I'm searching for some data from Gjerpen, in the area of Skien on my maternal great grandfather, Erik Nilson Sanvik's side. Many questions. First, i show his birth 11.27.1863 probably at Sandvikveien, Skien but other dates have surfaced with other relatives. Also, Erik used Eric Nilson for many years upon arriving in the US, arund 1881, then adopted "Sanvik" and other variations of all these spellings, from 1896 on. We do not find where my grandmother, his first child with Barbara, was born but we do have a baptism certificate of a pastor of South Zumbro Lutheran Church. Ida Kornelia was her birth name, using Nilson as parents' last names. Questions I have: #1. Is his birth 1863? or another year? #2. what year did he return to Norway, after 1889 we know but he also returned to the US, we know in 1893 and remained the remainder of his years. I have his, and his wife and son Bennie's site on FindaGrave if any of that helps. #3. It appears that Erik's 3 sons, Palmer (1898) Bennie (1900) and Obert (1903) had no middle names. Is that odd? #4. We show Erik's father as Nils Pedersen Follestad and later Jonnevald. Is it likely he changed names as he moved? We do not see his father using Sandvik or any variation, although we think Erik was born at the Sandvikveien place in the town of Skien. #5. Is it possible to learn the place of birth of Erik's siblings, Peder, Elisa, Ingebret and Tor? We are fairly sure it is in the Gjerpen area of Telemark but not sure where. We have contact with some second cousin of my mother but they say they do not have this information, altho living in Skien. Thank you for any tips on these 5 questions. Linda in Alaska