Locating Immigration Records: As luck would have it from Norway to Chicago in 1852

Retracing the steps of our ancestors is a time consuming research challenge, but it is almost always worth the effort. Like most of my blog posts, although this is about a specific ancestor, the process is what is important. If you happen to have Norwegian ancestry a search of Norway Heritage is in order to see if you can locate your ancestor. It helps to know the year of immigration especially because of spelling and transcription issues. The year of immigration can sometimes be found on the 1900 or more recent census. The above book “True Account of America, like many others written in German, Swedish, Danish etc were travel and immigration guides for those thinking of transplanting to America. This along with the letters sent back home from those that had successfully made the crossing across the Atlantic were passed around and the subject of much conversation. At what age the seed was planted in Elizabeth we do not know. At 24 Elizabeth probably would have been working as a servant or laborer and perhaps saving for the dream of immigrating to “Amerika.” In 1840, Ole Knudsen Trovatten from Lårdal, Telemark [25 miles from Vinje] wrote “America Letters”, which created quite a stir. He came to Muskego, Wisconsin in 1840 and was widely spoken of in Upper Telemark.

In my earlier piece How My Forty Year Brick Wall was Broken I go into detail about finding my 2nd great grandmother Elizabeth Olson who we find out was born Asloûg Eilfsdotter in 1827 in Vinje, Telemark, Norway. In this post I am trying to retrace her steps and how she may have come to leave Vinje for Chicago Illinois. First we find her as the last entry #22 on pg 403 of Udflynttede [Leavings] 1852 Vinje. Dated April 14th she is listed as 25 years and headed “til Amerika.” Many Scandinavian countries recorded all the entrances and exits to and from their parishes.

Comparing the years before and after for the Udflynttede for Vinje leaving for Amerika in:

• 1846 has 4 individuals
• 1847: 2 individuals
• 1848: 2 families and 2 individuals
• 1849: 1 family
• 1850: 3 families and 3 individuals
• 1851: 7 individuals
• 1852: 4 families and 4 individuals for a total of 22 people

The numbers drop of again in 1853 and 1854. So 1852 was the height of the early immigration out of Vinje for Amerika. I always wondered about whether she came alone to America. It is of some comfort that she was not alone on at least the first parts of her journey.

What is helpful about the Udflynttede is that the families are listed as family units, whereas on the Ship’s passenger list they are listed haphazardly. The earliest entry for Amerika leavings in 1852 is April 6th and the latest is April 21st. Whether these were the dates they checked out with the parish priest or the date they left is not known. The distance from Vinje to Kragerø is about 100 miles on foot and wagon. Whether this was their mode of transportation the timing would be about right if they left by the end of April and left Kragerø the end of May.

The passengers that are identified by origin came from the parishes of Vinje, as the northernmost, Seljord, Kviteseid, Mø, Fryresdal, and closest to Kragerø, Sannidal. The 150 ton sailing Ship “Colon” with C. Hassel master departed Kragerø on May 27th See #82 Aslau Eleefesdtr—note the name difference. The “Colon” carried 161 Passengers: 19 are in cabins and 143 in steerage. One infant dies during the voyage and one is born . There are 15 infants, 36 children and the rest adults, the oldest is a 59 year old man. From Vinje we find the families & individuals [those with an * are also on the Udflynttede] All those from Vinje traveled in steerage:

• Ole Olsen Fandestøel (36) and his wife Ingeborg* Bjørgesdatter Flatdal (35);
• Ole* Amundsen Rue (32) and his wife Asbjørn* Johnsdotter (25) and daughter Sigri* (8 mos)
• Sigvald* Olsen Midgaard (36) and his wife Asne* Egilsdatter (26) and daughter Anne (6 mos)
• Laurentz* Augensen Ødegaarden (47) and his wife Anne* Johnsdotter (43) and children Anne* (18), August *(16), Sigri* (14), John* (14), Teliev *(12), Knud* (10)
• Aslau* Ellefsdotter (24)
• Halvor Olsen Berge (44)
• Kari Knudsdatter (24) from ??
• Margit Halvorsdotter (40) from ??

And a more recent photo taken in 1900. If you look closely some of the buildings look similar.

The journey took 60 days. For steerage passengers the same space, below deck, was used for sleeping eating and socializing. Passengers supplied their own bedding. Food was available for purchase but the passengers had to cook it themselves. Steerage passengers were allotted time on the upper deck to get some “fresh air.” In 1852 no known ships were lost on their way from Europe to America, suggesting good travel conditions. The “Colon” arrived in New York July 26th 1852.

The passage from Kragerø to New York would have cost 20 Spd [Speciedaler] or about $20 US. In addition food on board ship may have cost as much as $15. Add to that expenses waiting to embark and upon arrival in New York after 2 months on board. The “Colon” arrived in New York July 26th 1852. Then there was the problem of passage to Chicago.

It is hard to imagine leaving your small village traveling days to reach the southern coast of Norway and then embarking on a sailing ship in Kragerø and landing here! Once arrived there was the problem of passage to Chicago. The most likely route would be by a series of trains to Chicago. And it was a good thing that Elizabeth landed in New York and not like many Norwegians who landed in Quebec. For had she, she might have taken a steamer down the St Lawrence Seaway and across the Great Lakes. This article from The National Intelligencer dated August 21, 1752 recounts the collision, in dense fog, of the steamer ‘Atlantic’ with the propeller Ogdensburg on Lake Erie. The ‘Atlantic’ sank within a half hour and 300 of the 600 passengers drowned. Onboard were 138 Norwegians, of which 68 drowned. That is why I said “as luck would have it.” Twenty-six days and a slightly different route, Elizabeth may have perished and I might not be here.

As it is I believe Asloûg probably went by train. The first line connecting Chicago to New York, via Buffalo, was opened on 22 February 1852. However this did not mean you could board a train in New York and go straight through to Chicago. Many train changes and a ferry crossing of the Hudson River at the start and 9-10 days of travel. After 2 months on a ship in steerage, maybe it was a pleasant change.

IMMIGRATION RESEARCH SUGGESTIONS

• Use census to determine year of immigration
• See if the county from which they left has emigrations or leaving records
• Check for online directories of passenger lists like Norway Heritage
• Ellis Island Foundation has passenger lists from 1820-1957
• Check Ship’s Passenger lists. Many Europeans traveled to Germany or England before going to America; Some traveled into Quebec or American ports other than New York–look broadly
• Use maps specific to the country of origin. Google maps does not show as much detail as country specific maps
• Use newspapers to search for arrivals. Note the one I found has misspelled the port of embarkation AND the name of the Ship and the captain’s name which was Hassel
• Look for travel guides of the vintage and written in their native language
• Do searches to locate etchings, drawings photos etc of places especially The Library of Congress
• Try a search of Ebay for ships or places
• Try everything!

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