Emigration to America

Bixby Lineage

Crum Lineage

Kirkeberg Lineage

Kjos Lineage

Grønvold Lineage

A Patchwork of Memories

Morris Wold's Kjos Lineage

First Generation

  Morris Theodor Wold, son of Ole Petter Grønvold Wold and Sidsel (Trondsdatter Kjøseie) Kjos, was born on 24 Jul 1913 in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota, and died on 17 Aug 1990 in McMinnville, Yamhill County, Oregon at age 77.

Morris married Susan Helen (Honey) Crum, daughter of Paul Crum and Ingrid Christine Kirkeberg, on 15 Feb 1941 in Glasgow, Valley County, Montana. Susan was born on 31 Jan 1913 in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota and died on 27 February 2005 in Homer, Alaska, at the age of 92. Susan is buried with Morris' ashes in Alaska.

Second Generation (Parents)

Sidsel Trondsdatter Kjøseie (became Sissel Kjos) was born on 4 Sep 1890 in Vang Valdres, Holten/Kjøs Farm, Norway, and died on 3 Aug 1979 in Billings, Montana, at age 88. Her last few years were spent close to her son Morris at a rest home in Billings, where she was buried.

Sidsel married Ole Petter Grønvold Wold, son of Martinus Pederson Grønvold and Anne Mathea Olsdatter, on 28 Mar 1913 in Fessenden, North Dakota. Ole was born on 14 Dec 1885 in Østre Toten, Grønvold Farm, Norway, died on 12 Jul 1970 in Minot, North Dakota at age 84, and was buried in Minot, North Dakota.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Morris Theodor Wold (born on 24 Jul 1913 in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota - died on 17 Aug 1990 in McMinnville, Yamhill County, Oregon). Morris married Susan Helen Crum on 15 Feb 1941 in Glasgow, Valley County, Montana. Susan was born on 31 Jan 1913 in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota. Susan was also called Honey in her home as she grew up.
ii. Arnold S. Wold was born on 29 Dec 1915 in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota died on 12 Apr 1988 in Regan, Burleigh, North Dakota at age 72. He lived most of his adult life in a house next door to his parents. His father, Ole, built both houses and the greenhouses and allowed Arnold and his family to live there, as well.

	On the 17th of March 1905, Trond Olsen and Sigrid Olsdatter boarded the S/S Angelo with their eight children - leaving a very poor and subservient life in Norway behind.  All of his adult life, Trond had rented a house and plot of ground on a large farm on which he worked the land for the wealthy owner. The family had a cow and a pig, but it was a long time before they had chickens. Sigrid, Trond's wife, also had to work for the farm owners, the Kjøses: she did all the washing and cleaning and cooking for them. Sissel's only schooling was in Norway, where she "learned to read and sing."  Sissel loved to sing. It's just one thing we grand-daughters remember about her. The oldest daughter, Anne Trondsdatter Kjos, left Norway on the S/S Montebello to emigrate to the United States on 26 September 1902. She then boarded the Cymric (the colored picture of the steamer on the left) in Liverpool on the 3rd of October and arrived at Ellis Island on 13 October 1902 with 1 dollar in her pocket. From there she traveled to Fessenden, No. Dak. to live with the family of her uncle, Nils Olsen Kjos, Trond's brother. In 1905, Anne sent tickets for the rest of the family to emigrate. As Trond boarded ship that March day with a wife and eight children between the ages of 19 and 1½, he had a grand total of 60 Norwegian kroner with him. He listed his occupation as that of a "shoemaker." Ahead of them lay the beginning of a new life. His life as a dirt farmer for a wealthy landownver was over.
The picture just above is from an old stereo view card. It shows emigrants boarding the S/S Angelo at the pier in Kristiania (Oslo). The picture is probably taken some time between 1900 and 1906, probably by photographer Anders B. Wilse. The S/S Angelo began duty in 1874. 1905, the year Sissel's family sailed with it, was its last. It was scrapped the following year. Bertha (baptised Bergit), Sissel's younger sister, told stories from the voyage. Trond, Sissel and Bertha's father, was a diabetic and on the voyage to North America he attempted to heal an infected cut with tobacco juice. Bertha also remembered that she and her sisters were scolded by their parents for dancing with Finns aboard the ship.

Third Generation (Grandparents)

  Trond Olsen Kjøseie Kjøs, son of Ole Trondsen and Anne Nielsdatter, was born about 1860 in Vang Parish, Norway and died before 23 July 1943 in Fessenden, North Dakota.

Trond married Sigrid Olsdatter in about 1885.. Sigrid, daughter of Ole Unknown and Magnild Thoresdatter,  was born about 1862 in Skjåk Norway on the Gjellaug Nordre farm.

The family is found in the 1900 Norwegian census, Oppeland, Vang, Valdris, farm Holten. They had grain and livestock, but no poultry or beehives or vegetable gardens or fruit trees. Trond is listed as a farmer using the land and a shoemaker. Sigrid's occupation is housework and farmwork (care of the livestock). There were six children living at home. Anne is not among them. Anne Trondsdatter was living on another farm, Kvien, also in Vang Valdres, as a servant.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Anne Trondsdatter was born about 1881 and died before 26 July 1943. (Anne became Anne Hagen, marrying Nels J. Hagen. They had at least four children: Johnny T., Alvin T. Olaf M., and Alma, who married Shultz. The Hagen farm was also in North Dakota, and Sissel and her husband and children visited the Hagens often.)

ii. Ole A. Trondsen Kjøseie was born about 1886 in Vang Valdres, Norway; Holten/Kjøs Farm. ("Big Ole" became Ole Kjos.)

iii. Ole Trondsen Kjøseie was born about 1888 in Vang Valdres, Norway; Holten/Kjøs Farm. ("Little Ole" became Ole T. Kjos.)

iv. Sidsel Trondsdatter Kjøseie (born on 4 Sep 1890 in Vang Valdres, Holten/Kjøs Farm, Norway  (Sidsel became Sissel Kjos Wold) - died on 3 Aug 1979 in Billings, Montana). Sidsel married Ole Petter Grønvold Wold on 28 Mar 1913. Ole was born on 14 Dec 1885 in Østre Toten, Grønvold Farm, Norway, died on 12 Jul 1970 in Minot, North Dakota at age 84.

v. Bergit Trondsdatter Kjøseie was born in 1893 in Vang Valdres, Norway; Holten/Kjøs Farm.  (Bergit became Bertha Kjos Esterholm, marrying John Esterholm in 1916 and lived in Superior, Wisconsin. She gave birth to 11 children all without benefit of doctors and nurses. John passed away in 1953. Bertha lived to see her 100th birthday, passing away in 1993. They are both buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Superior, Wisconsin.)

vi. Margit Trondsdatter Kjøseie was born about 1898. (Margit became Mary Kjos Casey, marrying Ben Casey. They lived in California and had no children.)

vii. Nils Trondsen Kjøseie was born about 1896 in Vang Valdres, Norway; Holten/Kjos Farm.  (Nils became Nels Kjos.)

viii.  Sigrid Trondsdatter Kjøseie was born about 1902. (Sigrid married Jakob Grønvold Wold and became Sigrid Kjos Wold. Sigrid died young, leaving a daughter Dorothy Wold. Dorothy lived for awhile with Sissel and Ole and the boys and eventually married, becoming Dorothy Wold Hynes.)

ix. Ragnhild Trondsdatter Kjøseie Kjos was born in Oct 1903 in Valdres, Norway. Nothing is really known about Ragnhild. She does show up on the 1910 Census with the rest of the family in Hamburg Township, Wells County, North Dakota. At that time she is listed as 6 years old.Language spoken at home is Norwegian. Sissel is not in this census record - either not at home or has moved and is working elsewhere. However, Sigrid the mother is listed as having given birth to 11 children, with 11 children still living.

x. Sever Trondsen Kjos was born in North Dakota on 10 May 1906 and died 23 October 1988 in Modoc, California. (source: California Death Index)

xi. Clarence Trondsen Kjos was born in North Dakota on 23 January 1910 and died 25 November 1977 in Modoc, California. (source: California Death Index)

Fourth Generation (Great-Grandparents)

Ole Unknown married Magnild Thoresdatter, daughter of Thore Olsen and Anne Larsdatter. (fMagnild's parentage was found in the Norwegian Archives - Census record for 1865, Oppland, District no. 1, Gjelloug School District, Skiager County, Skjåk Parish, Gjellaug nordre farm, matr. no. 159b)

The child from this marriage was:

i. Sigrid Olsdatter born about 1862 in Skjåk Norway and was living on the Gjellaug Nordre farm as recorded in the 1865 census. Sigrid married Trond Olsen.  Sigrid died September 10, 1910 due to complications of childbirth.

Ole Trondsen, son of Trond Johanesen and Marith Trondsdatter, was born about 1818 in Norway. Ole married Anne Nielsdatter. Anne was born about 1823 in Norway. Ole and Marith, (as well as their children and Ole Trondsen's parents  and Ole's sister Kari and her daughter) are found in the 1865 census  on the farm Kjøs nedre, Vang prestegjeld, Sokn Hurum, Norway.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Niels Olsen was born about 1853 in Vangs Parish, Valdres, Norway.
ii. Marith Olsdatter was born about 1857 in Vangs Parish, Valdres, Norway.
iii. Trond Olsen Kjøseie Kjos (born between 1858 and 1860 in Vangs Parish, Norway). Trond married Sigrid Olsdatter. Sigrid was born about 1862 in Skjak, Farm Gjellaug Nordre.
iv. Ole Olsen was born about 1862 in Vangs Parish, Valdres, Norway.

Fifth Generation (Great Great-Grandparents)

Trond Johanessen, son of Johanes Trondsen and Marit Fransen, was born about 1784 in Vangs Parish, Valdres, Norway. Trond married Marith Trondsdatter. Marith was born about 1785 in Norway.

Children from this marriage were:

i. Ole Trondsen (born in 1818 in Norway). Ole married Anne Nielsdatter. Anne was born about 1823 in Norway.
ii. Kari Trondsdatter was born about 1821 in Vang Parish, Valdres, Norway.

Sixth Generation (3rd Great-Grandparents)

Johanes Trondsen, son of Trond Unknown and Unknown, was born about 1754 in Norway. Johannes married Marit Fransen, daughter of Frans Unknown and Unknown. Marit was born about 1761 in Norway.

The children from this marriage were:

i. Trond Johanesen (born in 1784 in Vangs Parish, Valdres, Norway). Trond married Marith Trondsdatter. Marith was born about 1785 in Norway.
ii. Ragnil Johansdatter (born about 1789)
iii. Halvor Johansen (born about 1792)
iv. Goro Johansdatter (born about 1796)
v. Frans Johansen (born about 1799)

Johanes and Marit and their five children are found in the 1801 census on the Haaff farm in Øyer, Christians Amt (Christians Amt is now Oppland), in Norway. Johanes' brother Halvor Trondsen and his wife Ragnil Fransdatter, are living with them on the same farm.