Selma W LITSHEIM

Family/Spouse: Ben J WHITMORE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. L. WHITMORE

Notes:

Or John Obert.

In the 1900 census, he and his family lived in Wanamingo Twp, Goodhue County. He was a school teacher.

In the 1910 census, he and his family live in Kenyon. He was a rural mail carrier. By this time, Christina has had 12 children, only 11 of which are still living. Agnes is not listed with the family.

From the Dalby database, which takes this from the book “We Give You Kenyon” by Harold Severson published in 1976:

THE LITSHEIM FAMILY John Obert Litsheim, born Aug 8, 1863 in Vose, Norway married Christine Strand, born Oct. 24, 1872 in Vangs, Minn. near Kenyon. Fourteen children blessed this marriage, 13 of whom grew to adult life. From oldest to youngest, the children were Christine, born 1890, married George Bates, one son Luverne; Annette, born 1891, married Herbert Gibson, one daughter Corrine; Edward, born 1893, married twice, two sons, Dewey and Richard; Theresa, born 1894 in Vose, Norway, married Harry Wolters, two children, Lloyd and Violet; Selma, born 1896, married Ben Whitmore, children Dale, Fern, LaVon, Wanda, Dean, Shirley; Inga, born 1897; Anna, born 1899, married Hiram Broin, children Lowell, Harris, Darlene; Theodore, born 1902, married Margaret Sorenson, children Patricia and Joan; Agnes, born 1903; Carl, born 1905, married Ruth Maxim, one child Sally; Earl, born 1907, married Ruth Curray, children Mary and John; Obert, born 1909, married Eileen Emmons, children Eileen, Jeanne, James and John; Robert, born 1912; Doris, born 1914, married John Gibson, children Joan, Jacqueline, and Craig. John Obert Litsheim came to America at the age of 19. He continued his education and was ordained as a Lutheran minister. After serving a variety of parishes, he went with his family of four to spend a year in his Norwegian homeland. Returning to the United States, he quit the ministry and found his life’s work as a rural mail carrier at the Kenyon post office. John was an eloquent speaker and had a fine baritone singing voice which he used in Kenyon on different occasions. Christine Strand Litsheim was the daughter of a pioneering Norwegian family which settled near Dennison. Having 14 children was quite an accomplishment, though for those days not unusual, and her children and grandchildren gave her a rich and blessed life. “Ma,” as she was affectionately called, was a wonderful mother, and a strict disciplinarian. She lived to see many of her offspring go on to varied and useful lives. All the Litsheim girls were fine athletes, good scholars and waged many a baseball game on the Bullis’ Zumbro baseball field just below the Litsheim and Erick Williamson homesteads. The Zumbro river played quite a part (romantic, athletic, and recreational) in the lives of so many of Kenyon’s families...that is, the children. There was a skating, swimming, boat-building along that famous Kenyon landmark. The damming of the Zumbro River by the Mogrens for their ice-making aided the youths in their hockey and other games. Skiing in that area added to wonderful rich memories of the Litsheim and other family groups. The Litsheim boys excelled in athletics in Kenyon High School and for thirteen years (from Ted to Bob) at least one or more played on all teams in football, basketball , and baseball. Four of the six boys became college graduates, but only Bob continued in athletics. He starred in football and baseball for Carleton college of Northfield. Three of the boys became, at first, school teachers: Ted, Earl and Bob. Of the girls there were five school teachers. So education played quite a part in the life development of the Litscheim children. The Litsheim clan is spread around the country from Florida to California. Once in a while reunions are possible, the largest one being in 1972 held at the Kump home on Lake Mazaska near Faribault. Most of the living original group were there with many of the grandchildren also. A somewhat smaller reunion was held on the occasion of sister Theresa’s 80th birthday when all but one of John and Christine Litsheim’s children attended. One of the grandchildren remarked at that time about the novelty of having over sixty active and alert members of the Litsheims who were present at the reunion. Norwegians are a hardy lot and so were John and Christine Litsheim’s children.

Johannes married Christine STRAND about 1889. Christine (daughter of Torgeir Olsen STRAND and Anne Kristoffersdatter SØYNE) was born on 24 Oct 1872 in Goodhue County, Minnesota; died on 14 Nov 1944 in Goodhue County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 29 Jun 1834, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

Greg Fearon says he was born in 1845 and came to the U.S. in 1854.

In the 1880 census, Torger lived in Warsaw in Goodhue County.

Birth:
Strand 10/1 Nordigarden

Torgeir married Anne Kristoffersdatter SØYNE on 10 Sep 1856 in United States. Anne (daughter of Christopher Larssen SØYNE and Anne Sjugurdsdatter LAJORD) was born on 9 Aug 1833 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died on 5 Apr 1911 in Goodhue County, Minnesota; was buried in Vang Lutheran Church Cemetery, Dennison, Goodhue County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She is I11515 in Jim’s VS.

Jim’s notes quote Candice: “Anne was born in Norway on 7 Aug 1833. She was 20 years old when she immigrated to the United States with her family. She married Torger (Truger) Strand who was also born in 1833. Together they had nine children. Anne died on 5 April 1911, and Torger on 4 Feb 1923. De bodde i Goodhue County.”

Birth:
Søyne 50/, Øvre

Notes:

I76 in Jim’s VS.

Birth:
Lo U Skjøre Øyemarke 14/

Ola + Kari Guttormsdatter WANGENSTEEN STRAND. Kari (daughter of Guttorm Sjugurdson STRAND and Ragnhild Ovesdotter WANGENSTEEN) was born in 1796 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Strand 10/1 Nordigarden

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