Bernice Mabel Lang

Notes:

!SO: A-011.
NOTES: B.A. from Univ. of Iowa, graduate work at the University of Copenhagen,
Denmark and Univ. of California, Berkeley.
MARRIAGE: Bernice and James had one son, James Jr. The marriage ended in
divorce. Bernice then married LUTHER SMITH, who adopted James Jr.

Family/Spouse: James Carroll. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. James Carroll, Jr.

Family/Spouse: Luther Smith. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!SO: A-011
NOTES: He was a farmer in Iowa. Retired at age 42 and moved to California and
lived in San Diego and Berkeley.

Samuel married Eva Adora Penfield on 22 Feb 1898. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!SO: A-011.
A-031. Eva married Samuel Lang. Eva's sister, Laura, married Samuel's
brother, William Lang.

Notes:

!SO: A-011.
NOTES: John and Gunhilde (she also called herself NELLIE and CAMILLE) were
married November 1870 in Elkader, Iowa. Their marriage license
read "Camille Svenson and John Lang."
They went west in a covered wagon to Plymouth County where John had filed
for a homestead in Fredonia Township. Later he bought more land from
the railroad and in so doing acquired considerable acerage.
John was from Canton Berne, Switzerland and spoke German/Swiss.

John married Gunhilde [Nellie] Gunderson. Gunhilde (daughter of Gunnel Svenson and Kari Knutsdatter Korsgaard) was born on 3 Aug 1846 in Nore, Norway; died on 7 Feb 1925. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!STATUS: 1989 CAP
SO: A-011.
A-020-O lists name as Gunhild.
A-025 lists name as Gunild. Also known as Nellie.
BIRTH: date from A-020-L. A-020-O gives same date plus place.
A-020-M gives full date.
A-20-M says she and siblings all born at Nummedal, Norway.
A-033 lists b. date as 8-03-1845 and name as Gunild.
DEATH: A-020-M
EXPLANATION: Samantha Lang-784 (REF: A-011) says of her grandmother, Gunhilde,
"My grandmother assumed quite a few different names, I guess
trying to ignore her Norwegian background" and "was quite
typical of immegrants; she wished to forget her background in the `old
country'. She was in America now and anglicized everybody's name:
-------
She became NELLIE or CAMILLA *
Ragnhild became Rachel Aanestad **
Aasse became Anna -- married Paul Ellings
Jorund became Julia -- married Skarshaug
Knut Gunderson (she couldn't change that very much)
Sven -- the oldest was Samuel
* Her marriage license reads `Camille Svenson and John Lang'
** Except for Rachel Gunderson Korsgaard, the children all
took the name GUNDERSON."
-------
Gunhilde spoke both Norwegian and Engish and probable understood
German as well since her husband, John spoke German/Swiss.
------------
A-020-h says that John and Gunhild Lang lived at Le Mars, Iowa.
------------
A-031 states that she had three children. The second son was born
stillborn at the home on the farm. She was unattended.
-------------
A-031 lists Sir name as Korsgaarden, same as for her father.

Notes:

!SO: A-011, from Sammie Lois Lang. . .B.date from A-019.
A-020-L lists marr. date as 1841, Opdal, Norway.
A-020-D says Gunul was born 1815 at Fonnebo and married Kari Knutsdotter
Korsgarden in 1843.
A-026 (U.S. Govenment documents) and application by Gunnel for a pension
from his deceased son, Sven, show Gunnel listed as Gunnel Swainson,
father of Swain Gunnelson. Gunnel affixed "his mark" instead of
his signature tot eh document.
DEATH: date from A-020-M.
BURIAL: A-025. Marion Lutheran Cemetery.
OCCUPATION: A-025. Farmer.
NOTES: Gunnel Svenson and his family left Norway when their oldest son, Sven
told them that if they came to America, he would teach them English.
By the time they arrived in Decora, Iowa, Sven had joined the Union Army
as a private in the Civil War and died a few months later from illness.
---
Gunnel, translated into English as 'GUNDER', settled in this small
Norwegian speaking community which came to be called, Gunder, Iowa.
---
On the Marion Lutheran Cemetery is buried GUNEL SVENSON KORSGAARD.
Korsgaard was the name of the farm home in Norway.
---
****>> EXCEPT for RAGNHILD (also called Rachel) GUNDERSON KORSGAARD, the
children all took the name GUNDERSON.
---
From (A-003) Sammie-Lois Lang relates that "Gunil lived on the farm named
Korsgaard and that his wife, Kari, was from the farm, Bekkeset. (Should this be the other way around?)
Both farms are on hillsides overlooking the beautiful Numedal valley.
The cabins in which the families lived are still standing; however, the
people now living on the farms have now built new houses. Kari died in
one of the cabins in Korsgaard. Family members are buried at the
cemetery at Uvdal."
---------
A-020-d. Gives a History of Bekkeset (the farm). See A-020-d for more
information on the owners of Bekkeset. Following is the information
useful to our genealogy:
The gaard (farm) Bekkeset begins in 1813 with the division of the
farm into south and north parts.
In the Early 1830's the renter was Sven Gunnulsen and family.
Sven married Gunhild Nelsdotter in 1814. Their 1st child, Gunul
was born in 1815. A second child, Ragnhild, was born about 1834
(probably incorrect if she was 43 in 1865. Her birthdate would
more likely be about 1822). A 3rd child, Gunhild, was born
(date not known). Our earliest known relative at Bekkaset begins in:
1834 - a tax list shows Gunel Svennsen at Bekkeset. He would be
19 years old. He is shown as a renter from the owner of
Bekkeset, Torstein Stenersen.
1835 - a census shows a family of 8 at Bekkeset. Names not given
1838 - a land registry still shows Sven Gunnelson as operator of
the farm.
1843 - Gunul and Kari get married and move to her family farm,
Korsgaard.
1845 - Hans Nilsen is the farm operator.
1846 - Hans marries Gunul's sister, Ragnhild (she would be about
24 years old)
1858 - Svenn, father of Gunul dies. 82 years old.
1865 - Census shows Hans Nilsen 43, wife Ragnil 43, and 6
children at Bekkeset. Also Gunul's mother, Gunhild, was
living there.
1866 - Gunul's mother, Gunhild dies. Age 82.
This is the year Gunul and his family come to the U.S.
1901 - Hans Nilsen transferred the farm to his son, Halvor
Hansen.
1912 - Hans Nilsen died. Age 91.
1920 - Halvor Hansen gets married. There were no children.
1938 - Halvor Hanson's wife dies. Age 61. Halvor clears up a
longstanding irregularity to the title of the farm and
soon after sells farm to Nils Torstensen of North
Bekkeset, who still owned the farm as of 1963.
Halvor retained lifelong rights to live on the farm.
1941 - Halvor died. Age 73.
PROBLEM: 1. How should he be listed? Gunnel Svenson?
Gunnel Svenson Korsgaard?
2. Lois Thorstenson (REF: A-010) lists name as Gunulf Knutson Bekkest.
born in 1819 at Nore, Bekkeset, Norway. and married to Kari
Knutsdatter Korsgaard in 1841 at Opdalen.
Her source was Helge Aanestad, husband of Ragnhild, and son-in-law
Of Gunnel.
3. Note the various listings for Gunnel, Gunel, Gunil etc.
4. See 'notes' section for Jorund Gunderson for more information.
5. See Floppy Disk II.A.11, Aanestad Ancestry, Sirname.doc for notes
I have entered regarding this sirname difficulty.
6. Nordahl H. Skarshaug prefers to list the name, Gunner Gunderson
Krosgarn (A-019). Alert Palmer Aanestad's notes lean this way,
too. On A-025 (FGR for Gunner from Nordahl Skarshaug) the name is
listed as Gunulf Svendsen Fonnebo and also as Gunner Korsgarden
(Gunderson). A-025 lists sources of information as a letter from
T. L. Loftsgard in Rodberg, Norway to R.U. Skarshaug OCT 3, 1975 as
well as from data from church books in Oslo, Norway.
7. A-020-L, a FGR in an unknown hand, among Alert Palmer Aanestad's
records lists the name, Gunnel Bekkeset and that he changed his
name to Korsgaard when he married and moved to his wife's farm.
Lists b. date as 1819 at Nore, Bekkeset, Norway.
lists d. date as 1879 at Clayton, Iowa.
8. A-020-O gives name as Gunnuld Bekkeset, marr. to Kari Korsgaard in
1841 at Opdal, Norway. Kari, an only child inherited the farm,
Korsgaard, and she and Gunnuld moved onto the farm and his name
became Gunnuld Korsgaard. Listed are their 7 children and
birthdates. States all were born at Nore, Norway. The mother, Kari
died when Ragnil was 13 years old.
Ragnil's b. date is listed as 1852 making Kari's d. date 1865.
9. A-020-M gives name as Gunnel Svenson Larbakken. born 1816.
died APR 5, 1879.
10. A-020-f says he was a farmer, came o the U.S. March 1866, died in
Clayton Co., Iowa. Notation says an article on Ellings gives 1865.
11. A-031 lists name as Gunner (Gunder) Korsgaarden from Nummedal, Norw
A-031 also uses Korsgaarden as the sirname for all of his children.
12. He is listed on a Quit Claim Deed in Clayton Co., Iowa by his heirs
in July 1884 as Gunel Swenson. 160 acres (more or less) of land
inherited from Gunel by his heirs is being ransferred by Gunel's
heirs for a cash payment of about $5.10 per acre to a Guri Knudson.
The heirs are listed as
H. Aanestad .......... this would be Helge Martinus Aanestad
his wife, Rachel Aanestad ...... this would be Ragnhild
Hans Hanson .......... This would be Hans (Hanson) Skarshaug
his wife, Jorund Hanson ........ This would be Jorund
being deceased, their children.
Anna Ellings ......... This would be Aasa
her husband, Paul Ellings ......... This would be Paul Ellings
Nellie Lang .......... This would be Gunhild
her husband, John Lang ............ This would be John Lang.
Knud Gunderson ....... This would be Knut (A-046 lists Knud)
his wife, Maria Gunderson ...... This would be Maria Forisdatter (A-046)
Peder Gunderson ...... This would be Peder
his wife, Julia Gunderson ...... This would be Julia Osher.
---------------
H. and Rachel Aanestad signed at Clayton Co., Iowa.
Hans Hanson probably signed at Clayton Co., Iowa
Anna and Paul Ellings signed at Foyette Co., Iowa
Nellie and John Lang signed at Plymouth Co., Iowa
Maria and Knud Gunderson signed at Douglas Co., Minn.
Julia and Peder Gunderson probably signed at Clayton Co., Iowa
---------------
I know of no evidence to indicate that at this time - or ever -
that where the names are changed that these were their legal names
even though they are attached to a legal document. The document
originated in Clayton Co., Iowa and so one or more of the persons
listed in Clayton Co. may have provided this information to the
notary. The notery in all cases testifies that the persons are
known by him, indicating that either he is not stating a fact or
giving evidence that perhaps the names were in common usage
for some time already.
A-031 states that when Gunder immegrated to the U.S.A. he settled in the are
now known as Gunder, Iowa. A-033 indicates it is believed that When
Gunnel immegrated to America, he brought his housekeeper (name unknown)
with him. They later were believed to be married.
A-046 from a newspaper obituary for his son, Knud we find Knud's parents listed
as Gummel and Kari Korsgarden and the time of immegration to Clayton Co.,
IA as June 1866.

Gunnel married Kari Knutsdatter Korsgaard on 26 Mar 1843 in Opdal, Norway. Kari (daughter of Knut Korsgaard and Jorund Pedersdatter) was born in 1814 in Uvdal, Norway; died in 1860 in Uvdal, Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!SO: A-010. Also A-011.
A-020-L lists name as Kari Korsgaard.
A-020-M lists name as Kari Knutdsdatter Crosgarn. b. 1819. d. 1864.
A-025 lists name as Kari Korsgarden Knutsdotter. It gives b. place as
Opdal, Norway.
A-031 lists name as Kari Backkeset, Marr in Opdal, buried at Mummedale,
Norway.
BIRTH: Year from A-019. A-020-f gives year as 1819.
DEATH: A-003 -- died in one of the cabins at the farm, Korsgaard.
A-019 -- source for year of death.
A-020-O says she died in Norway when her Daughter Ragnil was 13 years
old. Ragnil was born in 1852 making Kari's d. date about 1865.
A-020-f lists 3 possibilities for d. date: 1860, 1865, 1864 ( the latter
date has anotation indicating it was thought to be correct)
A-020-g states that Kari died some years after the last child was born
and then Gunul and his family emigrated to the U.S.
A-025 indicates that she died at Opdal, Norway and is buried at
Geilo-Kongsberg Rd, near Rodberg, Norway.
A-033 lists death at Krosgarn in 1859, burial at Uvdal Stave Kirke
Cemetery. In 1984 Nordahl and Beth Skashaug searched for the grave
markers of Kari and two of her children (Ole and Bergit) at both
the old Stave Kirke (where the family was associated and Kari and
the children are believed to be buried) and newer Uvdal Stave Kirke
but were unsiccessful. Both the Korsgarden and Bekkeset farms are
near Rodberg. Fonnebo, the farmstead where Gunulf Svendson
(Kari's husband?) (or her husband's grandfather?) was born is just
across the highway from Korsgarden.
Nordahl lists several references for the sources of
this information in his letter that I have labeled A-033.

NOTES: A-031 indicates she was a housekeeper.