I just want to let you know that the page I had of all the family photographs apparently is not working. I will check into it! Everything is really wonky. Not sure what is going on right now, but I will keep trying to fix it. Thanks for your patience. Holly

More Information Supplied by Lars

Hi family, Lars has been doing quite a bit of research on our family. Through several e-mails we have exchanged, I have garnered some interesting information.

"Your grandfather Richard had 3 siblings in USA and 6 (grown up) in Norway.
I have found 10 cousins of him in USA and 20 in Norway so far.
So please look for old photos and letters perhaps giving more information."

and in another e-mail from Lars this information:

"We talked about Richard B Olsens sister Otelie (who died 1916) a few days ago.
I knew she had a son Trygve (Petersen) born in Norway 1904 and according to
census 1920 living in his uncle Mathias (Dragland) Olsens family.
Otelie then (1907?) married Peter Sevald Petersen from Norway in Seattle.
They have 2 sons.


1. Olaf H (Nick) Petersen born 1907 Richmond Beach and died 1974 in Seattle.
Married 1934 to Etta Stroud born 1907. They had only 1 son Rex Petersen (living 1974).

2. Sverre Stoltenberg Petersen born 1911 Richmond Beach died 1979 Lynnwood.
Married 1948 to Rosemary Taylor born 1926 died 1994. They had 2 sons (living 1979).
Matthew born 1949 and Steven born 1951.


Any of these names familiar ?"

e-mail from Lars Kjettselberg 3/18/11

Hi Holly

I will try to explain how we are connected

Your great grandfather in Norway was Theodor Olsen (1850-1935)

He was married twice and had 13 children

The 4 oldest (grown up) children emigrated to Seattle.

Richard (your grandfather),Rasmus,Otelie and Mathias and all seems have settled in Richmond Beach.

Your great grandfather Theodor had a sister Emerentse.

She emigrated 1892 and settled in North Dakota but went back to Norway before 1895 (Holly adds: to view complete photo click on the image and it will enlarge to original size)

This is Emerentse with her husband Petter Larsen, daughter Olga and a newborn Lars Larsen in North Dakota 1893

Lars is the father of my mother in law (and a cousin of your grandfather).
--------------------------------------

This is a familypicture from 1914 (Holly adds: to view complete photo click on the image and it will enlarge to original size)

The children Judy and Hartlov emigrated to Seattle. Hartlov has a son still living in Everett, + children and grandchildren

Lars has a daughter Eina (my daughters grandmother) and she moved to Sweden in the 1950's
----------------------

In 2002 we had a family reunion in Norway. Holly adds: to view complete photo click on the image and it will enlarge to original size)

From left to right - Eina Larsen (Wallberg) grandmother of my daughter Izahbella only 3 months old and the youngest in the reunion in the lap of the oldest Jonny Johansen (Olsen)

Eina (daughter of Lars) and Jonny (daughter of Olga) are second cousins of your father. Olga and Lars are the children in the North Dakota picture of 1893.

These pictures are family history over 109 years

Lars Kjettselberg

Lars' facebook message

Hi Holly. Good to hear from you. I haven't heard anything from Joy yet but she may be busy? Your grandfather Richard had 2 brothers in USA. Rasmus & Mathias and a sister Otelie. Rasmus get me confused when looking in census but Mathias and Otelie surely lived in King County. Otelie died 1916 and had a son I can confirm. She's said to have more children but I haven't found them. Mathias only had the daughter Myrtle (married Ose) born 1912 (a cousin of your father). If you don't know of her I can give you some input. She has a daughter and a granddaughter living in Seattle and Renton. If you want you can tell me about your cousins. I haven't found all of them yet but I know it should be 14 grandchildren of Richard in 1955 and probably some more born after that year. Have a nice day. Lars

E-mail FROM LARS KJETTSELBERG

Dear Holly

I found your e-mail adress on your blog while searching the children of Richard and Polly.

First I have to explain who I am.

                                                                       

My names is Lars Kjettselberg born 1957 in Sweden.

                                                                       

I am father of Izahbella Wallberg born 2002 in Sweden.

Her mother is Hillevi Wallberg born 1966 in Sweden.

Her mother is Eina Wallberg (born Larsen) 1934 in Norway and second cousin of your father Richard.

Her father is Lars Larsen born 1893 in Hatton, North Dakota dead 1972 in Norway and cousin of your grandfather Richard Bernard Olsen.

His mother is Emerentse Olsdatter born 1871 Dragland, Norway dead 1956 Norway and sister of your great grandfather Theodor Olsen (1850-193x) in Norway.

If you read the attached file you will find your grandmothers birth in Norway or use this link

http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070117310450.jpg
Polly was only 17 years old when she left Norway from Oslo May 19 1905.

Use this link to see the record
http://digitalarkivet.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&sidenr=22&filnamn=EMIOSLO&gardpostnr=255759&merk=255759#ovre

Please send this information to your cousin Joy Barnsdale and beg her contact me.

I have a lot of questions for you about your branch of the familytree but we can take that later.

And as the document of your grandmothers birth is in the Norwegian language I translate as follows:

Polly Margit born May 14 1888 christened Aug 19 1888. Mothers name Matea Martinsdatter (maid) from Rödfos born 1851.

Fathers name Laurits (Madsen) Larsen (bachelor) from Skartseter? born 1862. Parents not married. + names of Godfathers and Godmothers.

The birthplace is Rödfos, Ås i Vestre Toten (county), Oppland fylke (fylke=state), NORWAY.

If you delete the dots and spell as it sounds, the correct spelling of her surname should be Rodfoss.

I thought Polly was a nickname taken in USA but as you can see it's her given name.

Gretings from Sweden

Lars Kjettselberg

Joy's meeting with Vaughn Dragland

Joy and her husband met with Vaughn Dragland in Toronto this summer. I am looking forward to posting a few pictures from their meeting.


Vaughn is planning a trip to Dragland, Norway in the next year or so and he will be adding pictures of his trip on the 
Dragland Family website: Dragland Family Association. This "is a global non-profit organization whose mission is to re-connect all of the Dragland Family members scattered around the world". 
I guess from the picture on the homepage of the website that cowboy hats are in order. 


If you a interested in looking up our lineage click on the family tree link on the left of the page and select #1.
On the family tree Rikard Olsen is found on line 171.1. Our family branch has been a mystery because Rikard disappeard on his way to by a farm. Well, apparently, he ended up with a restaurant in Bismark, North Dakota instead.


More info about our branch of the Dragland/Olsen family:
I have added blue text for the relatives that might interest us the most.-Holly
"Husband: Ola Torson LIMMESAND (Holly added: he would be our great, great grandfather-for most of us)

Born: 24.12.1817 at: Limmesand, Arnafjord sogn, Vik i Sogn Married: 2
2.10.1850 at: Ibestad krk Died: 20.01.1890 at: Dragland,Tjeldsund prgj
Father:Tor Nilsson LIMMESAND Mother:Brita Sjursdtr HALLSETE Other Spo
uses: Brita Olsdtr FINDEN

Wife: Mette Jonette DANIELSDTR (Holly added: she would be our great, great grandmother-for my first cousins)

Born: 04.02.1831 at: Årstein, Gratangen Died: 29.01.1914 at: Dragland
, Tjeldsund prgj Father:Daniel BERTHEUSSEN Mother:Johanna MIKKELSDTR O
ther Spouses:

CHILDREN

Name: Theodor OLSEN Born: 07.06.1850 at: Dragland Married: 05.11.1874
at: Died: at: Spouses: Regine Rask Valberg RASMUSDTR (Holly added: These would be our great-grandparents -for my first cousins)

   Rikard Bernhard was their first born and our grandfather. 

     Theodor and Regine had quite a few other children. 

     Rikard married Polly Margit Rodfus (or Rodfos?) in Bismark, ND 

     (I am not sure of the date).

     They then had 11 children: 

     Theodore, Pete, Ralph, Jenny, John, Margaret, Mary, Richard, 

     Carl, Bruce, Patricia-(I am not sure if I have them in 

     chronological order- please let me know)

Name: Nikoline Marie OLSEN Born: 14 APR 1852 at: Lødingen prgj Married: 

at: Died: at: USA Spouses:

Name: Johanne Bergitte Serine OLSDTR Born: 29 JUN 1854 at: Married:
at: Died: at: Spouses:

Name: Berit Marie OLSDTR Born: 08.10.1856 at: Dragland, Tjeldsund prg
j, Nordland Married: 1877 at: Died: 26.01.1941 at: Fiskefjord, Tjeldsu
nd Prgj, Nordland Spouses: Daniel Harr MARTHINUSSEN

Name: Dorthea Berntine OLSDTR Born: 9.01.1859 at: Dragland Married: at:
Died: 6.07.1861 at: Dragland Spouses:

Name: Daniel Bertheus OLSEN Born: 3.08.1861 at: Dragland Married: at:
Sharon, North Dakota Died: 1931 at: Fargo, North Dakota Spouses: Anna
Louise ERIKSEN

Name: Lars Olai Olsen DRAGLAND Born: 16.7.1863 at: Dragland Married:
17.07.1884 at: Lodingen Prgj, Norway Died: 1907 at: Kloten, North Dako
ta Spouses: Karoline Amalie GREGUSSEN

Name: Mikal Peder Olsen DRAGLAND Born: 13.5.1866 at: Dragland Married
: at: Died: 19.4.1940 at: ?Medicine Hat, Canada Spouses: Mary GULLIKSE
N

Name: Magdalena Olivia Petrike OLSDTR Born: 12.6.1868 at: Married: at
: Dragland Died: at: Spouses: Peder Andreas Berg EIDISSEN Peter Andrea
s Berg EIDISSEN

Name: Emerentse Anna Kristine OLSDTR Born: 17.1.1871 at: Dragland Mar
ried: 1890 at: North Dakota Died: 1955 at: Hårvik Spouses: Petter Jent
oft LARSEN

Name: Joakim Berg OLSEN Born: 28.1.1873 at: Dragland Married: at: Die
d: CIR1920 at: ?Seattle Spouses:

Name: Thomas Olsen DRAGLAND Born: 27.4.1878 at: Dragland Married: 190
1 at: Seattle Died: 6.11.1931 at: Seattle Spouses: Gerharda Johanne JA
COBSEN"

I found the above information on the Dragland Website. http://draglandorg.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/from-our-legacy-blog-family-information/.

We are looking for our mothers.

I have two lost utensils that need to be returned to their owners. Please let me know if you recognize them.

Thanks. Holly