Lars, I don't know if you have been to the USGenWeb page for Burke County but there might be some clues there to help you.  The website is maintained by rchillportal@gmail.com and he (Bob Hill) may be able to help with local knowledge. Lykke til Greg Holter From: Lars E. Oyane via <norway@rootsweb.com> To: norway@rootsweb.com Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2015 8:09 AM Subject: Re: [NOR] Final attempt: Andrew (1829) and Dorthea "Tilda" (1845) Sorenson - Burke Co., ND - HELP PLEASE? Dear Mark and other Listers! I have yesterday made a rather through analysis of the Burke County census records, and I have come to the conclusion that the Andrew and Tilda Sorenson family must have been pioneer settlers of the City of Bowbells, Burke Co., ND.  In 1900 they resided two houses from Dr. Albert Movius and his wife Sophia, and following the Movius family I discover from the 1920 census that they resided on Washington street in Bowbells, ND.  Then, the 1930 census gives the address as Washington Avenue in Bowbells, ND.  I guess there must have been a change of name some time in the 1920's!?  (There is today a Washington street in the tiny little town of Coteau about 4 miles southwest of Bowbells, b ut that must be something else...) The city of Bowbells, ND was founded in 1898 and was incorporated some years later.  May we guess that these settlers (showing in the 1900 census) all arrived at Bowbells, ND in 1898 and then built their houses?  The Movius family came to Bowbells from Big Stone City, Grant Co., SD, and who knows; maybe that's where the Sorensons came from as well??  Most everyone was in 1900 owners of mortgage free houses in the neighborhood!  But looking at Washington Avenue as of today (ref. Google maps), there seems to be only a couple of houses left.  Washington Avenue is in the southwestern part of Bowbells across the railroad tracks! I find it interesting and fascinating to study the development of a North Dakota city, particularly when one of the families you look for figures among the very first ones!! Could it be that literature exist on the first couple of years of Bowbells with some biographical "sketches"? Thanks again for any suggestions in regard to this very "elusive" family! Very sincerely yours, Lars E. Oyane

The North Dakota State Historical Society has a lot of local historiy books online here: http://www.digitalhorizonsonline.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/ndsl-books I don’t see anyone in this book: Bowbells diamond jubilee and school reunion, 1981 http://tinyurl.com/kcw3oul This sounds promising. An August Sorenson moved a store 50 miles west of Bowbells to Crosby, N.D. in 1909. Could this be your August? http://tinyurl.com/mlf52gt <http://tinyurl.com/mlf52gt> -Mark

Dear Greg, Mark and other Listers! Thank you very much for your messages from yesterday which I have studied with great interest! First of all, Greg, I have today written to Bob Hill about this Sorenson problem, and I can only hope he'll answer me... As far as the references that you, Mark, have provided, there was no August in "my" Sorenson family, and what I have found out about this August, proves he's not part of "our" Sorenson family. And the Andrew Sorenson listed as a brother-in-law of John Nelson, lived at an entirely different time, so he also "falls out". The Anton Sorenson mentioned in the "Seedstock" book, may, however, very well be the son of "our" Andrew Sorenson, only too bad no other details are included in the book! Thanks again for your great assistance in this matter! Very sincerely yours, Lars E. Oyane ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On May 23, 2015, at 10:21 AM, Gregory Holter via wrote: > Lars, > > I don't know if you have been to the USGenWeb page for Burke County but there might be some clues there to help you. The website is maintained by rchillportal@gmail.com and he (Bob Hill) may be able to help with local knowledge. > > > Lykke til > Greg Holter > > > > From: Lars E. Oyane via <norway@rootsweb.com> > To: norway@rootsweb.com > Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2015 8:09 AM > Subject: Re: [NOR] Final attempt: Andrew (1829) and Dorthea "Tilda" (1845) Sorenson - Burke Co., ND - HELP PLEASE? > > Dear Mark and other Listers! > > I have yesterday made a rather through analysis of the Burke County census records, and I have come to the conclusion that the Andrew and Tilda Sorenson family must have been pioneer settlers of the City of Bowbells, Burke Co., ND. In 1900 they resided two houses from Dr. Albert Movius and his wife Sophia, and following the Movius family I discover from the 1920 census that they resided on Washington street in Bowbells, ND. Then, the 1930 census gives the address as Washington Avenue in Bowbells, ND. I guess there must have been a change of name some time in the 1920's!? (There is today a Washington street in the tiny little town of Coteau about 4 miles southwest of Bowbells, b ut that must be something else...) > > The city of Bowbells, ND was founded in 1898 and was incorporated some years later. May we guess that these settlers (showing in the 1900 census) all arrived at Bowbells, ND in 1898 and then built their houses? The Movius family came to Bowbells from Big Stone City, Grant Co., SD, and who knows; maybe that's where the Sorensons came from as well?? Most everyone was in 1900 owners of mortgage free houses in the neighborhood! But looking at Washington Avenue as of today (ref. Google maps), there seems to be only a couple of houses left. Washington Avenue is in the southwestern part of Bowbells across the railroad tracks! > > I find it interesting and fascinating to study the development of a North Dakota city, particularly when one of the families you look for figures among the very first ones!! > > Could it be that literature exist on the first couple of years of Bowbells with some biographical "sketches"? > > Thanks again for any suggestions in regard to this very "elusive" family! > > Very sincerely yours, > > Lars E. Oyane >