Dear Listers! I have another huge brick wall challenge to share with you today: Lasse Christopherson (1809- ) and wife Unni (Julia?) Olsdotter (1809) emigrated in 1857 to Dekorra township, Columbia Co., WI. Lasse apparently died s0me time in the 1860's, and about 1870 Julia Christopher removed with her children to Humboldt and Webster Cos., IA. From a court document from Humboldt Co., IA from 1896 she is said to have died about 1892, but I hav e never been able to verify this! Among her children, who all went by LEWIS, were: * Christopher LEWIS, born in Luster Co., Norway Jan. 18, 1835, found in 1860 and 1870 Dekorra township, Columbia Co., WI censuses - supposed to have died at Ft. Dodge, IA about 1886 - apparently single(?) * Ole LEWIS, born in Luster Co., Norway Nov. 5, 1842, married in Polk Co., IA Mar. 31, 1871 to Anna Nelson (Luraas), born in Dane Co., WI in 1851. She died in Webster Co., IA in 1885. They had at least six children including: ** Lemark Lewis, born in Webster Co., IA fall of 1871, had left Iowa by 1896 and died in Chicago, IL Sep. 29, 1940, single. ** Daisy Lewis, born in Webster Co., IA about 1877, was alive in 1896, but did not live in Iowa! ** Jesse Benjamin Lewis, born in Webster Co., IA Nov. 2, 1882, was alive in 1896, but had also left Iowa! Ole Lewis was involved in illegal land transactions in Humboldt Co., IA where I understand he was accused for having sold the same farm twice! He was "wanted" by the justice, but "took off". In 1889 he was tracked down to Guthrie, Logan Co., OK where his sister Martha resided at that time (see below), but when the sheriff went to get him, he returned empty-handed to Iowa since Ole was gone again! Then he shows up once more, in 1897, then residing in Austin, Travis Co., TX! However, as I understand it, they never managed to get him brought back to Iowa to stand trial! (In 1979 or 1982 I spent a whole afternoon in the Humboldt County courthouse reading official documents about this affair, but had to leave before I got around to read everything...!). So what became of Ole Lewis?? Maybe he escaped to Mexico? * Martha LEWIS, born in Luster Co., Norway Aug. 5, 1845, apparently lived for a while in Iowa, but had by 1889 ended up residing in Guthrie, Logan Co., OK. The cited document from 1896 referred to her as deceased "a couple of years ago", but she is found in the 1900, 1910 and 1920 censuses residing at the State Hospital in Norman, Cleveland Co., OK! She was never married and is called a domestic in 1900. Can any more information be found on her anywhere? * Inger (Agnes?) LEWIS, born in Luster Co., Norway June 8, 1851, apparently also lived for a while in Iowa, but moved away. She was said to be alive in 1896, but noone knew where she was! I should add that informants in 1896 were two other sisters, Rachel Lewis Jutland (1836-1910) of Webster Co., IA and Anna Lewis Tang (1839-1906) of Humboldt Co., IA. So, now the big question is: Do any of you listers see any possibilities, for example thru newspaper items, to find further details about any of these siblings, Christopher, Ole, Martha or Inga (Agnes?) or any of Ole's children? Maybe obituaries can be found for some of these: *** Lemark LEWIS died in Chicago, IL Sep. 29, 1940 *** Anna Lewis TANG died in Ft. Dodge, Webster Co., IA Jan. 15, 1906 *** Rachel Lewis JUTLAND died at Badger, Webster Co., IA Nov. 12, 1910 Thanks a million in advance for your great assistance in this matter! Very sincerely yours, Lars E. Oyane

Hello Lars here are some items you may be interested in Humboldt Independent 15 September 1931 page 6 LeMark Lewis of Chicago and Mr and Mrs W L Tang of Fort Dodge visited at the home of their cousin, Elizabeth Jutland, last week. Madison Capital Times 03 October 1940 page 21 Former Resident Dies Stoughton friends have received word from Chicago of the death Sunday in the Cook county hospital of Lemark Lewis, old time resident of Stoughton. Mr Lewis was the oldest of the five children of the late Mrs Anna Lurass Lewis, a sister of the late Orrin Luraas of the city and who in the 90's resided in the building on E. Main st that later was remodelled and is now Aaron Schusters store. The other children were Herman, Bennie, Daisy and Millie and Lemark was the last survivor of the family. As far as can be learned the nearest living relative of Mr Lewis is an aunt, Mrs Isabelle Luraas Johnson, residing north of town.

Humboldt Independent 18 January 1906 page 13 Mrs Ole Tang, a former well known resident of this place but who lately had been making her home with son Wm Tang at Fort Dodge, died Monday morning. Mrs Tang was about 65 years of age and had been quite sick for a long time and her death was not unexptected. The remains will be brought to Thor and the funeral held from the Synod Church Wednesday