Francis Arthur TONSAGER

Other Events and Attributes:

• Minnesota Birth Certificate: 1915-32606
• Social Security Number: 476-07-0671 issued in MN before 1951.
• Confirmation: 1 Jun 1930, West Christiania Lutheran Church, New Market Twp, Scott County, Minnesota

Notes:

Francis A. Tonsager had, as his last residence, Elko in Scott County.

Buried:
“probable burial”

Francis married Marjorie Wilhelmina STANKE on 9 Sep 1940 in Rice County, Minnesota. Marjorie (daughter of August STANKE and Alvina SANDMANN) was born on 30 Apr 1922 in Rice County, Minnesota; died on 7 Jul 2021 in Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
their marriage was noted in the 12 Sept 1940 edition of the Northfield News

1. Clyde Sidney TONSAGER was born on 16 Mar 1955 in Rice County, Minnesota; died on 25 Jun 1968 in Rice County, Minnesota; was buried in West Christiania Lutheran Cemetery, New Market Twp, Scott County, Minnesota.

Other Events and Attributes:

• MN Death Cert Checked: Y
• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1972-MN-024291
• Occupation: Farmer
• Social Security Number: 468-40-2754 issued in MN in 1954

Notes:

Dalbydata cemetery notes say date of death was October 15th instead of September 15th. MHS death certificate index shows Sept 15th and burial at West Christiania on September 18th. The informant for his death certificate was his son Francis. George died at Dilly Nursing Home in Northfield. The cause of death was heart disease.

He is probably the George Tonsager, retired, who is listed in the 1968, 1970, and 1972 Northfield City Directories as living at 800 West 2nd Street.

George’s obituary is in the October 5, 1972, edition of the New Prague Times, p. 3, column 1.

George married Thea A ELLINGBOE on 16 Nov 1904 in East Christiania Lutheran Church, Eureka Twp, Dakota County, Minnesota. Thea (daughter of Ove Ovesen ELLINGBOE and Berit Arnesdatter HELLE) was born on 17 Jun 1878 in Ås, Vestre Toten, Oppland, Norway; died on 1 Feb 1954 in Scott County, Minnesota; was buried on 3 Feb 1954 in West Christiania Lutheran Cemetery, New Market Twp, Scott County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• MN Death Cert Checked: Y
• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1954-MN-015012
• Baptism: 11 Aug 1878, Ås, Vestre Toten, Oppland, Norway
• Confirmation: 3 Jun 1894, East Christiania Lutheran Church, Eureka Twp, Dakota County, Minnesota

Notes:

She has no middle name in her birth record in the Ås, Vestre Toten, church book.

She may be the “Theodora Ellingbo” recorded in the 1901 Minneapolis city directory as a domestic living at 2613 Portland Avenue.

Ed says that Thea and George had nine children.

Buried in the same plot as George and Thea are three of their great-grandchildren, called the “Tonsager Triplets”, who died June 17, 1969.

Ed says that the Tonsagers' farm was about four miles southeast of the Ellingboe farm. Evey said it was about “three miles from us.”

Evey recalls, about Thea: “She was a very warm and motherly person.”

Emigrated in 1882

In the 1905 state census, George and Thea lived a little ways away (on the same census page) from the Ellingboes in New Market Twp.

At the time of the 1910 census (April 15th), the family was renting a farm in New Market township. The family consisted of George, 31, Thea, 31, Clarence M., 4, Palmer O., 2, and Lester G., 8 months. The couple had been married for 5 years and Thea had had 3 children, 3 still living.

Her husband was the informant for her death certificate. George didn’t know who Thea’s parents were. Thea died from a cerebral hemorrhage that had occurred 10 days previously.

In the 1940 census, George and Thea, their three youngest sons, and their grandson Robert lived in New Market in the same house all of them had lived in five years before.

Birth:
Stepperud farm

Confirmation:
with her sister Anna Maria

Notes:

Married:
Scott County #19040114. Thea’s brother Ole, sister Olga, and George’s brother Albert were the witnesses to the marriage.

Notes:

Buried as Paul Tonsager.

In the 1880 census, he is Paul Gilbertson, 40, living with his wife Sarah, 30, and their children Georg, 2, and Anna, 5 months, in New Market Twp.

Paul married Sigri Olsdatter (Sarah) ROGNE on 11 Dec 1877 in Scott County, Minnesota. Sigri (daughter of Ole O ROGNE and Anne A GJELDNES) was born on 19 Feb 1849 in Voss, Hordaland, Norway; died on 19 Feb 1940 in Scott County, Minnesota; was buried on 22 Feb 1940 in West Christiania Lutheran Cemetery, New Market Twp, Scott County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• MN Death Cert Checked: Y
• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1940-MN-014704

Notes:

She (as Sara) was married to a man named Thomas Erickson (spelling unclear) at the time of the 1900 census and they were living in New Market Twp. She had had 6 children, 5 still living. Living with her were her children George and Oscar Gilbertson and his children Albert, Martin, and Ida Erickson.

In the 1900 census she is married to Thomas Erickson. Living with them are her two children from her previous husband: George and Esther, and her three children by Erickson: Albert, 12, Martin, and Ida.

Her son Martin was the informant for her death certificate. She died from heart complications from her hip fracture of two years previous.

Notes:

Married:
In MOMS as Paul Gilbertson and Sarah Olesman. In the Highview church record as Paul Gulbrandson and Sarah Olson.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Carpenter, farmer
• Baptism: 17 Apr 1840, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway
• Confirmation: 17 Jun 1855, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

I4452 in Jim’s Ellingboe.
I29556 in Jim’s VS.

The 1865 Norwegian census shows Ove being born in 1840. In that census, he is a carpenter living on Ellingbø nordre with 12 others. That farm is owned by Helge Helgesen, b. 1827.

There is some erroneous information regarding his date of death. Some sources say either 1897 or 1898. His gravestone says 1898.

The will for Ove O Ellingboe is recorded in the Scott County Will Records, Volume C, 1919-1927, will year 1920.

According to the parish record, his god parents (sponsors) were Christopher Helgeson Ellingbøe, “He”? Helgeson Ellingbøe, Tollef Olsen Ellingboe, somebody Andersen, and Guri Tollefsdotter Ellingbøe (Helge Helgeson Ellingbøe's wife). Christopher's name was in the column for illegimate children as "the trustworthy member of the congregation" who stood for the child. Ove probably would have been baptized at the new (current) Vang church. The old stave church was still standing at the time he was baptized but was probably not used as a church any longer by that time.

At the time of the 1865 census, Ove was one of 13 people living on the “Ellingbø nordre” farm, or domicile, in Vang with the Helge Helgesen family. His family status is shown as “inderst” (farm laborer) and his occupation is shown as carpenter (”snedker”).

Those 13 people were: Helge Helgesson, “husfar”, age 39; Guri Torsteensdatter, 34, his wife; Helge Helgesson, 11, their son; Guri Helgesdatter, 7, their daughter; Torsteen Helgesdatter, 5, their son; Ole Knudson, 21, servant; Anne Andersdatter, 18, servant; Helge Helgesson, 73, “foderaadsmand”; Guri Tollevsdatter, 72, his wife; Tollev Helgesson, 32, their son, shoemaker; Sigri Helgesdatter, 28, their daughter; Ole Olson, 12, their foster-son; and Ove Ovesson, 26, Inderst, Snedker.

Ove’s occupation is referred to as snedker (carpenter) in Marit’s birth record.

Ove and Berit and family moved to Vestre Toten some time after Ole was born because Thea and Anna Maria were born on the Stepperud farm in Ås in Vestre Toten.

Ove lost the Toten farm to an unknown relative, perhaps an oldest son, of the previous owner who came forward and, by a strange law at the time, was allowed to force Ove to sell it to him.

Ove (42) and Berit (36) arrived (as Ellingbo) in the US on June 11, 1882, in steerage, on the Pollux from Amsterdam. According to the emigration records, they left Kristiania on the Peterson Line ship Christiania on May 20, 1882, with Two Rivers as their destination. (Their out-migration is not recorded in the Vang church book or the Vestre Toten church book.)

Ove and Berit arrived with four children: Marit (7), Ole (6), Thea (3), and Anna (11/12). They would have entered the US at Castle Garden on the southern tip of Manhattan island although Berit supposedly (according to Clara and Jan) said they landed at Ellis Island (which wouldn't have been open in 1882, at least as a port of entry). Their arrival in New York would also have been before the construction of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island although the torch-bearing arm would have been on exhibit in Madison Square Park.

They went from New York to Two Rivers, Wisconsin, (and, according to Rose, Green Bay) for a year or so and then on to Minnesota. There they lived for three weeks with an aunt of Ove (Sigrid Ellingboe Nelson) until another baby was born (apparently Oskar, “upstairs in the log house” according to Rose) and then to a sod house. A year later, Ove built the farm house. () This first house and Ove’s only farm was the one Albert inherited.

This account is inconsistent with Berit’s claim in the 1920 census that she immigrated in 1863 and became a naturalized citizen in 1870.

Ed says the family farm was located five miles southwest of Lakeville.

The family is listed in the 1885 Minnesota state census as inhabitants of New Market in Scott County. The household consisted of Ole P Ellingbor, 45, Bary, 39, Meary, 11, Ole, 9, Dille, 7, Anna M, 4, Oscar, 2, and Albert, 0. Their neighbors, or at least the families on either side of them on the census form, were Anna Gilbertson (and Andrew, Zellant, and Meary) and the Thomas and Anna Thompson family.

In the 1895 state census, they’re still in New Market. The census-taker was now a Norwegian so the spelling of the names makes more sense: Ove Ellingboe, 55, Beret Ellingboe, 45, Ole Ellingboe, 19, Tillie Ellingboe, 17, Anna Ellingboe, 14, Oscar Ellingboe, 12, Albert Ellingboe, 10, Olga Ellingboe, 7, and Clara Ellingboe, 4 months.

Ove’s original farm was the 160 acres of the southeast quarter-section of Section 3 of New Market Twp, Scott County. Later, the farm was split between Ole and Albert, Ole getting the southern 80 acres and Albert the northern 80. Evey recalls that Albert’s farm was originally 60 acres and that he added 20 more in the 1940s.

Evey says that Ove built, or helped to build, the District 66 schoolhouse that she and her siblings and cousins attended.

Ove was frequently away from the farm, doing “carpentering,” leaving Betsy and the kids to manage it. Ole said that Ove started with oxen, then mules “from Mons Larson”, then young horses. Ove wasn’t a good horseman.

From the Minnesota Naturalization Records Index on Ancestry.com:

Ellingboe, Ove O.
  County: Dakota Reel: 2
  Code: 3 Volume: 3
  Page: 64 Operator: CONRA
  Date: 06 August 1996 Time: 14:11
  Document Type: Declaration Years: 1888 -1906
  Numbers: 1-451

Buried at West Christiania cemetery at 245th Street and Pillsbury Avenue southwest of Lakeville in New Market Township. His gravestone says “O O E.”

Apparently has a gravestone at East Christiania too. At least his death is included in the records of the East Christiania church.

Ove’s will, dated 13 Nov 1897, named his wife, Berit A Ellingboe as the executrix of his estate. The will was witnessed by E.H. Lee and Mary Lee, both then residing in Montevideo. Berit was bequeathed all of Ove’s real estate and person property. There were two exceptions, depending on whether Berit died before either Clara or Olga reached the age of 18. In such a case, Clara was to receive $300 over and above what each of his other children would be entitled by law and Olga was to receive $200 over and above what each of his other children would be entititled by law. Because Oskar and Albert will also under 18 years of age, and still living at home, the exceptions made for Olga and Clara were apparently made because they were daughters under 18 and may not be able to live on their own if Berit died. The thought must have been that Oskar and Albert, although under 18, were old enough to be on their own if Berit died. Ove may also have been explicitly preserving a dowry for his umarried daughters.

Rose said that Ove died of liver cancer. The doctor said that it was found “too late” although the options available in 1899 would have been very limited in any case.

Birth:
Jim says that Ove was born in Søre Ellingbø, Uppigarden, Skøre, farm 34/1.

Died:
church record

Buried:
“with Albert & Anne” 225 NT 13

Ove married Berit Arnesdatter HELLE on 1 Jun 1874 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. Berit (daughter of Arne Hallvardsson HELLE and Thora Andersdatter BUNDE) was born on 20 Aug 1846 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died on 26 Mar 1926 in Northfield, Rice County, Minnesota; was buried on 30 Mar 1926 in West Christiania Lutheran Cemetery, New Market Twp, Scott County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• MN Death Cert Checked: Y
• Minnesota Death Certificate: 1926-MN-013021
• Baptism: 27 Sep 1846, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway
• Confirmation: 23 Jun 1861, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

She is the younger of two sisters named Berit. She appears to be the only sibling who came to the U.S. or had children come to the U.S.

At the time of the 1865 Norwegian census she was Berith Arnesdatter, born 1847 in Vang, living with the household of Torger Ejvindsen and Sigrid Torstensdatter (born 1822 and 1825, respectively, in Øystre Slidre Prgj.) on the farm of Holien in Vang. Berith is shown as unmarried, “hans Søsterdatter”, and “bestyrer hans Husholdning.” Listed just before Berith, and the reference of “his”, is Ole Andersen, born 1787 in Vang, “deres Føderaadsmand.” (That Ole is I8411.)

In the 1900 census, Betsy and family are living in New Market Township. The family consists of Betsy, 50 (born August 1849), Ole, 24 (born Sep 1875), Tillie, 21 (born June 1878), Oscar, 16 (born June 1883), Albert, 15 (born 1885), Olga, 12 (born Sep 1887), and Clara, 5 (born January 1895). For some reason, Anna Maria is not listed with the family and does not appear to have been included anywhere else in the census. Olga and Clara were born in Minnesota. Betsy is shown as having had 10 children, 8 still living. The family emigrated in 1887. Betsy owns the farm but it is still mortgaged.

In the 1905 state census, Betsy Ellingbo lives in Scott County with her children Ole, Anna, Albert, and Clara. (Olga seems to have been missed.)

In the 1910 census (May 10th), Betsy is 60 and four of her children are living with her: Anna, 29, Albert, 25, Olga, 22, and Clara, 15. Olga’s occupation is clearly shown as servant; Albert’s as a traveling something in the creamery industry.

Two doors down from Betsy is her son Ole and his new wife Rosie.

Evey says: “My father’s parents were buried ... in an area outlined in cement. A spire-like gravestone was in the middle of the area with Grandpa’s name on it and with ‘born’ and ‘died’ written in Norwegian with the dates. Grandma Ellingboe was also buried there.”

In the 1918 Alien Registration, she was Betsy Ellingboe, age 69, of Lakeville, Scott County.

Shown as “Betsy” in the 1920 census. In that enumeration, she is shown as the head of household, owning her property free of any mortgage, and Albert, Clara, and Olga are shown as living with her. Also in that enumeration, Berit is shown as being unable to read or to write. The census enumerator apparently had some trouble determining whether or not Berit was able to speak English; he finally concluded that she was.

Her death certificate, for which her daughter Thea was the informant, gives Berit’s birth year as 1847. She lived at 306 Washington in Northfield where she had lived since the summer of 1924. She died of cardiorenal disease.

Her obit was in the Northfield News, April 2, 1926 edition:

Mrs. Betsy Ellingboe died at the home of her daughter, Mrs Alvin Liggett, Friday, March 26, 1926, at 12:15 following a lingering illness of several months. The funeral was held at the Liggett home at 12 o'clock Tuesday and at the Christiania Lutheran Church in the afternoon. Rev O. E. Skavlan officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Mrs. Betsy Ellingboe was born in Valders, Norway on August 26, 1843. She was married to Ova Ellingboe in Norway and more than forty-five years ago immigrated to the United States. They made their home in Wisconsin for a short time and later came to Lakeville where they made their home until Mr. Ellingboe's death, 37 years ago. Mrs. Ellingboe made her home with her children, having lived in the Liggett home for a year. Mrs. Ellingboe is survived by eight children, Mrs. Mary Lee, Omak, Washington; Ole Ellingboe, Mrs George Tonsager and Albert Ellingboe, all of Lakeville; Oscar Ellingboe of Leavenworth, Kansas; Mrs John Selmo, Solway, Minnesota; Miss Olga Ellingboe and Mrs. Albert Liggett of Northfield. 08-26-1843/03-26-1926

She is probably the “Betsy, widow of Ole Ellingboe” living at 312 Washington in the 1926 Northfield city directory. Evey believes that Berit, and probably Olga and Clara, moved to Northfield after Albert and Annie were married and took over the Ellingboe farm in New Market.

She doesn’t seem to have an individual gravestone at the cemetery plot in the West Christiania Cemetery.

HIGHVIEW CHRISTIANIA LUTH. CHURCH & CEMETERY, EUREKA TWSP. DAKOTA COUNTY, MN. COMPILED BY JANE GILBERTSON NELSON:

Mrs Betsy Ellingboe died at the home of her daughter, Mrs Alvin Liggett, Friday, March 26, 1926 at 12:15 following a lingering illness of several months. The funeral was held at the Liggett home at 12 o'clock Tuesday and at the Christiania Lutheran Church in the afternoon. Rev O. E. Skavlan officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Mrs Betsy Ellingboe was born in Valdres, Norway on August 26, 1843. She was married to Ova Ellingboe in Norway and more than forty-five years ago immigrated to the United States. They made their home in Wisconsin for a short time and later came to Lakeville where they made their home until Mr Ellingboe's death, 37 years ago. Mrs Ellingboe made her home with her children, having lived in the Liggett home for a year. Mrs Ellingboe is survived by eight children, Mrs Mary Lee, Omak, Washington; Ole Ellingboe, Mrs George Tonsager and Albert Ellingboe, all of Lakeville; Oscar Ellingboe of Leavenworth, Kansas; Mrs John Selmo, Solway, Minnesota; Miss Olga Ellingboe and Mrs Albert Liggett of Northfield.

Birth:
From Jim, Berit’s birth location is the Høre (Hurum) parish, a part of Vang i Valdres closer to Øystre Slidre.

Died:
“Mrs. Ove Ellingboe”

Buried:
Some records say 29 Mar but that’s a Monday and inconsistent with the obit which says that her funeral was on a Tuesday. The ELCA records correctly say March 30th.

Notes:

Married:
According to Jim, the “best men” were Helge Helgesen Ellingbø (probably #2912) and Even Jørgensen Ellingbø (#5086). The banns were May 3, 10, and 17.

Notes:

In the 1865 Norwegian census, he was Gudbrand Paulsson, 56, living with his family on the Tønsager 32 farm (one of several Tønsager farms) in Ejdsvold parish, Akershus, Norway. His wife was Anne Marte Gudbrandsdatter, 50, and their children were Paul, 28, Gudbrand, 25, Lars, 22, Edvard, 17, Ole, 13, Andreas, 9, Martin, 7, and Albertine, 29. Also living with them on Tønsager was their grandaughter Anne Marie Mikalsdatter, 2, who was Albertine’s daughter, and the family of Erik Olson, 47, jordarbejder, and his wife Gurine Gudbrandsdatter, 48, who may have been Anne Marte’s sister. Everyone had been born in Ejdsvold.

Gilbert Paulson, 68, and his wife Marth, 64, were in New Market Twp in the 1880 census. Living with them were ther sons Andrew Gilbertson, 25, and Martin Gilbertson, 23. One farm away was their son Louis Gilbertson, 36, Louis’s wife Carry, 24, and their two sons Georg, 2, and Otto, 1.

In the 1885 Minnesota state census, he is in New Market Twp. The household consists of Gilbert Pollsen, 75, born in Norway, Mary Pollsen, 65, born in Norway, and Andrew Tonsager, 38, born in Norway.

Geneva Knutsen says “Gilbert Tonsager brought his family from Norway to America (first stopping in Canada) in 1868.” (Ancestry.com family database)

He is probably the Gilbert Tonsager whose death was announced in the December 27, 1894, edition of the Scott County Argus, p. 4, column 3.

Gulbrand married Anna Martea Gulbrandsdatter. Anna was born about 1816 in Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Or Anne Mathea.

Ole married Anne A GJELDNES. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

We don’t know who this man was. Although Ove V. Baggethun (#3252) was identified as Ove O.’s father in the Vang church birth record, that paternity is quite unlikely based on the lack of any corresponding matches in DNA testing results.

Unknown married Marit Olsdatter ELLINGBØE KVAM. Marit (daughter of Ola Torleivsson ELLINGBØE and Ågot Helgesdotter ELLINGBØE) was born on 19 Aug 1817 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died on 19 Dec 1902 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; was buried on 3 Jan 1903 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Confirmation: 24 Sep 1831, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

Ove Oveson's letter in 1896 suggests that Marit was still alive at that time but that half-brother Ole had died, childless.

Moved to Haugen, Kvam, after marriage to Aslak Kvåle.

Marit and her two sons named Ole were witnesses/sponsors at the baptism of her granddaughter Marit Ovesdatter (#258).

In the 1900 Norwegian census, she is Marit Olsdatter Kvam, widow, b. 1817, living with her unmarried daughter Marit Aslaksdatter, b. 1842, on the Haugen farm in Vang. Also living with them is Johannes Gullikson, b. 1837, tjenestgut.

Birth:
the 19 August birthdate is from her confirmation record in the parish record

Died:
Kvamshaugen

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 1 Jan 1809, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway
• Confirmation: 12 Sep 1824, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

The bygdebok has an alternative spelling as Ådne.

106/4 Øvre Helle

Shown in the 1865 census as Arne Halvorsen, Gaardbruger og Selveier, born 1808, living on Helle øvre farm in Vang i Oppland. Living with him and Tora were Anders (1835), Knud (1843), and Ole (1849) all unmarried. Also living with the family was 70 year-old Kjersti Evinsdatter, mother of Sigrid, the wife of Hallvard Arnessen.

Birth:
Date from confirmation record. Not in Vang church book birth records. In his VS, Jim has him born on Helle 106/4 Øvre Helle.

Baptism:
in Norway Select Baptisms as Arne Halvorsen

Arne married Thora Andersdatter BUNDE on 17 Jun 1829 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. Thora (daughter of Andris Persson VØVLE and Berit Olsdatter BUNDE) was born on 23 Dec 1809 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; died in Jul 1889 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway; was buried on 13 Aug 1889 in Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Confirmation: 12 Sep 1824, Vang i Valdres, Oppland, Norway

Notes:

Shown in the 1865 census as Tora Andersdatter, born 1809.

She is Tora Andrisdotter Bunde, I4455, in Jim’s Ellingboe.

She is Tora Andrisdtr Bunde, I5878, in Jim’s Valdres Slekt.

Jim’s VS notes: Tora og Hallvard hadde 9 barn: Hallavrd 1831- på Helle, Sigrid 1833- gift med Øystein J Kvien på Lokreim 81/5, de hadde ikke barn, Andris 1835-1921 på Lykkja, gift men uten barn, Berit 1839-1889 uguft, men fikk sønnen Ola i 1871 med Ola O Beito , Ola dro mtil USA, Marit 1841- til USA, Knut 1843-1940 ugift snekker, Berit 1846- til USA, Ola 1849-1943 ugift skomaker, og Tora 1852-.

Birth:
Location per the 1865 census. Date from confirmation record. Her birth is not in Vang church book birth records. In Jim’s VS, he has her born in Bunde 97/6, Søre Høre

Notes:

Married:
He was 21, she was 20.