This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/WFC.2ACI/446.552.1.1.3 Message Board Post: Thank you for this information. It's what I've been looking for. Ole was my great grandfather. Here's an interesting twist. I ran across a couple of old newspaper articles from 1958 & early 1960s about my great-grandfather. When he was young, he and two of his brothers, Knut & Jacob changed their last names to Stolen. (too many kittlesons in Dane County) My maiden name is Stolen. Ole went on to become a Judge in Madison and was very involved in Norse-American fraternal organizations. Knut's son, Amos settled in Stoughton as Reverand of First Lutheran Church. I have often been asked if I was related to him but never knew the connection until finding the newspaper article. After reading what you wrote, I now understand where the name "Stolen" came from. I could never understand why someone would "choose it". (You can imagine the jokes!) Of course I have more details on Ole's descendants if you're interested.