3/4 of my family comes from Skatval near the
Åsenfjord/Fættenfjord, but this 1/4 comes from Hegra (Hegre).
My great grandfather, Peter Satrum was married to Sigrid
Bårdsdatter Sætran in Norway. They had 2 children
(Ole and Bartinus) there, emigrated to America in 1865 on the sailing
ship
Bergen and had 2 more children (Gunnerius and Berit P.,who later married Ole Sorte) in America.
Peter
Satrum
Petter Trætstykke
Sætran
(1835-1911)
Known in America as Peter Olsen, Peter Olesen, Peter Olson, Peter
Satran, Peter Sætran, Peter Satrum.
Peter Olesen Trætstykke is recorded in SOLHEIM
br.nr.3 as being on an old husmannplass named Trætstykket as was his father Ola
Larsen (Ofstigjerdet). Ofstigjerdet is a reference to "Ofstigjerdet 3" near
Hegra, Norway. Trætstykke is north and east of the Hegra church. There is
flowing water on the property and a spectacular view of the Stjørdal river
valley as you drive back to the Hegra church. Ofstigjerdet is south and west
of Hegra church and across the Stjørdal river. After you leave the E-14 and
cross the bridge, you turn right to get to the location of Ofstigjerdet.
"-gjerdet" is one of those suffixes that usually indicates a cotter's place. It
actually means "the fence", so it could mean it was a place beside or near a
fence.
SAILING TO AMERICA ON THE
"BERGEN"
Peter Satrum immigrated to
America in 1865.
Peter
Olesen, his wife, Sigrid, and 2 children, Ole and Bartinus, sailed on the bark
(a type of sailing ship, the "bark" designation
has to do with how the masts were mounted and the sails were rigged)
"Bergen" on May 4, 1865 arriving in Quebec on July
6,1865 after a 2 month voyage. On the ship's
manifest they were listed as Peter
Olsen Sæthergjærdet 30 a farmer, Sirri Baardsdatter his wife 30, Ole Petersen
his son 3 1/2 and Baardlinus Petersen his son 9 months. The ships manifest listed 181 adults, 111 children 1- 14 yrs, and 15
infants. The information on ages
and spelling of names on the manifest was not totally correct. <See List>.
<CLICK HERE> or on the plat image to see the location of Peter's farm in 1877 - it is outlined in red.on the image. Sigrid's father's, Bærd Pedersen Sætran, farm is to the southwest outlined in blue blue. Both
Peter and Bård are buried in the Minneola church cemetery along with
their wives . On the map, the church is highlighted in green. Peter's son, Bartinus, and his wife Lena are buried there as well.
When looking at the proximity of the church to their farms, you
can see why this would have been a logical church for them.
Peter and Sigrid bought a farm in Minneola township,
Goodhue County, Minnesota. We haven't determined the date of the purchase but
according to the 1870 U.S. census they were on their farm. On the
1877 platt of Minneola township it is shown in in "Township 110 North, Range 16
West in the south east corner of Section 10 and belonging to "Peter Olson". . On the 1894 plat of Minneola township it is shown in in "Township 110
North, Range 16 West in the south east corner of Section 10 and belonging to "Ole P. Sorte". From the farm it was about a 4 mile ride by wagon or
sleigh to Minneola Church where they were members. Peter sold the farm to Ole
Sorte, husband of their daughter Berit and in the 1900 census Peter and Sigrid
were listed as living on the farm but with Peter working for Ole. This may have
been one of the situations where an older farmer "sells" the farm to a younger
family member who then takes care of the older farmers for the rest of their
lives.
Peter and Sigrid's graves are at the very north edge of the
Minneola church's cemetery, a short distance west of the church. Also buried in
that cemetery is their son Bartinus and his wife
Mette Caroline Winge and their daughter Betsy (Berit) Sorte and her husband
Ole.
TIMELINE
1853: Goodhue county
was established March 5, 1853 and named in
honor of James Madison Goodhue, who was the first printer and editor in
Minnesota.
1854: Zumbrota
was settled in 1854, organized in 1858 and
received the name of its village platted in 1856 on the Zumbro river which flows
across the southern part of the township. It was called "Riviere d'Embarras" by
Pike in 1805-1806 adopting the name given it by French traders and voyageurs.
The French name referred to obstruction of the river near its mouth by a natural
raft of driftwood. Pronounced quickly and incompletely, with the French form
and accent, as heard and written down by the English-speaking immigrants, this
name "Riviere d'Embarras" was unrecognizably transformed into "Zumbro" which is
used on a map of Minnesota in 1860. The village and township name adds a
syllable, the Sioux suffix, "ta" meaning "at", "to", or "on", that is "the town
on the Zumbro, being thus a compound from the French and Dakota
languages.
1855: Minneola Township
was settled in 1855 and organized on December
15, 1859. The name comes from the Dakota or Sioux Indian language, meaning
"much water".
1861-1865:
U.S. Civil War is fought.
1862: The "Sioux Massacre" killed 300-800 settlers
(the actual number is not known) 90 miles
west of where Peter and Sigrid settled, 3 years before they emmigrated. Click
Here to view a picture of refugees fleeing from New Ulm to Mankato.
Also a
picture from a paper of the time.
April 9, 1865: General Robert
E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant
April 14, 1865: President Abraham
Lincoln is assassinated.
May 14,
1865: Peter, Sigrid and their family sail
from Trondheim on the bark Bergen.
July 6,1865: Peter, Sigrid and
their family arrive in Quebec.
1869:
In 1869 the village of Zumbrota had a
population of 400 people. There were 4 or 5 stores and shops and 2 churches
(Baptist and Congregational). Records for Goodhue County showed that there were
6,994 horses, 14,987 cattle, 185 mules, 7,381 sheep, 5,429 hogs, 282 carriages,
549 watches and 61 pianos. Minneola township where Peter and Sigrid lived had a
post office.
1870 U. S. Census:
Peter Olsen , a farmer and his wife
"Sarah" who was "keeping house" are listed as living in Minneola Township on a
farm valued at $700 and having personal property worth $50. Living with them
are their children: Ole, Bartinus and Betsy. All 5 were also listed in the 1880
U.S. census but the last name was recorded as "Oleson".
1877 Plat Book
In
the 1877 plat book of Minneola township it is shown in in "Township 110 North,
Range 16 West in the south east corner of Section 10 and belonging to "Peter Olson".
1880 U. S. Census:
Peter Oleson , a farmer and his wife
"Sarah" who was "keeping house" are listed as living in Minneola Township.
Living with them are their children: Ole, Bartinus and Betsy.
1894 Plat Book
In
the 1894 plat book of Minneola township it is shown in in "Township 110 North,
Range 16 West in the south east corner of Section 10 and belonging to "Ole P. Sorte".
1900 U. S. Census: (notice that the name "Satran" instead of Olsen is being
used)
Peter and Sigrid's son-in-law Ole P. Sorte is listed as the "Head" of
the household for the farm along with his wife, Beret. Also living there are
Petter O. Satran a "farm laborer", father-in-law, Sigri P. Satran,
mother-in-law, Petter P. Hemre, Ole's 20 year old brother who had immigrated in
1897, and Olga Satrum (Daughter of Bartinus Satrum and Metter Caroline Vinge) as
a lodger.
1910 U. S. Census:
Peter and Sigrid were listed as still
living with Ole P. Sorte and his wife Beret.
Sigrid
Satrum
Sigrid Baardsdatter
Sætran.
The location in
Hegra, Norway, of Sigrid's childhood house is now just a grain field
about 1/2 mile south and west of the Sætran farm. No buildings remain in that
location. There is a field road that leads to this location from the main road
that goes past the Sætran farm. To get to the Sætran farm, leave the E-14 road
and turn north and go past the Hegra church. This is the same intersection
where you would head south to Hegra Festning (Fortress).
In Minnesota,
Peter and Sigrid's graves are at the very north edge of the Minneola cemetery
in Minneola Township, Goodhue County, not too far west of the church. We have
no explanation, but Sigrid's name is chiseled on her gravestone as "SECRE"
Satrum. The closest guess any relative has offered is that spelling is close to
the way a Norwegian at that time would say the name Sigrid. Minneola church
records about Sigrid include a note (spelled as it was written in the book)
"Anmerkninger": "Kom til am (abbreviation?) 1865.
Read more about Sigrid's father Bård Pedersen
Sætran.