Aunt Julia

Anna Olivia Nelson Knudson 1904 Litchfield, MN

Anna Olivia Nelson was born 2 December 1852, in the Lofoten Island of Borge, Norway. According to our records, her father Anders was 28, her mother Marta was 34. She was a very beautiful child. In about 1864, her widowed, well to do, Auntie Marta, who had no children of her own came to see her brother Anders and family shortly after his boating accident. Julia was about 10 at the time, and with good intentions, Marta wanted to possibly ease the burden of a large family for her brother and told him she would like to adopt lovely Julia. If things played out, Julia would one day inherit this wealthy Auntie's estate. Having already lost so much they couldn't see losing their daughter too. Whatever the offer, it was refused. Hopefully, the parting was amicable and no hard feelings prevailed. When the Nelson family arrived in America in 1868, she would have been 16 (most likely changed her name with the move). I found her in St. Peter's, MN in the 1870 Census working as a nurse. So obviously she did not accompany the rest of her family to Lake Lillian, MN where they moved in 1869. She had friends and many family members there in St. Peter. But most likely in the early 1870's she came to Lake Lillian where she possibly got to be friends with Paulina, who would become her sister in law, and Paulina's sisters.They all ended up moving to Minneapolis, MN to experience the "big city". There she was working as a maid in the famous Pillsbury family home. Also, working there as a Chauffeur was John Knudson, also from Norway. They must have been a stunning couple! They married on 14 February 1875 in Minneapolis. According to the Knudson family, John used the name "Sand" as a last name. This was a community name in Norway which was the same community that our Great Grandmother Paulina Hanson Nelson came from. I am now thinking that he possibly knew the Hanson girls and maybe that is how Julia got to know him.(Just guessing here, but makes sense, maybe?) We next find Julia in the 1880 Census living in Lake Elizabeth, MN with her husband, John, son Albert J and two daughters, Ida E & Agnes M. Beginning in 1880, there was a diphtheria epidemic that ran through much of the country. Many Minnesota families suffered the loss of one or two or even all of the children in one family.Early in 1885, Julia and John lost three within days of the sudden illness. Albert J 10, Agnes M 6, and another daughter, 4 (nameless) were taken. Sometime shortly thereafter, the family moved into Litchfield, as we find them in the May 1885 census with John, Julia and children, Ida, Willie and Ettie. According to Grandma Annette's book, in 1889 they moved to a purchased ranch in Idaho's panhandle, Big Potlatch. Prior to moving, they had a daughter, Maud in 1887. It must have been more than a mother could bear to see so many reminders of her lost children. Why did they move to Idaho? Was there someone there that they knew? I'm not sure we will know, unless the Knudson family can shed some light. She also had two more children in Idaho; Burton in 1891 and Gladys in 1897, for a total of 9 children~6 living to adulthood. In 1904, our Grandma Annette's mother, Paulina suffered a nervous breakdown. Her husband thought of Julia, who most likely had been good friends with her sister in law and a ray of hope and sunshine. She and her daughter, Ida Lena, then 27, came and stayed 6 weeks. She must have cared for her father, Anders during this time and spent many a day outside under the willow trees talking and sewing with Paulina. Grandma remembers her as having black hair and stunning blue eyes. The picture above was taken during this visit. In May 1916, she and John move to Lethbridge Canada. John is listed as a farmer. He actually went to Canada in 1914. I'm thinking they must have purchased a farm there but why do this at their age~ 63 and 62?! It's a mystery! In 1925, John her husband of 55 years passes away on 29 August. During the winter of 1926, her brother Nels comes to Canada and spends the winter. He wrote the he was having a fine visit with Julia! Shortly thereafter, she must have sold the farm and moved to Spokane, Washington where her daughter Ida and her husband, Perry Davis were living. There she would spend her remaining years and would pass away on 7 August 1940. In August of this year, my daughter Jessi and I drove around Spokane looking for the houses they had lived in. We found them and took pictures! They are included above. Whew! I know this was a long, long story but I wanted to make sure I included as many facts as possible for the Knudson family readers. Welcome Knudson's!!!

Grandpa Anders

Grandpa Anders Nielson

I have been wanting to write something about Grandpa Anders Nielson as his story is such an amazing one. I wish I had known him. The only information I have is from Grandma Annette's book which gives a pretty good picture of him and her brother Lester's writings. I will try to piece together a little story about him from those.
He was born among the Vikings of Norway who inhabited the fjords of the country of the Northern Lights. Their rugged character was fashioned by the sternness of their circumstances in life. They left to their discendants a glorious heritage of courage, achievement and of triumph over difficulties. Anders would need all of those to conquer the difficulties that would be his to bear. He was born near Voss, Norway on 29 April 1824 to Nils Olsen and Anna Brynjulvsdtr.Finne.  Nils, his father, was a former soldier in the Norwegian army and died when Anders was very young leaving Anna Finne to care for her large family. He had 4 brothers and 2 sisters: Ole, Bryngjel, Lars, Marta,Ingebjorg and a son whose name is lost. Ole, Bryngjel and Ingebjorg all came to the USA prior to Anders ,the other three stayed in Norway.I have found all of the families of these three siblings in Minnesota and they have many, many descendants. Amazing the advantages we have with the computer and family history sites to peruse.  When Anders was twelve years old, he became an employee of his brother Ole, on a farm near Lardal. Here he worked for several years until he secured a job in a silver mine at Kingsburg. After work, he would study and learn to spell and write. An older man, perhaps an official, took an interest in the boy and offered to tutor him after work hours. Grandma's father told her that he wrote a very good hand. Schooling was very hard to come by in those days, especially with no father in the home. He also was a self taught violinist, following after Ole Baraneman Bull, a world famous violinist who Anders worshipped and was inspired by him to learn to play. It became an important part of his life. Anders and his brothers were all tall, powerful men, known throughout the region for their ability in sports, especially skiing and feats of strength. They called Ole, "Star Viking" or Great Viking!!
In 1850, he married Marta Olsdatter at the church in Vossevangen, Gilderhus, Norway. They lived for a year with her mother~ which must have been difficult even with the kindest of in-laws.In 1852, after hearing of land to be had in the  Lofoten Islands about 700 miles north, he moved his family of three to the Island of Borge, one of the most outlying of the Lofotens where Marta's brother, Botolf Olson Busta, a blacksmith was living. There Anders learned to make boats and boots of which there was a huge demand, and acted as sexton at the Lutheran church. Just a note, he made his own wooden shoe lasts and brought them to America. He taught his son, Nels to make shoes from these lasts.  For a short time, the young family lived with a widow. Then a small house was built on the corner of the Lutheran minister's lot. He was a man of tremendous energy and industry. He made plain furniture. He made a spinning wheel and loom, of which the spinning wheel is known to Grandma's family. (who has it anyway?) Anders, like thousands of others who had come to the Lofotens, would become a sailor. He along with others would brave the strong north winds to go far out in the ocean to fish.  Sometime in the late 1850's, Andrew, wanting to better their lives, threw in his lot with a group of men who had acquired a large boat for cod fishing. There were now four children. For a few years all went extremely well. Then in the early 1860's, perhaps 1863, the men were out and caught in a terrible storm~possibly a maelstrom. Nearly all of the men perished. He suffered the loss of all his fingers and one foot. He was only 42. After many months, with courage unimaginable he took up his life. He returned to his land and animals and relied heavily on his 12 year old son Nels.
In 1853, his two older brothers and sister had immigrated to America. Letters had gone back and forth between these siblings and there young brother in Norway. They knew of his troubles. He asked them if they could send $100.00 to help finance his family's crossing to America~ they heartily agreed. They packed up few belongings~ to include the spinning wheel, loom and a copper tea kettle. That tea kettle filled with marbles sat on a shelf in Grandma Annette's place and was a source of fun for all of us that came to visit. I didn't ever know that it had come across the ocean and was over a hundred years old! (I'm pretty sure this is still in the family, but like the spinning wheel I'm not sure who has it. If you do, I'd like to know :) ) In May 1868, they set sail. Landing in Quebec and eventually made there way to Minnesota. Grandpa Anders and Grandma Marta lived with their son, Nels and his large family until their deaths in 1908 and 1888 respectively. In his last years, he rarely left his room. It must have been a very lonely time for him as an old man. He had lived almost 20 years longer than his sweet companion Marta. I'm sure death came as a sweet reprieve from his cares.