John Andrew Lee

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Anne. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Eric Lee
2. Rebecca Lee

Andrew married Mary Margaret Aanestad [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Residence: Apr 1942, Berkeley, Alameda, California, United States

Notes:

!STATUS: CAP MAR 1991.
SO: FGR-31, wife Maria.
BIRTH: Farm home.
EDUCATION: Park Region Luther College, Fergus Falls, Minn., 1915-17
MARRIAGE: Ist marriage to Margaret Christopher ended in divorce in 1944. This
marriage produced two children. 2nd marriage was to Maria Cinco, who
he met while vacationing in Mexico. They were married in Mexico
March 15, 1952, came to the United States Oct 11, 1952 to reside in
Felton, Santa Cruz Co., CA until Nov 1976 when they moved to Paso
Robles, CA. There were no children born to this marriage.
MILITARY: U.S. Army, Chemical warfare, Sgt. First Class, June 7, 1918 - Feb 13,
1919.
OCCUPATION: Chemistry Industrial Bureau, Dept. of Agriculture. Worked in
Washington, D.C. and later in ALbany, Calif. Retired in 1949.
RELIGION: Lutheran.
DEATH: Palmer died at Twin Cities Convalecent center in Templeton,
CA at the age of 94 from cancer.
BURIAL: Palmer was cremated in Paso Robles, CA with the inurnment in South
Dakota on his former farm by his nephew, Paul Schneider.
LR: Paso Robles, Calif.

Alert married Ida Margarethe Elida Christopher on 4 Oct 1919 in Minnehaha, South Dakota, United States, and was divorced. Ida (daughter of John J Christopher and Katherine Sorvaag Helgeson) was born on 28 Nov 1895 in Letcher, Sanborn, South Dakota, United States; died on 17 Nov 1980 in Sun City, Maricopa, Arizona, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Alert Palmer Aanestad's -68 first wife.

Other Events:

• Naturalization: 1872
• Residence: 1880, Amherst, Fillmore, Minnesota, United States
• Residence: 1900, Highland, Minnehaha, South Dakota, United States
• Residence: 1910, Garretson, Minnehaha, South Dakota, United States
• Residence: 1920, Garretson, Minnehaha, South Dakota, United States
• Residence: 1930, Sherman, Minnehaha, South Dakota, United States

Notes:

Birth:
Notes as per Bill Aanestad.

Grandson Ragnvald-80 lists the birthplace as Haa, Jaederen, Kristiansand, Norway. (Lois Thorstenson-82 (A-004) relates that the Aanestad area is south of Stavager, near the town of Varhaug. Descendants of Mathias, Helge's brother, still live on the old homestead near Varhaug.)

PROBLEM: In (A-020-O) Henrietta lists the b. place as Haa Prestegjaeld, Norway. A-043 lists Hå, Jaederen, Norway.

A-047 lists HÅ, Jæren, Norway. (HÅ is a larger area, similar to a county, Jæren is a district in HÅ and Varhaug is a town adjacent to Ånestad both within these larger areas. I am using the data from A-047.

NOTE: In 1994, my wife Dorothy and I, brother Sam and Susan visited the Aanestad area in Norway. On the road heading south from Stavanger, and just before arriving at Varhaug is a sign pointing to Ånestad. It is a collection of farms all by the same name located between two rivers.

Halvard Aanestad, who we visited in Varhaug took us out to the farm in Ånestad on which his half-brother, Svien and his wife, Olaug were still living and farming.

At this time, Svien was remodeling the old farmhouse because his son, Morten (a newspaper reporter) and his wife Kristin were in the process of moving onto the farm and Svien and Anne were planning on retiring to a new house in a new housing development near the edge of the farm.

We also visited this new house. The craftsmanship and wood interiors of both were simply beautiful. My outstanding memory of the new house was a walk-in refrigerator! Hanne Brit Sandsmark, who wonderfully compiled the Norwegian and American names into a published genealogy lives just up the road on the way to Stavanger. Our time was limited by the departure of our cruise ship so we were unable to try to see her and her family. Our immigrant ancestor, Helge (my great grandfather) was a brother of Karl (Hanna's great-grandfather) and also a brother of Mathias (Hallvard's grandfather). Hallvard is an electrical contractor in Vaurhaug. We had a very enjoyable meeting in his home and Mary served us lunch including lefse and we were made to feel very welcome. Hallvard explained that Aa or Å indicates a relative size of the area of land bordered by two rivers, so Aanestad gets its name from that idea. Interestingly, Hallvard spells it Aanestad while Svien spells it Å. Both continue to insist they have the preferred spelling!

Helge married Ragnhild Gunderson Korsgarn in Abt. 1876. Ragnhild (daughter of Gunnel Svenson and Kari Knutsdatter Korsgaard) was born on 16 Feb 1852 in Numedal, Norway; died on 8 Sep 1933 in Sherman, Minnehaha, South Dakota, United States; was buried on 12 Sep 1933 in Sherman, Minnehaha, South Dakota, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Possible Norwegian Hits:

Ragnhild Jensdatter, b. 9 Nov 1851, paa Østre Stabæk, Asker Parish
Ragnild Johnsdatter, b. 1 Dec 1851, Sjølie, Ytre Rendal Parish
Ragnild Jørgensdatter, b. 21 Aug 1852, i Atnedalen, Lessøe Pr., Ringebu Parish
Ragnild Johanne Carlsdatter, b. 30 Sep 1853, Houde, Ørsta Parish
Ragnhild Barothea Knudsdatter, b. 26 Jul 1851, Løghelle, Lenvik Parish
Ragnhild Johnsdatter, b. 7 Mar 1852, Tverfjord, Hammerfest Parish
Ragnhild Nielsdatter, b. 29 Jul 1852, Eibugt, Hammerfest Parish


1900 US Census year of immigration is 1867

!SO: Birth and Death dates from Ralph Aanestad-95 record.
PROBLEM: Lois lists name as Ragnhild Korsgaard Gunderson.
Ralph A. lists name as either Ragnhild Korsgaard or Raghnild Gunderson
A-036 lists last name as Ragnild Gunderson Korsgaard.
Sammie Lang (A-011) explains that all the brothers and sisters took on
the name Gunderson except for Raghnild, who kept the last name,
Korsgaard. Also that she was called "Rachel" in America.
Perhaps the answer comes from a letter (SO: A-014) dated 3-24-90 from
Walter F. Kelley, who explains the reason for the name, Korsgaard, was
that her father married Kari Korsgaard, who was an only child. She
inherited the Korsgaard Farm and Ragnhild thus acquired the name.
A-020-O lists name as Ragnil.
A-020-h states that the name in Norway was Ragnil (Gunelsdatter) Krosgrn
(Korsgaard in 'bokmaal" spelling)
A-033 lists name as Ragnild. born 2-15-1852.
BIRTH: Numedal is 100 miles NE of Bergin. (From (A-004): up at the north end
of the Numedal Valley is the town of Rodberg which is not far from the
farm [Korsgarad] where her family lived. The farm is now owned by the
Bergs. Ragnhild was baptized in the stave church at the little town of
Nore which is in the Numedal area.")
PROBLEM: A-020-O says all Ragnhild's brothers and sisters were born at
Nore. Norway. A-020-M says all born at Nummedal. Nordahl Skarshaug lists Jorund's b. place a Uvdal, Norway.
EDUCATION: In Norway (From A-014)
RELIGION: Lutheran.
NOTES: Solveig Thorstenson relates that Ragnhild immigrated to America with her
father, Gunulf Knutson Bekkeseth, (Sammie Lang believes the name
should be, Gunull Svenson, and that his name was Americanized to
Gunder, and that Gunder, Iowa is named for him) who was a widower,
(also see Notes for Gunnel Svenson-497)
and her brothers and sisters in 1862 when she was 10 years of age.
Walter Kelley (SO: A-014) states that his mother Henrietta gave him
information in 1932 for a college paper and gave the emmigration date
as 1865. A-014 indicates that Ragnhild lived in Clayton Co., Iowa until
1879, Filmore Co., Minnesota until 1884, and Luverne, Minn. until 1885.
Ralph Aaanestad relates, "Grandmother Ragnhild could bake the best rye bread in
the entire Minnehaha County area in my estimation and she always had some on
hand when I brought her a load of corn cobs for the kitchen stove or some oats
and corn for her chickens. She told me she was born in Numdal, Norway, on Feb
16, 1852. Numdal is about 100 miles northeast of Stavanger. Grandmother cameto America when she was nearly 15 years old. She spent 18 years on the home
place where Wilson F. Kelley lived for many years. In early days she used to
twist flax straw for fuel in the family stove and she had a small flock of
chickens on hand from earliest days of marriage until her death in 1933. Yes,
some of those chickens had names and they were afraid of anyone other than
Grandmother. She also used to choip up small kindling for her kitchen stove
and I have her small, very sharp axe used for this chore. Grandmother managed
many duties around the parsonage and farm, for the family was engaged in
farming along with the pasoral duties of Grandfather. Ragnhild was a hard
worker all her days until the last year or twwo when her health began to fail
her. She told me that at one time she could have made a return trip to Norway
but turned it down for it took 3 months to come over on a boat when she
emigrated to the United States and she didn't want any more of that. She was
the mother of 9 children, five boys and four girls, all of whom survived her.
She was very happy when her children were present for her Golden Wedding in
1926."
A-020-O. Henrietta relates that when her grandfather and children came to the
U.S. her mother, Ragnhild, "was 13 years old. She had to find a home, to work
and support herself and help the younger ones. Hers has been a life of
sacrifice and no complaint."
A-020-f tells she came to U.S. with father and family March 1866. Lived in
Clayton co., Iowa, Fillmore MN, Luvern MN, Sherman SD. Died at Sherman of a
cerebral hemorrage.
A-031 lists her sir name as Korsgaarden, same as for her father.
A-044 a letter written by her husband, Helge, indicates her illness began with
a light stroke which incapacitated her memory and usual busy lifestyle and after
7 months death seperated them. Helge describes the funural service and some of
his feelings. He spells her name, Ragnil, in the letter.

Name:
Korsgarn is the name given on the birth listing for Alert Palmer in South Dakota Births, 1856-1903 Record

Korsgaard is the name given on Helge M. Aanestad's Minnesota death record.

John married Katherine Sorvaag Helgeson on 29 Jan 1889 in Elliot, Sanborn, South Dakota, United States. Katherine (daughter of Mathais Helgesen and Margrete Larsdatter) was born on 2 Oct 1870 in Sörvaag, Rogaland, Norway; died on 12 Jun 1935 in Elliot, Sanborn, South Dakota, United States; was buried in Elliot Cemetery, Sanborn, South Dakota, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]