Great photo. My cousin Peg & I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to scan this one. It’s a large photo mounted on a matte board and was too large for both of our scanners.
Skei family in a Norwegian Bygdebok ••
The source for the text below is “Bygdebok for Sparbu og Ogndal, Volume 9.”
Thanks to the Trondelag of America! They have all nine volumes.
KIRK-SKEI Farm number 176
Until recently called Ner-Skei, in the land register called Kirk-Skei western. Kirk-Skei southern seem more appropriate, but let the matter be.
I always wondered if I was looking at the right farm. Good to know this is correct! Moving forward to Ingeborg’s parents. I didn’t realize that her family lived on the farm before Erik.
Anne and Jon Skei had two children:
1 Johan, born 1851. Died in 1875, designated as inferior.
2 Ingeborg Josephine, born 1853. See below.
I’ll add more later. For now, the above at least shows the names of Ingeborg’s parents and sibling. I need to look into the translation of “inferior”. I think we know what it means, but I’d like to be sure. Moving forward to Erik and his famiy:
Anne and Jon's daughter, Ingeborg Josephine was in 1874 married to Erik Petersen Skjevlo, born 1850. They bought the deed to the farm in 1892 for 1.666 kroner. In addition, to conditions (Common practice was to sell land with the condition that the seller was to be taken care of until death), but Anne died one half year later, serene. Jon died in 1902.
Erik had come here as a boy in 1865, he had become well acquainted with the farm and Ingeborg. Their children were:
1. Jon Albert, born 1874.
2. Peter Andreas, born 1880. Died 1908.
3. Elen Anna, born 1885. Died in Steinkjer 1915. Unmarried.
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4.Ole Johannes, born 1888. Married Emma Kristiandatter
Waerum, born 1887 in Kolvereid. Lived in Tranabakken.
5. Eilert Ingvar, born 1891. Died 1 month old.
6. Ingeborg Emelie, born 1892. Emigration to America in 1910.
7. Oluf Sofus, born 1895. Died 1 week old.
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8.Paul Anton, born 1895, twin with Oluf. See the farm Fagereng, Midjo.
(there must be more info there)
9. Oluf, born 1899. Longstanding blacksmith with the NPRA (Norwegian Public Roads Administration) workshop, Steinkjer.
Erik Skei was for years a grave digger for Skei church. Inge of the children came to take over the farm, and in 1916 sold it to Erik Christiansen Overrein, born in 1890 at the farm nedre (lower) Overrein. Erik Skei died in 1929, Ingeborg in 1940.
Erik & Ingeborg Skei Headstone ••••••••
Several members of the family are buried in the cemetery at Skei Kirke. They are marked with a family headstone. Erik & Ingeborg Skei (John’s parents); Peter and Elen Skei (a brother and sister to John); and Paul and Elen Skei (a brother and his wife).
Click Image for a larger view
Link to the headstone in DIS-Norge (Cemeteries in Norway):
Erik’s Family - Skjevlo •••••••••••••••••••••
The man responsible for the name Erickson. You’ve got to have an Erik and a son. The Erik was Erik Skjevjo. Son Jon is on a different page. Here’s more from “Bygdebok for Sparbu og Ogndal, Volume 9.”
Keep any eye on “Peter Andreas Eriksen Grøtan” or “Peter Eriksen Grøtan”. He is Erik’s father.
Skjevlo page 74
There are new people on the farm in 1844, when Zacharias sells it to Peter Eriksen Grøtan for 600 spd. (speciedaler) and retirement arrangements. Zechariah died here in 1870. Kirsten (*Zechariah’s wife) did not die in Ogndal, it is possible she may have moved to her son Ole's in Sunnanplassen.
The farm was still not completely out of the family with this trade. Peter Andreas Eriksen Grøtan, born 1819, was the grandson of Ole Pedersen Schiefloe of Sem, who was the half-brother of Zacharias. Peter was married to Elen Olsdatter Overrein, born 1822 in upper Overrein.
Here’s the children. Erik is identified as the future owner of “lower Kirk-Skei”.
Children:
1 Elen Bergitte, born 1845. Married to Tore Olsen Våset. (VI/257).
2 Ole, born 1847. Moved to Namsos in 1866. Joined Sagmester, living in Bangdalen, took the name Hoff. Married to Anna Sofie Andreasdtr. from Fosnes.
3 Erik, born 1850. Is later the owner of lower - Kirk Skei.
4 Ingeborg Josephine, born 1853. Married to Rafael Olsen Stenseng.
5 Ane Rebecca, born 1855. Married to Magnus Røflo, Steinen, Røra.
6 Johann Olav, born 1857. Married to Frants Shaft Feldt, Jönköping. They emigrated to America.
7 Peter Andreas, born 1857. Married to Mathilde Larson, Vårmland. Also they emigrated to America.
Interesting thing to note is that Erik’s older brother took the name “Hoff”. We have photos of the Hoffs. I just couldn’t figure out who they were. I belive some of the people standing in John Albert’s driveway on the Erickson-Skei page may be Hoffs. They would have been a first cousin to John.
NEW JULY 2014
Erik’s younger sister Ingeborg had a son name Ole who emigrated to America in 1903. He’s buried in Berg cemetery.
Elen Olsdatter. died in 1862, and in 1864 Peter sells the farm to Eskild Olsen Kjesbu, for 800 spd . Excluded from the sale is a small piece of land for a retirement home that will be returned when they die.
Peter Skjevlo and Eskild Kjesbu were brothers - and it is possible that the trade was able to rescue Peter out of a difficult financial situation. It appears in the mortgage registry that the farm debt was 985 spd. when Peter sold it. Peter is listed as a servant (farm hand) at the farm in 1865. That means he may well have ran the farm for his Brother-in-law. There was, however, a forced sale already in 1866, and the new owner is Peter Hansen Holt Aunet, for a bid of 650 spd., without any retirement arrangements. Where Peter Eriksen lived in the coming years is hard to say, but in his old age, he at least lived with his son Erik Skei, and this is where he died in 1909, 90 years old.
Nice to know that he was able to live with Erik.
Erik & Ingeborg Skei Children •••••••••••••
Paul’s wife was Elen Stavrum. She was born 22 May 1893 and died in 1979. Left is their wedding photo.
Click Image for a larger view
Note on the back of Paul and Elen’s photo. It says; Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Regards %
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Erik & Ingeborg Skei Children •••••••••••
John was the oldest of 9 children. He had 6 brothers and 2 sisters.
John Albert Eriksen Skei
Born 9 August 1874, died 3 September 1929
Photo is abt 1882-1883 when he was 18 or 19.
I suspect he took this shortly after he arrived in America so that he could send it back home and let his parents know that he was OK. ...and still looking good.
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Peter Andreas Eriksen Skei
Born 19 Oct 1880, died 1908
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Elen Anna Eriksdatter Skei
Born 19 Apr 1885, died 30 July 1915.
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Here’s Elen’s Death Notice, and a note of thanks to everyone for their compassion during her sickness and death.
Our beloved daughter and our sister
Elen Anna left us in death today, 30-1/4 yrs, old.
Skei on July 30, 1915. Ingeborg and Erik Skei, Syskjeni (brothers and sisters)
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Our heartfelt thanks to all who called and offered compassion during our Ellen Anna's illness, death and burial. Special thanks to Ungdomslaget “Ogna” and Losje "Mars"
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NOTE:
Google translate works up to a point, but not with this. I won’t put the ridiculous translation it gave here. I will try to put a few highlights that I think give a flavor of what he intended. It was written by a member of “Ungdomslaget Ogna”, Ole Strugstad. He was the son of one of Erik Skei’s siblings. He married Louise Pauline Rafaeldtr. Stenseng. (Related to the Stenseng below). Use the link to “Ungdomslaget Ogna” below to read about Ole Strugstad.
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Elen Skei is no more
...I could see the black cross....
...I knew you best from the youth team, where you worked tirelessly.... and through it you never lost a deep belief in the victory of good.
...This faith hath been an income through the powerful disease - until you took the last great sleep.
Blessed be your memory
Ole Strugstad
NOTE:
Tusen Takk Hans Olsen! Here’s some very helpful information:
Ungdomslaget Ogna is a youth society team. They perform activities like choir, plays and traditional dance (Leikarring).
Losje "Mars" is a temperance society. (Losje = Lodge)
Syskjeni is a old dialect for søsken, (brother and sister, or brothers and sisters.)
Ole Johannes Eriksen
Born: 12 june 1888
In 1913 he traveled to Sioux Falls to attend his sister Emilie’s wedding.
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Emelie Ingeborg Eriksdatter Skei
Born: 2 Jul 1892, died 1966
Photo shows sisters Ellen and Emilie.
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Paul Anton Eriksen Skei
Born: 14 Feb 1895, died 1986
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Olaf Sofus Eriksen Skei
Born: 20 Aug 1899
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Emelie Sandness •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
One of John’s sisters traveled to America and stayed.
1892 Emelie’s Baptism Record
She is halfway down page as Ingeborg Emile, number 5.
Source information: Nord-Trøndelag fylke, Ogndal (Skei) i Sparbu, Ministerialbok nr. 736A01 (1884-1906), Fødte og døpte 1892, side 19.
Permanent site link: LINK
Permanent image link: LINK
1910 • Sister Emelie Ingeborg travels to Sioux Falls
She is number 24. Ingeborg E Skei LINK
She marries Carl Sandness 21 June 1913. She is listed as Emily Erickson for the marriage. #36983. (Halfway down page) LINK
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1922. She travels to Norway and back with her husband and 2 children. They are numbers 21 thru 24. LINK
Here’s two links to records of their travel in the DigitalArkivet.
Carl Amandus Sandness (1887-1966)
Emilie Ingeborg Sandness (1892-1966)
Children are:
Clara Sandness (1915-1984)
Ivar Edvin C Sandness (1917-1978)
Elaine Mildred Sandness (1924-2010)
Click Image for a larger view
They are buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. LINK
Family Tree Norwegian Book 1910 •••••
“Stamtavle over Skjeflo-slegten” Translates roughly to: "Pedigree of Skjeflo - Slegten" Erik Skei’s father was Peter Andreas Schjeflo. There are many different spellings of the name, but we are in the book. Click the image for a link to the book in the Norwegian National Library.
Click Image for a larger view
NOTE:
Great photos and history of the family, but VERY confusing. I’m looking forward to unraveling this.
Peter Stenseng •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Let’s start with the Stensengs. I believe they were children of one of Erik Skei’s siblings. It’s all in the book above, but I don’t know how to make sense of it yet. Here’s two photos and a couple of newspaper articles I found.
Peter is buried in Berg Cemetery.
Peter Stenseng
Died 13 June 1913 in Sioux Falls.
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Peter Stenseng and Elen Skei 1911
12 December 1911. Article about Ungdomslaget ‘Ogna’, a youth society team. Peter is listed. Elen Skei is also listed.
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Here’s a link to Ungdomslaget ‘Ogna’.
Death Reported In Norway
Lengthy Obit that says the world will not be the same without him. Died 13 June 1913 in Sioux Falls.
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Ellen Stenseng
I need to do more research, but I think this was Rafel Stenseng’s wife. She would have been one of Erik Skei’s sisters. They lived in western Minnesota.
Click Image for a larger view
NOTE:
Close but no cookie. Maybe a daughter of Rafel?
The Bygebok above for Skjevlo reads:
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4.Ingeborg Josephine, born 1853. Married to Rafael Olsen Stenseng.
Maybe she is a daughter of them?
1900-telling for Skei •••••••••••••••••••••••••
John’s family in the 1900 telling for Skei, Norway.
Father: Erik Petersen Skei
Mother: Ingeborg Josephine Jonsdatter Skei
There are 11 people living on the farm. John has already emigrated to America, but you can see his brothers & sisters here.
Farm: Kirkskei Vestre
(Kirke: Church • Skei: the town • Vestre: Western)
Erik’s Occupation is listed as a Gaardbruger Selveier
which means he was farmer, owner - occupier/freeholder.
1910-telling for Skei •••••••••••••••••••••••••
John’s family in the 1910 telling for Skei, Norway.
Father: Erik Petersen
Mother: Eln Johsdatter
Farm: Kirkskei Vestre
(Kirke: Church • Skei: the town • Vestre: Western)
Erik and his wife are retired and Ole is running the farm.
Skei - Ogndal - Steinkjer- Sparbu •••••••
Ogndal, Ogndalen or Ognedalen is a former municipality in
Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway.
It was created by a split from Sparbu on January 1, 1885.
The municipality, which was known as Skei at that time, had
a population of 1.441. On 13 December 1900 the name was changed from Skei to Ogndal.
Small territories of Ogndal were moved to Steinkjer in 1902, 1941 and 1948. On 1 January 1964 the rest of Ogndal, then with 2,678 inhabitants, was incorporated into Steinkjer.
Jon Albert from Norway to Dakota ••••••
In the spring of 1892 Jon was living with his family on the farm “Kirkskei Vestre” in Skei, Ogndal, Norway. To prepare for his emigration to America he labeled the two steamer trunks that would accompany him on his voyage and the “Erickson” family name was born.
Skei Church Baptism Records •••••••••••
Erik Petersen and Ingeborg are listed in these records for several Baptisms. Below is a photo of the church from ogndal.net. LINK
Several of John’s brothers and sisters are listed in this digitized index of baptism records. Link Here
Here’s a link to John’s Baptism Record.
Source information: Nord-Trøndelag county, Skei in Sparbu, Parish register (official) nr. 735A09 /2 (1873-1883), Birth and baptism records men 1874, page 72.
John Erickson Emmigration Norway •••
"Emigrants from Trondheim 1867-1930"
One paid for the trip in Trondheim and then took a train to Christiania (Now Oslo). You would then board a ship and depart from there. Skei was written as it's pronounced. Schei. (Shy)
Departure: 14 March 1892, unmarried male John Eriks. Schei.
Occupation: worker age 18 from Sparbo, Norway
Destination: Sioux Falls, S. Dacota. He was on a ship registered with the Thingvalla line. The ticket was prepaid in Trondheim, and he had all the necessary Travel Permissions. It doesn't tell us what the name of his ship is until we look at his arrival at Ellis Island.
John Erickson Arrival Ellis Island •••••••
He arrived 01 Apr, 1892 on the ship "NORGE" .
• LINK Screenshot of Ellis island’s website info.
• LINK Ellis island passenger List
Story of the “Norge” ••••••••••••••••••••••••
LINK DigitalArkivet story
LINK Wikipedia Norge
Here’s another photo of the ship. LINK
The Thingvalla Line
LINK Norway Heritage LINK The Ships List
Thingvalla Line promotional pamphlet 1887
LINK Norway Heritage
"For People Who Are Not in a Hurry"
LINK Article about why Norwegians felt comfortable on this line.
Link to Gorm Eriksen’s Family Tree ••••
Family tree that goes back to the 1500’s. (I believe the link is dead, but I’ll leave it here for reference)
Family Tree With the Skei family •••••••••
This is run by Frank Asphaug. We are related to his wife. He’s in the process of moving the entire tree into Ancestry.
