Ole Gilbertson

GILBERTSON, GULBRANDSEN, BERG, BERGSUND, OLSDATTER, BAKKE

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 2/13/2011 at 20:23:45

Ole Gulbrandsen Berg (or Bergsund) was born July 15, 1826, in Buskerud County, Norway, the son of Gulbrand Olsen Rodningsand and Sigrid Nielsdatter Naes. He was christened September 16, 1826, in the Wiger church in Norderhov. He sailed to the United States on the ship "Christiania," which arrived in the port of New York on July 16, 1850. He settled first in the Luther Valley settlement in Rock County, Wisc.

Ole married Helga Olsdatter Bakke April 21, 1851, at the Luther Valley Lutheran Church near Orfordville, Wisc. The minister was C. L. Clausen. Born in Nes, Norway, Helga was the daughter of Ole Arneson and Kari Olsdatter. She came to the United States in 1848 with her mother and step-father, Ole Olsen Traeo.

The family Bible was a wedding gift from Ole Tollefson, and is inscribed "Beloit, April 16, 1851." A Norwegian Lectionary that belonged to Ole and Helga, dated "2/9:55", has been handed down to Gladys Holliday. It lists the birth dates of their 13 children and the death dates of those who died young. Ole signed the lectionary first as "Ole Gulbrandsen" and later as "Ole Gilbertson."

After first living near Beloit the family may have moved briefly to Minnesota before settling in Waterville, Allamakee County, Ia., by 1853. According to Henry W. Gilbertson, Ole was postmaster in Waterville from May 1, 1866, until May 11, 1869.The family moved to Dickinson County in 1869 or 1870. They were among the first settlers in the area. In 1877 Ole applied for a patent on 160 acres of land under the 1862 Homestead Act. The land was located just south of the town of Terrill. By 1880 the family had moved to nearby Emmet County.

Ole was a tailor by trade. His open-tip sterling tailor's thimble is in the Gustav Gilbertson family. He was also a farmer. For recreation he played a violin, sometimes playing at square dances .

Helga Gilbertson died January 9, 1878, of stomach cancer. She was 50 years old. On May 30, 1878, Ole married Ingeborg Larson Everson (or Evenson). She was a widow who had two daughters from her previous marriage: Laura, who was born about 1870-72 and became the wife of John Morris; and Sophia, born about 1874. Ole had no children by his second marriage. Ole, Ingeborg, Charles, Martin, Albert, Henry, Laura, and Sophia are listed on the 1880 census in Lloyd Township. Ole died November 12, 1888, after having suffered from asthma for many years. Funeral services were held at the county courthouse. He is buried with his wife Helga and two sons, Martin and Gustav, in the Wallingford Lutheran Cemetery east of Wallingford, Ia.

Children:

1. Sarah Gurina (Siri Olsdatter), b. Apr. 17, 1852; d. Apr. 9, 1934; m. John Edward Johnson 2. Kar
3. Louis Howard (Olaus Olsen), b. Sept. 21, 1854; d. Jan. 20, 1922; m. (1st) Marit Kvale; m. (2nd) Susan Brown
4. Gustav W., b. May 20, 1856; d. Mar. 19, 1928; m. "Belle" Reierson
5. Margit Olsdatter, b. Dec. 29, 1857; d. July 11, 1861
6. Inger Marie Olsdatter, b. Oct. 7, 1859; d. June 10, 1860
7. Inger Marie Olsdatter, b. Mar. 17, 1861; d. Dec. 25, 1863
8. Arne Olsen, b. Jan. 8, 1863; d. Jan. 9, 1867
9. Charles (Karel Olsen), b. Jan. 16, 1864; d. Mar. 11, 1946; unm.
10. Julia Marie, b. Dec. 25, 1865; d. May 3, 1904; m. Michael D. Nealon
11. Marin Olsen, b. Oct. 1, 1867; d. Aug. 16, 1888
12. Albert O., b. Nov. 6, 1870; d. July 23, 1950; m. Sophia Bieber
13. Henry Oskar, b. Oct. 23, 1873; d. May 14, 1947; m. Flora Zenor

Contributed by: Alan Gilbertson.