Ernest STRAND

Notes:

He was a machinist’s mate, 3rd class, in the U.S. Navy in World War II.

A different Ernest Strand, middle name Grover and suffix Jr, was born in St. Paul in May of 1925. That Ernest Strand died in 2008.

Notes:

In the 1920 census, he was a farmer in Wang Twp, Renville County.

They were still there in the 1940 census.

Thomas married Marith SOINE on 31 Jul 1904 in Renville County, Minnesota. Marith (daughter of Ola Kristofferson SØYNE and Gertrude Torgeirsdatter (Jane) ELTUN) was born on 28 Dec 1878 in Minnesota; died on 22 Oct 1964 in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota; was buried in Wangs Lutheran Church Cemetery, Wang Twp, Renville County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1939-MN-013173

Notes:

From the Budstikken, December 1996:

Was the Valdres Sjugurd Strand America's oldest Hardanger fiddler? A Valdres bygdebok refers to him thus, "When the fiddler, J.O. Quale and Knut Ellingboe visited Sjugurd Strand when he was 100, he played a few tunes." Not many men lived to be a hundred and two generations ago, and still fewer played the hardingfele at that age! So, who was he?

The bygdebok elaborated on him: Sjugurd often played the fiddle in the evening or while resting after work. Quale and Ellingboe heard him play "Teigen" and a springar, "Krosshaugen," which he learned from Ola Strand paa Soyne. Ola was one of the great-est Hardanger fiddlers in his area and, if he was Sjugurd's mentor, the latter may have been a good fiddler, too. Valdres Samband genealogist Betty Rockswold discovered that Ola Strand paa Soyne was married to Sjugurd's cousin.

But Sjugurd was more than a fiddler. The bygdebok continued, "Sjugurd was unusually spry and agile. There is hardly a ceiling in the Øye area which he could not reach with "a stempla rundkast" (a type of halling dance in which the dancer becomes air-borne and kicks the ceiling beams)."

Sjugurd was born in Vang, Valdres, on Oct.25, 1837, and had worked on the Sveji farm south eight summers before he immigrated to the Northfield, Minn., area in 1866, settling on a small farm (possibly in Goodhue County). That same year he married Engeborg Thomasdatter Elton on Oct.25, the birthdays of bride and groom. They had four children while living near Northfield: Thomas, Gilbert, Thomas (the first Thomas died) and Martin. In 1871, the family moved with their ox-drawn wagon to Wang Township, Renville County, Minnesota, where nine more children were born. Four died in infancy.
Torger, Sarah (Mrs. Iver Soine), Ella (Mrs. Olaf Holien), Mary (Mrs. Andres Brekke) and Sever survived childhood diseases.

Sjugurd Strand's name became Americanized to Sever Guttormson Strand, Guttorm being his father's given name. But in Wang Township, he continued to be called Sjugurd Strond, Strond being a dialect form of Strand.

The centenarian enjoyed good health and was active until he fell and injured his hip the year before he died. Until then he carried himself "in a true soldier manner," said one obituary. After his accident, he was confined to bed but was congenial and cheerful.

Except for his injury, he enjoyed good health and at all times had full possession of his faculties. He began using tobacco at age nine, always ate three good meals and two lunches, with coffee each meal.

Sjugurd died March 13, 1939 after a few days of illness. His wife had died January 13, 1937, at age 92.

Sjugurd married Ingeborg Thomasdatter ELTUN on 25 Oct 1866 in Minnesota. Ingeborg (daughter of Thomas Torgeirson ELTUN and Sigrid Ivarsdatter KJERSTEIN) was born on 25 Oct 1844 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died on 13 Jan 1937 in Renville County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1937-MN-013268

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 28 Dec 1844, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

In the Vang churchbook, his baptism was listed right before that of Ole Aslaksson (#3068).

In the 1885 state census, as Ole C. Soine, he and his family live in Wang Twp, Renville County, Minnesota, next to the Tron Ellingboe farm. The household consists of Ole, 40, Gjertru F., 35, Anne, 16, Berit, 14, Christoffer, 12, Torger, 9, Marit, 6, Gjerdena, 4, and Sigrid, 2. Living with the family is 22 year-old Knut K. Soine and another 25 year-old farm helper, also born in Norway.

In the 1900 census he and his family live in Wang Twp, Renville County, Minnesota. The family consisted of Ole, 55 (b. Sept 1844 (sic)), Sigrid, 47 (b. Jan 1853), Troline, 10 (b. July 1889), Martin, 7 (b. Jun 1892), Olaf S., 4 (b. May 1896), Syver, 17 (b. Feb 1883), Olaus, 14 (b. Sept 1885), and, apparently, Sigrid’s children from a previous marriage: Anne Haugen, 26 (b. Apr 1874), and Gulbrand, 20 (b. Dec 1879). Ole’s other children, Torger, 24 (b. Apr 1876), Christ, 26 (b. Apr 1874), and Gertina, 19 (b. Oct 1880), are shown as a separate household entered next on the census form.

In the 1910 census, he and Sigrid were living in Wang Twp with Christ, Theoline, and Martin.

In the 1920 census, he and Sigrid were living in Wang Twp, probably on the original farm, with Martin and his family. Christ was also living with them.

Not listed in the index of Minnesota deaths.

From the History of the Minnesota Valley, 1882: CHRISTOPHERSON, Ole Christopherson "Soena," was born in September, 1844. in Norway. From the age of nine years until 1857 he lived in Michigan, then in Dane county, Wisconsin until 1860, at which date he removed to Iowa; in 1862 he removed to Goodhue County, Minnesota. The year following enlisted in Company F, 2d cavalry, and served through the remainder of the war. Married, January 15, 1869, Jane T. Althon; the children are: Anna, Betsey, Christopher, Torger, Mary and Gertdane.

He is I11520 in Jim’s VS.

Jim’s notes:

He was 10 years old when his parents died.

Candice Soine skriver: "Ole hired out to a very rough and unkind woodcutter. If he could not meet the quota for the day, he was not permitted to have supper. When he was 13 years old he cut his finger with an axe while he was chopping wood. It was cut so badly that only a small portion of flesh kept it from falling off. He put the two ends together as best he could, and bandaged the finger with strips of cloth. He did all of the aftercare himself and eventually, the cut healed and his finger remained stiff and crooked, but somewhat useful. Ole went from Michigan to Dane County in Wisconsin and was there from 1857-1869. Then he went to Iowa until 1862 and finally to Goodhue County in Minnesota in 1862. Ole enlisted in the Union Army at the age of 19 on December 12, 1863 and was mustered out on December 2, 1865. On January 15, 1869 Ole married Gertrude (Gjertrud) Elton and they had eight children. Gertrude died 21 September 1885 and Ole remarried in 1886. His second wife was Sigrid Loe Haugen who was a widow with three children. Ole and Sigrid had two children. Ole died on 13 March 1924. He was a naturalized citizen and he owned a farm, but could not speak English in 1900."


Fra "The Lutefisk connection" Vol 3 Winter 1999: A word about Ole Christopherson's service record - We have an interview of Ole Soine by his stepgrandson, Tyler Soine, that places Ole's unit at Gettysburg, but that is not so. Ole's unit, the 2nd Minn. Cavalry, was fighting Sioux Indians until 1866 and was nowhere near Gettysburg.

Died:
another source says 1924 in Maynard or in Wang Twp

Ola married Gertrude Torgeirsdatter (Jane) ELTUN on 15 Jan 1869 in Goodhue County, Minnesota. Gertrude (daughter of Torgeir Torgeirson ELTUN and Berit Asgrimsdatter UVDAL) was born on 14 Jan 1849 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died on 21 Sep 1885 in Wang Twp, Renville County, Minnesota; was buried in Vestre Sogn Lutheran Cemetery, Sacred Heart, Renville County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In the 1880 census, she was the head-of-household for their farm in Warsaw Twp in Goodhue County. Ole was not at home. One internet source suggests he was off fighting Indian wars.

She apparently died in childbirth with Gerhard Olaus.

Birth:
Eltun 13/1 Uppigare

Notes:

Birth:
Strand 10/

Guttorm married Marit Gulliksdatter HERMUNDSTAD. Marit (daughter of Gullik Gjermundsen HERMUNDSTAD and Marit Olsdatter Skogatræet BERGE) was born in 1795 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died in 1862 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Hermundstad 5/

Notes:

Born in Grøv 7/2, nordigarden. Died in Eltun 13/ øvre.

Birth:
Grøv i Øye

Died:
Eltun i Øye

Thomas married Sigrid Ivarsdatter KJERSTEIN. Sigrid (daughter of Ivar Torsteinson KJERSTEIN and Anne Kristoffersdatter LEIROL) was born in 1805 in Norway; died on 11 Sep 1879 in Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Born in Kjerstein 12/2. Died in Eltun 13/ øvre.

Notes:

Shown as Christopher Larssen Heen on Lars’s birth record in the Vang church book. Traci’s tree refers to him as Kristoffer L Haenseiga.

In Jim’s Valdres Slekt tree, he is Christopher Larsen Heenseiga Søyne, #I11511.

Jim’s notes: For a time he was a postman. Born on Hensbakka and took over as a tenant farmer from his father until 1833, when he became a tenant farmer on Øvre Søyne. from 1833-1848. Left for America in 1853 with wife and five children on the "Olave Kyrre." In the church book emigrant list, his name was "Soyne," but he used the surname "Hen" or "Heen" after immigration. Included in his household in the emigration list was a servant, Marit Håvardsdatter Lajord ( his wife’s niece, #23240), whom he married after his first wife's death. {Which would not seem to be possible unless there was a fair amount of time between his wife’s death and his death which are supposedly in the same year.}

Traci’s tree has him dying in Michigan in 1853. This makes sense from the notes for Sigurd.

Christopher Larssen Söine, 52, and his wife Anne Syversdatter, 49, emigrated from Vang on 12 March 1853 with their children Lars, 23, Anne, 20, Marith, 17, Syver, 11, and Ole, 10. Apparently traveling with them was a Marith something (maybe Klausdatter) Lajord, 23.

Christopher married Anne Sjugurdsdatter LAJORD on 1 Apr 1830 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. Anne (daughter of Sjugurd Madsson LAJORD and Anne Madsdatter MYHRE) was born in 1805 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died in 1853 in Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Or Anna Syversdatter.

Greg Fearon says that she died in Michigan of diphtheria with her husband and their daughter Marith.

Birth:
Lajord 51/3 Berget

Notes:

Birth:
Eltun 13/1 Uppigare

Torgeir married Berit Asgrimsdatter UVDAL. Berit (daughter of Asgrim Ivarson UVDAL and Marit Jonsdatter NYSTUEN) was born in 1829 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Uvdal 2/