Hi Caroll,

These people are all in my family tree. I am descended from Ole & Aasa Erickson's son Ben (Bernt) O. Erickson, the brother to Alfred and Martin. Ole [Eriksen] was born in 1846 on the Bygnes farm, bruksnummer 9 (farm number 9), also known as Helgatre, on the island of Karmoy, in Avaldsnes, Rogaland, Norway. The 1865 Norway census shows him still living there with his parents and siblings. In the 1875 Norway census Ole & Aasa are married and are found residing in Udvig in the parish of Avaldsnes, and he is listed as Grubearbeider, which I believe is miner (most likely at the copper mines in the area). Ole left Norway for America in 1887, and his wife Aasa and their sons and a few other relatives came the following year (the daughters were born in America).

I don't have a great deal of information about Alfred and Martin and their respective families, but a few years ago I was able to identify them in some old family photos, including a family portrait that was taken a few years after their arrival in the States.

Lately I have been trying to trace Ole's mother, listed in the Bygdebok for Karmoy (Gardsnr. 102. Bygnes) as Barbro Olsdatter, b. 1823 in Skanevik, d. 1904 in Avaldsnes. A few different places have listed different surnames, including Severeil, Sevried, Seiveride, Vearsen and Olsdatter. The first three names are intriguing since I came across information that Alfred's middle name is Siverin, possibly naming him after his grandmother's family.

I have a great deal of information and a number of photos. I love to share! Feel free to contact me either here or at hiho2go@gmail.com.

~HiHo