The family is found living on the Skansgaard farm in the 1865 census of Norway and the 1875 census of Norway. Skansgaard was a small farm under Kjorstad in Sor-Fron. It was a husmannsplass. It was named Skansgaard when a husman came back from a war and named it so. The name is not rooted in farm names in Fron. Loften was a husmannsplassar in Nord-Fron.
Not much is known about Amund and Niels. Amund was born on January 10, 1859 and Niels was born on October 11, 1854. Amund emigrated from Bergen, Norway on March 24, 1880 on the Stjerne Line. His place of residence was given as Haus. The day before, on March 23, 1880, his brother Niels emigrated from Bergen, Norway on the Inman Line. His place of residence was given as Haus. It is not known if the brothers were in this area when they came here. We do know that they lived on the West Coast, probably in Washington State. Amund changed his name to Edward Holmer and Niels changed his name to John Ring. It is known that Amund/Edward worked on “Bergen’s banen” in Norway in 1880. The road was built at that time from Bergen to Voss. Amund/Edward also used the name A.E. Holm. He stated in one letter to his parents that he had changed his name because it was hard for people to pronounce Skansgaard. Both men were known to have been in the Salt Lake City, Utah area at the turn of the century. One letter was received from Niels/John that was written on April 29, 1894 from a hospital in Salt Lake City. He talks of being very sick and about going to San Francisco to receive treatment from a Chinese doctor. That letter he signed Neils Erlandson. Amund/Edward died in 1936 in Washington State it is presumed. A letter was received from the Royal Norwegian Consulate in Seattle, Washington. It was to do with an estate that was left after his death.
Erland and Beret emigrated from Oslo, Norway on April 25, 1884 on the Rollo. Their passage was prepaid, more than likely by one of their sons who were already all in America. Their place of residence was S. Fron and Storback was their destination in America. They landed in Quebec, Canada in May of 1884. Starbuck, Minnesota is where they first went to when they arrived here. His contract #16575 with Allan Brothers & Co. for his and Beret’s passage, reads as follows:
Erland Hansen has received of the undersigned, (against payment of passage-money, including landing money in Quebec, Boston, Halifax, Portland or Baltimore, as specified) Through ticket #16575 for 2 adults to be forwarded to Starbuck, Minn. in the following manner:
1. By Steam-Ship to Hull, where the separate Steam-Ship ticket is to be given up;
2. By Railway to Liverpool;
3. By Steam-Ship to Quebec, Boston, Halifax, Portland or Baltimore;
4. By Railway to destination.
During the whole journey hence to America, passengers will be supplied with good and sufficient food as well as with suitable lodging; and this arrangement stands equally good in the event of any unavoidable delay or accident interrupting the journey, which in that case will be continued as soon as possible in a satisfactory manner.
Passengers must attach a full and plain address to each of their luggage packages.
10 Cubic feet Luggage per Steam Ship and 100 pds per. Railway free for each passenger above 12 years old; for children between 1 and 12 years of age, half the quantity.
On arriving in England, passengers must not hasten to go on shore, but wait until they are fetched by our Correspondents’ people, who will make themselves known by showing a list of all the Passenger’s names.
Passengers should not have any dealings with Interpreters. Tins and bedding should be bought in Norway or in Liverpool.
On arriving at America, Passengers must be careful not to let themselves be persuaded to take Lake-Steamer tickets instead of their railway tickets.
Passengers should hold to this contract and show it as often as they have occasion, but not give it up until they arrive at their destination.
A deposit of 20,000 Norwegian Kroner has been made to the Norwegian Government as security for due fulfillment of this contract.
E. H. Skansgaard made his Declaration of his intention to become a citizen in Pope County of Minnesota. He could not write, so he signed with an X and it was witnessed by A.L. Brevig. We do not know how long they stayed in the Starbuck area.
When they came to Flom Township, they lived in Section 27 on a farm.
Beret died May 24, 1898 and Erland died November 29, 1909. They are both buried in Aspelund Lutheran Church Cemetery in Flom Township of Norman County, Minnesota.
(1) 1 Erland Hanssen Kjorstadeie
Source information: Oppland county, Fron, Parish register (official) nr. 3 (1828-1838), Birth and baptism records 1828, page 6.
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Birth: 4 Dec 1827, Sor Fron Oppland
Chr: 13 Jan 1828, Sor Fron Oppland Norway
Death: 29 Nov 1909, Norman County Minnesota
Burial: 1909, Aspelund Lutheran Church Cemetery Flom Township
Father: Hans Hansen Kjorstadmoen (1805-)
Mother: Anne Jacobsdatter Kjorstadmoen (1800-)
Spouse: Beret Nielsdatter Loften
Source information: Oppland county, Sødorp in Fron, Parish register copy nr. 4 (1816-1850), Birth and baptism records 1825-1826, page 26.Birth: 22 Oct 1825, Sodorp Nord Fron Oppland Norway
Chr: 13 Nov 1825, Sodorp Nord Fron Oppland Norway
Death: 24 May 1898, Norman County Minnesota
Burial: 1898, Aspelund Lutheran Church Cemetery Flom Township
Father: Niels Erichsen Loften (1793-)
Mother: Ragnil Thronsdatter (1799-)
Marr: 27 Nov 1851, Nord Fron Oppland Norway
Children:
Iver (1852-1949)
Niels (1854-)
Amund (1859-1936)
Hans (1863-1953)
Hans & Iver Skansgaard(2) 1.1 Iver Erlandsen Skansgaard
Source information: Oppland county, Nord-Fron, Parish register (official) nr. 1 (1851-1864), Birth and baptism records 1852, page 12.—————————————————————————————————————————————
Death: 25 Jan 1949, Flom Township, Norman County, Minnesota
Birth: 8 Jan 1852, Sodorp Nord Fron Oppland Norway
Chr: 21 Mar 1852, Sodorp Nord Fron Oppland Norway
Burial: 1949, Aspelund Lutheran Church Cemetery Flom Township
Spouse: Anne Pedersdatter Aspehaug
Source information: Oppland county, Øyer, Parish register (official) nr. 6 (1858-1874), Birth and baptism records 1861, page 36.Birth: 19 Aug 1861, Oyer Oppland Norway
Chr: 29 Sep 1861, Oyer Oppland Norway
Death: 11 Sep 1924, Flom Township, Norman County, Minnesota
Burial: 1924, Aspelund Lutheran Church Cemetery Flom Township
Father: Peder Knudsen Rindalseje Aspehaug (1814-1896)
Mother: Sicil Pedersdatter Rindal (1819-)
Marr: 1890, Minneapolis Minnesota
Children:
Cecelia Bolette (Sophie) (1891-1971)
Emil (1893-1967)
Oscar Paul (1897-1970)
Nels (1894-1965)
Alfred (1899-1982)
John (1901-1988)
Herman (1905-1957)
(2) 1.2 Niels Erlandsen Skansgaard
Source information: Oppland county, Sødorp in Nord-Fron, Parish register copy nr. 1 (1851-1883), Birth and baptism records 1855, page 18.—————————————————————————————————————————————
Birth: 11 Oct 1854, Sodorp Nord Fron Oppland Norway
Chr: 25 Dec 1854, Sodorp Nord Fron Oppland Norway
(2) 1.3 Amund Erlandsen Skansgaard
Source information: Oppland county, Sør-Fron, Parish register (official) nr. 1 (1849-1863), Birth and baptism records 1859, page 111.—————————————————————————————————————————————
Birth: 10 Jan 1859, Sor Fron Oppland Norway
Chr: 21 Apr 1859, Sor Fron Oppland Norway
Death: 1936
(2) 1.4 Hans Erlandsen Skansgaard
Source information: Oppland county, Sør-Fron, Parish register (official) nr. 1 (1849-1863), Birth and baptism records 1863, page 149.—————————————————————————————————————————————
Birth: 16 Jun 1863, Sor Fron Oppland Norway
Chr: 20 Sep 1863, Sor Fron Oppland Norway
Death: 8 May 1953, Flom Township, Norman County, Minnesota
Burial: 1953, Aspelund Lutheran Church Cemetery Flom Township Minnesota
Spouse: Anne Thorsdatter Volden
Death: 28 Aug 1954, Flom Township, Norman County, Minnesota
Birth: 26 Jul 1865, Nord Fron Oppland Norway
Burial: Aspelund Lutheran Church Cemetery Flom Township Minnesota
Father: Tor Olsen Volden
Mother: Marit Iversdatter Milsteinstuen (1837-)
Marr: 14 May 1903, Flom Township Minnesota
Children:
Edgar Thorvald (1904-1989)
Magda Borghild (1906-1970)
Harold Arthur (1909-1996)
