Research Krogh Family

To identify four generations of Norwegian ancestry starting with Johanna Krogh and following her paternal side. The objective will be to support with documents the relationships linking each family member and each generation.

The following information comes from previous research done before the current research began. Johanna Krogh was born in Vikedal, Rogaland, Norway on 20 June 1893 to Johannes Kolbeinsen and Gjertrud nee Sjursdatter Rygg1. She immigrated to America in 19122 and settled in Nebraska. She married John Webb on 12 February 1916 in St. Edward, Nebraska3. She then married Jacob Hirsch on 23 January 1923 also in Nebraska4. She died 17 August 1935 in St. Edward, Nebraska5. Using this information, the current research results were gathered and verified.

The research results will be divided into four generations and then into individual members within that generation. In addition, tables, charts, and timelines will illustrate the results as needed. Links are provided to the research logs, family group sheets, pedigree charts, and original documents needed to support this research. There will be a separate research log for each generation and for each marriage if a person married more than once. Documents will be cited with the source citation found as a footnote. During the research process, there will be documents that will have name and spelling variations of people and places. This is to be expected and will be addressed in the results section of this report.

The first generation information will be primarily in the United States with documents in the English language. However, the Norwegian towns and parishes in the following generations will be mostly from the Rogaland County and in the Norwegian language. Maps will be provided for the Norwegian section of this research in order to further clarify the research. In addition, a translation of each Norwegian document found will be provided.

First Generation:

Johanna Karen Krogh and John Webb
Johanna Karen Krogh and Jacob Hirsch

From the background information already stated Johanna was born 20 June 1893 in Vikedal, Rogaland, Norway to Johannes Kolbeinsen and Gjertrud Sjursdatter Rygg. Several sources document key events in her life. This evidence is presented starting with her as an adult traveling to America.

Her emigration record from Norway lists her name as Johanna Krogh. Her birth year is 1892, residing in Vikedal, destination Minnesota, and emigration date 13 June 1912. Her reason for leaving Norway is that she is looking for work. Historically, Norway had three waves of emigrants coming to America. Johanna was part of the last wave during the early 1900s. In this wave, many people were in their early adult years looking for work. Norway’s economy at this time was poor and couldn’t provide for the growing population. Therefore, her reason for leaving Norway coincides with many other Norwegian immigrant accounts from this period. This record lists her birth year as 1892, which from the background information we know that Johanna was born in 1893. It doesn’t state who the informant is on the emigration record. It may have been Johanna herself or one of her family. This makes the misinformation more interesting. The family, especially Johanna, should know what year she was born. This may have been a clerical error and further documents are found later in this report to verify the birth year. This is also a derivative record, which could explain the conflicting birth year. The original would need to be researched.

Her Liverpool, England immigration record states her name as Johanna J Krogh, she was traveling by herself as a servant, 20 yrs old, her destination was Gully, Minnesota, and her closest living relative from her last residence is her father Johannes Kolbensen whose address is Stolsmark, Vikedal, Stavanger1. This directly states who her father is, her residence, and supports the destination of Minnesota from her emigration record. She left Liverpool, England on 27 June 1912 only 14 days after her emigration record date.

A Canada Passengers List reveals Johanna arriving in Quebec on 5 July 1912 eight days after she left Liverpool2. She is listed as Johanna Krogh, 20 years old, destination Gully, Minnesota. This record supports the information found on the previous two immigration/emigration records. It is interesting to note that she went to Canada and not through Ellis Island as previously assumed. History shows that it was cheaper to go through Canada then through Ellis Island.

A Michigan Manifest of Alien Arrivals shows that Johanna Krogh came through Port Huron, Michigan on 7 July 1912 from Quebec3. This record gives no other information for Johanna, which makes this record by itself less reliable. However, the date is only two days after the Canada immigration record date. The Canada record and Michigan record support one another for the place as well.

After she travels to America, she next appears on a marriage record between her and John Henry Webb. They were married 12 February 1916 in Boone County, Nebraska4. This record shows her full name of Johanna Karen Krogh and residing in Greeley County, Nebraska. She is 22 years old, which puts her birth year around 1894. Her birthplace is Norway, her father is Johannes Kolbensen and her mother’s name is unreadable on this document…

Second Generation

Johannes Kolbeinsen and Lisbet Knudsdatter
Johannes Kolbeinsen and Gjertrud Sjursdatter Rygg

Norwegian culture is different from American culture in many ways. This makes their records different then U.S. records as well. In Norway, people are known by the farm they lived on. It became customary to include their farm name at the end of their surname. This was especially important during the patronymic naming system. This was when a parent would name their child Nils and then give the child his father’s first name with either a “sen” or a “datter” at the end to literally say this child belongs to this father. For example, Nils Hansen is the son of Hans or Anna Hansdatter is the daughter of Hans. That is the patronymic naming system. When the population grew they had to come up with a new way of distinguishing one person from another. That’s when the farm or place name was attached at the end of the name. For example, Gertrud Sjursdatter is from the farm Rygg because it was attached to her name. This didn’t always happen for every person, however; if there is a third name to a person’s name it is most likely a place name.

Farm names are also recorded on census records. The farms were organized with a main farm name first, then the sub-farms, or smaller farms, listed below. For example, Stolsmark is the main farm name with Kroken being a smaller farm owned by the main farm. Once the farm name is listed, then the people living on that farm were listed. Just as with U.S. census records, the information found on Norwegian censuses can vary greatly. However, it does give the family dynamics that will help build the foundation.

The information found for Johannes will be presented starting with him as an adult in his first marriage.

The 1865 Norwegian Census lists Johannes Colbensen, age 32, with his wife Lisbet Knudsdatter, age 36, living on the farm Krogen under the main farm Stolsmark1. They have two children at this time: Kari Johannesdatter, age 6, and Knut Johannesen, age one. The census reports that Johannes was born in Imsland, which at the time was a part of the Vikedal clerical district. It is now its own parish under Rogaland County. Lisbet and the two children were all born in Vikedal parish, Rogaland County.

Here is a map of Rogaland County with the parishes. This is similar to a U.S. state map with the counties. In the top center section in the dark blue is Vikedal Parish. Inside Vikedal Parish, there is Imsland Parish and Sandeid Parish. All three parishes were in the Vikedal clerical district and all of their records were kept in one group. The Norway map shows where Rogaland County is located in Norway. You are also welcome to find Norway’s map on Google and study it yourself.

From these records we see that the family stayed in Vikedal Parish, Rogaland County, Norway for the whole time of raising children. This family didn’t move around much in this generation.

The death record for Gjertrud supports this observation. This was found in the Vikedal, Rogaland, Norway death register.

“Huusmandskone Gjertrud Sjursdatter Stølsmark, født 1847, døde den 27th Febr 1914. Gjenlv Mand Johannes Kolbeinsen og fraværende myndig Barn”1

Translation:

“Housewife Gjertrud Sjursdatter Stolsmark, born 1847, died on 27th February 1914. Survivors Spouse Johannes Kolbeinsen and absent of age children”

The record shows that Johannes was still alive when Gjertrud died or else he wouldn’t be listed as a survivor after her death. In addition, it states that her children are of age. Norway at this time had a probate law of 1687 that when a parent died and the children were under 25 years old, they had to have a guardian appointed to oversee the children’s right to their inheritance. The guardian would have the duty of managing the inheritance, making sure it was distributed properly, and that everybody involved was playing fairly. In this case, all of her children were over 25 years old and not present when she died.

Johannes’s death record was a little harder to find. He was not listed anywhere in the Vikedal death register. A public family tree on Ancestry.com listed his death in 1919 in Vik, Skudenes Parish, Rogaland County, Norway. This was highly unusual considering he didn’t move at all when his children were at home. In addition, Skudenes Parish isn’t even close to Vikedal Parish. According to the map at the beginning of the report, Skudenes Parish is on the western edge of Rogaland County and Vikedal is in the north with about three parishes in between them. This Johannes Kolbeinsen didn’t seem like it was the correct person.

Third Generation

Kolbein Helgesen and Kari Rasmusdatter
Kolbein Helgesen and Marth Sjursdatter
Kolbein Helgesen and Astri Svendsdatter

Research for this generation will show Johannes Kolbeinsen as a child with his family. Then the focus will move to his father as an adult until his father’s death.

From Johannes’s marriage records and census records, we see that he was born around 1833/34 in Haugland, Imsland Parish, Rogaland County. Therefore, a birth record was searched for him. One was found which gives his parents as Colben Helgesen and Astri Svendsdatter1. He was born 16 November 1834. The family was living in Nedre Haugland, Imsland Parish, Rogaland County, Norway. The record doesn’t give birth places for the parents.

Norwegian census records were searched next for the family dynamics. However, census records before 1850 listed only the farm name and did not list any family names. To complicate matters, many farms were multi generational. Therefore, the census record would state five households live at this specific farm. Then they would tally the people according to their age groups. There was no way to tell who lived at the farm.

Instead, birth records were searched page by page in Imsland Parish for any other children born to Colben Helgesen and Astri Svendsdatter.

Fourth Generation

Helje Johannesen and Maren Jorgensdatter
Helje Johannesen and Torrela Andersdatter
Helje Johannesen and Osni Kolbeinsdatter
Helje Johannesen and Marthe Tollevsdatter

Research for this generation will show Kolbein Helgesen as a child with his family. The focus will then follow his father as an adult until his death.

All three of Kolbein’s marriage records show that he married in Vikedal Parish. His first marriage record showed he was from Ovre Hagenvig farm in Vikedal Parish. It’s logical to assume that he was born in Vikedal as well. The Norwegian naming pattern is also helpful to locate Kolbein’s parents. His surname is Helgesen. Therefore, his father’s first name must be Helge. A birth record for him shows that he was born in Imsland Parish, under the Vikedal clerical district, on 20 February 1763 to Helje Berge and Osni Kolbeinsdatter1. In the Norwegian language, the “j” and “g” were interchangeable. Therefore, Helje is also Helge in Norway records. According to how the priest kept the church records, he placed the farm name behind his Helje’s first name. Berge is actually a farm in Imsland Parish right next to Vikedal Parish. In addition, Osni’s surname is Kolbeinsdatter. This means her father is Kolbein. Parents frequently named their children after family especially in the 1700’s. Naming practices and place names are relied on more during the 1700s to prove relationships. Though none of the witnesses has the same surname as the parents, there are a few from Imsland and Haugenvig farm to place Kolbein in this family.

Helje Berge and Osni Kolbeinsdatter were married 25 November 1762 in Imsland Parish2. Helje is listed as Helje Johansen Berge. This shows that Helje was from Berge farm when he married Osni. In addition, the marriage year matches Kolbein’s birth year of 1763 showing that he was the firstborn in this family. This record does not show whether the couple were widowed or single when they married. However, people frequently died during the 1700s for various reasons. Therefore, further marriages are likely for Helje and will be discussed later in this report.