Tom (Thore) Olson I am searching for information on the family of Tom (Thore, Thor) Olson, who emigrated from Norway to the U. S. in 1870. He was born in Norway in May, 1856, it is thought that it was in Valdres, but that is not certain. His death certificate (died Aug. 9, 1920) indicates his father’s name was Ole Reye. Tom came to Rock County,Wisconsin, and was married there to my grandmother in Rock County in Dec., 1878. In 1880 they moved to Freeborn County, Minnesota where they raised their family, and lived until they died. An account by a daughter notes that he immigrated with his mother and a sister, and that his father had died in Norway. This account contains other information on the family in America which is not totally accurate, and we have been unable to find any record of these individuals. Another unconfirmed source indicates he may have had a brother and a sister named Henry and Jennie respectively. Another unconfirmed source indicates Ole Reye, (spelling??) may have been from Vestre Toten. What we know for sure, or are fairly certain of is his birth date, immigration date, and marriage date, although we have not found him on any of the ships lists we have searched. (These were departures from Oslo.) We also found a confirmation record for 1871 that may be him. It is recorded at the Orfordville Lutheran Church in Rock County, Wisconsin. There is an unsubstantiated account that Tom and my grandmother, Ellen were cousins. Ellen Olson was born in the U. S. in 1859. Her father emigrated to the U. S. in 1850 with his father, mother, brothers, and sisters. His father was Ole Knudson Engen (Myli) and his mother was Birgit Herbrandsdatter Myli. They were from the Hallingdal area The farm is near Bromma, south of Nesbyen. Information on this family can be found in the Sevre Slekt, published by Sigmund Sevre of Oslo, Norway. A search of census records for 1865 in Norway finds a number of Thore Olsons in the Ulness area, but none of them seems to be right. These are: Ole Syvers. – Dist. No. 545 7; Side 149; School Distr. – Rognaas og Rye; Sogn – Ulnæs og Svænnæs; Prestegjeld – Nordre Aurdal. Ole Thores. – Dist. No. 567 7; Side 149; School Distr. - Rognaas og Rye; Sogn – Ulnæs og Svænnæs; Prestegjeld – Nordre Aurdal. Ole Stengrims. – Dist. No. 424 6: Side 123: School Distr. – Ulnæs; Sogn – Ulnæs: Prestegjeld – Nordre Aurdal. Ole Gulbrands. – Dist. No. 836 11: Side 252; School Distr. – Vestringbygden og Aaberg: Sogn – Aurdal: Prestegjeld – Nordre Aurdal. These were also found by researchers at the Vesterheim Genealogical Society at Madison, Wisconsin, and they also did not feel any of them were the correct family. We did find an immigration record of a mother and several children who left Norway in 1870 from Kristiania havn. It is record no. 128096. The ship was the Kong Sverre. The mother was Anne Olsen Taraldsd., age 40. Listed are 8 children, including a Torvald, age 13. This does not fit with the information we had that Tom came to America with a mother and a sister, or that he had a brother and a sister named Henry and Jennie, but since these are not substantiated facts, we have not totally ruled out the possibility. We also found a record of passports for this family. Their destination was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He does not appear in the 1870 of Wisconsin or 1880 census of Wisconsin and Minnesota. It could be that he arrived too late in 1870 to be counted, and left in 1880 so that he missed both the Wisconsin and Minnesota census. He does appear in later census in Minnesota. I have probably given you more information than you wanted. I will appreciate any help you can give me in finding the connection to my family in Norway. Ralph Olson 1116 Lakewood Ave. Albert Lea, Minnesota 56007 U. S. A. Ralph