Norway to US (or Canada) immigrant Brick Wall

Question

I have a brickwall ancestor from Norway named Nels Nelson [Nelson-10966]. I do have some information about his wife, Anna Rasmusdatter Sæten.

I found Anna at age 1, on the 1865 census in Norway (https://digitalarkivet.no/en/census/person/pf01038275002500 ) and also found her listed, age 22, unmarried, on the "Allan Linien" ship that left from Bergen, Norway on 5/9/1887 (which might mean September 5, 1887 -- I'm not sure). I don't know where it landed in the US or Canada. (https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/8/pe00000000678388),

Her husband, Nels Nelson, only shows up on one record where I can be sure it is him: the 1895 Minnesota state  census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-69P9-NTC?cc=1503031&wc=M6GC-XW1%3A65687301%2C65938301

He had been in Rock Dell, Olmsted County, Minnesota for 4 years 6 months when the census was taken. He is listed as a dry goods merchant, born in Norway. He was born about 1860.

Unfortunately there seem to have been quite a few Nels and Anna Nelsons in Minnesota (and everywhere else).  Anna shows up next in 1900, committed to a mental institution in Rochester, Minnesota, where she remained until her death.  Nels apparently abandoned his children, and some family members believe he returned to Norway at some point.  They didn't know if he divorced Anna.

To make a long story shorter, I am hoping to learn where Anna landed in 1887 or where she was until 1895 when she showed up on the Minnesota census, It might help me find some sort of documents to distinguish Nels Nelson from the hundreds of Nels Nelsons who show up everywhere I look. "Nelsen" would be a more typical Norwegian spelling (or Nilssen), but all I have is the one census spelling, and that fact that the descendants used "Nelson". She must have met Nels in the U.S.

Is there a way to track down where Anna Rasmusdatter (from the Sogn og Fjordane farm called Sæten) landed in 1887?  Or, a very long shot: figure out when and where Nels came to the US or prove went back to Norway -- if that actually happened?

One last clue:  Their oldest son, Selmer Nelson (who was 5 on the 1895 census) put his birth location as Forest River, North Dakota, USA. The family should have been there around 1890 if that's the case -- but I can't find them. (There was a different Nels Nelson's grave there.)

Any ideas or help with finding disembarking passengers, immigration documents or something similar that might help me learn more?

Thanks, Reba

 

 

Answer 1

My Nelsons usually showed up as Nilsen or Nielsen in Norway. I don't think I've seen many Nelsens.

Is this Selmer? https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWBF-WRJ

Comments

Nils mad a number of trips back and forth... All these from Emigrants from Bergen protocals.

Name Birth date - Place of birth - Position/marital status Domicile Event date

Nils Sivertsen Høialmen

(male) 1859 Indvigen g Farmer Handelsmand Olden i Indvigen 1900-07-04

Nils Sivertsen Høialmen

(male) 1860 Indviken ug Amerika 1887-05-11

Nils Sivertsen Høialmen

(male) 1860 Indvigen ugift Minnesota 1884-05-16

Nils Sivertsen Høialmen

(male) 1860 Indvigen ugift Indvigen 1883-05-11

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Thank you, Cliff!  I have so many things to look at now, I hardly know where to start.  How did you find the Emigrants from Bergen link?  I had located something like that many years ago, but I don't know how to find it anymore.

I sure have a lot of gratitude just before Thanksgiving!

Rebab

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(Just thought I'd change my name to Reba instead of "Rebab".  Nothing like throwing up more obstacles for future genealogists!  ;-)   )

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Emigrant protocol lists were easier in the old DigitalArkivet (hereafter DA)    http://gda.arkivverket.no/cgi-win/WebMeta.exe?slag=vismeny&fylkenr=&knr=&katnr=5&aar=&dagens=&emnenr=1

Plus the findings give us a list of people travelling with our search object which is handy.

In the New DA     https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/

Click Advanced Person Search - Click Category + sign - Choose Emigration Records - Select All

Then in the same page scroll down to Geography + sign - Choose Vestlandet - Choose Bergen-Bergen

This is a kind of smart search so using Niels will find Nils for example.  Disadvantage is I cannot find a way to display those registered next to "My" traveller which is often very important.

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I think this is him in 1875 https://www.digitalarkivet.no/census/person/pf01052322002997

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Make note that Anna Rasmusdatter Sæten registered leaving Bergen on the 9th of May and Nils Sivertsen on the 11th.  The Allan Line applies to the line that crosses the ocean after they take the Wilson Line feeder ship across to Hull so they may well have been on the same ship leaving Liverpool and the arrival would have been in Canada with the Allan Line.  Crappy ships lists from those days so I did not find either of them just yet arriving in North America.

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probably

Name:	Ann R Saten
Gender:	Female
Age:	22
Birth Year:	abt 1865
Date of Arrival:	25 May 1887
Vessel:	Sardinian
Search Ship Database:	Search for the Sardinian in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival:	Quebec, Quebec, Canada
Port of Departure:	Liverpool, England; Londonderry, Ireland

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"Anna R Satens" 22 yrs old arrived at Quebec, Quebec on the Allen Line ship Sardinian on 25 May 1887

It's on Ancestry if you have access...

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Cliff, Jamie,

This is such great information.  It's going to help me with not only this line, but with a whole lot of my mother's Norwegian based ancestry.  

I think you did find the port of arrival for Ann, Jamie.  Everything fits perfectly.  It's going to take me forever to catch up with the wealth of new leads I have. Not that I'm complaining. I have no idea how everyone seems to be so quick with finding and adding information. (Thank you both!!!)  I can't believe how many ancestors Nels Nelson has since last night.... and none of that was accomplished by me!

Cliff, I'm going to have to re-read some of your comments, especially about the "smart search" tips.  Right now my head is exploding and I have to glue it back together again.

Rebab

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I mean, Reba.