Amundson - Rorem - Alberts Family Stories

 

Radcliffe Community Folks and Facts Illustrated (Centennial Volume, 1980) page 69

 

One of the early pioneers in Radcliffe, Iowa was Amund Torekoven Amundson, who was born at Odda, Hardanger, Norway on May 14, 1827. He was a member of the Lutheran Church (Hauge). He had worked for two years fishing in the Lofoton Islands on commission to earn his fare to America. In 1850, he left with many others, including his future wife, Torjor Laate, who was born May 25, 1824. After six weeks crossing the ocean to Montreal and six more weeks by way of the St. Lawrence River, canal boat, Great Lakes and wagon from Chicago, they reached Cambridge, Wisconsin.

After learning the shoe-making trade in St. Louis, he earned enough money, $500 in gold, to buy an 80 acre farm in Cottage Grove Township, Dane County, Wisconsin. On December 26, 1852, he and Torbjor Laate were married.

Amund Amundson later bought land in Lincoln Township, Hamilton County, Iowa. In 1885, their youngest son, Albert, then 17 years old, went out by covered wagon to take possession of part of the land. Albert cut and baled prairie grass and sold it in order to buy lunber for the house he built near the stage coach route from Marshalltown to Fort Dodge. In 1888, Amund and Torbjor moved to Iowa, living with Albert and his family until their deaths: Amund on May 25 1895 and Torbjor on September 4, 1902. Their children were well repected in the Radcliffe area.

Albert Amundson, who changed his children's surnames to Alberts, was a forward looking man who built the first silo in the area, installed the first rural home electric light and had a bathroom installed while his children were still young. He was superindtendent of the Bethesda Childrens' and Old Peoples' Homes in Beresford, South Dakata, March 1904-1904 and March 1917-1920.

Albert married Julia Rorem on June 5, 1889. Julia was born in Kendall County near Lisbon, Illinois, on August 10, 1868, the daughter of Torgrim and Anna Rorem who came from Illinois to Roland, Story County, Iowa in April, 1874. The Rorems had come from Rorheim on the Island of Ombo, Norway in 1867. Old settlers recall that Torgim kept a lighted lantern on a pole to guide travelers on the prairie to their home at night. Their children contributed much to the Radcliffe community.

Julia was a supportive wife, a good homemaker and mother whose live of people broght many relatives and friends to their home. They both loved flowers, good books, and creativity. They were both active members of the Salem Congregation until their deaths: Albert in 1953 and Julia in 1962.

(Parents)

Torgrim Olson and Anna Johanna Øysteinsdtr Tednes lived on Rørheim Farm, sub-farm 2, before coming to the United States. Rørheim Farm is located in Rogaland County, on an island, Sjernarøy, off the western coast of Norway, north of Stavanger. It was part of Sjernarøy sub-parish, Nedstrand Parish. Torgrim was born in 1824. His parents were Ola Torgrimson Ullestad and Ingeborg Ivarsdtr. Anna Johanna was born in 1829. Her parents were Øystein Olson and Gunla Torgeirsdtr Tednes. Torgrim and Anna Johanna were married in 1855.

Children from this marriage were (born in Norway):

i. Øystein was born, 3 Jan 1855
ii. Ole Johan was born, 1 Jul 1857
iii. Gudmund was born, 26 January 1859
iv. Andreas was born, 19 January 1861 and died, 1 June 1861
v. Tobias Andreas was born, 18 May 1862

Amund Amundson and Torbjor Laate lived in Dane County, Wisconsin and Hamilton County, Iowa. Åmund Åmundson, son of Åmund Aslakson and Anna Åmundsdtr, was born on 14 May 1827 in Odda Parish and died on 25 May 1895 in Hamilton County, Iowa. Another name for Amund was Oddmund Amundson. Amund came to America in 1850. He was the first one in his family to come to America. At first, he owned and operated a shoe repair shop. Later he farmed in Dane County, Wisconsin and then in the Radcliffe area. Amund married Torbjor Laate on 26 Dec 1852 in Dane County, Wisconsin. Torbjor was born on 25 May 1824 in Odda Parish and died on 4 Sep 1902 in Hamilton County, Iowa. Another name for Torbjor was Torbjørg Larsdtr. Torbjor was from Låte Farm, sub-farm 1. She also came to America in 1850, on the same ship that Amund was on.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Laura. Another name for Laura is Larsina Amelia Amundson.
ii. Albert was born in 1868 and died in 1953.

(Grandparents)

Ola Torgrimson Ullestad and Ingeborg Ivarsdtr lived on Rørheim Farm, sub-farm 1. Ola was born on 13 September 1795 and died 20 March 1875. His parents were Torgrim Ivarson Ullestad , Årdal Parish and Gunhild Eivinsdsdtr, Liitle Dovik , Årdal Parish.
Ingeborg Ivarsdtr was born in 1787 and died 31 December 1870.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Gunnela was born, 1 Dec 1821
ii. Eli was born, 1823
iii. Torgrim was born, 1824 (Julia Rorem Amundson’s father)
iv. Ingeborg was born, 19 June 1827
v. Berta was born, 6 Sept 1829

Øystein Olson and Gunla Torgeirsdtr lived on Tednes Farm. Øystein Olson was born in 1791. His parents were Ola Jakobson Jarvik , Jelsa Parish and Anna Torgilsdtr. Gunla Torgeirsdtr was born in 1794. Her parents were Torgeir Olavson Tednes and Gitlaug Hallvardsdtr. Øystein and Gunla were married in 1819.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Ola was born, 1824
ii. Anna Johanna was born, 1829 (Julia Rorem Amundson’s mother)

Åmund Aslakson and Anna Åmundsdtr lived at Torekoven Farm, Odda Parish, Hordaland County, Norway. Åmund was the son of Aslak Tomasson and Ingebjørg Tormodsdtr He was born in 1808 in Odda Parish and died in 1894. He was from Seljestad Farm, sub-farm 3. Åmund married Anna in 1825. Anna was born in 1805 in Odda Parish and died in 1844 in Odda Parish. She was from Løyning Farm, sub-farm 1.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Aslak was born in 1825, Odda Parish and died in 1881, Odda Parish.
ii. Amund was born on 14 May 1827 in Odda Parish and died on 25 May 1895 in Hamilton County, Iowa. Another name for Amund was Oddmund. He left for America in 1850.
iii. Åmund was born in 1829 in Odda Parish and died in 1918.
iv. Torbjørg was born in 1831, Odda Parish and died in 1913, Odda Parish.
v. Helge was born in 1835, Odda Parish and died in 1916. He left for America in 1870.
vi. Ola was born in 1837 in Odda Parish. He left for America in 1873.
vii. Ingegjørg was born in 1836, Odda Parish. She left for America in 1864.

Lars Helgeson and Gurid Gunnarsdtr lived at Løyning Farm, sub-farm 1, Odda Parish, Norway. Lars Helgeson was born in 1793 in Odda Parish and died in 1836 in Odda Parish. He came from Apold Farm, sub-farm 1. Lars married Gurid in 1822. Gurid was born in 1799 in Odda Parish and died in 1886 in Odda Parish. She was born on Låte Farm.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Ola was born in 1823 in Odda Parish and died in 1895 in Odda Parish.
ii. Torbjor was born on 25 May 1824 in Odda Parish and died on 4 Sep 1902 in Hamilton County, Iowa.
iii. Helge was born in 1826 in Odda Parish and died in 1920.
iv. Gunnar was born in 1832 in Odda Parish and died in 1896 in Odda Parish.
v. Jakob was born in 1835 in Odda Parish and died in 1919.

(Great-Grandparents)

Torgeir Olavson Tednes and Gitlaug Hallvardsdtr lived on Tednes Farm. Torgier was born in ??. Gitlaug was born in 1751. Her parents were Hallvard Jakobson, Øvre Mjølsnes , Finnøy Parish and Gunhild Tollaksdtr Rossøysund. Torgeir and Gitlaug were married in 1779.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Jakob was born, 1783
ii. Margreta was born, 1787
iii. Gunla was born, 1794

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Source of Norwegian Based Information:

Rørheim Farm, pp. 37-38, Løland, Jacob Sverre. Sjernarøy Bygdebok. Finnøy: Finnøy Kommune, 1972. Bd I - Gard og ætt.

Tednes Farm, page 52, Våge, Magnus. Erfjord Bygdebok: fra sette- og kultursoga I Erfjord. Stavanger: Erfjord Kommune, 1959.

Ullensvang og Kinsarvik, Bind 3/1 - Odda sokn

 

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