Thanks to Linda, whose Great Grandfather was Peder Lassesen. The location of this photo is most likely where the I-90 bridge crosses the Big Sioux river.
Here’s a version with a few of the people named.
Erickson Gathering Circ. 1920
Photo above is in the driveway of the Erickson farm.
- Note: John Albert must have just given son John Clifford a good piece of his mind. John Clifford has a classic “I’m sorry”, sloped shoulders posture, but he is still smiling. He’s also holding a hat. Maybe he was wearing it and was told to take it off?
- Back Row:Ole Pederson Schjodt, John Clifford Erickson, John Albert Erickson. Karen BERG Erickson, Borghild Schjodt, Peter Schjodt.
- Second Row starting with woman wearing glasses:Maria BERG Schjodt, rest unknown.
- Seated LR: Unknown, Ole Stenseng, Gertrude Erickson?, Peter Erickson?, Unknown.
Mark and Curt Erickson photoshopped into the scene. And we’re wearing hats.
Erickson Cars
A little out of focus, but a nice shot of a couple “Erickson Cars”.
Carl Sandness WWI Draft Card
Carl married John’s sister Emilie. His job is “Blasting Rock”. LINK
Here’s Sivert Erickson’s Card as a pdf file. Easier to read and useful for comparison. Link
Here’s the Sandness Family Tree
1913 • Brother Ole Johannes travels to Sioux Falls. He’s traveling in May and his sister is married in June. He must have come for the wedding.
- Liverpool to New York, Final Destination Sioux Falls, SD. He is number 2. LINK
- Liverpool to New York, Final Destination Sioux Falls, SD. Another version. He is number 2. 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.
Here’s an image of page 20 with John Albert Eriksen Skei married to Karen Berg. Children are; Sivert, Ole Marius, Gjertrud, and John.
- NOTE: Great photos and history of the family. Ole Marius is Maurice.
GERTIE (MOEN) MOAN
Daughter of above. She had a brother Edward. Neither of them married. There are no descendants. Gertie died in 1972. She donated her family history and photos to Augustana College. They are located in the Western Studies Archive.
- Gertie Moen Papers LINK
- Papers, 1830-1872 / Folder # 30145
- Photocopies of papers relating to Moen’s grandfather, Esten E. Eggen, a homesteader near Sioux Falls c. 1871. The collection includes a copy of a family history and photos.
Ole & Maria Schjodt Family 1915
- Back row: Severin P. Brende, Clara Schjodt Orstad, John Orstad, Emily O. Schjodt, Jens Myrmoe, Tilda Schjodt Myrmoe, John Albert Schjodt
- Middle Row: Oscar Martin Schjodt, Emma Schjodt Brende, Ole Pederson Schjodt, Martha Schjodt, Maria Berg Schjodt, Netta Warwick Schjodt
- Front Row: (Kids) Myra Brende, Paul Brende, Edwin Morris Schjodt, Lawrence Oliver Schjodt, Agnes Schjodt, Alice Schjodt, Mabel Schjodt
1900 & 1910 Census Norway
John’s family in the 1900 telling for Skei, Norway. Link Here
John’s family in the 1910 telling for Skei, Norway. Link Here
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.
The name painted on his trunks in Norway seems to have been Americanized. It was not “Jon Eriksen”. The farm name “Skei” is not on the trunk, but when he arrived at Ellis Island, his name is “Schei”. Somewhere along the line a “c” was added to “Erikson” and now we are Erickson.
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.
- Permanent Pagelink
- Permanent Imagelink
John Erickson Emmigration Norway
“Emigrants from Trondheim 1867-1930” LINK
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”
Eight years before the “Titanic” went down, the “Norge” came to a tragic end in the North Atlantic. Here are several links to the story.
- 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.
Naturalization Record John Erickson
Name: John Albert Erickson
Date: 27 September 1906
- Source: Nat Record (1905-06), 105
- Record #: 2755
- Link
1895 Marriage Record John A. Erickson and Carrie S. Berg
John A. Erickson age 22 and Carrie S. Berg age 20 were married September 14, 1895 in Sioux Falls by minister Nils N. Boe. Boe was the father of the 23rd Governor of South Dakota: Nils A. Boe (Governor from 1965-1969). LINK to State Portrait
Witnesses were P.E. Lassesen and Alive Lassesen.
- Peder E. Lassesen immigrated to Sioux Falls from Meråker in 1882 and opened a Photography studio. He immigrated to Canada in 1905 and was married to Oline. I suspect the record should say Oline Lassesen and not “Alive” were witneses. John & Carrie’s wedding photo and Sivert Berg holding his Grandsons are Lassesen photos.
“Fremad” Oct. 1895
Peder E. Lassesen Photgraphy Ad from the Norwegian language “Fremad”. It was published weekly from 1894-1935 in Sioux Falls. In english it means “Forward”.
Oline Lassesen and Karen Erickson. Probably abt. 1900. There are MANY photos of Karen that were taken at Lassesen.
Reverand Nils Boe Performing a Wedding in 1906
Photo Rev. Nils N. Boe and family 1905 LINK
John and Karen Erickson in “Pioneer History”
Pioneer history: Minnehaha County’s Norwegian pioneers: history from the year 1866 to 1896.
1976 gathered and published by Minnehaha County’s Norwegian Pioneer Organization; editors, Iver I. Oien … [etal.]; translated and reprinted 1976 by Emily Brende Sittig and Clara Brende Christenson.
There are two entries for John in the book. One mistakenly identifies him as John “Alfred” Erickson.
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) LINK
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. LINK
Gertrude & Jim Lofgren Marriage
Wedding Announcement
from the “Out in Society” page of the September 29, 1921 “Sioux Falls Press”
Hjalmer (Jim) Lofgren holding Gertie at the Erickson farm
Karen & John are in the background. The view is from the side of the house before additions were made. The large chimney is long gone and a sunroom was added. The modern indoor plumbing (bathroom) addition is missing from the far side of the house.
Gertie Erickson. Gorgeous photo.
NEW JULY 2014 – PHOTO OF THE FARM 1903
Way Cool!!!!!
Click the photo above to go to a page about it. (It’s on my old site right now)
John Albert Erickson & Karen Sivertsdatter Berg Wedding 1895
Married Saturday, September 14, 1895. Three weeks later Sivert Edward Erickson is born on Saturday, October 5, 1895.
Jon Albert Eriksen Skei Circ. 1880. Born: 9 August 1874 – Died: 3 September 1929
According to Leona Erickson, his cause of death was a stroke or heart attack while in the Doctor’s office at the age of 55.
Skei, Norway
Satellite View of Skei and several of the farms. (Link is dead, but you can still use it to search. You’ll get better images than Google) Link
Photo looking at Skei from Røysing. Skei is now called Ogndal and is a part of Steinkjer. Link to Wikipedia. You can see the church and farm just below the far hill behind the trees.
Photographer: Olavfin • Released into the public domain.
1950 Norway Farm List
You can find Kirkskei vestre listed in the 1950 Farm List. In the list on the left side of the page select:
- Nord-Trøndelag
- Ogndal
- 40, Kirkskei vestre
- Link
Karen Berg 1920s
Karen (Carrie) BERG Erickson and an unidentified friend in a photobooth.
Norwegian Links
John Albert’s Baptism Record Permanent Pagelink • Permanent Imagelink DigitalArkivet
1892 Emmigration DigitalArkivet
1900 Telling Skei John’s parents, brothers and sisters. DigitalArkivet
1910 Telling Skei John’s parents, brothers and sisters. DigitalArkivet
American Links
Ellis Island Passenger Record 01 April, 1892
Ellis Island Passenger List John is number 523
Naturalization John Erickson 27 September 1906
1900 US Census Living with the Bergs
Marriage Record John & Karen 14 September 1895
Naturalization Record John Erickson 27 September 1906
John Albert Erickson Book “ Pioneer History”
John Alfred Erickson Book “ Pioneer History” Same man, wrong middle name.
Assorted Links
John’s WWI Draft Card Link Original
Link PDF file with info filled in Sivert’s WWI Draft Card
Link Original
Link PDF file with info filled in
- Since he was a farm boy, Sivert’s job in the army was to tend the horses. His unit was hit with Mustard Gas. They lost all the horses and Sivert wasn’t fast enough getting his Gas Mask on. He lost a lung, but survived.
Sivert Erickson Gravestone Link
- Pvt 163 Depot Brigade, World War I
John C. & Leona Marriage Link
Gertrude & Jim Lofgren Marriage Record Link
Gertrude’s Passport Application for 1920 Link
- She lists that she will be visiting relatives in Norway. Her photo is also included.
Gertrude & “Jim” Hjalmer Lofgren Gravestone Link
Feat of StrengtH
Adolph Aegen, Sivert Erickson, Ed Moan, Maurice Erickson. Ed Moan was Esten Moan’s son.
Hi.
Just found this site and was “blown away”.
I’ve been working on the Schiefloe (Skjeflo) Family history for many years, and in 2014
we issued an update of the Schiefloe Family history with family tree/list. The book is about 700 pages
and the family lists contain some 12100 persons. I’m in the process of updating the family lists and thus came over this site. Please give me a contact so we can exchange information. I’m living in Trondheim, Norway.