Bernt Olsen "Graabergsven" f 1888 til USA i 1907

[gj18874]

Jeg leter etter Bernt Olsen Gråbergsveen som utvandret i 1907. Her er det jeg har funnet så langt:

Bernt Olsen født 8.5.1888 på Gråbergsvea gård, Gråberget, Elverum, Hedmark.
Sønn av Ole Pedersen fra Gråberget f. 18.1.1857 og Juline Bredesdatter fra Skogsrud f. 1856.
Søsken av Bernt: Pauli Olsen (18.9.1886 - 24.11.1955, WI, USA), Inger Olsdatter (f 1890), Olaf Olsen (f 1983), Julie Olsdatter (f 1896-d 1984, Oslo), Syver Olsen (1897-ca 1975, Elverum), Kristian Olsen (3.4.1900-12.1.1980, Bergen)
Registrert på Graabergsven gård i Elverum i folketellingene fra 1900.
Utvandret fra Kristiania 14.6.1907 som Bernt Ols. Graabergsveen. Ugift. Reisemål: Wisconsin. Ankommer Ellis Island 26.6.1907 som Bernt Graabergsven. Endelig destinasjon: Bror, Strum, Wisconsin.
Reiser tilbake til Norge i 1920 og returnerer til Canada/USA i 1923.

Pauli Olsen, broren til Bernt, reiser til USA via Christiansand i 1906. Ankommer Ellis Island som O. Paul Graabergsven 10.7.1907. Endelig destinasjon: Onkel, Chimney Rock, Wisconsin. Pauli tar navnet Paul Olson og gifter seg med Julia Halvorson Voldsness (30.7.1891-7.10.1935), utvandret fra Grue, Hedmark. De bosetter seg på en gård i Chimney rock/Strum-området og får 2 barn, Daniel (4.4.1917-8.10.1970) og Lillian Olson (24.6.1918-3.4.1988). Daniel gifter seg 2 ganger og får 1 datter, Donna Olson (30.11.1941-21.11.1976). Donna gifter seg med Arthur Froland, men har trolig ingen etterkommere. Lillian gifter seg og får 4 barn, 3 av disse har jeg kontakt med i dag, men de vet ikke mer om Bernt.

Onkelen til Bernt og Pauli, Gunder Pedersen, var broren til Ole Pedersen. Gunder ble født 16.9.1851 og utvandret til USA i 1882 eller 1883. Han gifter seg med Elene Mattson (5.1847, Sverige-1922, WI, USA) 28.5.1885 og driver en gård i Chimney rock/Strum. De får en datter, Mina Beate Peterson f 11.1.1889. Mina har trolig ingen etterkommere.


Så spørsmålet er hvor det ble av Bernt? Jeg ser det som sannsynlig at også han tok Olsen/Olson-navnet for å gjøre ting enklere. Men hvor bosatte han seg og hvor ble han av etter at han dro tilbake til Canada/USA for 2. gang? Jeg har en del mer informasjon om slektninger av alle nevnt ovenfor, men må prøve å begrense det litt, i hvert fall i det første innlegget.


mvh,
Lars Gråbergsveen


Navnvariasjoner:
Gråbergsveen/Graabergsveen/Graabergsven
Gråbergsvea/Graabergsvea/Graabergsven
Pauli Olsen/O. Paul Graabergsven/Paul Olson
Bernt Olsen/Bernt Ols. Graabergsven/Bernt Graabergsven/Bernt Olson?
Gunder Pedersen/Gunder Pederson/Gunder Peterson/Gunder Petersen
Mina Beate Peterson/Mina B Pederson/Minnie Peterson
Elene Mattson/Eline Matthison/Ellene Peterson

[gj06006]

Emigranter fra Oslo 1867-1930 gammel

1923 Aug. 17 Bernt Olsen Grosbergsveen m u Mek.arb. 08051888 Elverum Canada Bedre Fortjeneste Norge Calypso
http://digitalarkivet.no/cgi-win/webcen ... 67891#ovre

[dn27264]

Here is Bernt Olsen's arrival in Canada. He arrived in Montréal on Sep 3, 1926. The Canadian immigration form states that he intends to stay in Canada. The form states that he lived previously in Canada (in Montréal), between April 1917 and sometime in 1918. After leaving Canada in 1918, he must have travelled to the United States (as Bernt states on the form, 'going to work'), to his brother Paul in Minnesota (think they were living in Minnesota at the time). Maybe Paul needed help on the farm?

He also states on the form that upon his arrival in Canada that he will be meeting his brother, Paul Olson, at the Montréal Transit Station. It's most likely that Paul has travelled to Montréal to see his brother upon Bernt's arrival, but whether Bernt stayed in Canada or travelled to the United States with Paul remains to be seen. However, as the Canadian immigration form states, Bernt plans to stay in Canada, and had already lived a more than a year in Canada.

The document also indicates that Bernt is 'single' and that his closest relative back in Norway is Mrs Juliane Olsen.

Erik

[dn27264]

I've taken another look at the document, which is quite difficult to read. If I read it correctly, it states that Bernt intends to farm in Canada, and that his present occupation is that of a farmer. It also states that when he lived previously in Canada that he lived in Montréal. Also, if you look at this signature, it looks as if he has written 'Ben Olson'. So, rather than going by Bernt, if looks as if he was going by Ben.

Now, in 1923 the majority of immigrants to Canada who wanted to farm travelled to Western Canada and settled in one of the three prairie provinces, i.e., Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Alberta. Assuming that he stayed in Canada, there is a good chance that he sought and proved a homestead in one of these three prairie provinces. I doubt highly that he would have tried to tried to farm in Québec when the Canadian government was giving out free homesteads in Western Canada.

So, your search might focus on finding him on the Canadians Prairies.

Erik

[gj18874]

Emigranter fra Oslo 1867-1930 gammel

1923 Aug. 17 Bernt Olsen Grosbergsveen m u Mek.arb. 08051888 Elverum Canada Bedre Fortjeneste Norge Calypso
http://digitalarkivet.no/cgi-win/webcen ... 67891#ovre

Takk! Merkelig hvor mange variasjoner det dukker opp av etternavnet vårt, men det forklarer hvorfor jeg ikke har funnet han når jeg har søkt selv.

[gj18874]

You mean he arrived on August 26th 1923, not 1926? The passenger form says the former.
So, he went to Canada. I didn't know that. Thanks a lot!

So there is two possibility's, Bernt could've gone back to the US with Paul, or Paul perhaps helped him settle in Canada, then returning to the US.

I haven't searched Canadian records before, do you have any tips or helpful links?

The document is very hard to read. Juliane Olsen could be his mother, Juline, or his sister, Julie. Doesn't the document say something more than Juliane Olsen, another name after that? Can't make out what it says. I think it is Mrs. Juline Olsen "something", Elverum.

[dn27264]

Yes, sorry, 1923. I downloaded the image of the immigration form as a jpg and darkened it (attached). Beside Mrs Juline Olson it say, 'My Mother'. Above Paul Olson it says 'My Brother'.

I am not quite sure if when he notes that he lived in Canada before that the date was 1917, it could well be 1911. You probably know, but Paul Olson enlisted in the American Army in 1917, and would have likely served till late 1918. Perhaps Bernt, if he was in Canada as early as 1911, joined the Canadian Army? Canada entered the First World War when it began in 1914 and sent soilders to Europe as part of the Canadian Over-seas Expeditionary Force. This would be worth a look. Just a thought.

If Bernt decided to stay in Canada, especially Montréal, I would assume that since he had lived there before, he would have had little trouble settling in. I still think that if Bernt was intending to farm, he would have travelled to Western Canada and farmed on the Canadian Prairies, perhaps seeking and proving a homestead. The Canadian immigration form (30A) that the filled out would have been filled out in Norway by a Canadian Government Immigration Agent in Oslo (if you look at the lower left corner, it's written that the form was filled out in Kristiania), so he obviously told the Canadian Government that he was immigrating to Canada.

A few things:

- If Bernt sought and proved a homestead then he was required to become a naturalised British Subject. So, you could try naturalisation and homestead records. If he married a Canadian then he would have automatically become a British Subject, so there wouldn't be a record. I would try the Canadian Genealogy Centre at the following Web site:

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/index-e.html

(At the above Web-site address you will be able to search homestead records, military records, immigration records, etc. However, records of vital events are the responsibility of each province, so if you're looking for a birth, marriage or death record you have to contact the province of interest.)

- The first Canadian census that he would appear in is the 1931 one. However, this will not be opened to the public till 2023 (always 92.5 years after a census was taken). By coming to Canada in 1923, he missed being in the 1921 Census.

- If he indeed lived in Montréal from 1911 to 1918 (or 1917 to 1918) then you could try finding him in an old City of Montréal directory, at the following Web site:

http://bibnum2.bnquebec.ca/bna/lovell/

- If after trying the above, you have no success then let me know and I'll try to find him elsewhere.

[gj18874]

No luck with the first link, tried every combination of Bernt/Ben Olson/Olsen.
The 2nd link is in French, so I don't understand it.

Yes, I know about Paul living in Minneapolis and listing in the WWI draft. Is there any way of knowing what he actually did during the time in the army? Paul's son Daniel is in the WWII draft, also trying to find out what he did.

Kind of stuck, again, but it's been a good day, every little clue or bit of information brings us closer to maybe finding out what happened to him. Just have to keep both possibility's open, that he either settled in Canada or went back to the US. He does state that he intend to stay in Canada, but listing Paul Olson and a train station doesn't necessarily mean Paul actually came up there to meet him. Could it also mean he was going to Paul's place, via Montreal train station?

The S.S part in the immigration means boat line right? Was does it say? He's going on the Calypso line from Oslo, but that went to South Norway, then over to Hull, so it's possible he took the train over to Liverpool and onwards from there?

[gj18874]

Here's what I can read:

S.S *Unknown* Class *Unknown* 1923 Date of sailing 26 August
30H
NAME OLSEN Bernt Age 35
Sex Male Are you married... Single
Present occupation Farmer Intended occupation Farming
Birthplace Elverum Race or People *Unknown*
Citizenship Norwegian Religion Lutheran (?)
Object in going to Canada *Something* farming (?)
Intend to remain permanently Yes
Ever lived in Canada Yes
Address Montreal
Port of first arrival *Unknown* Date April 1911 or 1917
Port of last departure *Unknown* Date *Unknown* 1918
Why did you leave Going to work
Money 50 (?)
Read Yes Language *Unknown*
Whom paid Myself
Refused entry No
Destined to My brother Mr. Paul Olson % Montreal Transit Station, Montreal
Nearest relative Mrs. Juline Olsen. My mother, Elverum.
Mentally defective No
Tubercular No Physically defective No
Otherwise debarred (?) No
Signature Ben (?) Olson.

[dn27264]

Yes, I know about Paul living in Minneapolis and listing in the WWI draft. Is there any way of knowing what he actually did during the time in the army? Paul's son Daniel is in the WWII draft, also trying to find out what he did.

Hi Lars,

I wouldn't know where to search for American Army records, as I'm not too familiar with American records and not sure about the rules governing them.

I agree, Bernt might have been required to list a contact, including an address, upon his arrival in Canada; so, we don't know if he continued on to the United States to see Paul or if Paul travelled to Canada to meet Bernt.

The SS means Steamship. The ship he arrived on was the RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Andania, even though the immigration form says SS, the Andania was actually a Royal Mail Ship that carried the Royal Mail (as well as passengers) between the United Kingdom and Canada.

Erik

[dn27264]

Here is Bernt's arrival in England. Yes, he left norway on the SS Calypso (Wilson Line) which usually sailed to Hull, but according to the passenger list, he arrived in Newcastle (something worth researching if you're trying to pinpoint his exact travel route). From there, he would have had to have travelled by train to Southampton, where the RMS Andania (Cunard Line) departed. The Andania would have first stopped in Québec City, then travelled on to Montréal.

Erik

[dn27264]

Here's what I've been able to read:

Here's what I can read (in brackets):

S.S (Andania) Class (2nd or 3rd) 1923 Date of sailing 26 August
30H (maybe 304)
NAME OLSEN Bernt Age 35
Sex Male Are you married... Single
Present occupation Farmer Intended occupation Farming
Birthplace Elverum Race or People (Norwegian)
Citizenship Norwegian Religion (Lutheran)
Object in going to Canada (For Farming)
Intend to remain permanently Yes
Ever lived in Canada Yes
Address Montreal
Port of first arrival (Arrived by Bus, or could be 'Rly' (railway) Date April 1911 or 1917
Port of last departure: ('Québec', as in Québec City) Date (maybe 'June') 1918
Why did you leave: Going to work
Money ($50.00)
Read Yes Language (Eng & Nor)
Whom paid Myself
Refused entry No
Destined to My brother (My brother) Mr. Paul Olson ('c/o', meaning 'care of'), Montreal Transit (Railway), Montreal
Nearest relative Mrs. Juline Olsen. My mother, Elverum.
Mentally defective No
Tubercular No Physically defective No
Otherwise debarred (?) No
Signature Ben (?) Olson. - What's interesting about this is that he signed his name as 'Ben' while in Norway, meaning that he must have already been using this version of his name while living in North America.

[dn27264]

The 2nd link is in French, so I don't understand it.

I'll go through the Montréal City Directory to see if he's in it between 1911 and 1918. If he did indeed live in Montréal, then Bernt might have used 'Bernard', which is to French what Ben is to English.

I'll let you know if I come across anything.

Also, have you tried to find him in the 1920 American census? If he left Canada in 1918 and went to live with Paul Olson, he might have made it into the American census, and be living with Paul. Also, it is possible that he will show up in one the UK Incoming Passenger lists in 1922 (this is assuming he went back to Norway (likely from the United States) in 1922, or maybe as early as 1918). Could he have gone back to Norway after leaving Canada in 1918? Also, have you checked the 'Innflyttede' section of the Norwegian church book for Elevrum. He might well show up in it? Do you know when exactly he went back to Norway, before coming back to Canada in 1923.

Erik

If it's easier, you could e-mail me directly at [email protected].

[gj18874]

Thanks for the information regard ships and the document.
I don't know when he came back to Norway.

I have searched the various census' many times, but will try again with Ben. Would he be listed in the census' if he was an 'alien'?

There is no records available for 'innflyttede' as late as 1918-1923 in Elverum.
Is there any records that show people who travelled out of the US/Canada?

[dn27264]

Okay, thanks. Too bad about no 'innflyttede' records. If you haven't found him in the 1920 American census (obviously he's not living with Paul Olson then), then I'm starting to think that he might have returned to Norway as early as 1918, but from Canada. I'll see if I can find him in the UK Incoming Passenger lists. Unless I am mistaken, there are no records of people leaving Canada, certainly no government records. As for records of people leaving the United States, I couldn't say. You would have to research that, as I'm not sure if the American government kept those kinds of records. I'm afraid my speciality centres on things Canadian. In Canada, foreigners were always counted in the censuses and indicated as such, so I'm sure that the same practice was used in the United States. In fact, I'm sure I've seen that before; often one will simply see the abbreviation 'al' under the nationality column.

I'll let you know if I find anything else.

Erik

[dn27264]

Hi Lars,

Here are the Web sites to the genealogy societies for the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. If Bernt sought and proved a homestead on the Canadian Prairies, then these societies might be able to help.

An additional anglicised name for Bernt could also be 'Bert'. The Alberta and Saskatchewan Web sites have some searchable databases:

Saskatchewan

http://www.saskgenealogy.com/

Manitoba

http://www.mbgenealogy.com/

Alberta

http://abgensoc.ca/

By the 1920s (even before actually), Canada's railways, with the help of the Canadian Government, were subsidising the price of railway tickets to entice young men (especially those with farming skills) to travel to Western Canada to help to bring in the enormous harvests. In other words, there was shortage of farm labour on the Prairies, so the government helped to pay young men to travel west to help to bring in the harvest and, as a secondary goal, to seek and prove homesteads. It might well be that Bernt was enticed by the subsidised travel to Western Canada and the idea of a free farm. After only three years, an immigrant owned the land, i.e., received a Letter of Patent.

I am inclined to think that because Bernt arrived in the 1920s, that he was more likely to have been given a homestead in Saskatchewan or Alberta, as Manitoba had fewer homesteads to begin with and most of them were likely taken by 1923.

So, the above-noted Web sites might be of help, and indeed will be should we manage to find out that he homesteaded in Western Canada.

I looked through the City of Montréal directories and did not find any Bernt or Ben Olsons. I did however find a Bernard Olson, a clark. I doubt however that this fellow is Bernt.

I also took a look at the UK Incoming Passenger lists, searching for Bernt as having arrived in the UK between 1918 and 1922, with no luck. I'll keep looking though.

Erik

[dn27264]

Hi Lars,

I think I've found Paul and Bernt Olson in the 1910 American Census. They are working for the railway (which one I do not know). The only question with this record is the one of brothers is using the name John. So, Bernt in those early days in the United States might have been going by 'John'. Anyhow, they're in Duluth, Minnesota.

Erik

[gj18874]

No luck so far with the Canadian search. Found some grave stone index' that are searchable, but some require a fee, which I haven't paid.

Why would he write John instead of Bernt? Why not Ben, Bernie, Bernard etc in stead? Strange, but then again they did mix around with names a lot more back then. Paul immigrated in 1906, so that doesn't fit with the census. With many Norwegian's emigrating at the time, there is a possibility this could be another pair of brothers, but the age fits.

Trying to search for John Olson then...that'll give a lot of returns!

[gj18874]

There is a John Olson born 1888 in the 1920 census. Single, living in Hennepin, MI, same place as Paul lived at the time. Bernt did state in his travel document that he left Canada in 1918 to work somewhere else, maybe Minnesota. He lives in household of Henry Johnson, with a lot of other people from all over the world.

There is also a John B Olson in the 1940 census, born 1888 and living in Hennepin. Married to a Sigrid Olson, born 1887

[gj18874]

Følgende vet vi om Bernt Olsen Gråbergsveen:

Bernt Olsen blir født 8.5.1888 i Elverum, Hedmark, Norge. Han reiser til USA i 1907 [1], men reiser tilbake og oppholder seg i Norge 1920-1923.
Bernt forlater Oslo 17.8.1923 [2]. Han reiser med SS Calypso til Newcastle, via Kristiansand.
Bernt går ombord i RMS Andania i Southampton 26.8.1923 [3]. Ferden går til Quebec og Montréal hvor han ankommer 3.9.1923. På passasjerkortet skriver han at han tidligere har bodd i Canada, uvisst fra når, men frem til 1918. Han skriver også at han planlegger å bli i Canada denne gangen, og at broren hans, Paul Olson, kommer og møter ham på Montréal transit stasjon. Mer vet vi ikke.

Kan noe hjelpe?

[1] http://digitalarkivet.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&sidenr=7&filnamn=EMIOSLO&gardpostnr=193955&merk=193955#ovre
[2] http://digitalarkivet.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&sidenr=11&filnamn=EMIOSLO&gardpostnr=167891&merk=167891#ovre
[3] 30927_2000915061-00332.pdf attached