Genealogy Report Oscar M. Hagen
Why the different name? Because the Grandfather that I knew through family history as Ole O. Hagen was born on the Tofte farm in Oppland County, Norway as Ole Olsen Toftehagen. Grandfather Ole used many names throughout his life before settling on the name of Ole O. Hagen.
Oppland County is located about 100 miles north and slightly to the east of Oslo. At the time that Ole was born and lived there it was called Opplandenes Flyke (county) and included both Oppland and Hedmark to the west. Oppland county contains two valleys, Gudbrandsdal and Valdres. The Tofte farms in Gudbrandsdalen (Gudbrands Valley) were known then, and are today, for livestock raising, meat and dairy production. More will be said about the county and the Tofte farms when we discuss the ancestors of Ole Olsen Toftehagen. For now we will say that there was a Tofte farm. This Tofte farm was subdivided into three smaller farms. They were Tofte, Nigard or Nedre (these are translated to "lower"), Tofte, Uppigard (upper) and Tofte, Utistugun (translation will be discussed later). The Toftehagen part of the name and how it refers to the farms will be discussed later when we look at the ancestors of Ole.
A law was passed in 1688 whereby the Pastor of the local parish was given the responsibility of recording all christenings (the birth was not recorded until the child was christened), confirmations, marriages, deaths and vaccinations in the church record. Records of this type were not found at district administration offices or county offices. It was, also, the law that all persons must belong to the state controlled Lutheran church in their parish, therefore, apparently this was the logical place to keep these types of vital records.
Ole was born on June 9, 1841 on the Tofte, Nedre farm and was christened on June 13, 1841. His christening record is recorded in the Sør Fron parish church records. Sør is translated as "south". Therefore, this was the South Fron parish. Years before Ole was born there was just a Fron Parish, however, by 1841 this Parish had been subdivided into Nord (north) and Sør (south) Fron Parishes. The Church was located in the Hundorp District on the Lången River. The church record for Ole's baptism states that his parents names are Ole Larsen nedre Tofte (unreadable, but is not hagen. I have since learned that this is probably Tofteeiet, and I am told literally translated means somewhere on the Tofte Farms.) og (and) Goro Pedersdatter. There are 5 sponsors listed and it appears that two of them are his grandparents, Lars Olsen and Marit Torgersdatter. They live on the same farm as Ole"s parents. Sponsors were generally close relatives or highly respected neighbors. After the baptism ceremony large groups of relatives and neighbors would gather for a celebration. These would usually be potluck with each family supplying food as they could afford.
Ole would go through at least two more state ordered events. One of these was "vaccination day". It was apparently an important day in the life of all persons when they were vaccinated for smallpox. The government passed a law in the 1780's, making vaccinations the law for all people. Initially these vaccinations were given by the clergy. They vaccinated their own children in front of their congregations to show that the vaccinations were harmless to the people taking them. Later this was turned over to midwifes and other persons that were trained to do the procedure. The record of vaccination was noted in the church records. I was unable to locate any vaccination record for Ole but I am sure that he had one. If he had not been vaccinated he would not have been able to take part in confirmation exercises.
Confirmation was the next important event in a young Norwegian's life. Both girls and boys attended confirmation classes, however, in the church register, girls (pike) and boys (dreng) are listed separately. All church functions required segregated classes and seating. The learning of the Catechisms was probably by rote, because at this time there was very little formal schooling in the rural areas. In this period, the clergy and the schoolteachers, of which there were very few, could read and write. Besides that there were no books, other than the Bible at the church, and nothing to write with or on. However, every young person had to be confirmed at about the age of 14, 15 or 16.. Failure to do so would cause tremendous difficulties in your future life. For instance, you could not own property, you could not get married, and you were not protected by state laws.
Ole was confirmed June 8, 1856.. His certificate of confirmation indicates that he was born on 9 June, 1841, (this is uncommon because normally the date used would have been the date of christening, 13 June.) and at the time of confirmation , he was living with his parents on the Tofte nedre (lower) farm. His parents are shown as Ole og (and) Goro. After the confirmation exercises, Ole would be considered an adult. Norwegian children started working at the age of 7 or 8 but that was working for or with their parents on the farm. After confirmation they were ready to do adult work away from the family.
In 1865 a census was taken of Norway that included all of the rural population. This is the first census since 1801 that covered the entire country. There had been other census in between these two dates but generally only the city dwellers, property owners, etc. had been surveyed.
The 1865 census for Sør Fron parish shows an Ole Olsen, age 26, working as a "tjeneste" on the farm Tofte Ovre, (same as Uppigard or upper.) A "tjeneste" was considered a servant or hired hand on the farm where he lived. For the work that he did on the farm he would receive food, perhaps a small amount of money, clothing and lodging. The lodging would be in the hayloft or in one of the outbuildings at the farm. The money he received would be equal to about $15.00 per year.
The one thing doubtful about the above census record is the age of Ole. Since Ole was born in 1841, and of that fact there is no doubt, he would have been 24 in 1865. However there are no other Ole Olsen's who come as close to Ole's age as this entry does. There is always the possibility that Ole left Sor Fron Parish prior to 1865. The church records were researched to see if he had moved and, if so, where he had gone but no record could be found of his leaving. This record was called the "utflytter" record, (the responsibility of the parish minister), in which it listed the name of any person leaving the parish and their destination. I could not find any utflytter record for Ole during this time period, however, neither could I find any utflytter record for when he left to come to America. Maybe they had a lazy pastor, or maybe Ole wasn't a very active participant in the church, and the pastor had given up on him.
Four years after the 1865 census, Ole left for America. On his naturalization records which will be discussed later he says it was on or about 15 May, 1868. It was really 21 May, 1869. This will also be explained later.
Why did Ole Olsen want to leave his native homeland and come to a place that he probably knew very little about? Some probable reasons are shown below:
Ole was the youngest child in the family and also was the number three son. There was going to be very little opportunity for him to find any kind of successful life in his homeland. Norway is an extremely mountainous country. Only about four percent of the land is suitable for cultivation on which to grow crops to feed the rest of the population and the animals that were raised on the farms. Ninety-six percent of the population lived and worked on the farms that used this little bit of land. There were great periods of famine and hardship throughout the 1800's. Adding to the problem was the development of new and better farm equipment. More work could be accomplished with less workers. The decree that made vaccination compulsory decreased the rate of infant deaths and allowed all persons to live longer. From the time of our earliest known ancestors, about 1753, to the year, 1869, when Ole left Norway, the population had increased by slightly over one million people. This increase meant more mouths to feed, more unemployment, and more despair in trying to live a normal life.
Another factor involved was that Norway complied with the "Alodial Act". This act gave the eldest children the right to inherit property, if there was any property to inherit. Since Ole was the youngest of seven children, he had no hopes or dreams in this area. No one knows of course just when Ole decided to undertake his journey. It must of been information that he received by "word of mouth", because he was unable to read or to write. Perhaps the despair or hunger just got so great that he really didn't care. Perhaps he used the old Hagen adage, "Do something, even if its wrong."
Some of this despair is found in a quote that I found on the Internet. It shows the dissatisfaction of a young Norwegian's way of life.
"One Norwegian custom that has been abandoned is the damnable one that dictated that the workers and servants in many places had to eat in the kitchen and were scarcely allowed to stick their heads into their owner's parlor. Here in America everyone eats at the same table".
(Quoted from p.13, In Their Own Words - Letters from Norwegian Immigrants by Solveig Zemple.)
Between 1860 and 1870, 65,000 people left Norway. The majority of these people left because of economic hardship. They left Norway in search of a better life and improved living conditions.
As stated above, Ole Olsen gave information on his naturalization papers that he emigrated to the United States from Kristinia, (old name for Oslo), Norway on or about 15 May 1868 and arrived at the Port of New York on 28 May, 1868. He did not remember the name of the ship he came on.
In 1998 I used the Internet and put a query on a genealogy list in Norway for any information on the Tofte farms. Arne Sivertson from Stavanger, Norway answered my query and offered his assistance. He translated a great deal of the old Norwegian from a book about the Tofte farms which we will get to later, but also sent me the following information:
"According to your information, your grandfather Ole Olsen emigrated in 1868. I have searched the records at The Emigration Center here in Stavanger and there is a person by the name of Ole Olsen Toftehagen that emigrated from Kristiania (now Oslo) May 21, 1869, onboard the ship "Argo". He was then 28 years old, worker, married and with destination Chicago. He traveled together with Andreas Olsen Borolien, 20 years, also from S. Fron. In the church records (Sør Fron Parish) and found this Ole was born June 9, 1841. Parents: Ole Larsen nedre Tofteiet and his wife Guro Pedersdatter."
There seems to be some confusion in the above information. I am sure that the person Arne is talking about is Grandfather Ole Olsen Toftehagen, but it states "married" in his description. If he was married in Norway I don't think anyone in America knew it and I believe this to be an error in the emigration record. Some other circumstantial evidence that he emigrated in 1869 is that the trunk that he brought with him on the journey and, which is in my possession, has 1869 painted on the inside cover. My folks had this trunk and when my father died my mother gave it to her grandson, Avery Smith. Avery sent it to me in 1997. I am ready to confirm that Ole came to America in May of 1869.
Anne Urness Gesme wrote a book, "Between Rocks and Hard Places". In it she describes the "Traditions, customs, and conditions in Norway during the 1800's, emigration from Norway, and the immigrant community in America". It is not a family history but a description of the above. More important is the fact that some of her ancestors emigrated from Oppland County, so she is familiar with that area. It is the best book that I have found during my research of my Norwegian ancestors.
The book is published by Gesme Enterprises, 2119 Lincolnshire Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403. It is paperback and I believe the price I paid was $10.00.
She writes in her book, "Between Rocks and Hard Places":
"In 1869 the fare from Oslo to Madison, Wisconsin, was $44.50, and less than two weeks were required to make the trip. Norwegian emigrants traveled by steam ship from Oslo to Copenhagen, from Copenhagen to England, and from England to New York. From New York one could travel by railroad to the Norwegian immigrant communities of the Midwest."
Ole would have arrived at a building called Castle Garden which was the Port of Embarkation during this time period for all immigrants landing at the Port of New York City. The following is some history about Castle Garden:
More than a dozen forts were built to defend New York Harbor at the time of the War of 1812. The Southwest Battery was constructed on the rocks off the tip of Manhattan Island between 1808 and 1811. Although fully armed and staffed, the fort never had occasion to fire upon an enemy. In 1817, the fort was renamed Castle Clinton in honor of DeWitt Clinton, Mayor of New York City.
The army vacated the fort in 1821 and the structure was deeded to New York City in 1823. In the summer of 1824, a new restaurant and entertainment center opened at the site, now called Castle Garden. A roof was added in the 1840s and Castle Garden served as an opera house and theater until 1854.
On August 3, 1855, Castle Garden, now leased to New York State, opened as an immigrant landing depot. During the next 34 years, over 8 million people entered the United States through Castle Garden, until it was closed on April 18, 1890.
What was Castle Garden like for the immigrants coming to America? ( The following was copied from a post made by Paul Peterson@worldnet.att.net. Paul is a professional genealogist and lives in Connecticut.)
"Castle Garden was a big old barn of a building which I've seen pictured as being shingled....
The immigrants got off the boat en masse' and walked (1st class rode in horse carriages) to the processing center under the watchful eye of many guards .... inside the processing center they sat on wooden bench's awaiting their name to be called for a physical exam and again for an INS interview....one tried not to cough too much.
The central hall was a hodge-podge of noise, kids crying and different languages being spoken....they huddled on the bench's saying prayers and hoping against hope they would be acceptable....it was faith and hope that got them this far....they had braved wind tossed seas on so-called 'cattle-boats' with poor food, drinking water and sanitation.
After the INS interview, several hours later, if they were accepted, they gathered up their meager belongings, the old suitcase and the box's and went thru the 'out' door onto the street where they were pounced on by a multitude of thieves, union army recruiters, salvation army evangelists, ethnic organization representatives and hawker's of all sorts...If the inside of the building was a mass of confusion the outside street was pandemonium and a circus all at once. If it was raining they got wet, and many ships arrived in the dead of winter...the immigrant was on their own to find help or directions.
Bewildered, poorly clothed for the miserable New York weather, and often alone in a strange new world, they somehow made their way to a new life...though many did not...there was a public outcry in the 1860s over the "deplorable" conditions on the docks where newly arrived immigrants were often robbed and killed.
They did for themselves, and their children, they made it thru the rain and got a point of view....They gave to us the gift of life in a new world, a new beginning, and a remembrance of times past when life held little or no hope...
They did it on faith alone (and the echo's of the shipping line boy's who ran thru the streets back in the old country extolling the glory's of the new world, of America, where men lived free, where land was given to all who wanted it...simply for the asking...) They did it because they wanted better....and they left to you and me a legacy that yearns to breath free, a circle of people...events...and promise that somehow strains to be closed....It is, to this closure, that we all work with diligence and patience in seeking out our family history....and somewhere along the way of our search we too have hope....hope that they, as yet unnamed and unknown, will know that we remembered, that their struggle was not in vain, that we know and appreciate what they did....which was, after all done for us."
Ole must have made it through Castle Garden and then proceeded on from there to his next destination, Chicago and eventually La Crosse, WI. On the inside of the cover of the trunk mentioned above are the words, "La Crosse, Wisconsin". The side of the trunk also has a shipping label, (now quite torn and frayed), but the words "Liverpool" and "New York" are clearly visible. Circumstantial evidence, therefore, leads me to believe that this is the route that Grandfather Ole traveled from Sør Fron parish, Oppland County, Norway to La Crosse, WI, arriving there sometime in the month of June, 1869.
The 1870 Federal census was researched for both Monroe County and La Crosse County. In Holland township, La Crosse county an Ole Oleson is listed. He was 30 years old with the occupation of farm hand. He was working for the Herman Paulson family. But why the name "Ole Oleson"? In the next two census, 1875 and 1880, the name Ole Oleson appears. In the 1880 census I know for sure that Ole Oleson and Ole O. Hagen are the same person. Proof of that fact will appear later. It is fairly safe to assume that if he came to La Crosse, WI, the first place that he would look for work would be in a community where he felt comfortable. He could not speak, read or write English, therefore, that would be a Norwegian community. A large majority of Holland township on the 1870 census were born in Norway. It would be interesting to research Herman Paulson to see if he came from the same area as Ole did in Norway. Perhaps Ole knew of him before he left Norway and knew exactly where he was going.
The above data is the information researched on Ole Olsen/Oleson from his date of birth to just before he was married. Sometime prior to Sept 19, 1874, (birth of first child), Ole was married to Marit Anderson. There is a family story that was told by my dad about that marriage. Speaking of his father, Ole:
"My father, got a job working for the railroad. They were rebuilding the tunnel that the train traveled through at Tunnel City, Monroe, WI. The railroad workers lived in Tomah at the St. Paul House and took the train from Tomah to Tunnel City (about 5 miles) each day to go to work. At the St. Paul House there was a girl who served the food to the workers and worked in the kitchen. That girl was Mary (Marit) Anderson. Mary and Ole fell in love and were married. After the tunnel was finished they moved back to Leon township, Monroe county, WI to farm."
The above story is well known and circulated among the descendants of the siblings of my father.
Ole and Marit met in Tomah, WI while Ole was working for the railroad in Tunnel City, WI. (See Ole O. Hagen.) Supposedly they were married sometime before 19 September 1874. I have not been able to find any record of marriage for Ole and Mary. The date of marriage is based on the fact that the first child was born in Sept 1874.
After their marriage I believe that Ole and Mary lived in Greenfield Township, Monroe County, WI. The Wisconsin census of 1875 shows only the head of household by name and then lists the number of males and females in the family. The name listed is Ole Oleson and the family contains 1 male (himself) and two females, (this would be his wife, Mary, and his first daughter, Gina, born in Sept 19, 1874. (Note again the use of the name Ole Oleson.) If we take into consideration the family story that my Dad told of how Ole and Mary met and married it does give some circumstantial evidence as to the fact that they may be the ones listed in the 1875 census.
A "Pictorial History of Monroe County, Wisconsin" was published in 1976 containing excerpts of a history of all the townships in the county. The section devoted to Greenfield township talks about the history of the railroad tunnel at Tunnel City and is reproduced below:
"The first maps (of the area) were platted in 1858 and indicate the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad. No tunnel was used until 1861 and it was used for 13 years. The rumble of the trains passing through it caused sand falls. The railroad using the line was now called the "The Milwaukee Road" and they decided that a new, higher and more solidly built structure was in order. The work was started in 1875 and the brick-lined tunnel was completed in 1876."
This would add to the circumstantial evidence that there was work being done on the tunnel in 1875 at the time of the census and that Ole, Mary and little Gina could well be the ones listed in the 1875 census.
I do know that Gina Andrine (she was called Jenny, it is English for Gina) was baptized in the Fish Creek Norwegian Lutheran Church Nov 8, 1874. More will be said about this church later. It is located in Leon township, Monroe county, WI. So if Ole and Mary met in Tomah while he was working on the tunnel it must have been about 1873. Then when Jenny was born Sep 19, 1874 they went back to Leon to get her baptized and returned to Tunnel City. One of the reasons that they did this may have been that by 1874, Ole had a brother, Lars Olsen, and four of his brother's children living in Leon Township.
We have already discussed the birth of Gina (Jenny) Andrine on 19 September, 1874. She was baptized in the Fish Creek Norwegian Lutheran church 8 November, 1874. Her parents are listed as Ole Olsen Hagen and Marit Andersdtr. This is the first time that we have seen either of these names. Up until now Ole has used Olsen or Oleson. So now we have Ole Olsen/Oleson/Hagen. This is also the first time that we have seen Mary Anderson use the name Marit Andersdtr. Marit is the Norwegian form of the English Mary. Andersdtr is a Norwegian naming process. It means that Marit is the daughter (abbreviation in Norwegian is dtr.) of Anders. This shows us that Marit's father's first name was Anders. The sponsors for Gina at her baptism were "Anders Larson, relationship unknown to family"; "Lars Olsen Hagen, brother of Ole and an Uncle of Gina"; Margrethe Larsdtr. and Anne Olsdtr, relationship unknown to family. One only has to look at the name of the first sponsor, Anders Larson, and wonder if there is any possibility that he may be the father of Marit Andersdtr. Gina Andrine was confirmed 27 October, 1889 with a rating of 2 ½. I have no idea what that means. The parents names are listed as Ole O. & Marit Hagen.
On 11 February 1876, Anton Olaf, was born. He was baptized 2 April, 1876. The parents are listed as Ole O. and Marit Toftehagen. Here is another new surname for Ole Olsen. The name "Toftehagen" comes from the farm that he lived on with his parents in Norway . The only place that Ole used the surname "Toftehagen" was in the church records. No explanation has appeared as to why this was done. The sponsors for Anton Olaf were Ole and Iver Larson, cousins; Margarete Anderson and Caroline Kirkeng, relationship unknown. Anton was confirmed November 9, 1890 in the Fish Creek church with a rating of 2 ½. The parents are listed as Ole O. & Marit Hagen.
April 4, 1876 in the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Sparta, WI, Ole Olson, declared his intention of becoming a citizen of the United States of America. This does not mean that he has been naturalized, but only, that he has applied and expressed his intention. The above information is listed on his naturalization papers which will be discussed later.
Here is another new surname. He has used Olsen, Oleson, Toftehagen, Hagen and now Olson. Except for the Toftehagen and Hagen the others are probably not intentional. We must remember that Ole could not read, write or speak English and we can be pretty sure that he could not read or write Norwegian. The Martin Luther Catechism that he learned for confirmation in Norway was most likely done by rote. Normally rural Norwegians, other than the clergy and school teachers, could not read or write. There were no books to read and no paper to write on or implements to write with. The people in America that filled out the forms or acted as census takers spelled the names as they heard them and no one else knew the difference. But why didn't he use the surname of "Hagen". Perhaps he was told that he must give or use the name that he used in his home country. I do not expect I will ever be able to confirm that theory.
The third child born to the family was Ole Albert. Ole Albert was born 16 February, 1878 and was baptized 17 March, 1878. The parents are shown as "Ole O. & Marit Toftehagen". His sponsors were Lars Olsen, Uncle; Iver Larson, cousin; Ole Olsen, Ann Anderson and Olava Larsen, relationship unknown. He was confirmed October 30, 1892 at the church with a rating of 3. I guess that made him a ½ point better than his two previous siblings. Parents are shown as "Ole O. & Marit Hagen". This is probably the last time that Ole Albert was called "Ole". He was always known as Albert and until I did this research I never knew his real name.
Marie (the first child not to be given a middle name) was born January 4, 1880 and was baptized Feb 4, 1880. Parents - "Ole O. & Marit Toftehagen". Sponsors were Ole and Amanda Larson, cousin and cousin by marriage; Iver and Anne Larson, cousins. Marie went by the names Mary and Maria at various times in her life. She was confirmed July 2, 1893 with a rating of only 2. Her parents are Ole O. and Marit Hagen.
Ole appears on the 1880 Federal Census for Leon Township, Monroe County, WI with the name "Ole Oleson". The information given on the census leaves no doubt that this Ole Oleson is my grandfather. His occupation is farm labor, so he is apparently working for some other farmer. Mary, his wife, is shown as "keeping house" and the following children (names written as listed w/ages), Jennie 5, Anton 4, Ole 3, Mary 5/12. These are the first four children born to Ole and Marit Toftehagen and then baptized as stated in the paragraphs above. These same 4 children were later confirmed in the church with the parents listed as Ole O. & Marit Hagen.
Why Leon? The following is a history of Leon Township. It was taken from the 1912 History of Monroe County, WI.
The first settlement in this town, which at one time comprised the entire county of Monroe, was made in 1851 by Ephraim Shaw, who arrived in June, 1851. He took up some land and went to farming. This farm was afterwards sold to Robert Smith, who in 1880 erected a handsome brick residence almost upon the same site where Mr. Shaw’s house stood. In August, 1851, W. J. Austin arrived in Leon, taking. up 1,400 acres of land, 100 acres of which he cleared the first summer. The Austin holdings were the establishment of a great farm, which as years went by, was cut up into smaller farms, but was ‘the foundation of the Austin fortune. It is related that on the fifth season of his farming operations. he gathered a crop of 12,000 bushels of grain, 9,000 of which were oats, the balance wheat and corn.
On the fourteenth day of November, 1853, the village was platted and its inhabitants became convinced that it would eventually become the county seat of a new county, as it was then the only regularly platted settlement within the limits of the county, and as it developed later on the village did make a determined effort in 1854 to have the county seat located here in the bill which was before the legislature providing for the organization of Monroe county; but at that time the settlement at Sparta had grown to such proportions and was situated on the main stage lines that it was successful over Leon in that contest; the village consequently has never grown to any great extent, being more of a trading point than anything else.
In July, 1851, R. S. Kingman and his two brothers, ‘Rosalvo and Alvarado, came from Ashtabula, 0., and settled in the town. Mr. Kingman afterwards went to Sparta and was closely connected with the early history and development of that village and city. About this’ time many settlers came ‘in and the population increased rapidly. A postoffice was established in 1856. was discontinued after a few years, but was again reestablished and has existed there ever since.
In 1861 a grist mill was built by C. F. Western, who ran it about a year, when it was purchased by Mr. Austin in 1862. The mill at one time during his ownership had four run of stone and turned out as high as 150 barrels of flour a day. The mill is furnished by a fine water power equal to forty-eight horse power and today is used principally as a feed mill. ‘d
Among the early settlers aside from those mentioned were A. H. Gilliland, who came in 1853; W. S. Jewell, who came the same year; A. H. Matteson, who arrived in 1858; Charles J. Matteson, who settled in the town in 1854, built a store and engaged in the mercantile business for about twelve years; afterwards went to farming. H. A. Link, who came in June, 1853. His son, the Hon. W. W. Link, still resides in the town and is the oldest living settler. He has been prominent in Monroe county affairs and is living a peaceful life on his estate at an advanced age. In the early days a tavern was kept at Leon by D. M. West, who wanted the town named "Miranda," after his wife, but the name was proposed by a man named Lawton, who said it reminded him of a beautiful little valley he had seen in Mexico called Leon. The early settlers liked it, so Leon it was. Peter DeCoursey, who was one of the first county board, came in 1851 with his father, Isaac; Samuel Wakeman, Reuben Kudney, Nelson P. Carrier in 1852; Arthur Jewel, John Oakley and Henry Oakley, 1854; Hiram Hutchins and Henry Vanetten, in 1855; David Johns and .Lewellen Johns, in 1853; James Morton, the stage driver, and Samuel Greenman, in 1852.
The first religious service in the town was in the 50’s by a Congregational minister named Reynolds sent out by a missionary society in the East to preach the gospel to the "heathen" in Leon. He did not stay very long.
Leon is truly one of the garden spots of the county. Its beautifully situated farms, highly developed, are among the richest to be found anywhere. There are two creameries in the town, one situated in the settlement and the other on the farm of Ernest Austin, one-fourth of a mile south of the village. There are three churches in the town, the oldest being the Congregational, and the next in point of time the Methodist church. At one time an Advent church was maintained for a time, but went out of. existence for ‘lack of ‘support. There is a Norwegian Lutheran church situated on Fish creek ridge, about five miles from the village, which has a large congregation.
The present officers of ‘the town are: A. E. Evenson, chairman; Ben ‘Lee and Clyde Richardson, supervisors; (Note: Clyde is the husband of Clara Hagen) Winfield Link, clerk; Ben Fox, treasurer; E. C. Solberg, assessor; Justice, Ben Fox. Population, 751.
Louise (no middle name) was born March 3, 1882 and baptized April 16, 1882. She was sponsored by Ole and Amanda Larsen, see Marie above for relationship; Ole O. and Mathilda Stanshaugen, neighbors. The parents are listed as Ole O and Marit Toftehagen. She was confirmed November 29, 1896 as Louise Hagen with the rating of Very Good +. The Hagen surname was listed for the parents.
On April 1, 1884, Klara (Clara was the name she always used) was born and was baptized May 15, 1884. The parents again used the surname of Toftehagen. Her sponsors were Ole and Amanda Larson, Iver Larson (see Marie above); Bolette Gulbransen, relationship unknown. Clara was confirmed November 13, 1898. Her rating was excellent, outstanding, good. The surname for the parents was Hagen with Toftehagen in parenthesis.
Sometime between the birth of Clara in 1884 and January of 1886, Ole and Marit moved to a farm in Pleasant Valley. When this chapter was originally written it was believed that they had purchased the farm at that time. However, further research conducted in August, 2000 shows that they must have rented the farm. The purchase of the farm was not completed until February of 1896. The deed and its source will be discussed in a paragraph later.
As stated in the history of my father, Oscar Melvin was the first child to be born in the house on the farm that was to become known as the "homeplace". The data as pertains to birth and confirmation of Oscar Melvin is in his history, so I will not repeat it here.
Emma Oline was born April 26, 1889, the eighth child in the family. She was baptized June 14, 1889 and was sponsored by Lars O. and Anne Hagen, uncle and aunt; Iver Larsen, cousin; Marit Toftehagen, mother. (This is the first occasion that I have seen one of the parents also listed as a sponsor.) Emma was confirmed (no date), 1903 with an excellent, outstanding, good rating. Only her father, Ole Hagen, is listed as a parent.
On August 13, 1892, the last child was born to the union of Ole and Marit. Her name was Alma Laura. She was baptized September 30, 1892. The parents are still listed as Ole & Marit Toftehagen and she was sponsored by Magnus Svensen, Sinreu (sp.) Kirkeeng, Amanda Larsen and Polly Olsen. Amanda Larsen was the wife of Ole Larsen, so she was her aunt, the others are unknown. Alma was confirmed November (no date shown), 1906, with a rating of excellent, outstanding, good. The parents are Ole & Marit Hagen, with Toftehagen in parenthesis.
So we have all nine children born, baptized and confirmed. The family group of each of them will be included later
I visited the Fish Creek Norwegian Lutheran Church in the late 1980s. While there I found a 100th Anniversary Book that had been printed up by the church. There is a picture of "Mrs. Ole Hagen" on page 6. There is a story on page 7 of the same book noting the fact that the 6 ladies in the picture were the charter members of a society they formed in the church in 1893 called "The Ladies Aid". A search of the church records found no reference that either she or Ole held any lay offices within the church while they were members.
The 1895 Wisconsin census shows only the surname of the family. There is a "Hagen" listed that indicates there were 4 males and 7 females living on the farm at the date of the census. These figures would be correct for the Ole O. and Marit Hagen family. This is the first official document, other than church records, where I found Ole Olsen Toftehagen/ Oleson/ Olson using the Hagen surname.
Volume 72, page 181 in the Register of Deeds, Monroe County Administrative Center, Sparta, WI shows the sale of "The South West quarter of the North West quarter of Section twenty eight (28) Township Sixteen (16) North Range Four (4) West" from John H. Gilliland, etux to Ole O. Hagen on the 12th day of February, 1986. The farm consisted of 40 acres and the purchase price was $400.00. The deed was also accompanied by a mortgage on the farm between John H. Gilliland and Ole O. Hagen. Apparently Ole still could not write his name because the mortgage contains only his mark (x).
Merritt Gilbertson, son of Alma Hagen Gilbertson, gave me some of the facts about the farm. He lived on the farm from his birth until he was about 9 years old.
"The house had 4 rooms when I lived there. I was born in 1912 and don't remember much until I was older but there were 2 rooms downstairs, a kitchen and a sort of living room. There were two bedrooms upstairs that were the same size as the rooms downstairs so they were big bedrooms. In addition to the house there was a barn and a chicken coop. There were about 8 or 9 cows, some chickens, and a pair of horses. The horses name"s were Tom and Floss. They grew mostly oats on the farm and a little tobacco. We spoke Norwegian most of the time and as I remember it Grandpa Ole did not speak English very well at all. Grandpa was a nice man but the last year that I knew him best he was quite ill. I do remember him helping Uncle Tony shock grain. I also remember that he always had peppermint candy and sometimes he would give me some."
Finally Ole Olsen from Sør Fron Parish, Oppland County, Norway had become a landowner. One can only imagine the pride that he must have felt to have accomplished this dream. This would have been nearly impossible for him to do in Norway. He came to America in 1869 with nothing but change in his pocket and 17 years later he had bought a farm. He worked for the railroad and as a hired farm hand for those 17 years, where we do not actually know, but somehow acquired enough cash or credit line to have land, along with a marriage and by this time 4 children. Life must have seemed rather good.
The next census that lists the family of Ole and Marit is the 1900 Federal Census. This census uses the name "Ole O. Hagen." His age at last birthday was 58. It gives his year of birth, 1841 and that his occupation is that of a farmer. He indicates that his farm is mortgaged. His wife is listed using the name Mary and they have been married for 26 years. The children still at home are Oscar 14, Emma 11, and Alma 7.
The 1910 Federal Census shows that Ole is still Ole O. Hagen. His wife is listed as Mary K. There is one other time in the Fish Creek church records where on a "Fortegnelfe" 1900 (inventory of the family of Ole Hagen in 1900), Mary is shown using the name Kaia Marit, age 48. Research has not shown any information as to what this name means or where it comes from, it is apparently some name in her past. The remainder of the information on the census shows that Ole states he immigrated in 1868 (given in error) and that his naturalization papers have been applied for. He notes the fact that he cannot read or write English. His occupation is still farmer and he now owns his farm free of mortgage. Also living at home are daughters Emma, 20; Alma, 17 and Maggie Peterson, with her two children, Myrtle A. and Palmer E.. Maggie Peterson, is daughter, Maria. She married Ole Peterson in 1901. He died in 1908 and Maria returned to her parents home with her two children.
As stated before, Ole Olson declared his intentions of becoming an American citizen, April 4, 1876. It is now June 18, 1913 when Ole decides to actually become naturalized. Again there can be no doubt that this Ole Olson is the same as Ole O. Hagen. On his naturalization papers the information about his birth in Norway, his immigration to this country, his wife and all of his children are listed, with their date's of birth, substantiates the facts that they are one and the same. I do not know why he used the name Ole Olson on these papers, unless it was a rule that since he declared his intentions under that name, then, he must petition under the same name. There is a place on page two of the papers where he could also petition for a name change. In all places where my Grandfather Ole had to sign, he merely made his mark and some official signed the name for him. He probably was unaware that he could change his name at this time. In any event, Grandfather Ole took the "Oath of Allegiance" to the United States of America on October 11, 1913. He no longer was a Norwegian - he was now an American.
In the Federal Census for 1920, Mary has died and Ole O. Hagen is now a widower. Mary's death is recorded in the paragraph below. He is 78 years of age, living with his son Anton. They are living on the "homeplace". Anton is running the farm and is listed as the head of household. Other information given in reference to Ole is that he immigrated in 1861, and was naturalized in 1913. The way that I found his naturalization papers was from the information given in this census.
The death record for Ole is filed in the Monroe County Courthouse in Volume 2, Page 321. It gives his name as Ole O. Hagen, White, Male, Widowed. It notes that he died April 13, 1921 at the age of 79 years, 10 days. He was born in Norway and died of chronic nephritis with enlarged prostrate (sic) and infected bladder. The record was attested to by his son, Anton Hagen of Sparta.
Church records indicate that he was buried in the Fish Creek church cemetery April 18, 1921. His headstone states that Ole was born June 14, 1842. That is in error, he was born June 13, 1841. Actually he was 79 years, 10 months, 0 days when he died.
The following obituary was published in the Monroe County Democrat, Sparta, Monroe, WI April 23, 1921
Ole O. Hagen, one of the pioneer settlers of Pleasant Valley passed away
at his farm home after an illness of three years on April 13, 1921, at the age
of 79 years and 10 months.
Deceased was born in Gulbrandsdalen, Norway, June 14, 1841. In 1869 he emigrated
to America and in 1873 was married to Marie Anderson. To this union were born
nine children, eight of whom survive, viz: Mrs. Jennie Hambly of Bangor, Anton
Hagen at home, Albert Hagen, Mrs August Weinke, Mrs. Clyde Richardson, Mrs
Mingel Gilbertson, all of Leon; Oscar Hagen and Mrs. Bill Dittman of Sparta. One
daughter, Mrs. Alfred Larson preceeded him to the Great Beyond on May 14, 1915.
Mrs. Hagen passed away on July 4, 1911. Twenty-six grandchildren also survive
him.
Funeral services were held from the home April 18th, and Interment was made in
Fish Creek cemetery.
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to our friends and neighbors who so kindly assisted us in our sad bereavement, also to the pall bearers. Undertaker M. J. Lanham, singers, organist, the Rev. Eikjarud, and for the beautiful floral offerings.
Hagen Children.
Gina (Jenny) Andrine Hagen m. John Thomas; b. 19 Sep 1875 at WI; d. 1949.
Children of Gina (Jenny) Andrine Hagen and John Thomas were as follows:
2. i. ETHEL, b. 1903 at Bangor, La Crosse, WI; m. Walter Alfred Meier.
3. ii. IRENE, b. 7 Sep 1907 at Bangor, La Crosse, WI; m. Harry Clyde Beal.
We have already discussed the birth of Gina (Jenny) Andrine on 19 September, 1874. She was baptized in the Fish Creek Norwegian Lutheran church 8 November, 1874 11. Her parents are listed as Ole Olsen Hagen and Marit Andersdtr. This is the first time that we have seen either of these names. Up until now Ole has used Olsen or Oleson. So now we have Ole Olsen/Oleson/Hagen. This is also the first time that we have seen Mary Anderson use the name Marit Andersdtr. Marit is the Norwegian form of the English Mary. Andersdtr is a Norwegian naming process. It means that Marit is the daughter (abbreviation in Norwegian is dtr.) of Anders. This shows us that Marit's father's first name was Anders. The sponsors for Gina at her baptism were "Anders Larson, relationship unknown to family"; "Lars Olsen Hagen, brother of Ole and an Uncle of Gina"; Margrethe Larsdtr. and Anne Olsdtr, relationship unknown to family. One only has to look at the name of the first sponsor, Anders Larson, and wonder if there is any possibility that he may be the father of Marit Andersdtr. Gina Andrine was confirmed 27 October, 1889 with a rating of 2 ½. I have no idea what that means. The parents names are listed as Ole O. & Marit Hagen.
ANTON OLAF HAGEN; m. Mathilda Roberg; b. 11 Feb 1876 at Leon, WI; d. 1957 at Leon, WI.
The three children of Anton Olaf Hagen and Mathilda Roberg were as follows:
i. WAYNE; b. 1928; d. 1940.
ii. BEATRICE, m. Duane Schmitz.
iii. HELEN HENRIETTA, b. 3 Sep 1917 at Mt. Sterling, WI; m. Armond Jerome Larson. Helen was a step-daughter of Anton. Her maiden name was Woods.
On 11 February 1876, Anton Olaf, was born. He was baptized 2 April, 1876. The parents are listed as Ole O. and Marit Toftehagen. Here is another new surname for Ole Olsen. The name "Toftehagen" comes from the farm that he lived on with his parents in Norway . The only place that Ole used the surname "Toftehagen" was in the church records. No explanation has appeared as to why this was done. The sponsors for Anton Olaf were Ole and Iver Larson, cousins; Margarete Anderson and Caroline Kirkeng, relationship unknown. Anton was confirmed November 9, 1890 in the Fish Creek church with a rating of 2 ½. The parents are listed as Ole O. & Marit Hagen.
OLE ALBERT HAGEN; b. 16 Feb 1878 at Leon, WI; m. Ellen Kirkeeng 4 Oct 1906. Page 133, Vol. 4 Monroe County, WI; d. 1958 at Sparta, WI.
The seven children of Ole Albert Hagen and Ellen Kirkeeng were as follows:
i. DONALD CHESTER; b. 7 Jul 1907; m. Bertha Keene 9 Feb 1929.
ii. MARVIN LYNDAHL, b. 9 Jan 1909 at Pleasent Valley, Leon, WI; m. Verna E. Slayton.
iii. KERMIT SPENSER; b. 29 Jul 1911.
iv. RILEY FORREST; b. 29 Sep 1913; m. Alta M. Erickson 14 Mar 1943 d. 24 Sep 1975 at age 61.
v. ALBERT EVERETT; b. 23 Feb 1916; m. Ida Grace Peterson 29 May 1940.
vi. MERLIN WARREN, m. Lilah Edith Everson.
vii. HARLEY KENNETH; b. 19 Aug 1918.
Ole Albert was born 16 February, 1878 and was baptized 17 March, 1878. The parents are shown as "Ole O. & Marit Toftehagen". His sponsors were Lars Olsen, Uncle; Iver Larson, cousin; Ole Olsen, Ann Anderson and Olava Larsen, relationship unknown. He was confirmed October 30, 1892 at the church with a rating of 3. I guess that made him a ½ point better than his two previous siblings. Parents are shown as "Ole O. & Marit Hagen". This is probably the last time that Ole Albert was called "Ole". He was always known as Albert and until I did this research I never knew his real name.
MARIA HAGEN; b. 4 Jan 1880 at Leon, WI; m. Ole Peterson 24 May 1901 at Cashton, WI Page 404 Vol. 3; m. Alfred Olger Larson, son of Ole Larson and Amanda Otille Swenson, 1911; d. 13 May 1915 at Leon, WI, at age 35.
The two children of Maria Hagen and Ole Peterson were as follows:
i. MYRTLE GLADYS; b. 23 Dec 1901 at Fish Creek Ridge, Leon Township, Monroe, WI; d. 16 Oct 1969 at Leon, Monroe, WI, at age 67.
ii. PALMER ORRIN; b. 10 Dec 1903 at Fish Creek Ridge, Leon, Monroe, WI; d. 22 Oct 1989 at age 85.
The two children of Maria Hagen and Alfred Olger Larson were as follows:
i. ARMOND JEROME, b. 11 Jun 1912 at Pleasent Valley, Leon, WI; m. Helen Henrietta Woods.
ii. ALICE MARIA, b. 10 May 1915 at Pleasent Valley, Leon, WI; m. Harley Francis Tripp.
Marie (the first child not to be given a middle name) was born January 4, 1880 and was baptized Feb 4, 1880. Parents - "Ole O. & Marit Toftehagen". Sponsors were Ole and Amanda Larson, cousin and cousin by marriage; Iver and Anne Larson, cousins. Marie went by the names Mary and Maria at various times in her life. She was confirmed July 2, 1893 with a rating of only 2. Her parents are Ole O. and Marit Hagen.
LOUISE HAGEN; b. 3 Mar 1882 at Pleasent Valley, Leon, WI; m. August Ferdinand Weinke 10 Feb 1904; d. 16 Feb 1963 at Bangor, WI, at age 80.
The three children of Louise Hagen and August Ferdinand Weinke were as follows:
i. ERVIN; b. circa 1906.
ii. ERMA; b. circa 1908.
iii. PHYLLIS LOUISE, b. 19 Mar 1912 at Grandpa Tripp's House, Leon, WI; m. Jack Stanley Harris.
Louise (no middle name) was born March 3, 1882 and baptized April 16, 1882. She was sponsored by Ole and Amanda Larsen, see Marie above for relationship; Ole O. and Mathilda Stanshaugen, neighbors. The parents are listed as Ole O and Marit Toftehagen. She was confirmed November 29, 1896 as Louise Hagen with the rating of Very Good +. The Hagen surname was listed for the parents.
CLARA HAGEN; b. 1 Apr 1884 at Leon, WI; m. Cylde Richardson circa Jul 1908 at Winona, MN; d. 10 Sep 1954 at Leon, WI, at age 70.
The three children of Clara Hagen and Cylde Richardson were as follows:
i. MERLIN ROBERT, b. 20 Apr 1909 at Leon, WI; m. Aurilla E. Fox.
ii. VADIS LAVERNE, b. 20 Nov 1910 at Leon, WI; m. Evelyn Johnson.
iii. MILDRED INEZ, b. 20 Sep 1915; m. Gilmer Otis Christopherson.
On April 1, 1884, Klara (Clara was the name she always used) was born and was baptized May 15, 1884. The parents again used the surname of Toftehagen. Her sponsors were Ole and Amanda Larson, Iver Larson (see Marie above); Bolette Gulbransen, relationship unknown. Clara was confirmed November 13, 1898. Her rating was excellent, outstanding, good. The surname for the parents was Hagen with Toftehagen in parenthesis.
(See Generation One.}
EMMA OTINE HAGEN; b. 20 Apr 1889 at Leon, WI; m. William Fritz Karl Dettmann 28 Jan 1914; d. 10 Feb 1926 at Sparta, WI, at age 36.
The three children of Emma Otine Hagen and William Fritz Karl Dettmann were as follows:
i. ALLAN ORVILLE, b. 17 Aug 1919; m. Edythe Evans.
ii. GARLAND WILLIAM, b. 12 Apr 1922; m. Alta (Dolly) Liek.
iii. DORIS EILLEEN; m. Arthur Bowen; m. Ralph Talley; b. 3 Nov 1924; d. 22 Nov 1974 at Waseca, MN, at age 50.
Emma Oline was born April 26, 1889, the eighth child in the family. She was baptized June 14, 1889 and was sponsored by Lars O. and Anne Hagen, uncle and aunt; Iver Larsen, cousin; Marit Toftehagen, mother. (This is the first occasion that I have seen one of the parents also listed as a sponsor.) Emma was confirmed (no date), 1903 with an excellent, outstanding, good rating. Only her father, Ole Hagen, is listed as a parent.
ALMA LAURA HAGEN; b. 13 Aug 1892 at Leon, WI; m. Mengel Gilbertson 20 Oct 1920 at Winona, MN; d. circa 9 May 1962 at La Crosse, WI.
The nine children of Alma Laura Hagen and Mengel Gilbertson were as follows:
i. MERRITT ORLANDO, b. 24 Jan 1912 at Leon, WI; m. Irene Huebner.
ii. GLENN LAWERENCE, b. 9 Mar 1921 at Fish Creek, WI; m. Jewel Hatke.
iii. MILBURN ARNOLD, b. 4 Jan 1923; m. Renada Hefti.
iv. WALTER EUGENE, b. 29 Sep 1924 at Sparta, WI; m. Audrey Marson.
v. SPENCER DUANE; b. 29 Jul 1929 at Sparta, WI; d. 30 Aug 1965 at La Crosse, WI, at age 36.
vi. ESTHER MILDRED, m. Wayne Clott; b. 30 Mar 1931 at Sparta, WI.
vii. VIOLET RAE, m. Jack Antony; b. 30 Mar 1931 at La Crosse, WI.
viii. CHAUNCEY, m. (--?--) Edna; b. 13 Aug 1934 at La Crosse, WI.
ix. REBECCA MARIE, m. Donald Dobson; m. ? Randall; m. ? Breidel; b. 1937.
Alma Laura was born on August 13, 1892, the last child to be born to the union of Ole and Marit. She was baptized September 30, 1892. The parents are listed as Ole & Marit Toftehagen and she was sponsored by Magnus Svensen, Sinreu (sp.) Kirkeeng, Amanda Larsen and Polly Olsen. Amanda Larsen was the wife of Ole Larsen, so she was her aunt, the others are unknown. Alma was confirmed November (no date shown), 1906, with a rating of excellent, outstanding, good. The parents are Ole & Marit Hagen, with Toftehagen in parenthesis.
The only evidence that I have as to when Marit was born is taken from her tombstone. It records her birth date as October 23, 1852. There is a family story as told by my father about the birth of his mother:
" My mother's father was a Norwegian who came to America and ended up in Green Bay, WI. He was working as a dishwasher in a eating place. At the same eating place there was a young girl working as a maid or waitress. She was either full Indian or half Indian from the Winnebago tribe. She taught this young Norwegian English and they fell in love. They were married and Marit was the result of that marriage."
Research to test the validity of this story has produced nothing. Research did produce "Mary Anderson's" in the following census.
1. In the 1860 Federal Census for Portland Township, Monroe County there is a family of Anderson's. Lewis Anderson, his wife, Agnes, and three children. Mary Anderson is 8 years old. Although the name, dates and age are similar there is some doubt that this is my grandmother Marit, because the family is never mentioned again later in her life. Portland was the township next to Leon and also people from Portland township used the Fish Creek Ridge Norwegian Lutheran Church. Therefore, it seems almost impossible that if these were her parents they would appear again at some time.
2. In the 1870 Federal Census for Leon Township, Monroe County there is a listing for "Anderson Mary, age 17, with an occupation of 'domestic servant'." She is working for the Theodore Mott family. This could be possible in relation to the story of her birth. For some reason her father and mother, or just her father, could have moved to the Leon area where Marit found work as a domestic servant. Then later she could have moved to Tomah and worked at the hotel where she met Ole.
There is another possibility. When the first child, Gina, (Jenny) was born, Ole and Marit had her baptized in the Fish Creek Ridge Norwegian Lutheran Church. Their names as parents are listed as Ole Olsen Hagen and Marit Andersdtr. (dtr is the Norwegian abbreviation for daughter. This was how Norwegian women gave their name in Norway, Marit the daughter of Anders. The name did not change when they married.) This would mean that Marit's father's name was "Anders". The first sponsor listed for Gina was Anders Larson. There are no relatives of Ole that were named Anders Larson. There are no neighbors that I could find by that name. Is this person the father of Marit? Research has not found any logical Anders Larson in Wisconsin at this time. The possibility still stands that this may be the link to the discovery of Marit's ancestry.
In any event, we know very little about the life of Marit Anderson from birth to marriage. Perhaps the story as told by my father is true. Prejudice against "Indians" in those days may have been the reason that Marit did not want it known that she had Indian blood. In about 1935 I can remember going to Indian ceremonies on the Watermill reservation. This was very close where our family was farming at that time. Dad had black hair and very brown skin and I can remember one time when an Indian man walked up and asked Dad which tribe he represented and he said, "Winnebago". At the time I thought he was just kidding around and now I am not so sure. Maybe we will never know why Marit did not wish to discuss her early life.
Marit died on July 4, 1911 at the age of 59. Adeline Hagen Gilner told me the story which was also known by other descendants of Marit that I interviewed:
"Ole and Marit were going to a 4th of July celebration. She was getting into the buggy when she had a stroke and died."
The Fish Creek church records merely state that Marit Hagen, age 59, died July 4, 1911 and was buried July 7th. She was buried in the Fish Creek church cemetery.
The following obituary was published in the Sparta Herald, Sparta, Monroe, WI, July 11, 1911:
Mrs. Mary Hagen, wife of Ole O. Hagen, died at her home in the town of Leon, July 4th, at the age of 57 years. Funeral services were held July 7, Rev. Eikjarud of Cashton officiating and interment was made in the Fish Creek cemetery.
So very little is known about the life of Grandmother Marit. There were no living people to interview that knew her when this research started and she apparently was rather close mouthed about her past. I could not find any of my brothers, sisters or cousins who knew of any stories that their parents had related to them about her other than the Native American relationship. She gave birth to and raised 9 children who all grew to adulthood. She was apparently somewhat active in her church. She looks rather stern in her pictures but that is the way they were posed in those days. Perhaps some day I will have a "good hit", as they say in genealogy, and be able to gain more knowledge about her life.
Grandfather Ole, on the other hand, we know quite a bit about starting with his life in Norway, his immigration and life in Wisconsin. It appears that he was a nice man and there are two stories about him from Adeline Hagen Gilner and a cousin, Everett Hagen.
Adeline wrote in 1994:
"I was 8 years old when Grandpa died. He always sat in his rocking chair facing the window to the road. His big long beard hung down on his chest. He always had a dish of white peppermint candy on a little stand beside his chair. Norma was 3, I was 5 and Wen was a baby. Norma and I would stand and look at the candy but didn't dare touch it or Mother would have laid us out cold. After we stood staring at it for awhile, Grandpa would say, 'would you like some candy.' Did we smile then. I can remember it like yesterday and see him setting there. Uncle Albert looked just like him when he got older."
In February of 1995, Everett Hagen wrote from Sparta, Wisconsin:
"I do remember Grandfather Ole. I think I was about 4 or 5 when I and some member of my family -- I can't remember who was with me at the old Hagen farm. Grandfather was living on the old Hagen farm, it was small. Palmer Peterson was there at the time too. Grandfather had a long beard and he always had some peppermint candy in the candy jar. I do not know if Grandpa had any brothers or sisters."
There are instances in the history of Ole where I am not sure that I have the right person and perhaps, just as with Grandmother Marit, more information will be forthcoming so that we can fill in the gaps.