Psalmbook of Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN Waal (1780-1852)

Inside cover and first five pages of Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN Waal's Psalmebog (1805). Images courtesy of Mark D. Williams.

In 2011, my parents hired Dennis Green of Wood-N-Things in Decorah, IA to make a custom box in which to store Webjørn's psalmbook. His wife, Ruth, rosemaled it beautifully.


Rosemaled wooden box (2011). Image courtesy of Mark D. Williams (31 Mar 2014).

A Family History

by Webjørn Webjørnsen Waal
Translation by Oivind Hovde

I, Webiørn Webiørnsen, was born at Waal in Kråkstad district the 8th August in year 1780. And was married to my dear wife Dorte 1808 the 2nd December. And moved to Waal the 22nd December. She was born at Alvim in Kråkstad district the 22nd September 1782. Our marriage brought us the following children: 1810 the 2nd May was born little son Anders before 9:30 a.m. He failed and died when he was 4 [?] days old. 1811 the 1st May 3:10 o’clock [?] was born [. . .] was baptized by Herr Provst Hørbye and named Anders. Witnesses were klokker (sexton - led singing in church) Johannes G [?]

We moved again to Brekke the 22nd February 1812. My wife provided me a daughter year 1812 the 3rd December 5 o’clock morning and the 6th of the same baptized in Kråkstad church by Herr Provst Hørbye.

Page 2

Witnesses were Aaslov F [?] Quillevese, Gunil Andersdatter Alvim, Webiørn Svensen Wall, Kiel Anderson and Olle Andersen Alvim.

Year 1814 the 26th November 3/4 to 11 before noon was our little son Svend and was baptized in Kråkstad church the 27th November. Witnesses were Gunil Webiørnsdatter Waal, Johanne Fredrecksdatter Wall, Webiørn Svensen and Fredrech Svendsen Wall together with Andreas Andersen [. . .] Alvim.

In year 1817 the 13 February was born to my wife a daughter 5 o’clock in the morning who was stillborn. My wife provided me again a son year 1821 the 16th December 6 o'clock and at quarter to 7 in afternoon. [. . .] and baptized in Kråkstad church by Hr. Provst [. . .] and named Webiørn [. . .] the 30th [. . .] Sunday in [. . .] og Witnesses were Aaslov Jonsdatter Qvillesjø, Mari Østensdatter Kalsmyr; Olle Andersen Alvim, Webiørn Friedrecksen Waal and Svend Larsen Qvillesjø.

Page 3
My wife [. . .] me in year 1826 the 2nd January [. . .] o’clock in the morning a daughter who was baptized in Kråkstad church the 11th same month by Herr District Pastor Regersen. Witnesses were Christiana Rasmusdatter Haug, Christine Seversdatter Qvillesjø, Andreas Andersen Kiel [?] and Olle Andersen Alvim; and [. . .] are in [. . .] Johanne.

God help and preserve [. . .] in Jesus name [. . .] I am [. . .] me [. . .] in marriage this [. . .] in the year 1849 the 30 April [. . .] girl Inger Marie Christiansdtr Brekke where we [. . .] son [. . .] Anton Sigevarth Webiørn[sen] God given fortune.

Pedigree Chart for Dorthe ANDERSDTR (1782-1840)

Pedigree chart for Dorthe ANDERSDTR (1782-c. 1840). Image courtesy of Williams Family Pages.

Baptismal Certificate: Dorte ANDERSDTR Alvim (7 Oct 1781)

Certification of Baptism. Dorte ANDERSDTR Alvim (7 Oct 1781). Oslo: Statsarkivet, 1981. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

C E R T I F I C A T E

In the parish register No. 1 (1736-1785) for Kråkstad, pag. 101, is introduced that

D o r t e

daughter of Anders Svendsen Alvim and Dorte Povelsdatter, was christened on 7. - seventh - October 1781 - seventeen eighty-one. Birthday is not stated.

Oslo on 20 October 1981
by proxy
A.-M. Hadland
[English translation by Google.]

Family Group Sheet for Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN Waal (1780-1852)

Husband: Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN Waal

Born: 8 Aug 1780
Place: Vål, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Married: 2 Dec 1808
Place: Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Died: 28 Jul 1852
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Husband's Father: Webjørn SVENDSEN Waal
Husband's Mother: Gunhild SVENDSDTR

Wife 1: Dorte ANDERSDTR

Baptized: 22 Sep 1782
Place: Alvim, Akershus, NOR
Died: 12 Jul 1840
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Wife's Father: Anders SVENDSEN Alvim
Wife's Mother: Dorte PAULSDTR

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Children

1. Anders WEBJØRNSEN

Born: 2 May 1810
Place: Vål, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Died: 6 May 1810
Place: Vål, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR

2. Anders WEBJØRNSEN

Born: 1 May 1811
Place: Vål, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Died: 2 Jul 18--

3. Gunhild WEBJØRNSDTR

Born: 3 Dec 1812
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Spouse: Samuel PEDERSEN Bjørke
Married: Unknown
Died: Unknown

4. Svend WEBJØRNSEN

Born: 23 Nov 1814
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Died: 6 Jul 1817
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR

5. Baby WEBJØRNSDTR

Born: 13 Feb 1817
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Died: 13 Feb 1817

6. Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN (Karlsmyr)

Born: 16 Dec 1821
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Spouse: Pauline Marie INGEBRETSDTR
Married: 11 Apr 1843
Died: 15 May 1899
Place: Glenwood, Winneshiek, IA

7. Johanne WEBJØRNSDTR

Born: 2 Jan 1826
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Spouse: Christian THORESEN Gjelvelsrud
Marrie: Unknown
Died: Unknown

---

Wife 2: Inger Marie CHRISTIANSDTR

Born: 13 Jan 1828
Place: Hobøl, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Married: 30 Apr 1849
Place: Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Died: Unknown
Wife's Father: Christian JENSEN Hobøl
Wife's Mother: Sophie CLAUSDTR

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Children

1. Anton Sigvardt WEBJØRNSEN

Born: 5 Sep 1849
Place: Brekke, Kråkstad, Akershus, NOR
Died: Unknown

Webjørn and Pauline WEBJØRNSEN

Photograph of Pauline and Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

UPDATE (30 Jul 2018): Roslyn and I traveled to Iowa City and also attended the Nordic Fest in Decorah. I was helping Mom clean out some of her old files and pictures and as I was going through them I struck genealogical gold–a copy of a picture of Webjørn as an older man.


Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN (Bef 1899). Image courtesy of Verla Williams. Image has been flipped horizontally and digitally enhanced by Mark D. Williams.

Birth Certificate: Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN Karlsmyr (16 Dec 1821)

Certification of Birth and Baptism. Webiørn WEBIØRNSEN (16 Dec 1821). Oslo: Statsarkivet, 1981. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

C E R T I F I C A T E
In the parish register No. 3 (1823-1824) for Kråkstad, fol. 63b, nr. 36, is introduced that

W e b i ø r n
son of Webiørn Webiørnsen and Dorte Andersdatter, tenants living on the Breccha farm, was born on 16. - sixteenth - December 1821 - eighteen twenty-one - and was christened on 30. - thirtieth - December the same year.

Oslo on 20 October 1981
by proxy
A.-M. Hadland
[English translation by Google.]

Digitalarkivet also has a copy of the Kråkstad parish record that contains Webjørn's birth and baptismal dates.


Detail of Akershus fylke, Kråkstad, Ministerialbok nr. I 3 (1813-1824), Fødte og døpte 1821, side 64. Image courtesy of Digitalarkivet.

Birth Certificate: Pauline Marie INGEBRETSDTR (13 Aug 1819)

Certification of Birth and Baptism. Pauline Marie INGEBRETSDTR (13 Aug 1819). Oslo: Statsarkivet, 1981. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.
C E R T I F I C A T E
In the parish register No. 4 (1818-1826) for Ås, pag. 19, nr. 32, is introduced that

P a u l i n e  M a r i e
daughter of husband and wife Ingebret Evensen Korsegården and Johanne Poulsdatter, was born on 13. - thirteenth - August 1819 - eighteen nineteen - and was christened on 5. - fifth - September the same year.

Oslo on 20 October 1981
by proxy
A.-M. Hadland
[English translation by Google.]

Digitalarkivet also has a copy of the Kråkstad parish record of Pauline's birth and baptism.


Detail of Akershus fylke, Ås, Ministerialbok nr. I 4 (1818-1826), Fødte og døpte 1819, side 18-19. Image courtesy of Digitalarkivet.

Marriage Certificate: Webjørn and Pauline WEBJØRNSEN (11 Apr 1843)

Certification of Marriage. Webjørn WEBJØRNSEN Brekken and Pauline Marie INGEBRETSDTR Ambjørnerud (11 Apr 1843). Oslo: Statsarkivet, 1981. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

C E R T I F I C A T E
In the parish register No. 5 (1837-1847) for Kråkstad, fol. 129b, nr. 5, is introduced that

bachelor W e b j ø r n  W e b j ø r n s e n  B r e k k e n
and
girl P a u l i n e  M a r i a  I n g e b r e t s d a t t e r  A m b j ø r n e r u d
were married on 11. - eleventh - April 1843 - eighteen forty-three -.

Groom reported to be 21 years, from Brekken, son of Webjørn Webjørnsen.
Bride reported to be 24 years, from Korsegården, daughter of Ingebret Evensen.

Oslo on 20 October 1981
by proxy
A.-M. Hadland
[English translation by Google.]

Digitalarkivet also has a copy of the parish record for this marriage.


Detail of Akershus fylke, Kråkstad, Ministerialbok nr. I 5 (1837-1847), Ekteviede 1843, side 130. Image courtesy of Digitalarkivet.

Letter from Pål Gihle to Verla Williams (13 Dec 1980)

Letter from Pål Gihle to Verla Williams (13 Dec 1980). Image courtesy of Verla Williams.

PÅL GIHLE
TELEFON 60 907
2850 LENA

13. desember 1980

Dear Mrs. Williams!

Webjørn Webjørnsen immigrated to the United States in 1864. He got a certificate from the vicar June 18, 1864, but we have no information that he and his family left the Toten area at that date. Ten years earlier, in 1854, he moved to Toten and bought the farm of Jonsrud at Eina, but sold this farm October 13, 1857 for 1800 Speciedaler = 1800 dollars.

Later on the family lived at the farm of Sangnes. Webjørn was addressed "gaardmand" = farmer in the church register. It may be quite right that he skated across the ice of the Einafjord to get to church. But at that time he had to go to the church of Aas, because the Eina church, who is standing on the farm of Jonsrud's ground, was not built until 1890.

Webjørn Webjørnsen Sangnes was born in Kråkstad 1822: His wife was Pouline Marie Ingebrigt'sdaughter born 1820: (He was 42 years old when he became certificate in 1864, she 44 years.)

children:

Wilhelm Julius born 14/12-1843 confirmed at Aas church 10/10-1858.
Elen Dorthea born 1846 confirmed 10/9 1860, Aas.
Jens Martin born 12/3 1848 confirmed 12/10 1862, Aas.
Anthon Sigvart born 1849 emmigrated before confirmation.
Gunhild Melbe born 1851.
Heda Marie born 1/4-1854 on the farm of Jonsrud.
Laurine Wilhelmine b. 7/1-1855 -"- Jonsrud.
Helmer Otto b. 29/4-1860 -"- Sangnes

I wish you a merry Christmas!

Sincerely,
Pål Gihle.