Margit, Thank you for your warm and personal welcome, though it certainly fits into the true nature of Norwegians. I am quite new to figuring out ancestry in the U.S. and abroad. I am interested in going back as far as I can, learning more about the lives of my relatives, and moving forward to contact living relatives, albeit distant, in Norway. My connection to Oppland is through my great grandmother, Karen Amundsdatter, who was from Hadeland, born on October 4, 1852. She married Nils Peter Jensen in Gran, May 1881 (Nils Peter was from Buskerud). Very shortly thereafter, they moved to the U.S. where she appears to have joined a brother, Anton Amundsen, who had already emigrated from Norway. They settled in Northern Iowa and ultimately lived in Eagle Grove where they had four children: Emma, Jennie, Karl, and Josef. Josef/Joseph Jensen is my paternal grandfather. Karen had a brother, Johannes, who joined the family in Iowa at some point thereafter. I have searched through the Norwegian census and, perhaps, found the family, but I don't know how to go any further than that as I cannot seem to find any of the brothers and certainly none of their children. I am extremely proud of my Norwegian heritage being raised in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Eagle Grove and on kringla, lefse, and krumkake! Unfortunately my grandmother (Joseph's wife) died when I was five leaving no one with much family history at all. I know what I know through documents and family Bibles that were meticulously kept. I am glad to have found a group of people with the same kinds of interests and backgrounds :) Thanks! Vickie Jensen Los Angeles CA (formerly of Eagle Grove, IA)

Hi Vickie, This appears to be your Karen, does it fit with what you have found? Note the birthdate (04/10 1852) Here are some resources online for the area: <http://www.dis-norge.no/genress/index.php?todo=visKategori&kid=100180> <http://www.dis-norge.no/genress/index.php?todo=visKategori&kid=101343> Margit <http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=Dp053 41842&variabel=0&postnr=21052&fulle=true&spraak=n> Digitalarkivet: Døpte i Gran 1842 - 1856. [58096/34] Rettar til dataene: GDS-Hadeland Post 2630 av 3771/30196 totalt i databasen Lpnr. Prot.henv. Side År Sokn/kirke Dato Ekte/Uekte 2630 216 G11D 361 1852 i Gran prestegjeld 31/10-1852 E Rolle Stilling/yrke Fornavn Etternavn Kjønn Bosted Fødselsdato Fødselsår 21052 Barn Karen K 04/10 1852 21053 Far Gmd Amund Johnsen %Hansen% Rudsødegaard 21054 Mor Kirsti Jensdtr 21055 Fadder Birthe Johnsdtr K Stadumsengen 21056 Fadder Marthe Olsdtr K Torgersrud 21057 Fadder Amund Jensen M Stadumsengen 21058 Fadder Jens Andersen M Torgersrud 21059 Fadder Peder Hansen M HvindenEiet Rolle Stilling/yrke Fornavn Etternavn Kjønn Bosted Fødselsdato Fødselsår > > Margit, > > My connection to Oppland is through my great grandmother, Karen Amundsdatter, > who was from Hadeland, born on October 4, 1852. She married Nils Peter > Jensen in Gran, May 1881 (Nils Peter was from Buskerud). Very shortly > thereafter, > they moved to the U.S. where she appears to have joined a brother, Anton > Amundsen, who had already emigrated from Norway. They settled in Northern > Iowa and > ultimately lived in Eagle Grove where they had four children: Emma, Jennie, > Karl, and Josef. Josef/Joseph Jensen is my paternal grandfather. Karen had a > brother, Johannes, who joined the family in Iowa at some point thereafter. > > I have searched through the Norwegian census and, perhaps, found the family, > but I don't know how to go any further than that as I cannot seem to find any > of the brothers and certainly none of their children.