The Valdres, Norway Olson and Tollefson

Pioneers in South Dakota

        Ole Tollefson Prestrud was a  husmann (farmer) on Rudi in Østre Slidre, Oppland, Norway which is the Valdres area. On 3 Jan 1842, he married Anne, the daughter of Syver Tollefson (though one record does say her parents were Syver Syverson and Berit Eriksdtr) and while still in Norway they had Marit b 15 Feb 1842, Tollef b 25 May 1844 and Berit b 24 June 1847. ¹

        After they emigrated to the United States in 1849, he was a farmer in Belgium, Washington County, Wi 1850 and by 1860 he was a farmer in Eaton, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. He is still in Eaton in 1870 as well. Some of the children born in Wisconsin were Ole b cl850 Wisconsin; Nils b cl852; Syver b 18 March 1855 bp. Valders; Anne Maria b 16 Jan 1857; Ingeborg b 29 Oct 1858; Marit b 15 May 1860; Anne Marie b 30 Aug 1862; Oline b 13 March 1865. ¹

        I do NOT have any primary source material at this time to prove these dates and there does seem to be some confusion because some of the girls americanized their names. In addition, his one obituary says that there were 16 children.

         In 1876, Ole Tollefson moved his family to Norway Township, Clay County, South Dakota. On the Norwegians in Dakota 1880 census, he is found living with his wife, a few children, and grandchildren. How do the two Betsys fit in here?

I have no picture of Ole at this time.

This obituary was found and sent by my cousin, Jim Erickson. THE OLE TOLLEFSON FAMILY HISTORY        Ole Tollefson was born in Norway on August 15, 1815 and his wife Anne Severson was born Christmas day, December 25, 1818. Ole Tollefson married Anne Severson in 1841. They had sixteen children and only eight children I know the names. They left Norway from the Stavanger area in 1846. Tollef Olson was born in Stavanger2 in 1844. Ole and Anne were married about 54 years.The family settled near Manitowoc, Wisconsin where the majority of the children were born, including Bertha, Ole, Rachel, Severt, Maria, Emma, Marrit(Great grandmother also names Marren, and Mary were used), Mary (sister) and Olena that we have names that are recorded.       Tollof Olson was 18 when he joined the Wisconsin 15th Regiment and went off to the Civil War for two and half years. Within two years after the conclusion of the war Tollof is in South Dakota and purchased Anton Brunick's land with a cabin already built on it.       In 1876 Ole Tollefson moves his family to South Dakota and farm in the Norway township of Clay County. There he remains until he dies on September 13, 1895 from a run away horse and wagon accident. He left eight remaining children and a wife behind. 2 Tollef was likely born in Østre Slidre not Stavanger as this obituary says. Thank you to Gunnar Thon for pointing this out to me. The family may have departed Norway from Stavanger.

This obituary was sent to me by my cousin, Jon Nylen. FATAL ACCIDENT Ole Tollefson Killed Instantly in a Runaway--- His Son Tollof Olson Has a Leg Broken and is Otherwise injured         News was brought to town last Friday night about 1 o'clock by young Kibly who works for Henry Knudson in Norway Twp., that Ole Tollefson had been instantly killed in a runaway near the Knudson place, and that the old man's son, Tollof Olson, had a leg broken and was badly injured about the face and head. The lad had been dispatched to town after Dr. Cox, and appeared to be much scared. It seems that the two men had been to town during the day after lumber and started for home rather late in the evening. The accident happened about 9:30 or 10 o'clock, and no one knew how the runaway had started. Dr. Cox went out immediately to the place and found things substantially as stated by Kibly. The old gentleman to all appearances had struck the ground on his head and was killed instantly. Tollof had a broken leg and was bruised considerably about the face and head. Dr. Cox set the leg and dressed his wounds and left him as comfortable as possible. The old gentleman was carried to his home where arrangements for funeral were made. The burial took place on Sunday, and the interment was made in the cemetery at Meckling. Deceased was the father of Mrs. Ole Iverson and Mrs. L. E. Shogren, of this city.       Ole Tollefson was born in Norway, Aug. 15, 1815. He was married in 1841 to Miss Annie Severson. He came to this country in 1849, settling at first in the State of Wisconsin. He removed to Dakota in 1876, and settled in Norway Township. He was the father of 16 children, 8 of whom are living. THIS INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM MICROFILM-DAKOTA REPUBLICAN- 20 SEPTEMBER1895-UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA LIBRARY-VERMILLION, SD

 Anne Syversdtr. Jørstad Tollefson    

Born 18 December 1818     check --- Conflict in birth date Died 17 January 1901

This was sent to me by my cousin,  Cleo Erickson. VERMILLION PLAIN TALK Jan. 24, 1901 Mrs. Ole Tollofson of Norway Township, at the age of 82 years, andafter a very short illness incident to old age died last Thursday night at 9 o'clock. Mrs. Olson is one of the women who has helped to make Clay Co. a fair and prosperous country. She has reared eleven children., All but three of whom are living. The funeral occurred at the home Monday afternoon, the remains laid to rest in the Lutheran Cemetery near Meckling.

                        Picture courtesy of Jon Nylen

I would love to hear from cousins along this line! Shogrens, Taggerts, Iversons, Anfinsons. Where did you all go? We, of course, would love to hear from cousins in Norway.

Valdres, Norway Links

         I received most of the Norwegian genealogy on this line from Betty Rockswold at Valdres Samband. Thank you Betty! Join the Mail List for Valdres and communicate with others who descend from this area.

If you have a Valders link, please email me!

Other Norwegian Research Links

• ANCESTORS FROM NORWAY is the most comprehensive site available to norwegian researchers. It covers just about every topic imaginable.

• John I. Borgos' Home Page has a lot of useful information for researchers.

• Norway List is the best List for norwegian research though we do get off-topic with anything related to Norway. Please read the guidelines so you are prepared to join us. It is a great group of about 1000 people all over the world but predominantly norwegians and norwegian americans.

• Linda K. Schwartz's Welcome To Norway Genealogy! is another helpful web site.

• Norway Reference Books and Lookup Volunteers

• Norway List Lookup Volunteers

• University of Tromso 1865, 1875, 1900 Census

• The Digital Archive 1801,1865 & 1900 Census, Church Records, Emigration records

• Kvasir Try this norwegian search engine.

• Norwegian genealogical sources 1500-1900 lists numerous sources for research.

• 100 years of emigrant ships from Norway - The Solem, Swiggum & Austheim ship index
  
  

South Dakota Links
Svein Ulvund's, Genealogy page.

          Distant Cousins

¹ dates are from: Manitowoc-skogen A biographical and genealogical directory of the residents of Norwegian birth and descent in Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties in Wisconsin from the first settlement to 1900. Robert A. Bjerke 1994

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updated  8 August 2003