24 OCT 1964 conversation with Sigvardt Petersen synopsis/time line

[Karen Louise Tveden Caton]

The interviewer only identifies himself as "Fred's brother" (later identified as Anker) and identified the others present at Fred's home in Watford City, ND are: Anker's wife, Ingrid, Fred, and their father, Sigvardt, who will be 90 at his next birthday in February (got actual date as 25 FEB 1875). Fred was the oldest son (according to grandma Viola and confirmed by Ingrid/Sigvardt on the tape). I found it fascinating...he was quite the pioneer! I was able to find the places he mentioned on a map of Norway (and later in the USA):

General background info: Sigvardt had 6 brothers (Rasmus, Karl, Johan, Martin & Albert) and 2 sisters (Elsa & Elise) His father, Peder Svendsen was a farmer on "quite a large farm" and a cod fisherman. They raised barley grain on the farm & potatoes grew well, and milk cows (so there must have also been grass fields for the cows to graze on). But the principal livelihood was from fishing and that "season" was only 3 months out of the year.

For 9 years Sigvardt was a fisherman on a 5-man crew open sailboat (estimated at 6 or 7-feet long) going out for 3 months at a time from late January or early February through mid-April. They would head out to the Lofofen Islands (in the sea south of Troms County), which was the biggest cod fishery in the world.They used hooks to fish and cut-up herring into one-inch pieces for bait. (Only the big gun boats used a net and most of the other small fishing boats had 6 crew members.) A small steel boat went among the fishing boats with bait and they took as much bait as they could buy at one time. They had to take enough food (bread, butter, meat, lefse) with them to last the 3 months they were out and they would also eat some of the fish they caught. They were close enough to go ashore to eat and sleep at night.

Sometime around 1889 (or earlier):
Sigvardt married Elena Marie Johanna (he called her "Anna" but Viola called her "Lena") Carlson. Grandma-Viola thought Hanson was her maiden name, but that was her father's (Karl's) last name, so I think that makes her a Carlson/Karlson (NOT an earlier marriage name).

Late May or early June 1901:
Sigvardt left home (Lenvik established as a municipality in 1838 in the Troms County area of northern Norway - you can see a wonderful map at http://www.borgos.nndata.no/F19.htm) on the invitation of his brother-in-law, Albert (Anna's brother who had gone to America and come back). Sigvardt traveled alone (no other family member) by steamboat from Finnsnes to Trondheim; then across the North Sea to the east side of England where he took a train over to the west side of England to make a 9-day transatlantic steamer landing in Montreal, Canada. There was only one other Norwegian on the ship--a 15-yr-old girl--but there were other people aboard who could translate for them. From Montreal he took a ferry across the canal to Detroit. Then he took a train (probably changing in Chicaco) on to Clear Lake, Iowa. From there he hopped on a street car (running every hour) bound for Mason City, Iowa (population 5000-6000) where he worked in a brick & tile plant. His sister-in-law Teresa (was supposed to meet him, but he was a little bit too late in arriving.

Late October 1901:

His wife "Anna" (Elena Marie Johanna Hanson Carlson) came over to America in late October 1901--presumably with their 3 children: Fred-5 yrs (born 1896?), Anker-3 yrs (born 1898?) & Annie-1 yr (born 1900) and they eventually moved 20 miles west of Mason City to Clear Lake where he worked as a logger earning about $3.50/day for 9 years sun up to sun down. Viola was their 4th child (first one born in the USA).

1908 (timing uncertain):
2nd move from Mason City was to farm out in the country for 2 years (couldn't find it on a map: Sigvardt says it was actually 7 miles SW of Fertile, Worth County, IA).

March 1910:

They homesteaded (it sounded like he said 80 acres) in McKenzie County, ND. His timing was just right because neighbors 20 years later could only get 40 acres. (Ranchers in the area didn't like the homesteaders much.)

I had a little trouble getting into the lilt of Sigvardt's Norwegian accent, so if anyone else has a different/better interpretation, I'd love to add the details here. Thanks!