Svend Johannesen Haugen and Sigri Iversdatter Odegaard - JOHNSON FAMILY -

This is a look at Svend Johannesen Haugen and Sigri Iversdatter Odegaard - JOHNSON - along with their Parents, Siblings, and Children.

I hope that this web page can become a collection of information and a resource for family and friends. I plan to update, and/or, correct this page as new information is discovered.

Thanks for your help.

Eugene (Gene) D. Johnson (son of Ellsworth and Rowena Heffley, grandson of Iver and Anna Ryan and great grandson of Sevn and Sigri Berg - JOHNSON)
446 Trinity Drive, Allen, TX 75002
469-675-1316
Last updated: August 4, 2004

Johannes Mikkelsen Haugen (1806 – 1872) born at Onstadeie, Aurdal, Valdres, Norway.
his father: Mikkel Johannesen Haugen , son of: Johannes Einerson Aaberg (1708 - 1792) and Giertrud Mikkelsdatter Koldsbreche
his mother: Agathe Olsdatter MidtStrandeie (1776 - 1828) daughter: of Ole Arneson Midtstrand (cr.1729 - 1791) and Ragnild Helgesdatter Midtstrand

Johannes married in 1831: Marit Svendsdatter Gausdgereir (1807 – 1898)
her father: Sven Thordson Gausdgereir (1778 - 1837) son of: Thord Thoreson Gausaker (1746 - ?) and Marit Svendsdatter Ulneseie
(1747 cr. 1811)
her mother: Sigri Amundsdatter Lien (1763 - 1841) daughter of: Amund Svendsen Lien (cr. 1721 - 1805) and Berte Olsdatter Lundane
(cr. 1729 - 1797)

(Marit immigrated to Stanton County, Nebraska, in 1873, after her husband died, along with her son Ole and daughter Ragnild. She is burried in the Stanton County, Nebraska, "Norwegian Cemetery".)

Johannes and Marit had the following children:
1. Agathe Johannesdatter (1830 – between 1861 & 1865), Agathe did not emigrate
2. Johannes (John) Johannesen (1834 – 1884), John emigrated in 1866 with wife Margit Hallsteinsdatter
3. Svend Johannesen (1837 – 1931), Sven emigrated in 1868 with wife Sigri Iversdatter Odegaard
4. Siri (Sarah) Johannesdatter (1844 – 1919), Sarah emigrated in 1868 with husband Halver Halverson
5. Berit Johannesdatter Haugen (1846 – 1909), Berit did not emigrate
6. Ragnild Johannesdatter (1848 - 1943), Ragnild emigrated in 1873
7. Ole Johannesen (1852 – 1937), Ole emigrated in 1873

The picture below shows Sven and some of his siblings:





This page will discuss the family of Sarah Johnson Halverson, Sister to Sven Johnson and aunt to Iver Johnson.

4. Siri (Sarah) Johannesdtr (1844 – 1919)
m. Halver (Halvor) Halverson (1829 – 1890)
Immigrated to Stanton County 1868
They had the following children:
4.1. Julia m. Andrew Thompson
4.2. Mary
4.3. Henry
4.4. Minnie
4.5. Nellie (died young)
4.6. Emma (died young)
4.7. John
4.8. Clara (died young)
4.9. Olof
4.10. Sadie
4.11 Hanna

The picture below is of the Halver (Halvor 1829) and Sarah Johnson Halverson family. It was provided by Sigbjorn Kullhuset. It was taken in approximately 1880. The June, 1880 census for this family lists the following family members and their ages: Halver (50) (Halvor), Sarah (36), Julia (13), Mary (11), Henry (9), Minnie (7), Emma (3), and John (11 months). Nellie who was born in 1974 had died before the 1880 census. Emma latter died in an accident at age four after the picture was taken.

There are several documents that give us information on Sarah Johnson Halverson and her family. This includes the Stanton Register along with books and other publications of the times.

The following is quoted from the: "History of the Elkhorn Valley Nebraska" An album of History and Biography, Compiled under the supervision of C.H. Scoville, published by the National Publishing Company, Chicago 1892, Omaha.

Sarah (Johnson) Halverson, widow of Halver (Halvor 1829) Halverson, who died May 17, 1890, will form the subject of this sketch. Her home is on Section 34, township 22, Range 1, in Union Creek precint, Stanton, County.

Mrs. Halverson's maiden name was Sarah Johnson, whose parents were natives of Norway. She married Mr. Halverson in 1866, in her native country, and two years later they sailed for America, being nine weeks crossing over to Quebec. They came direct to Stanton County, where Mr. Halverson took a homestead. The following eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Halverson: Julia, now Mrs. Andrew Thompson; Mary, Henry, Minnie, Nellie, Emma, John, Clara, Olof, Sadie, and Hannah. Nellie, Emma and Clara are deceased; the latter died October 28, 1891.

Mr. Halverson was born in Norway, December 2, 1828 and his wife April 6, 1844.

Upon coming to his homestead, our subject's husband built a dug-out and log-house together, in which he lived until 1876, when he built another log house, which is the (one the) widow still lives in. One hundred and twenty acres of her land is in cultivation and the balance in hay and pasture land. Upon coming to the country he was very poor, financially, and took work near Wisner, his wife accompanying him and working for her board. One year after they took their homestead, they lived permanently upon their place. For nine years prior to his death, Mr. Halverson lingered with consumption. But he was able to work, until the last year before he died, since which time the widow has operated the farm, which in all consists of three hundred and twenty acres. The family are all members of the Lutheran church, as was Mr. Halverson.

The Indians came to our subject's house in the early days of their settlement, which greatly alarmed them. They gave them whatever they asked for, and hence avoided any trouble. The grasshoppers destroyed their crops for three years, all but enough to live upon. They saw great hardships. In the fall of 1887, Mr. Halverson was caught out in a storm about two miles from home, and walked back and forth all night on the banks of Union Creek, and could not find this house until daylight. He kept from freezing by rubbing his hourse and walking constantly. He never fully recovered from that exposure to the elements. Mis-fortune seldom goes single-handed, which action proved to be true in this family's case. In November, 1878, their four-year old daughter was killed by the wheel running over her. Another child was born an invalid, and died six years afterwards. In 1887, one of their boys while hunting prairie chickens placed the gun between his legs; the hammer caught his pantaloons which discharged the gun and shot his right arm off at the shoulder.

Mrs. Halverson is entitled to much credit for keeping her family together and managing the farm so well. In the spring of 1892 she had the misfortune to break one of her limbs, caused by a team running away. This accident leaves her crippled for life.

The following is the obituary for Sarah Johnson Halverson printied February 13, 1919, in the Stanton Register:

"Mrs. Sarah (Halverson)...She was the mother of eleven children, of whom seven survive her. They are Mrs. Julia Thompson, and Mrs Mary Strobeck, of Twin Falls, Idaho. Henry and John (Halverson), of Burle, Idaho, Mrs. Minnie Anderson, Oluf (Halverson), and Mrs. Sadie Canfield of this city (Stanton). Four children, Nellie, Emma, Clara and Mrs J.R. Canfield preceeded her ... Beside her children, there are two brothers, Sven Johnson of Stanton and Ole Johnson of Newman Grove and one sister, Carl Monthei of Hoskins..."

There was another Halverson family (in addition to the Sarah Johannesdtr Halverson family) that emigrated from Valdres to Wisconsin in 1866 and then to Columbus, Nebraska, in 1870. This was Haldor (1832) and his wife Marit Olsdotter Gigstadeige (1835 - 1910) with children: Annie, Julia, Halvor, and Mary. Mary was only two weeks old at the time of the trip to Newman Grove from Wisconsin. She later married John S. Johnson and became Sven's daughter-in-law. Halvor (1829)and Haldor (1832) were brothers. Halvor (1829) met the train at Columbus with a team and wagon and took the family and belongings to his home near Stanton. The family stayed in Stanton until Haldor (1832) was able to find a homestead. He walked to the Shell Creek area and selected a homestead one mile east of Newman Grove. He built a dugout and sent for the family.

These first settlers in Newman Grove were the subject of a publication: "History of the Pioneers" by Attorney H. Halderson. Another source of information is an interview with Mary Johnson made by the Norden Club of the Nebraska State Historical society. A transcrip is available of her conversation about early life on the prairie. A copy of this transcript is on the Sven family page.

Sooo, to undersand the Halverson family names let me summarize. It goes this way:

Haldor Halverson (1832 - 1875) m. Merit (Mary) Olsdotter Gistadeige (1835 - 1910) they emigrated to Wisconsin in 1866 and Nebraska in 1870; their son was Halvor (1867 - 1941).
Halvor Halverson (1828 - 1890) m. Sarah Johnson (1844 - 1919), they emigrated to Stanton, Nebraska in 1868
Halvor and Haldor were brothers.
Haldor was killed in 1875 in an accident when a horse kicked him. His widow, Merit (Mary) Olsdotter Gistadeige, re-married to John Simonson in 1877. There were three children from this union: Hanna, Simon J., and Albert J.
Halvor (1867 - 1941), The son of Haldor and Mary Olsdotter Gistadeige Halverson Simonson, married in 1893 to Anna Simonson in Newman Grove. If Ann Simonson's father was John, she must have been from an earlier marriage.

Fortunately, Halvor (1829) broke with the naming convention and avoided naming any of his sons after their grandfather.

I have been able to determine that Haldor Halvorson (1832), who married Marit Olsdotter Gigstadeige, came to America in 1866 on the Gustav Adolphe with John Johannesen (Sven's older brother) and his family. Their 9 month old son, Halvor (1865), died on the voyage. Haldor (1832) stopped in Wisconsin where another boy was born July 4, 1887. They named him Halvor (1867) also. See following ship record:

In 1866 the ship Gustav Adolphe departed from Bergen May 14, and arrived at Quebec June 16. She was sailing in ballast, and was carrying 392 steerage passengers and 12 cabin passengers. Six children died from cold and debility during the crossing. One child was born, but died subsequently. On June 4, Erik 9 months of age, son of Ole M. Grandalen 34, and Margit 33 died, on May 14, son, born - May 26, died, son of Ingebrecht Knudsen 27, and Marit 32, May 23, Nils, nine months son of Even Andersen 3, June 11, Anne, 2 yr daughter of Anders Eilertsen Brothen [?] 34, and Rønnei 34, May 11, Ellef, 3 months son of Hans Ellefsen Heggerud 29, and Anne 25 and on June 8, Halvar, the 9 months son of Halvar Halvarsen Gegsta [?] 34, and Marit 26 died. Gustav Adolphe was mastered Capt. Niels Erpecon and had a crew of 17. Her burden was 352 Norwegian Commercial lasts. The passenger list was archived by the National Archives of Canada [NAC]. Hunting passenger lists

The Bark Gustav Adolphe