Theodor Johannessen JOHNSON

Other Events and Attributes:

• MN Death Cert Checked: Y
• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1925-MN-010522
• Baptism: 9 Apr 1848, Stiklestad, Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway
• Confirmation: 4 Oct 1863, Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway

Notes:

His parents’ farm was Maritvold Ørm (or Øren?) according to his birth record.

In the 1865 Norwegian census he was Teodor Johannessen, a 19 year-old male servant on the farm of the Olsens and Olsdatters (6 unmarried brothers and sisters) on Leirfald vestre in Vinne, Værdalens.

Emigrated to the U.S. in 1870; came to Fergus Falls in 1875 (the first of his siblings to do so). “He went into the butcher business and made a name for himself in town, at least with the Norwegian population. He was also a prominent figure in the free church congregation there.”



Notes in the remarks column of his birth entry: “Att. Amerika 17.04.1870.”This is correct. The church book records Theodor Johannessen Leirfald emigrating from Verdal to Amerika on April 17, 1870.

In the 1875 state census, Theodore, Martha, and Gilmer are living in Fergus Falls.

In the 1880 census (June 21st), Theodore Johnson was a butcher living in Fergus Falls. His family consisted of himself, 32, Martha, 34, Gitmer, 5, Conrad, 2, and Thorval, 3 months. Theodore and Martha were born in Norway, Gitmer in Wisconsin, and the other two boys in Minnesota. The family also had four boarders living with them, one of whom was Martinus E Bye, 32.

In the 1885 state census, Theodor, Martha, Gilmar, and Konrad are living in Fergus Falls. Living with them is 68 year-old Jens Evenson. Their next-door neighbor is Martin Orfal and his wife Marie. And living with the Orfals is 68 year-old Martha Aune.

In the 1895 state census, Theo, Martha, Gilmer, Conrad, and Sophie, along with Jens Evenson, are living in Fergus Falls. Theo and Gilmer, both shown as butchers, are shown as having lived in the U.S., and in Fergus Falls, for 19 years.

In the 1900 census, he and his family are living on Bismark Avenue in Fergus Falls, just a few houses away from the newly-married Hans and Marie Bye. It’s just Gilmar and Conrad left of the kids. Also living with the family is Martha’s father Jens Evenson, a “nephew” Fonzio (sp?) Whist, 24, born in Norway, and an adopted daughter, Sophia.

In the 1902 Fergus Falls city directory, he owns a meat market at 222 Bismarck Avenue E and resides there as well with his wife Martha C and Miss Sophie Johnson. His sons Gilmer and Conrad also live at 222 Bismarck.

In the 1905 state census, the household, at 222 Bismark Avenue in Fergus Falls, consists of Theodore, Mrs. Martha, Gilmer, Conrad, Mrs. Lizzie (Conrad’s new wife), Ellen S. Johnson, 21, and Gyda Johnson, age 7.

He was the informant for the information on his wife’s death certificate. At that time he was living on Bismark Avenue in Fergus Falls.

As Theo Johnson, he was one of the charter members of Trønderlag of America in 1908. This was (and still is) the bygdelag for emigrants and their descendants from the Trøndelag region of Norway. Theo claimed to come from the Lerfald farm. “Theodore Johnson (Leirfald)”, of Fergus Falls and from Vårdalen, was listed in the Trønderlaget’s 1910 yearbook. In that yearbook, Theodore is shown as having emigrated to the U.S. in 1870.

In the 1910 census, he is a widower living not far from his two married sons who are managing the butcher shop. Theodore is the “proprietor.” Sophia is still single and living with him and they also have 16 year-old Edward Johnson living with them. Edward is a wagon driver for the butcher shop.

In the 1920 census, he is a widower living on Washington Avenue, Fergus Falls, not far from his son Conrad. His occupation is owner, butcher shop.

He died of pneumonia. The informant for his death certificate was his son Conrad who had no idea who his father’s parents were. Theodore’s residence at death was 222 Washington Avenue. He was a widower.

There were no residences remaining on Washington Avenue in 2008. According to Chris, Theo’s butcher shop was torn down in 2007 and the location is now a parking lot.

Theo and his family belonged to the Norwegian Free Church in Fergus Falls, now known as Zion Lutheran Church. Theo was known as “Butcher Johnson.”

His granddaughter’s father-in-law, Elias Pederson, officiated at Theo’s funeral.

Died:
he died at home of pneumonia, the Dalby Database has his date of death as April 12th

Buried:
this cemetery is or was also known as Mount Faith

Theodor married Martha Catrine Jensdatter on 4 Jul 1872 in Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. Martha (daughter of Jens Evenson and Karen Hansdatter ØREN) was born on 30 Jan 1844 in Stiklestad, Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway; died on 22 Oct 1908 in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota; was buried on 27 Oct 1908 in Oak Grove Cemetery, Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Gilmer JOHNSON was born on 30 Oct 1874 in Wisconsin; died on 15 Oct 1918 in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota; was buried on 19 Oct 1918 in Mount Faith Cemetery, Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
2. Conrad JOHNSON was born on 24 Aug 1877 in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota; died on 12 May 1946 in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota; was buried on 19 May 1946 in Oak Grove Cemetery, Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
3. Thorval JOHNSON was born about Mar 1880 in Minnesota; died before 1885 in Minnesota.
4. Ellen Sophia JOHNSON was born in Feb 1884 in Minnesota.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Selveier med Jord, Inderst, Strandsitter
• Confirmation: 25 Sep 1823, Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway

Notes:

Occupation shown as “Rid jæg u k” in source 95 for Anne’s birth. This suggests that he may have been a soldier.

Shown in the 1865 Norwegian census as living in or on the Maritvoldvald domicile in Verdal with his wife and son Charl Henrik. He is shown as “Selveier med Jord.”

In the listings of his children’s births in Digitalarkivet, his residence is shown variously as Ør, Østvoldvald, Øhr, Maritvoldvald Øren, Øren, and Maritvoldvaldet.

He was a strandsitter, “a person who rents a house on a larger farm near or at the coastline.” At his death he was a husmann on Borgenvald and his last name was Maritvoldvald.

Kari Yamane calls him Johannes Hansen Borgen.

Birth:
On Borgenvald according to his entry in the Death Register for Verdal 1801-1922. Birth record in parish registry says born on Borgen.

Died:
Maritvoldvald husmann

Johannes married Gürü Halvorsdatter NESS on 30 Nov 1832 in Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. Gürü (daughter of Halvor Olsen NESS and Anne Gundbjørnsdatter FÅREN) was born on 21 Jun 1808 in Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway; was christened on 26 Jun 1808 in Stiklestad, Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway; died after 1875. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: “Kvinne” in Oleanna’s birth entry in Digitalarkivit

Notes:

Among the baptism sponsors listed for her were Guru Olsdatter Leerfald and Biret Olsdatter Ness, her aunts. Her name was entered in her birth record as Gürü.

The November 30, 1832, date is the marriage date shown in Olianna’s birth record. It is also the marriage date shown in the Verdal church book. Other sources suggest March 1, 1833.

Shown in the 1865 Norwegian census as Gurru and having been born in 1809.

Shown in the 1875 Norwegian census as the widow Guru Halvorsdatter, b. 1809 in Vinne, Verdalen, “Svigermoder” and “for 2 Maal Jord”, living with Martinus and Olianna on Maritvoldvald.

Their first child was born out of wedlock.

None of the children remained in Verdal; four of them emigrated to the U.S.

In the listings of her children’s births in Digitalarkivet, her residence is shown variously as Folloe, Østvoldvald, Øhr, Maritvoldvald Øren, Øren, and Maritvoldvaldet.

A Guru Haldorsdatter, age 56, died in Verdal/Stiklestad on 30 Apr 1877. Farm name illegible.

Kari Yamane calls her Guru Halvordatter Folloe or Ness.

Notes:

Married:
As Johannes Hansen Øren and Guru Halvorsdatter Folloe.

Notes:

Of “Borgenvald Øhren” according to Johannes’s birth entry.

He seems to be referred to as Hans Olsen Nestvold in the marriage record for Johannes and Guru.

Hans + Berit SVENDSDATTER. Berit died in Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Of “Borgenvald Øhren” according to Johannes’s birth entry.

Notes:

In the 1801 census, Halvor and his wife and daughter live on Næss Vestre in the parish of Stichelstad og Halle in Wærdahlen in Nordre Trondhiem. Halvor’s occupation is “dragoun, bonde og gaardbruger tillege med sin broder.”

Of Ness (the farm name shown for him in Guru’s birth record).

Halvor’s ancestors according to Nina and her aunt.

Halvor was the 2nd child and 2nd son. The descendants of Halvor’s older brother, Ole Olsen, still live on the Ness farm in Verdal.

Halvor ran Vesterness with his brother Ole from 1797 or so until 1803 when he bought part of Vesterness from his brother Ole for 899 Riksdaler. The new farm was assessed in 1805, at which time, presumably, the independent existence of the new farm, initially called Southern Vesterness, later to be called Millomness, was established. Halvor received full title to the land on August 8, 1807. At that point, Halvor would run the Millomness farm and his brother Ole would run what remained of the original Vestnerness farm.

Halvor had Millomness until 1823 when he lost the farm due to the bankruptcy of his recently-deceased brother Ole. Anders Andersen Vigdal purchased Millomness in 1824. (In the 1865 Norwegian census, the widower Anders Andersen, age 93, was still living on Næss mellem as Føderaadsmand. The owner was Nils Johnsen, age 45.)

After 1824, Halvor and his wife disappeared from the Verdal records.

Jerelyn Johnson’s tree has Halvor dying in Verdal on 23 Jan 1831.

Birth:
Ness Vestre

Died:
according to Regina Lowe Olsen

Halvor married Anne Gundbjørnsdatter FÅREN in 1797. Anne (daughter of Gundbjørn Andersen FÅREN and Kirsten Nilsdatter VIST) was born about 1777 in Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway; died in Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Of Ness.

The Dødsregister for Verdal in Digitalarkivet has an Anne Gundbjørnsdatter dying 24 Nov 1831. She was married, b. 1774, and was an “inderstkone” (servant’s wife) on Trygstad.

Jerelyn Johnson’s tree has her dying in Verdal in 1849.

Notes:

Nina refers to his Ness as “West.”

The Ness story according to Nina (as is 99% of the old Ness information here):

The Ness farm had been a mail-coach station for years, probably hundreds of years. (The successor Østerness farm would continue to be a mail-coach station.) Before 1698 the Ness farm had been considered church property; after that date, it was owned by its users. Up until 1777, there was only one Ness farm (Farm No. 118). In August of 1777, Ole Olsen (this Ole’s father, Ole 18597, born in 1710) divided Ness into Vesterness (West Ness, Farm No. 118-1) and Østerness (East Ness) with Vesterness being twice the size of Østerness. After the division, this Ole (18595) took over operation of Vesterness. After Ole 18595 died in 1798, his two older sons, Ole 18914 and Halvor ran Vesterness together.

In 1805, Vesterness was divided in half to create Millomness (Middle Ness, Farm No. 118-2). Halvor would run Millomness and Ole 18914 would run the other half which would continue to be called Vesterness.

Died:
Vester Ness

Ole married Marit Halvorsdatter LUNDEN in 1774. Marit (daughter of Halvor Andersen BORGEN and Ingeborg Amundsdatter GUDDING) was born on 31 Dec 1747 in Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway; died in 1788 in Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Ole and this Marit had five children.

Birth:
Lunden on Ness

Died:
Ness Vestre

Notes:

Per Duane.

Gundbjørn + Kirsten Nilsdatter VIST. Kirsten (daughter of Nils Olsen VIST and Anne Jonsdatter GUDDING) was born in 1743 in Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway; died on 5 Mar 1815 in Verdal, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Per Duane.

Geni World Family Tree says that she was also married to Ole Ellevsen Lundskin, with whom she had no children.