; Mr. and Mrs. Hans Hersrud, Horace; and Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Dustrud, Hickson.

The bereaved family has the sympathy of their host of friends in their hour of sorrow.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Johan Evensen HUSEBY's Other Children

We don't know a whole lot more about Johan and Marte's daughters, Eli and Marte, other than they were born in Grue, Hedmark, NOR on 11 Nov 1829 and 20 Jul 1832 respectively. As mentioned above, Marte came to America with her parents in 1853. Eli did not. Their youngest son, Ole (b. 10 Feb 1845) lived to be only two years old before he passed away on 17 Dec 1847.

Their daughter, Johanne (b. 12 Mar 1835, Grue, Hedmark, NOR), got married on 27 Feb 1856 in Winneshiek, IA, to Ove Nicolai Lund (b. 21 Apr 1825, Eidsberg, Østfold, NOR, d. 29 Dec 1889, Canby, Yellow Medicine, MN). They had seven children: Marie Elizabeth (b. 8 Mar 1857) who married Olaf Hoel, Amelia (b. 25 Aug 1859) who married Frank R. Eaton, Henry (b. 23 May 1862), William Seward (b. Mar 1865), John Grant (b. 23 Jun 1868), Anna Maltda (28 Feb 1874) who married John George Koch, and Oscar (b. 23 Jun 1879). Johanne died on 24 Jun 1898 and was also buried in Canby, MN.

Their next youngest daughter, Maren (b. 21 Dec 1837, Grue, Hedmark, NOR), married Gustaf Peter Bergeson (b. 1837 in Norway) on 27 Nov 1858 in Winneshiek, IA. Maren and Gustaf had five children: Marthe Sofie (b. 18 Feb 1860 and died unmarried on 3 Feb 1908), Bernhard Julius (b. 20 Jun 1862), George Martin (b. 16 Apr 1865), Otto Ferdinand (b. 7 Dec 1867), and Clementia Katrinka (b. 10 Oct 1871). Maren passed away on 13 Mar 1923 in Moorhead, Clay, MN.

Martin Johansen HUSEBY was born on 28 Mar 1841 in Grue and came with the family to America in 1853. Sadly he also died fairly young on 8 May 1866 and was buried in the Washington Prairie Cemetery in Springfield, Winneshiek, IA. He was only 25.


Gravestone. Martin Johnsen HUSEBYE (1841-1866). Washington Prairie Cemetery, Springfield, Winneshiek, IA. Image courtesy of Bill Waters and Iowa Gravestone Photo Project. Used with permission.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Family Group Sheet for Arne Johansen HUSEBY (1824-1894)


Family group sheet. Arne Johansen HUSEBY (1824-1894). Image courtesy of Williams Family Pages.

Arne Johansen HUSEBY (1824-1894)

The Grue parish records indicate that Arne was born 19 Aug 1824 in Grue, Hedmark, NOR and baptized on 5 Sep.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 6, 1814-1830, s. 131.

He was confirmed at the Grue church on 13 Oct 1839 according to the Grue parish records.


Detail of Hedmark fylke, Grue, Ministerialbok nr. 7 (1830-1847), Konfirmerte 1839, side 184. Image courtesy of Digitalarkivet.

The Grue church is a long church that dates from 1825. According to Wikipedia, the church is built of stone and accommodates 500 people. It measures 154 feet by 59 feet and the walls are 4 feet thick. The church has a very simple outer form, composed of a tower and a nave.


Grue church (2005). Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Marriage: Arne and Johanne HUSEBY

On 22 Apr 1847 Arne married Johanna Margrete Johansdtr according to the Grue parish records.


SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 7, 1830-1847, s. 143.

On 3 Aug 1984 Verla Williams wrote a letter to the State Archives in Hamar asking for information about Arne Johansen and received the following letter confirming his marriage to Johanna.


Letter. Per-Øivind Sandberg to Verla A. Williams (13 Aug 1984). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

Johanna was born 11 Apr 1827 (baptized 3 May), the daughter of Johan Johansen HUSEBYE and Marthe Jorgensdtr Povelsrud.


Detail of SAH, Grue prestekontor, Ministerialbok nr. 6, 1814-1830, s. 159.

Arne and Johanna had seven children: Maren (b. 1 Dec 1847), Marte (b. 24 Jun 1850), John Albert (b. 19 Oct 1855), Mathilda (b. 10 Apr 1858), Martin J. (b. 29 Dec 1867), Anna (b. 20 Jul 1870), and Henry Nicholas (b. 7 Oct 1872).

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Emigration: Arne Johansen HUSEBY Family

The Grue parish records show that Arne, Johanna, Maren, and Marte left Norway for Denmark on 6 Jun 1851. The 1900 census indicates that Johanna arrived in the USA in 1866. Unfortunately we do not know the family's whereabouts yet in the intervening years.


Detail of Hedmark fylke, Grue, Ministerialbok nr. 8 (1847-1858), Inn- og utflyttede 1851-1853, side 366. Image courtesy of Digitalarkivet.

It appears that at some point they returned to Norway. A marriage record for their son, John, indicates that he was born in Kristiania (Oslo). Mathilda's obituary also indicates that she was born in Norway, as does the 1870 Census.

Friday, August 7, 2015

1870 US Federal Census: A. J. HUSEBY Family

We don't currently have any additional records of Arne and his family until the 1870 Census where they appear in Decorah Township.


Detail of 1870 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

221 / 212 / Huseby, A. J. / 45 / M / W / farmer / 1000 / 300 / Norway
________, Johana [sic] M. / 43 / F / W / keeping house / Norway
________, John / 14 / M / W / at home / Norway
________, Matilda / 11 / F / W / at home / Norway
________, Martin J. / 2 / M / W / Iowa



Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Decorah, Winneshiek, Iowa; Roll: M593_426; Page: 112; Image: 224.
Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009
Original data: 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.Minnesota census schedules for 1870. NARA microfilm publication T132, 13 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

1880 US Federal Census: Arne HUSEBY Family

In 1880 Arne and his family were living in Glenwood Township.


1880 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

201 / 203 / Huseby, Arne / W / M / 55 / Farmer / Norway
________, Johanna / W / F / 53 / Wife / Keeping House / Norway
________, Martin / W / F / 12 / Son / Servant / Iowa
________, Anna / W / F / 9 / Daughter / Iowa
________, Nicholas / W / F / 7 / Son / Iowa



Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Glenwood, Winneshiek, Iowa; Roll: 370; Family History Film: 1254370; Page: 141D; Enumeration District: 346; Image: 0472.
Source Information: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Original data: Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Plat Map: Glenwood Township (1886)

The 1886 plat map for Glenwood Township shows A. J. HUSEBY's roughly 40 acres (outlined in red) in Section 4. In Section 13 one can see Webjørn Webjørnsen's 50 acres. His son, Sigvart, married Arne's daughter, Mathilda on 26 Dec 1883.


Plat Map. Glenwood, Winneshiek, IA (1886). Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Gravestone: Arne Johansen HUSEBYE

Arne died on 25 Apr 1894 and was buried in the Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery. The inscription below the dates most likely is a variation of "Fred med dit støv, velsignet være dit minde." This means in English, "Peace to your dust [i.e., earthly remains], blessed be your memory."


Gravestone. Arne J. HUSEBYE (1824-1894). Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery, Winneshiek, IA. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

When I visited my parents in Dec 2014, we took a drive up to Decorah and visited several area cemeteries. I was able to get another shot of Arne's gravestone. The lichens are unfortunately getting thicker.


Gravestone. Arne J. HUSEBYE (1824-1894). Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery, Winneshiek, IA. Photo credit: Mark D. Williams (29 Dec 2014).