This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lcC.2ACI/338.1 Message Board Post: Eduard Gross died in 1877. If you would like more details as well as photographs of the factory which he bought in 1853 and sold in 1875 then let me know at; derek.murphy@c2i.net

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: GROSS Classification: Lookup Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/lcC.2ACI/338 Message Board Post: I am attempting to learn when & where my gr. granfather died. He was in Kristiansand in the 1865 census. I cannot find him in the census for 1875 but have been told that the online 1875 census is incomplete. I am unable to view LDS microfilm due to disability. He was born in Germany and immigrated to Norway sometime before June 1847 when he married a Norwegian girl. There is no family farm to learn his Parish Church but he was baptized in the Lutheran Church in Germany and his son my grandfather was baptized in the Lutheran Church in Norway. Name I need death information for is Eduard GROSS b. 8 Dec.1819, Imelsbach, Burscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen, District of Dusseldorf, Germany (Prussia when he left) Owned his own home in Kristiansand. Was the manager of a factory in the old prison in Kristiansand. Can anyone help?? Thanks in advance.

Hi Margit, Which Vatne are you looking for? There are about two dozen in Norway. If you are looking for Vatne farm in Eiken parish, near Hægebostad, in Vest Agder, my Dad came from there, and my cousins are still on the farm. It appears in the 1801 census as Wathne, and Eiken appears as Enghens. About ten years ago, I got some information on my Dad's ancestors from a lady who was working on a bygdebok for Eiken, but it does not appear to have ever been completed. I don't have much information on people from there yet, but there might be a chance that you are looking for someone I have information about. Joel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X-Message: #4 Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 22:29:56 -0600 From: Margit <margit@eot.com> To: NOR-VEST-AGDER-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <BE6F8764.17C2A%margit@eot.com> Subject: Vattne / Vatne Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Does anyone have Vattne in their database? Thanks, Margit

You didn't say where in Canada (I may have missed the post) Here are some deaths from the British Columbia Vital Records Marnie Name: Norman Roger VATNE Place of Death: Germany Reg. Number: 1945-09-703767 Date: 1945 1 15 (Yr/Mo/Day) Age: 21 Event: Death Microfilm #: B14426 (GSU # 2231496) Name: John A VATNE Place of Death: Vancouver Reg. Number: 1976-09-014790 Date: 1976 10 4 (Yr/Mo/Day) Age: 85 Event: Death Microfilm #: B13355 (GSU # 2050568)

Hi Richard and Ellen, Not quite sure yet, but John Vatne/Vattne/Wattne came over to America, had some children, went to Canada, he and his wife died and the children went to the Childdren's home here where I live. One of the children's grandchildren are looking now for living relatives in Norway as John had a sister that dieed in the 1980's in Norway. Will check with her and see if she knows more. Margit > From: Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> > Reply-To: NOR-VEST-AGDER-L@rootsweb.com > Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 10:35:54 -0800 (PST) > To: NOR-VEST-AGDER-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [VAgder] Vattne / Vatne > Resent-From: NOR-VEST-AGDER-L@rootsweb.com > Resent-Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 11:36:00 -0700 > > Hi Margit: > > I have some people from two Vatne Farms in my base. One in Lista and the other > in Eiken, Hegbostad. Who or what are you looking for. If it is the Lista > Vatne I have the Lista Boka I and II. > > Richard Peterson > > Margit <margit@eot.com> wrote: > Does anyone have Vattne in their database? > Thanks, > Margit > > > ==== NOR-VEST-AGDER Mailing List ==== > Make sure you check out the other lists available here for Norway: > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/NOR/ > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > > Richard Peterson > 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 > Zion, Il 60099 > USA > rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net > > > ==== NOR-VEST-AGDER Mailing List ==== > Visit http://www.fellesraad.com/ > Norwegian-American Bygdelagenes Fellesraad > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx >

Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> wrote:Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 15:11:49 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> Subject: Torval's Great Grandfather + To: jackie048@centurytel.net Hello Again: Here is Torval's great grandfather, B�rre Thorbj�rnsen/Torbj�rnsen age 6 in the 1801 Census at Snedsb�l Gaard [Farm], Wingers Sogn, Wingers Prestegjeld, Hedmark. http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f10421&gardpostnr=126&sokefelt=skjul B�rre's father [and Torval's Great Great Grandfather] is Torbi�rn Mathisen 51 in 1801 and a widower. B�rre has 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Hopefully this should get you off to a good start in finding your Norwegian Roots. If you have questions I will be happy to try to answer them, but I don't have any special information about Hedmark so can't take it much further than what is in the Census sheets. Good luck, Richard Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net

Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> wrote:Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 14:56:52 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> Subject: Eli Eriksdatter, Torval's mother To: jackie048@centurytel.net Hello Jackie: There are three Eli Eriksdatters in Brandvold in 1865 who could be the mother of Torvald. The one I think is most likely is at Tr�estorpene Gaard, Brandvold Sogn, Brandvold Prestegaard, Hedmark. Here is the link: http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f60422&gardpostnr=604&sokefelt=skjul She is age 9 datter of Erik Johansen 49 and Kristine Andersdatter 46. She has 4 brothers and 3 sisters. The second Eli Eriksdatter is age 10, but one or two years variation is common, so you can't really say the age is off so the 9 year old must be the right one. You need to get somebody who can look it up for you to be sure which is correct. http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f60422&gardpostnr=248&sokefelt=skjul This family is at Torp Vestre farm in Brandvold. This Eli is age 10 and datter to Erik Eriksen 39and Maria Eriksdatter 40. If this is the right one there are lots of information, including either Erik or Maria's father, also Erik Eriksen 64 and his wife age 40 [obviously not the mother]. Also, one of their mothers appears to be there . sounds confusing, but you can look at it and probably see it clearly. The third Eli is age 11 and the link is: http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f60422&gardpostnr=538&sokefelt=skjul This Eli's parents are Erik Eriksen 34 and Ragnil Martinsdatter 32. Eli's grandparents are there also. Again, I don't have the books to tell you which of these three are correct, but somebody can probably do a look up in the Hedmark site to find which one is correct. Good luck, Richard Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net

Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> wrote:Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 14:32:33 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> Subject: B�rre Andersen Sj�enden To: jackie048@centurytel.net Hello Again Jackie: Here is Torval's father's family in the 1865 Census. He is B�rre Andersen age 5 in 1865. The link to the site is: http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f60420&gardpostnr=766&sokefelt=skjul B�rre Andersen Sj�enden's b 1861 are Anders B�rresen age 31 and Dorthea Engebretsdatter [also could be Ingebretsdtr/Ingebrigtsdtr] 32 both born in Eidskog Sogn [Local Parish], Eidskog Prestegjeld [Church Administrative District], Hedmark Amt [County], Norway. They are living at Sj�enden Farm. Anders's father is still living and is B�rre Thorbj�rnsen Widower age 74 in 1865. [Note Spelling Changes and variations in age are normal in the Norwegian Census.] B�rre is the only chilc of Anders and Dorthea living in 1865. Anders has a brother Thorbj�rn B�rresen age 35 with wife, Karen Bergersdatter 33. They have Chiildren Berthea 8, Soffie 4 and Anne Thorinne 1. They would of course be B�rre's cousins. More on the Mother to follow. Richard Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net

Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> wrote:Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 14:19:08 -0800 (PST) From: Richard Peterson <rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net> Subject: Torval To: jackie048@centurytel.net Hello Jackie: I think I have found your Torval [Torvald] in the 1900 Census. His name in Norway is Thorvald B�rresen, which would be one of the normal spellings for the name you mention. He is at Sj�enden �stre Gaard [farm], Eidskog Herred [Administrative District], Hedmark County. Here is the link to the site [if it doesn't work let me know and I will re-post it.] http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&filnamn=f00420.wc2&gardpostnr=850&personpostnr=5183&merk=5183#ovre Torvald's parents are B�rre Sj�enden born 1861in Eidskogen and Eli Eriksen 1857 born in Finskog, Brandvold, Hedmark. He has brothers Eilif (Eilef) 1883?, Brede 1890, Sigurd 1894 and sisters Dora 1885, Kristine 1887 and Agnes 1899. I will try to find the parents in 1865 and their families in a new e-mail. Hope this helps, Richard Peterson Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/lcC.2ACI/144.2.1.1 Message Board Post: Torval Borrson (have been told that his name in Norway was Borr?) was born Jan. 1896. Came over to U.S. inbetween 1896 -1923. First daughter, Lorraine born in 1924 here in U.S. so it had to be before then. Married to Alice - don't know maiden name right off hand - I would have to ask someone. Second daughter, Irene, born in 1928, died in 2003. Third child, son, Guy (my grandfather) is youngest child still living. Lorraine still living also.

Hi Margit: I have some people from two Vatne Farms in my base. One in Lista and the other in Eiken, Hegbostad. Who or what are you looking for. If it is the Lista Vatne I have the Lista Boka I and II. Richard Peterson Margit <margit@eot.com> wrote: Does anyone have Vattne in their database? Thanks, Margit ==== NOR-VEST-AGDER Mailing List ==== Make sure you check out the other lists available here for Norway: http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/NOR/ ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx Richard Peterson 1513 Lorelei Dr Apt 309 Zion, Il 60099 USA rlockmanpete@sbcglobal.net

I have some Vatne in my tree; who or what are you looking for? Ellen > Does anyone have Vattne in their database? > Thanks, > Margit

Does anyone have Vattne in their database? Thanks, Margit

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Christensen, Hovland, Olsen, Toft, Nøding Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lcC.2ACI/337 Message Board Post: Looking for Norway roots for Anne Gurine Christensen, b. ABT. 1872, m. Torger Tønnesen Hovland in Boston MA., had children Almer, b. 1898 and Mabel b.1896, both b. in MA. In June 1900 she returned from visiting family in Mandal with children Mable and Alma(er). Appearing to be traveling with her are Gerda Olsen, b. 1884; Joanna Toft, b. 1884; and Adelaide Nøding, b. 1882; all from Mandal. They were listed together originally for a ship manifest to Boston but names were crossed off and instead traveled on a ship to New York. Anne is living at 22 Brooks St. in East Boston and Joanna Toft is listing as going to see Mr. Toft at 22 Brook St. Anne Gurine Hovland also visited Norway, leaving from Christiana in 1920. On the IGI, there is an Anne Gurine Christensen born 20 July 1873, father: Christen Tellefsen and mother: Jorgine Andrea Jordesdr in Kristianstand but I am unsure if there is a connection. Would appreciate any suggestions of where to look next. I have tried to use the digitalarkivet but with limited success. Does anyone see a connection with the names from Mandal?

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/lcC.2ACI/144.2.1 Message Board Post: Hello Jacqueline: It would help to have more information to help identify Torval, etc when/if we find him. For example, what dates did they live? Who was his wife? When did they emigrate? and so forth. If they emigrated before 1865 they wouldn't be in that Norwegian Census. Can you give us anything more? Richard

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/lcC.2ACI/144.2 Message Board Post: My maiden name is Jacqueline Borrson. Father - Timothy Borrson. Grandfather - Guy Borrson. - Great Grandfather - Torval Borrson. Torval came from Norway. Am looking for his siblings and their families.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/lcC.2ACI/144.1 Message Board Post: My maiden name is Borrson.

Part Three The day after, the 30th April, the damage to the Valkyrien was assessed and a contract made with the shipbuilders to repair it for 500 daler* and to be ready a week after the contract was signed; and it was. Soon after came a petition to the Captain from the City's citizens for permission to come aboard to see how things were. That was granted and we scrubbed the decks. The next morning at 9:30 the parade began, the passengers were all in their Sunday best but had to spend the whole day in their berths, so thick was the stream of city folk that passed through the ship. Some of them took their time, gave presents to several children and inspected us as carefully as they could. The stream continued all that day and most of the next so that it was not possible to eat as long as they were there. As you will see, the petition to come aboard was not just to come to look at us. First on that morning, 15 fine gentlemen and ladies came aboard as representatives of the City that had collected a supply of provisions for us because our journey was longer than provisioned for. With them were four wagonloads of all sorts of foodstuffs found in Dover, even food from military supply. Nor were vegetables and condensed milk forgotten and not even the children who received 3 sacks of dried fruit and 2 big boxes of candy. Of baked goods, 1400 pounds of rusks and 300 pieces of hardtack of 15 pounds each. By my evaluation (I had the honour of distributing it to the passengers and gave the last sack of Dover bread at the railway station in Toronto in Canada) we received provisions to the value of 500 dalar* But our friends in Dover had just begun with their kindness and there would still be more and there were many small ones as well. The City had its greatest joy in whatever they could do to make us happy so that our sorrow would be diminished when we set off later on the capricious sea. The day the contract was signed, Captain Møller went to London, first to visit his sister who was married to a ship captain whom we met in Quebec and also to enquire about the brigantine and its owners to see if he could obtain any compensation for the damage but he failed to make contact. Fear of being without provisions since the journey now looked to be longer, they asked him to purchase 1400 pounds of hardtack for us and for this 1400 pounds the Captain was paid back by Dover because he had bought it with his own money. Because the Captain received money from the people of Dover for the bread that he had paid for, there were some who on the 9th of June, swore revenge on the Captain, Pat and another Mate when they came ashore and spread the shameful lie that I first heard of after I had been in America for over 20 years. That the Dover citizens had given us 500 dalar in cash, that they delivered to the Captain and that he had kept it for himself and never disclosed it to us; so goes the story. And because it is so easy to believe this to be true, and after it has spread as it has, so there are several as I understand who have taken their stand on the liar's side. Therefore it should be in Valkyrien's history that it is an absolute lie regarding the 500 dalar the Captain received. What happened aboard Valkyrien on the 16th May and the 9th, 13th and 14th June when the investigation was begun and dismissed, anyone with any knowledge of what was said those days will understand how this malicious lie about Captain Møller spread and was easily believed by many for it was cash and could have been as much as 10 daler per family. The Sunday we lay in Dover 6 of us went to church but it happened that the church we entered was Catholic. But we were met at the door and ushered to the last pew by the door. But think, in the pew I was assigned there were only Dover people and one of them gave me his hymn book and himself shared one with another, would we be so friendly if a foreigner, and especially if we knew he was a Catholic, had come into our church? On Monday the Captain again went to London to ask about the brigantine and the shipping company but could not find a trace of anything. The brigantine undoubtedly lies on the bottom of the English Channel to this day. That day, Pat and Markus S., who had been in America for 8 years, went to the Norwegian Consul to ask if under the circumstances we now found ourselves we might be due compensation from the Emigrant Company. Not unless we ran short of provisions, he said. Although the language he spoke was nothing but English, there lived in Dover a priest who was not ashamed to tell that he was descended from Norwegian blood and two days before we departed Dover he invited us to a banquet, "a great feast" with place for 318. At 5 in the afternoon, Wednesday the 7th May we were all festively dressed and at 5:30 the priest came down to the quay to be our guide to the hall where we were to be treated. With a sailor and a policeman aboard and a soldier with fixed bayonet ashore, we left Valkyrien at 6 o'clock and with the priest and Captain at the head we paraded through the City's grand streets as those who had arisen from the dead. And wherever we went everyone came to their doors to see the Norwegian creatures who now for the first time after escaping death would sit around a decked table. To deal with this chapter of my diary, dear reader, is so moving that even though it is 32 years since it was first written, it is hard to do it without tears. We did not yet fully believe that we were actually alive before we went into the building and were to sit at the table. Our consciousness of what we had endured was greater as we went in than it was during that night of distress. In front of the entry to the hall there were Norwegian, English and American flags that waved as if to welcome us. As soon as we came in, a large number of able ushers seated us at the tables, all at once, 317 at 5 tables and where I sat there were 53. In one end of the hall there was a stage and on the walls around it were 11 flags from different nations and on the stage were 18 horn players. At the other end there were galleries that were filled with more than 100 ladies and gentlemen who wished to see if these Norwegian farmers could use knife and fork. This was the first time they had to manipulate such equipment which was obviously difficult since for all their days they were used to using 5 fingers. As well, the prayers and singing were as in a Norwegian farmer's banquet for the English had familiarized themselves with what was Norwegian custom. When we were all seated, the musicians began their program with "Sønner af Norge, det ældgamle Rige" etc. Oh, what an unexpected thing for when hearing that the blood began to stir and the tears to roll and we could not stop them even though we were at a party where there should only be happiness but our heart strings were still too tender after that night on the North Sea, life and death were still mixed within us. When the song ended the priest's father, an oldtimer who looked to be 90 years stepped before the assembly and said grace and then we began to eat. Then the musicians immediately began to play and played the whole time we while we ate. And even though the dishes were many and good and everything more inviting than we were used to, we ate very little - we could not - we were too full of sorrow. As soon as we had finished eating the ladies in the gallery came down, they resembled angels more than people - and began to pick fruit and all sorts of pastries from the tables and stuffed them into our pockets for they clearly felt that we had not helped ourselves as much as we should have. I can say that never in our lives had our pockets been so well filled as the ladies filled them. When we left the hall we had enough oranges and cakes to serve as ballast for Valkyrien instead of stone, had it been needed. Then the ladies took the children out of their mother's arms and danced with them in the air, spoke to the mothers as if they understood the language, gave the children presents and were more smiling and happy than I had ever seen before in my whole life. There was no condescension to be seen in them but the love they had for we unfortunates was without limit. For 4-5 days in a row the City's inhabitants kept soothing us both in body and soul to get us to forget how close we had been to death. The officers and 3 of the sailors who could speak English moved from one end to another and also Pat, who knew a few English words. But if the rest, who could not speak to them still enjoyed ourselves amongst them until 8 o'clock. Then the music began to play again and when there were exclusively Norwegian songs: "Gud velsigne Kongen god" ex-sergeant Pat joined in, as he had often done at Bergenhus when the music played there, in full voice. Immediately the officers were ready to control him but when he stopped, a young lady who stood beside him patted him on the shoulder with these words, "Good to sing, good to sing!" After that the preacher held a little speech in which he praised us for the quiet and mannerly conduct we had shown in the streets as well as at every place we visited during our stay in the City and this speech the Captain translated for us on the spot. Then the Captain gave a speech in which he thanked the priest and the City and all of those who had hosted us that evening and what they had delivered aboard for our trip, their kindness in all things and the brotherly love they had shown us who had been struck by misfortune. His words were translated to Norwegian by the First Officer from the main hatch cover when we had come back to the ship. On our return we saw a diver come out of the sea with a child who had fallen from the quay while we were at the party. Since we had enjoyed being with our friends as long as we wished, we then bade a heartfelt farewell and thought that we were finished with all the good they had decided to do for us but that was not so. In the morning came another wagon load with provisions of all sorts. Then the priest came with gifts of dishes for all the children who were called forth by families from the passenger list to receive their gifts, 80 in all and some got two. But the blessed priest's and the City's compassion were still not exhausted, the banquet cost the priest and the City a bit over 200 daler altogether. But now the hour of departure was near and the friends would soon have to separate. At morning prayers the 9th May at 8 o'clock an immense crowd stood on the quay at Dover to say a last farewell and the separation was just as moving as we departed from our dear ones in Norway but much more painful than that Friday when we left our friends in Bergen. But just as we were to separate from our friends and benefactors they had more to give us, remembering the children the priest came with 50 pots of fresh milk for them and distributed it himself. This was then the last gift and now these people had cause to be happy for what they had done - it is better to give than to receive - they had alleviated our sorrow in every way. How many prayers, sighs and tears our friends and benefactors on the quay gave that morning as we left the City no one knows but the Lord. Not an eye was dry, no face looked happy. The moment of departure had come. When the Palmerston began to pull on the line and the Valkyrien slowly began to slide from the quay, Pat stood on the railing and on behalf of the passengers in a farewell salute with "Long live Dover! hurra! hurra! hurra!" which was responded to be "Long live Valkyrien! hurra! hurra! hurra!" and with handkerchiefs as long as the eye could see we signalled each other the last "Farewell!" *The daler/dalar was a speciedaler, worth a bit more than the US dollar of that time. OK

Part Two. At 11 o'clock Monday morning the 28th the new quartermaster was below decks with the Second Mate to log the ship's speed and the Valkyrien plowed the sea at 7½ knots that watch. But by 12 o'clock the weather changed to what even the sailors call a storm. As soon as he was finished with the logging he went down to his people to see that they were in bed, turned out the lamps and went to bed; he was tired. For one reason or another the sailor who was on lookout had left his post and there was no warning of a brigantine that was pushed by the wind in starboard tack and that would collide with us midships. Since our lanterns in the rigging were not as visible as in ordinary weather, the brigantine could not see us in the darkest night I have ever seen for 34 years. While we lay in our best sleep, between 12 and 1, we were suddenly awakened by a crash and a sound that resembled rolling thunder and that felt to us as if we had struck a mountain since our ship immediately stopped dead when the collision occurred. My berth was under the main hatch on toward side the brigantine hit. Every time the waves pushed the brigantine against our ship the Valkyrien's planking bent so far into my bed that they hit my back hard. With every slap I expected that our ship would break up since the brigantine had become so entangled that it could not break away. The brigantine was under full sail and pressed against us. Finally the storm separated the two ships. Instead of cutting through Valkyrien in the collision the brigantine struck the bow, snapped the bowsprit with its eight sails in three pieces and tore away the whole bow. Every time the ship bobbed under a wave water poured in so rapidly that we would have soon sunk if had we not been able to nail canvas on it to keep the water out. But the bowsprit with its sails was still attached by its lower chains to what was left of the bow and hung in a tangle under the ship. It became clear that the planking on the foreward part of Valkyrien had become quite thin. As soon as the collision occurred, the quartemaster jumped out of his berth and lit half the lamps but went immediately back to bed where he put his arms around his four dear ones that were in his bed. We all understood that with death follows Judgement for all those who die in unrepentance and infidelity. Besides what was visible it was impossible to say how much damage the Valkyrien had sustained, but by the amount of water that poured in every time the ship plunged, the Captain knew that we would soon sink and he ordered the terrifying command be sent down the main hatch, "Everyone on deck to board the lifeboats!" You who read this, even if you were not in Gethsemane with us that night, will understand what "Judgement Day Lamentation" there was as soon as that order came down the hatch for there were probably not many who felt they were prepared to meet Him who would judge both the living and the dead, when they were to meet Him on such short notice. And to think of saving oneself and one's naked sleeping children by going into the boats in the storm, darkness and cold demands a faith that is hardly known in the current generation. I must confess honestly I did not have it, even though I had no fear of dying under the circumstances we were in for the grace period we now had was no where as long as the robber on the cross had from when he called to the Lord for mercy until his soul left his body. Now that we were commanded "On deck!" there was only two choices, either die where we were or try our luck by giving ourselves as sacrifices to the four elements, wind and cold, water and dark, in a little boat on the ocean at midnight. Many who had not been rendered impotent by fear came out of their berths and bustled around my bed wishing to hear what I was going to do, die where I was or make a try for life. With my answer, many went back to their berths and we let the Lord deal with us according to His will, whether we would live or die. Think then, even though things looked almost hopeless, the Lord had fufilled what he promised and said, "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" while we who were almost dead called to the Lord for help and then there came another message down the hatch that on closer examination of the damage there was a slight hope that with the pumps we could keep the ship from sinking if we could build a dam so not all of every wave could get into the ship. But as soon as that message came down our brave quartermaster leaped from his bed like a cat and onto the deck to find Captain Møller to hear what hope we had in keeping alive. Supplied with good hope and comfort, he went straight back to execute the Captain's orders that he loudly shouted from a high place midships, that all males should instantly come on deck to help him save our lives. But the confusion was so great and the composure of most all gone that almost no one heard or understood that everyone had to come to try to save both body and soul from certain death. "Are they coming?" asked the Captain when the quartermaster came back. "Do not know, Herr Captain" was the answer. "Well, go down again and force them to come up." And with both harsh and soft words he finally persuaded 20 of the 150 men up on deck. You may ask what was wrong with the other 130. Death had terrified them and they were raving. But with these 20 and the 15 of the crew we were able, through hard work from 3 in the morning until 8, to get all eight sails that lay under the ship up on deck. At the same time all the pumps were kept going steadily and though the men had to be changed more often than every quarter hour and still we could barely get more water out than came in after we had shut most of the waves out with the canvas. The first day we were on the North Sea there was a head wind so it was decided to go through the English Channel and when the collision happened we had come, so to say, at its mouth, 20 miles from land. Without a foresail getting to England went poorly, we were driven more and more toward France. But by midday we had the joy of seeing land and we raised the flag for a pilot. Then from a pilot ship, that patrolled the Channel to give such assistance, a small boat came but the seas were so heavy that they could not come close enough to bring him aboard, the pilot had to jump in the water and we threw a line to him and hauled him up. As soon as he was a board we sent a distress signal and a little steamer "Victoria", that cruised the Channel hoping to make money in the need and accidents of others, approached us but demanded 100 pounds - 500 daler - to tow us to land, 1 mile from the City of Dover. But since we now could save our lives without their help we refused them because of the price. Just think, how merciless! But since we were drifting closer and closer to the French coast, by afternoon they could see us from Dover that lies at a place where the Channel is narrowest between England and France. We raised our distress flag and immediately the steamship "Palmerston" came from Dover and towed us in for 45 daler - and back into the open sea for the same price. When we came to the quay in Dover, the bells in the church tower, as if in grief, tolled a slow 3. As a safeguard for life and property a police watch was set onboard and soldiers on the quay ashore stayed there day and night for the 10 days we lay there. A plank from the ship to the quay served as a gangplank. The quay was full of people who wished to see the pitiful state we were in. After the suffering whe had endured that last night, we certainly resembled Lazarus when Jesus called him from the tomb. We were sleepless, spiritless, sad and had not eaten for 24 hours. But no one was allowed to come aboard since it was now the police who were in command as long as we lay at Dover.

Hei List! The translation of the story of the Valkyrien is a bit difficult and slow going. There is a struggle with the flowery style educated Norwegians used in those days, called "kansellistil" A good xummary can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/6qure I will, however, continue to tear apart Fjærestad's sentences and post the story Olaf