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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On May 17, 2015, at 4:02 PM, Lars E. Oyane via wrote: > Dear Mark and other Listers! > > Thank you very much, Mark, for your messages in regard to the Sorenson family. > > I have studied the names you sent me; I am afraid I don't know of any Laurits in Andrew's immediate family; neither do I know of any Peder or Emil. > > As far as Anton O. Sorenson of Mountrail and McLean Cos., ND is concerned, I find him in various census records, showing he was born in IA about 1894, which doesn't "match" too well with "our" Anton... > > Could it be that the children went by different last names? > > I previously found a railroad worker in Minneapolis, MN in 1910 by the name Anton Anderson, 36 years old and emigrated in 1884, both very close "matches" to "our" Anton, but I am unable to identify him in the Minneapolis City Directories about 1910... > > I also find an Ole A. Martinson, born (according to the WW1 draft record) in Norway May 12, 1879, residing in Leaf Mountain township, Burke Co., ND in 1910 and later. He has the same birthdate as "our" Ole. Can he be the one we are looking for? > > Thanks again for your great assistance in this matter! > > Very sincerely yours, > > Lars E. Oyane > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > On May 17, 2015, at 2:22 PM, Mark Erickson via wrote: > >> “The only place we now for sure the family resided, was in 1900 when the census for Township 161 Range 89 in Ward Co., ND (present-day Burke Co., ND)“ >> >> There is a SORENSEN, LAURITS P. buying 160 acres of that same land in 1905. Township 161 Range 89, Southeast quarter of section 21. The land patent was issued 19 Oct., 1905. Could be a relative. >> >> There’s also a SORENSEN, PEDER C, and SORENSEN, EMIL buying land nearby in 1902 and 1908. >> >> I also noticed these land purchases. Could he be your Anton? >> SORENSON, ANTON O >> Issue date: 6/26/1931 >> Township152N, Range 93W, Section 14 >> County: Mckenzie, Mountrail, North Dakota. >> (NOTE* This land stradles the Missouri River, that’s why it’s in two counties) >> >> SORENSON, ANTON O >> Issue date: 3/4/1916 >> Township152N, Range 91W, Section 32 >> County: Mountrail, North Dakota. >> >> Bismark Tribune; Wednesday, November 22, 1944 - Page 4 >> FOUR DAKOTANS LISTED AS CAUSUALTIES >> SORENSON, Odean Oral, Pfc, USMCR. Parents. Mr. and Mrs. Anton O. Sorenson, Max. >> (Max is a town in McLean County, North Dakota) >> >> -Mark > > Dear Listers! > > This problem has been discussed several times on the NORWAY list, last time in January of 2014, but a final "break-thru" is still to be made. Now, this part of my manuscript has to be published, and it be SO GREAT to be able to present a more complete family record! > > Does anyone live in or near BURKE CO., ND who might have a chance to look up land records at the Burke Co., ND courthouse? > > Anders Sorenson Odegaard > born in Hafslo, Norway Aug. 9, 1829 > married in Bergen, Norway May 8, 1870 to: > > Dorothea Simonsdotter Boe > born in Vang, Valdres, Norway Dec. 29, 1845 > > Anders was a potato merchant in Bergen until 1879, when he emigrated to the US, and in 1880 Dorothea followed. > > Children in this family: > > * Ole Larson (Boe), son of Dorothea and one Lars Olson Aasen, was born in Vang, Valdres, Norway Sep. 14, 1865 and is listed with Anders and Dorothea in the 1875 census, but then under the name Ole Anderson. He may have emigrated, but is so far unknown! > > * Anton Marius Anderson (Odegaard), born in Bergen, Norway May 30, 1875, emigrated to the US in 1885. > > * Anna Severine Anderson (Odegaard), born in Bergen, Norway May 2, 1876, emigrated to the US in 1885. > > * Ole Anderson (Odegaard), born in Bergen, Norway May 12, 1879, emigrated to the US in 1885 (he had a twin brother Marius who died shortly after birth). > > ~~~~~ > > When the three youngest children emigrated in 1885, they were "sent" by the Bergen City Welfare Department to their parents with address La Crosse, WI, but research has been done in La Crosse, WI - to no avail. They must have lived somewhere else at the time and only "picked up" the children in La Crosse, WI! > > The only place we now for sure the family resided, was in 1900 when the census for Township 161 Range 89 in Ward Co., ND (present-day Burke Co., ND) shows: > > SORENSON, Andrew not known 1822 aged 78 mar. 30 years Nor Nor Nor em. 1881 no occ. owns house fully paid > SORENSON, Tilda Mar 1847 aged 53 mar. 30 years 9(3) ch. Nor Nor Nor em. 1881 wife > SORENSON, Anton M May 1847 aged 23 single Nor Nor Nor em. 1881 son general laborer > > ~~~~~ > > What can be done next to find out what became of this family? I can only think of the following actions: > > ** Since Andrew Sorenson OWNED his house in Burke Co., ND (perhaps the current city of Bowbells?), there should be LAND RECORDS showing when he bought it and also when and how it changed owner after him. If we're real lucky, there may be a PROBATE RECORD involved showing death dates and addresses for the children... > > ** I presume there may also be NEWSPAPER ITEMS from the neighborhood telling about the Sorenson (Odegard) family, so if anyone has access to those, we might hav e a chance to find "something"! Maybe WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENTS involving the children? > > ** Finally, I presume it may also be worthwhile searching for MARRIAGE RECORDS at the Burke Co., ND courthouse for the three children, Anton Marius, Anna Severena and Ole, unless they would be recorded under Ward Co., ND (Minot), Burke being part of Ward Co. until 1910? > > Thanks again to all of you wonderful listers for any assistance or suggestions you may have! > > Very sincerely yours, > > Lars E. Oyane >