Selma Margarite EKUM

Other Events and Attributes:

• Vernon County Death Index: V12, P202 As Selma Margrete

Notes:

Her obit noted that she “passed away suddenly, having been ill only a few hours.”

Birth:
“near Readstown”

Buried:
Rev. Borgen conducted the funeral, buried with her parents 1NO25

Other Events and Attributes:

• Vernon County Death Index: V24, P559 As Albert M. Ekum

Notes:

Perhaps named for his little aunt Albertina who may have died at about the time he was born. Albertine had probably been named for her brother Albert Bowe who died while Albertine was in utero.

It’s possible that his middle name was Mons.

He placed the following advertisement in the Vernon County Censor, 9 Aug 1911 edition, and for two more weeks after that: For Sale: My stock and tobacco farm of 86 acres located 3 miles west of Readstown, known as the Hendrickson farm. Albert Munson Ekum, Readstown, Route No. 2. The Kickapoo Scout’s 4 May 1916 edition noted that Albert Ekum had sold his farm to Adolph Anderson.

The Kickapoo Scout’s 22 Jun 1916 edition noted that Albert Ekum had traveled to Minneapolis for medical treatment.

Registered for the draft on September 12, 1918, as Albert Ekum. He listed his home address as Route 4, Viroqua. He claimed to be 35 and born on November 26, 1882. His occupation is illegible. His nearest relative is listed as Bertha Ekum. Albert is described as of medium height and slender build with blue eyes and light hair.

The Kickapoo Scout’s 14 Nov 1918 edition noted that Albert Ekum had started to build his large store buildings in Liberty Pole and would soon start to sell all sorts of things that the people in the area needed. Albert advertised in the 26 Mar 1919 edition of the Vernon County Censor that he has opened up his new store in Liberty Pole and had on hand a full line of groceries.

The Vernon County Censor’s 9 Jul 1919 edition had a For Sale advertisment from Albert: My property at Liberty Pole consisting of 3½ acres of good tobacco land, garden and orchard, good house and barn, new store building, blacksmith shop.

The 27 August 1919 edition of the Censor had a brief article entitled A New City on the Hill: Albert Ekum, who has conducted a grocery at Liberty Pole, will take a change of base. He has purchased two acres of land from Ole B. Fortney and founded a new hamlet, which is christened “Mason City”, named for the early owner of the Mason farm. The store and residence is in course of erection on the country site, opposite the farm residence of Solfest Solverson, in the Franklin area.

The Censor’s 5 Nov 1919 edition said: Six miles south of Viroqua, on the Readstown state trunk highway, nearly opposite that farm home of Sylvester Solverson, looms up a fine combined business structure and dwelling. The place also has a full basement. It will open for business Saturday, November 8. At this favorable location, Albert Ekum has established a new trading place where he will dispense general merchandise to the people, carrying a complete stock. He invites all within his territory to call and inspect his goods, assuring them of new and good purchases at live and let live prices. A gasoline tank is established. Mr. Ekum is well known and has experience. The favorable location ought to insure success to the new merchant.

The Censor’s 9 Feb 1921 edition noted that Albert Ekum had hired a tutor to instruct him in the method of driving his new flivver.

Changed name to Ekum because, according to Dorothy's family stories, there were so many Munsons in the area (after they moved back in 1907) that delivering mail was confusing. Some relatives in northern Wisconsin convinced Albert and other members of the family to change their name to Ekum, similar to the original family name in Norway.

Albert and Bertha ran a grocery store and cabins many years in Mason City, "a small place south of Viroqua." They moved to Viroqua in 1946. After moving to Viroqua, Albert sold corn and was a janitor of Immanuel Church until he died in 1952.

In his obit, it was noted that Albert was the proprietor of a Mason City store for 27 years, an assessor for the Town of Franklin for 22 consecutive years, and treasurer of Immanuel Church for 12 years.

Not shown as living with his mother at the time of the 1900 census (June 12th). He and his father and sister Caroline had gone to California by that time and were living in Butte Township, Siskiyou County. Albert had a job as a laborer in a box factory.

The 1920 census-taker was Douglas Nelson who found the Ekum family on January 21st:

Albert, 31, home-owner but with a mortgage, store-keeper of a general store working on own account. Bertha, 28, born in Norway and immigrated in 1908 or 1909, naturalized in 1911, can read and write (probably Norwegian) but cannot speak English. {Which may be why her age is incorrect.} Children: Earnest T, 6, who has attended school, Selma Margaret, age 4 years and some months, Theresa Caroline, age 2 years and some months, and Archie Bennet age 1 year and some months or less.

Shown as Albert Elsum in the 1930 census index. According to the census, Albert and his family were living on the “Viroqua and Readstown Road” in Franklin Twp, Vernon County, in a $2500 house that Albert owned and that was not a farm. They did not have a radio. The household consisted of Albert, 47, Bertha, 38, Theresa, 12, Archie, 10, Walter, 8, Dorothy, 4+, Selma, 2+, and Thomas, 3 months. (Ernest is not listed.) Albert and Bertha were 29 and 20, respectively, when they were first married. Bertha emigrated in 1909. Albert’s occupation is shown as “Merchant, Country Store.” Albert was not a veteran.

Albert’s store and filling station was robbed in September of 1939 by a “gang” of three Minneapolis men who had staged several other holdups in the area. The three were captured in Michigan. They had raided Albert’s cash register for about $15.

In the 1940 census, Albert, Bertha, and their six youngest children, lived in Franklin Twp. Albert was the operator of a rural store.

In the 1950 census, Albert and Bertha lived 419 S Washington in Viroqua. Albert is a janitor at a church as well as a seed salesman. Living with them at the same address is the Adrian Sherry family.

An article in the December 19, 1951, edition of the La Crosse Tribune:

Viroquans Mark 40th Anniversary

“Friends and relatives of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Ekum, 419 S. Washington Ave., honored them on their 40th wedding anniversary December 16th. A reception was held at Immanuel Lutheran Church parlors. Mrs. Ekum, the former Bertha Oren, came to this country from Norway when she was 17. She was 20 when she was married to Albert Ekum at Readstown by the Rev. L. C. Jacobson, then Immanuel Lutheran pastor. Their attendants were Mrs. Ida Anderson and Martin Ekum, sister and brother of the couple. Both were at the Sunday reception.

“In a brief program, the Rev. Peder Nordsletten, Immanuel pastor, reviewed the lives of the celebrants. Daughters of the couple participated in devotions and the reading of anniversary poems.

“Before coming to Viroqua to reside in 1946, Mr. and Mrs. Ekum operated a general store and tourist camp at Mason City on Highway 14 between Readstown and Viroqua for 26 years.

“Their children are Mrs. Floyd Clements, Mrs. Arnold McKittrick, Mrs. Adrian Sherry, all of this vicinity; Ernest, Mason City; Arch, Birmingham, England; Tomas, U.S. Army stationed in Virginia; Walter, Monroe, Wisconsin.

“Mr. and Mrs. Ekum never have seen the two children of Arch, who served overseas during World War II and married an English girl. Nor have they seen a grandchild living in the south. The other six grandchildren are in the area.”

In his World War II draft registration, he gave his address as Route 5, Viroqua. He was self-employed.

Ernest Ekum, in the Vernon County 150 years book, wrote:

“In the year of 1920, Albert Ekum bought two acres of land from Mr. Ole B. Fortney to build a grocery store and living quarters combined. They moved to the store from Liberty Pole on October 31, 1920. Behind the store on the north side were hitching posts for the customers’ horses.

“They sold groceries and later added clothing such as jackets, shirts, gloves, shoes, etc.

“There was no electricity then so they used two aladdin lamps to light their store.

“For a time, they bought fresh cream from the farmers around for Swift & Co. who came and picked it up.

“Later, when people started buying cars and there were better roads, the Ekums tore the porch off the front and put in gasoline pumps. They also tore out the hitching posts and built a place to drain oil from cars.

“The Ekums then built a few tourist cabins which was a good business.

“In 1946, the Ekums sold their store to Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Olson of Madison and they then moved to the city of Viroqua.

“The store was then run by the Olsons until the roads got better and the people were shopping more elsewhere. Later the state road was rerouted from the store location and the Olsons closed their store and business.”

According to the obit in the La Crosse paper, he died suddenly at his home in Viroqua on Tuesday afternoon, March 4th. Visitation was at the home on March 7th, and the funeral on the 8th was from the home and at Immanuel Lutheran Church.

That obit also says: “Before coming to Viroqua six years ago, Ekum operated the Mason City general store and tourist cabins in the Township of Franklin, Vernon County, for 27 years. He held many township offices including assessor, and was treasurer of the Franklin Lutheran Church for many years. He remained active in church work in Viroqua.”

Died:
Died at 2:30 PM according to Cora’s diary. Died suddenly at his home on South Washington Avenue according to La Crosse obit.

Buried:
Rev. Borgen conducted the funeral according to one source, Rev. Peder Nordsletten according to another.

Albert married Brita Eriksdatter (Bertha Malina) ØREN on 19 Dec 1911 in Immanuel Lutheran Church, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin. Brita (daughter of Erik Pedersen NUNDAL and Malene Ovesdatter ØREN) was born on 21 Dec 1891 in Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway; died on 11 Feb 1960 in Vernon County, Wisconsin; was buried in Viroqua Cemetery, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Vernon County Death Index: V29, P152 As Bertha Malina Ekum

Notes:

The Bergen departure records show her (Britha Eriksdtr Øren) as leaving for the U.S. on November 2, 1908. Her reason for leaving was to better her living condition. She was to meet family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Bertha Øren Ekum's youngest sister and her granddaughter were scheduled to visit Ernest and Dorothy from Norway in the summer of 1983. Bertha's youngest sister is only one year older than Ernest, had already been over to the U.S. twice (as of March, 1983), and couldn't speak English.

The 1910 census shows Bertha as an 18 year old housemaid servant girl employed by Clause Bowe. She arrived in this country in 1909 and wasn’t yet able to speak English.

Cora’s address list shows an address for Bertha Ekum at or around 1957 as 419 South Washington in Viroqua.

Bertha’s only sibling in the U.S., at least living at the time of Bertha’s death, was, apparently, her sister Ida (“Mrs. Ida Anderson”). According to Bertha’s obit, she had 2 brothers and four sisters still living in Norway.

Died:
“in a Viroqua hospital after an illness of one week”

Buried:
1NO25

Notes:

Married:
Date per obit in the Viroqua paper. They celebrated their 40th anniversary on December 16, 1951, with a reception at the Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 6 Oct 1850, Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
• Confirmation: 18 Jun 1865, Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Notes:

Shown as Tomas Monssen, 16 years old, in the 1865 census, a “tjenestekarl” living on the Eikum indre farm with Mons Monssen and Kari Larsdatter.

Raised by Nels (d. 11 Oct 1890) and Rognild (d. 10 Oct 1880) Bolstad. {Neither of these deaths are included in the index of Vernon County deaths, either as Bolstad or as Ekum (see below).} Came to the U.S. when he was a year-and-a-half old. {No. See below.} There were several Bolstads shown in the Town of Franklin in the 1910 census but none in the 1870 census. Neither Thomas Munson nor Nels Bolstad is shown in the 1870 census for Wisconsin.

A Niels Sjursen Ekum, age 50, of Hafslo, and a Ragnhilde Ekum, age 48, also of Hafslo were on the boat “Claus Heftye” that sailed from Bergen on April 23, 1867, and arrived in Quebec on May 28, 1867. Thomas Monsen Eikum, age 17, of Lyster, was also on that boat. In the 1865 census, Niels Sjurssen, 50, husmand med jord, and Ragnilde Botolfsdatter, 48, were the only two people on Eikum indre bakken.

From the Sogn og Fjordane emigration records, we learn that four people from the Eikjum indre farm in Haflso moved out of Haflso, destination Amerika, on April 4, 1867. Those four were Nils Sjurssen, b. 1819; his wife Ragnhilde Botolphsdatter, b. 1819; Thomas Monssen, b. 1850; and Anne Monsdatter, b. 1844. (The date for the Bowes is April 9th.) Also leaving on April 4th were Andrea Johannesdatter Vadvig, age 19. (Andrea was born 31 Jan 1848 to the unmarried Johannes Christophersen Bjørno or Bjørnethune and Sophie Monsdatter Eikum.)

In the 1865 census, Niels Sjurssen, 50, and Ragnilde Botolfsdatter, 48, were the only two people living on the Eikum indre Bakken farm in Hafslo. Both were born in Luster. Niels was a husmand with land.

Thomas and Susan were married in a civil ceremony witnessed by J. H. Layne and Claus Bowe.

In the 1895 Wisconsin state census, Thomas Monson and family live in the town of Franklin, Vernon County. The household consists of seven people, five of whom were born in Wisconsin and 2 in Scandinavia. Four are males, 3 are females.

Thomas moved his family, which included six (?) children, to California because of his health. He died in California and his two surviving sons went to work in a factory making fruit boxes to make a living for the family. (The story says that Albert was 17 and Martin was 10 at that time. But that would put the date at about 1899, well before Tom died. Albert may well have started at the box factory in 1899.)

Because Susan and family is living with her parents in the 1900 census, Thomas had moved to California by that time and sent for his family later. In the 1900 census, Caroline, Albert and Tom “Munston” were living in Butte Township, Siskiyou County. Caroline was in school. Albert was working in a box factory, Tom had no occupation listed.

While they were living in northern California near Mt. Shasta, the family experienced an earthquake in 1906. This was probably the great San Francisco earthquake on April 18th. "They could feel it but weren't damaged by it too much." The family moved back to Wisconsin in either 1907 or 1909.

According to Dorothy's family story, Tom brought a bible with him from Norway, dated 1848, that Martin kept.

Census-taker O.K. Fortney visited the Munson farm in the Town of Franklin, Vernon County, on June 6, 1880, and found Thomas, age 29, and Susan B, wife, age 19. No children at that time, apparently.

In the 1896 Vernon County plat book index, Thomas’s land is listed as being record #3415 in Franklin 12, Section 31, R4.

Couldn’t find a separate Thomas Munson or Monson household in the 1885 Wisconsin census. The Thomas Monson household in the 1895 Wisconsin census consisted of 4 males and 3 females, of which 5 were born in the U.S. and 2 in Scandinavia. That mix is not consistent with other family information.

Died:
Date from the California Death Index images on FS. Thomas died in county #47, age 55, state file number 12258 for 1905.

Buried:
As Thomas M Ekum. He shares a gravestone with his daughter Theresa. CW block 31, lot 3, space 5.

Thomas married Susanna Clausdatter (Susan) BOWE on 8 Mar 1880 in Vernon County, Wisconsin. Susanna (daughter of Claus Sjursen BØE (BOWE) and Kari Andersdatter MAREIM) was born on 18 Dec 1860 in Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway; was christened on 30 Dec 1860 in Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway; died on 9 Aug 1943 in Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin; was buried on 12 Aug 1943 in Viroqua Cemetery, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Vernon County Death Index: V20, P472 As Susan Ekum
• Baptism: 30 Dec 1860, Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Notes:

Shown as illegitimate in her baptism record. The first daughter yet not named after her paternal grandmother because of the rule to name first children after dead spouses. Thus, she was named after Claus’s first wife.

Sponsors for her baptism were: Torbjørn Andersen Kleiven, Anders Andersen Mareim, Marthe Pedersdatter Kleiven, Sophie Pedersdatter Kleiven, Anna Pedersdatter Heidshammer.

Shown in the 1865 Norwegian census as Susanna Clausdatter, born in 1860 in Hafslo.

Was 4 feet, 10 inches tall but "a great woman, always jolly," according to Cora.

Lived in California for awhile with her five (?) children. Susan’s obit says that she spent 11 years in California but this doesn’t seem possible because she is shown to be in Franklin Township in the 1900 and 1910 censuses.

Census-taker Torge Berge visited the Claus Bowe farm on June 13, 1900. The family consisted of Claus, 67 (born in June 1833), Carrie, 66 (born in Sept 1833), Sever, 34 (born May 1866), Louisa, 22 (born April 1878), Nils, step-son, widower, 46 (born Sep 1853), Andrew, adopted son, 37 (born Sep 1862), Susanna Monson, married, 39 (born December 1860), Martin, 10 (born March 1890), Clara, 7 (born May 1893), and Rhody, 4 (born May 1896). Louisa and Susan’s kids are shown as born in Wisconsin, everyone else was born in Norway. Claus, Carrie, Sever, Nils, Andrew, and Susanna emigrated in 1867. Carrie is shown as having borne 10 children, 7 still living. Susanna is shown as having borne 8 children, 5 still living.

Susan’s husband Thomas “Munston”, along with their son Albert and daughter Caroline (“Carrie”), are in Butte Township, Siskiyou County, California at the time (June 12) of the 1900 census. Thomas doesn’t have an occupation shown but Albert is already working in a box factory and Carrie is in school.

In the 1910 census, Susan and her family are back in Vernon County in Kickapoo Township. Albert Munson is the head of family (so he hadn’t changed his name to Ekum yet). Albert is 27, Susana is 47 and widowed, Martin is 20, Clara is 16, and Rhoda is 14. They own their farm but it is mortgaged. Martin is shown as a laborer, “working out.” Susana is shown has having emigrated in 1866. There are no entries for the number of children Susan has had.

In the 1915 Vernon County plat book, the family is in Kickapoo Twp, just over the line from Franklin Twp, on the road to Readstown. Albert Ekum is shown as the owner of 77.34 acres (85 in the Farmers’ Directory). Martin Ekum is shown as owning 80 acres in the Farmers’ Directory but he is not shown on the plat map so it probably means that he and Albert jointly own the same 80.

Census-taker Douglas Nelson visited the Anderson/Nundahl/Ekum farms (they were contiguous, apparently, which is consistent with Cora’s memory) on January 11, 1920, and found:

Martin Ekum, 29, owner of mortgaged property, farmer in general farming, an employer. Susan, mother, 51, [59? 61?] widow, immigrated in 1870, naturalized but no date shown. Rhoda, sister, 24, single, born in Wisconsin, no occupation.

In the 1930 census, Susan and Rhoda and Martin lived at 165 West Maple in Viroqua in a house that Martin owned.

In the 1940 census (indexed as Ekrem), Susan and Rhoda and Martin live at 165 West Maple Street. Susan is shown as the owner of the house, worth $400. She had a sixth grade education.

“Susan Ekum” on her death record in Vernon County.

Birth:
Fedt subparish

Christened:
Fedt

Baptism:
in Fedt

Buried:
Rev. D.T. Borgen, of Immanueal Church, conducted funeral

Notes:

Married:
“Thomas Munson, Susan Bowe” Vol 2, p. 439. Wisconsin Marriages on FS says 28 March.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Husmand m J, Arbeider med Jordbrugsarbeide
• Baptism: 11 Aug 1867, Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Notes:

According to Digitalarkivet, the family was living on the “Osene” farm in Aardal at the time of the 1900 census. Erik was a tenant farmer and farm laborer. Living with the family was Malina’s mother, Brita Øren born in 1837.

Died:
A brief article in the June 14, 1935, edition of the La Crosse Tribune noted that Bertha and Ida had just received word of the death of their father in Norway.

Erik married Malene Ovesdatter ØREN. Malene (daughter of Ove Thomasson HAREID and Brita Jonsdatter ØREN) was born on 23 Nov 1867 in Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Husmandskone beskjf. med Hus- og Kreaturstel
• Baptism: 26 Apr 1868

Notes:

May not have been baptized in Årdal. Over the baptism date in the church book entry for her is “Stadf.”

Notes:

The father of Thomas Munson is listed as Mons Monson in Thomas and Susan’s marriage record.

In Mons’s confirmation record in the church book, he is Mons Monsen Schanke Eikum.

In the 1865 Norwegian census, he is the owner of the Eikum indre farm (68-2) in Hafslo. This seems to be a relatively prosperous farm with 3 horses, 20 cattle, 55 sheep and 4 pigs.

Birth:
birth and death information from the bygdebøk

Mons married Birthe Torbjornsdatter TEIGHE. Birthe was born in 1817 in Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway; died in 1889 in Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The bygdebok calls her Bertha Torbjørnsdotter frå Skogateigen under Sviggum. Her father was a huusmann on Skogateigen 2, also called Nedre Teigen.

Later she became a husmann’s wife “på Øygarden under Talle i Luster.”

In the 1865 census, she was Berte Torbjørnsdatter, wife of Anders Andersen, b. 1811 in Havslo, who was a huusmand med jord on Ødegaard in Luster. They had a daughter, Anna, born 1858 in Havslo. Anna’s birth record not found.

Birth:
probably Sviggum

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Shoemaker, Tobacco Farmer
• Vernon County Death Index: V8, P85 As Claus Boe
• Baptism: 7 Jul 1833, Vangen, Voss, Hordaland, Norway
• Confirmation: 15 Oct 1848, Voss, Hordaland, Norway

Notes:

His parents’ names and his birth, baptism, and confirmation dates confirmed by the confirmation record in the Voss church book.

Shown as Clouse Bowe on his gravestone.

The database Digitalarkivet: Migrants from Voss 1837-1864 shows that Claus Sjursen Boe left home on July 5, 1849, for “Christiania for at indtræde i Guldsmedlære.” This probably means that Claus originally intended to be a goldsmith or jeweler and may have begun an apprenticeship in Oslo.

Shown in the 1865 Norwegian census as Claus Sjursen, shoemaker, born in Wos in 1830, a husfader on the Svigum domicile in Hafslo, living with his wife, two daughters, Susanna and Anna, and stepson Anders Larsen.

In Susanna’s baptism record in Digitalarkivit, Claus’s farm is shown as “Bøe fra Voss.” In Anna’s baptism record, Claus’s farm is shown as Bøe. In Sever’s baptism record, Claus Sjursen Bøe’s farm is shown as Sviggum. The Luster bygdebok describes Claus as “frå Bø på Voss.”

An incorrect family tradition has Claus and Carrie emigrating to the US from Norway in 1862 and settling in Liberty Pole, WI. Their Viroqua homestead was supposedly applied for on May 20, 1862, and approved on June 15, 1874. Although the 1862 date is wrong because Claus and his family were still in Norway at that time, the 1874 date is correct as confirmed by the land patent on the Bureau of Land Management’s General Land Office web site. The homestead papers were signed by President U S Grant on June 15, 1874.

The Bowe farm was Box 22, Wisconsin Route 3 in Franklin Township, Vernon County.

Claus declared his intention to become a citizen of the U.S. in Vernon County (still known as Bad Ax County at the time). This was recorded September 30, 1868, and the hearing, order, and filing was completed December 9, 1873.

Claus and his family were recorded in the 1870 census which took place on July 8th. At that time they were living in Vernon County with the post office shown as New Brookville. The family was Clouse, 38, Carrie, 26 (sic), Susan, 10, Ann, 6, Severt, 4, and Betsey, 2. (No Andrew! No Nels.) Everyone is shown as born in Norway except Betsey who is shown as born in Wisconsin. If Bertha (“Betsey”) was indeed born in Wisconsin, then the family must have been in Wisconsin in 1867.

In the 1870 census, the value of Claus’s real estate is shown as $400 and the value of his personal estate is $200. This is an order of magnitude less than some his neighbors but is more than a few others shown on the same census page.

The history of the Kickapoo United Lutheran Church indicates that "Klaus Boe" settled in the area in the time period 1859-1862. This is too early and is probably a continuation of the false family legend.

Claus moved in with Louise after Carrie died.

Claus died intestate so a judicial process to certify descent was carried out (probated) on April 22, 1919, in the Vernon County court. Claus’s property was identified to be the west half of the SE quarter of section 27 so Claus must have sold the NE quarter of the SE quarter (which had been part of his original homestead) before he died. The court order declared that a one-sixth undivided share of the property was to go to: Louise Larson, Anna Anderson, Susanna Ekum, Betha Nundahl, Martha Hendrickson of Minneapolis, and Sever Bowe. The ownership and descendants were verified by the testimony of N. H. Sviggum. (For some reason, this name was whited-out in the court document. It took some effort to discern the name.)

Dorothy's family stories say that Claus "homesteaded a farm in what is now called Black Bottom in Vernon County." This is between Viroqua and Readstown.

"He came from Norway where he had been trained as a shoemaker and started a shoe shop in Liberty Pole (southwest of Viroqua) until he got his land. There he dug a hole in a bluff and lived in it with his family until he got his home built. This hole was later used as a root cellar and still remains on the farm."

The 1875 Wisconsin state census records, for Clouse Bowe, 5 males and 6 females. These 11 people may have been: Claus, Nels, Anders, Sever, and Albert, and Kari, Susan, Anna, Bertha, Martha, and Louise. If not Nels, the extra male could be that unknown boy who Louise remembers as a brother who ran away.

Census-taker O.K. Fortney visited the Bowe farm in Franklin Township, Vernon County, on June 12, 1880, and found Claus, age 47, Kari, age 46, Andrew, age 18, Ana, age 17, Sever, age 14, Bertha, age 11, Martha, age 8, Louisa, age 3, and Albertina, age 3. Kari was indicated as “cannot write.” Andrew, Ana, and Sever were indicated as having been born in Norway; the younger children were indicated as having been born in Wisconsin. Andrew, Ana, Sever, and Martha (but not Bertha) were indicated as having attended school within the census year.

Census-taker Torge Berge visited the Bowe farm on June 13, 1900. The family consisted of Claus, 67 (born in June 1833), Carrie, 66 (born in Sept 1833), Sever, 34 (born May 1866), Louisa, 22 (born April 1878), Nils, step-son, widower, 46 (born Sep 1853), Andrew, adopted son, 37 (born Sep 1862), Susanna Monson, married, 39 (born December 1860), Martin, 10 (born March 1890), Clara, 7 (born May 1893), and Rhody, 4 (born May 1896). Louisa and Susan’s kids are shown as born in Wisconsin, everyone else was born in Norway. Claus, Carrie, Sever, Nils, Andrew, and Susanna emigrated in 1867. Carrie is shown as having borne 10 children, 7 still living. Susanna is shown as having borne 8 children, 5 still living.

Susan’s husband Thomas “Munston”, along with their son Albert and daughter Caroline (“Carrie”), are in Butte Township, Siskiyou County, California at the time (June 12) of the 1900 census. Thomas doesn’t have an occupation shown but Albert is already working in a box factory and Carrie is in school.

Census-taker Frank Munyon visited the Bowe/Anderson farm on May 6-7, 1910, and found Clause, age 77, widowed, Sever, age 44, and Bertha Oren, 18, servant. Next door to them, on a separate listing, is Charley C. Anderson, age 42, Anna, age 43, and Cora C., age 14. Clause, Sever, and Anna are shown as coming to the U.S. in 1867, Charley in 1868, and Bertha Oren (later to marry cousin Albert) in 1909. Clause is shown as owning his farm free and clear. Charley is shown as owning his farm with a mortgage. Clause is shown as having his “own income”, Sever and Charley are farmers, and Bertha is a house work servant. Sever and Bertha are shown as employees (presumably both by Clause) and Charley is shown as working on own account. All speak English except Bertha who only speaks Norwegian. All six are able to able to read but Anna is shown as not being able to write. Cora is shown as having attended school in the period since Sept. 1, 1909. Charley and Anna are shown as having been married 15 years and Anna is shown as having borne one child, still living.

The Wisconsin Deaths data base on Ancestry.com shows the deaths of Louise Bowe on 12 Dec 1876 and Albert Bowe died three days earlier. These are the only Bowe deaths listed for Vernon County; the database extends only up through 1907. (Albertina Bowe is not listed.) These two children died of scarlet fever while Kari was pregnant with her twins. It seems a good guess the 1877 twins, Louise and Albertina, were named after their dead siblings. Similarly, it seems a good guess that Albert Ekum was named after Albertina who may have died at about the time that Albert was born.

The IGI shows that the Claus Sjursen, the son of Sjur Nielsen, married Susanna Kristoffersdatter on 18 August 1857 in Luster, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. This woman’s father was Kristoffer Andersen. The IGI records for this are:

Batch No.: M423033
Dates:  1841 - 1859
Source Call No.:  0278148
Type:  Film
Printout Call No.: NONE
Type: 
Sheet:  00

This Susanna was born 5 Jun 1827 and christened 24 Jun 1827 in Luster. Her parents were Christopher Andersen and Kisti Olsdatter.

The Luster church book shows Klaus Sjursen Böe, unmarried shoemaker, b. 1 Jun 1833, arriving in Luster in May of 1857. He was coming from the Hadsel farm in Vos to the Landvig farm.

The Sogn og Fjordane flytting records show Clause Bowe leaving the Luster parish and going to the Hafslo parish with the following comments: “'Bo af Vos' innflyttar til Luster, som flytte til Hafslo. Att. 17/1-61.” The “aar hendling” for that record is 1858. This may mean that Claus joined the Luster parish in 1858 and left it in 1861.

The Digitalarkivet database for marriages in Hafslo shows that Claus Sjursen Boe, an Enkermand (widower), Skomager, married Kari Andersdatter Mareim, pige, on March 27, 1861 in Fedt in Haflso. Bride and groom were each 27.5 years old. Bride’s father’s name was Anders Andersen Mareim.

The Digitalarkivet database for Sogn og Fjordane flytting shows Claus Bø of Sviggum, a shoemaker born in 1833, leaving Hafslo for “Amerika” on April 9, 1867. Thirty people left Hafslo that day for Amerika. Accompanying Claus, all of Sviggum, were his wife, Kari Melheim, and children, all with surname Bø, Susanne, born 1860, Anna, born 1863, Sjur, born 1866, and Anders, born 1862. Kari’s son, Nils Pedersen, “dreng”, born 1854, left Hafslo for Amerika at the same time. Also leaving Hafslo for Amerika on April 9, 1867, were Anders Andersen of Mareim (Kari’s brother), born 1840, unmarried, no occupation shown.

The family departed from Bergen, bound for Quebec, on the frigate Roska, under a Capt. P. A. Stoesen. This ship departed Bergen on April 25th and arrived in Quebec on May 31st (Stoesen’s manifest is dated the 30th). A total of about 341 people (including 292 adults) were on board this ship and one man and one young girl died during the passage. Some others of the 30 people who left Hafslo on April 9th were also on the Roska.

Two days ahead of the Roska was the frigate Claus Hefty, under a Capt. Andersen Jr., which departed Bergen on April 23rd and arrived in Quebec on May 28. Niels Sjursen Ekum, 50, his wife Ragnhilde Ekum, 48, both of Haflso, and Thomas Monsen Ekum, 17, of Lyster, were on that boat as were many other ex-residents of Hafslo and Lyster.

In the 1885 Wisconsin census, the “Clouse Bowe” household consisted of 4 males and 6 females. Of these 10, 5 were born in the U.S. and 5 in Scandinavia. Eight of those people probably were: Sever, Claus, and Andrew; and Louise, Bertha, Martha, Kari, and Anna. But that leaves a boy and a girl born in the U.S. which suggests that Albertina was still alive and that there was another boy, born in the U.S., living with the Bowes. Could that boy be the one who Louise remembers ran away? Could that boy be one of Anders Anderson’s children?

In the 1895 Wisconsin census, the household consisted of 4 males and 4 females, of which 2 were born in the U.S. and 6 in Scandinavia. Those people probably were: Sever, Claus, Andrew, and Nels; and Louise, Bertha, Kari, and Anna. By this reasoning, Martha must have been married and gone and Albertina must have died.

In the 1905 Wisconsin census, the household consisted of Clouse, 72, Carrie, 71, Nels, 50, Andrew, 42, and Sever, 40. All three of the younger men are shown as “son.” Nels is shown as a widower. Also living in the household were Chas Anderson, 39, son-in-law, Anna Anderson, 43, daughter, and Cora Anderson, 9, niece.

In the index to the 1896 Vernon County plat book, Claus’s property is described as Franklin 12 Sec 27 R4. Claus is listed as a “patron” of the 1896 plat book and his business is referred to in the Patrons’ Directory as the “Bowe Stock, Grain and Tobacco Farm”, Liberty Pole. In that 1896 plat book, Claus’s property is still the original 120 acre homestead in the SE corner (all but the SE 40 which was owned by O.B. Fortney) of Section 27 of Franklin Twp. The property is shown on the plat book map as “Bowe Stock & Tobacco Farm.”

Also in the 1896 plat book, two 40s adjacent to Claus’s farm on the west and southwest seem to be collectively owned by Andrew and Sever Bowe. In the plat book, this 80 is shown as owned by “A.S. Bowe.” The two 40s are 1) the SE quarter of the SW quarter of Section 27, and 2) the NE quarter of the NW quarter of Section 34.

In the 1915 plat book, Charley Anderson owns 45 (42 in the Farmers’ Directory) acres of that northeast leg of Claus’s original homestead (apparently all of the original homestead east of the road) and Sever Bowe owns the remaining 75 acres of the original homestead plus the northern 40 of the 80 that he and Andrew apparently owned in the 1896 plat book. That gave Sever a contiguous 115 acres (120 in the Farmers’ Directory). In the 1915 plat book, the southern 40 of Andrew and Sever’s 80 is now owned by Sever Nundahl. Andrew Sherry is the owner of that other 40 next to the Bowe property (the SE quarter of the SE quarter which was owned by O.B. Fortney in the 1896 plat book).

Claus died intestate and his estate wasn’t settled until April of 1919 when his 80 acres (West half of the SE quarter of Sec 27, Twp 12 N, range 4 west) were divided equally among his six children: Susanna Ekum, Anna Anderson, Bertha Nundahl, Martha Hendrickson, Sever Bowe, and Louise Larson.

Baptism:
as Claus, son of Sjur Nielsen Böe

Claus married Kari Andersdatter MAREIM on 27 Mar 1861 in Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. Kari (daughter of Anders Andersen MAREIM and Anna Eriksdatter OPHEIM) was born on 27 Sep 1833 in Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway; was christened on 29 Sep 1833 in Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway; died on 31 Oct 1908 in Vernon County, Wisconsin; was buried in North Kickapoo Lutheran Church Cemetery, Franklin Twp, Vernon County, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Vernon County Death Index: V5, P63
• Baptism: 29 Sep 1833, Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
• Confirmation: 6 Aug 1848, Hafslo, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Notes:

Baptismal sponsors: Peder Anderssen Mareim, Johannes Ericksen Opheim, Bertha Jorgensdatter Opheim, Britta Pedersdatter Opheim, Christie Pedersdatter Mareim.

Of Marem or Mareim farm initially, later, at the time of Anna’s baptism, shown as Sviggum farm. The Luster bygdebok lists her as “Kari Andersdotter frå ein plass under Mareim.”

Shown as Carrie Bowe on her gravestone.

Shown as having been born in 1830 in the 1865 Norwegian census.

Listed in the 1880 U.S. census as “cannot write.”

Notes:

Married:
Fedt

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 28 Sep 1834, Norway
• Confirmation: 8 Jul 1849, Årdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Notes:

Peder and family lived on Nundal østre in Årdal in the 1865 census.

Peder married Ingri Christophersdatter. Ingri was born about 1837 in Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In Sam’s marriage record, she is referred to Ingerid Oren.

Ove married Brita Jonsdatter ØREN. Brita died in Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]