Nils O. Urness and his ancestors

This section is a biography of Nils Urness and his ancestors. Nils’s obituary announcement is also included. There are also photographs of the family of Ole and Elizabeth and maps.

Biographical Information

Nils Olson Urness’s ancestors made their living farming and fishing. Nils was named after his grandfather (Nils Hansson Kvalen) and his father (Ole) and the church district he lived in (Urnes). He was born on 24 January 1861, the second of seven children born to Ole Nilson Torrisette and Elizabeth Olsdotter Kroken. He left Norway at age twenty-two the summer of 1883 to find a better life. His father’s sister, Guri, sent fare so Nils could make the trip to join her in America. He lived in the Portland area of Dakota Territory with Guri and her husband. He married Anna Sopia Juditha Batalden (Juditha) in 1887 at Portland. Nils worked on the railroad for the first few years and then homesteaded on a farm near Leeds, Dakota Territory, the rest of his life. He died in 1937. He and Juditha had four children.

Genealogical Information

Nils’s father, Ole Nilsson Torrisete, was born Ole Nilsson from Kingserdahl in Hafslo, Norway, on 4 February 1814. He was the fourth child of Nils Hanson Kvalen and Guri Thomasdotter Urnes. Ole married Elizabeth Olsdotter Kroken in 1857. She was born on 27 March 1830 to Ola Anderson Ospelund and Brita Olsdotter Kroken in Hafslo, Norway. She had a son out of wedlock with Johannes Holvorson named Anders who was raised by Ole and Elizabeth. Ole and Elizabeth lived on the Kvalen farm in Urnes until 1863 and then moved to Torrisete. They had seven children: two died as infants. Ole died in 1887, Elizabeth in 1910.

Nils’s paternal grandparents were Nils Hansson Kvalen (1775-1866) and Guri Thomasdotter Urnes (1781-1823), daughter of Thomas Ingebritson Urnes and Martha Jensdotter Notadalen. They had six children. When Guri died, Nils married Anna Sjursdotter Grov. They had four children.

Nils’s maternal grandparents were Ola Anderson Ospelund (1805-1879) and Brita Olsdotter Kroken (1805-1873) though his grandmother Elizabeth was most likely raised by her stepmother Gjertrud Einersdatter Lindjerde.

Nils’s paternal great grandparents: parents of Nils Hanson Kvalen were Hans Olson Lunden (1735-1821) and Martha Nilsdotter Dversdalen (1738-1801). They had three children. Hans was also previously married to Elizabeth Ambjornsdotter and they had six children. After Martha’s death he remarried again to widow Anna Ambjornsdotter.

Nils’s maternal great grandparents: Ola’s parents were Anders Olson Ospelund (1773-1832) and Giertrud Rasmusdotter Ospelund (1770-1835). The parents of Brita were Ole Jensson Kroken (1765-1832) and Elizabeth Nilsdotter Kroken (1775-1861). They had two children. Ole Jensson Kroken was also married to Britha Hansdotter Fureholten. They had three children.

Nils’s great great grandparents: Hans Olson Lunden’s parents were Ole Torbjornson Wolden (1710-1775) and Synneva Andersdotter Joranger (1710-1785). They had eight children. The parents of Martha Nilsdotter Dversdalen were Nils Ellingson Dalen (1705-1777) and Ragnhild Ingebrigtsdotter Bringe (1709-1781). They had six children. Nils had one daughter from a previous marriage to Eli Johnsdotter Sandviki. The parents of Ole Jensson Kroken were Jens Hansson Haukedal (1731-1803) and Ingeborg Pedersdotter Krogen (1733-1819). They had seven children. The parents of Elizabeth Nilsdotter Kroken were Nils Torkildson Krogen (1751-1819) and Britha Knutsdatter Kroken (1753-1810).

Nils’s great great great grandparents: Ole Torbjornson Wolden’s parents were Torbjorn Gjertson Hesteskaar (1671-1730) and Kristi Johannesdotter Skar (1682-1760). They had seven children. Ragnhild Ingebrigtsdotter Bringe’s parents were Ingebrigt Orjensson Bring (1667-1730) and Juditha Orjensdotter (1670-1712). They had four children. Ingebrigt remarried in 1713 to Mari Ostensdotter. They had four children. Nils Torkildson Krogen’s parents were Torkild Thomasson Sande (1718-1794) and Anna Thorsdotter Sorheim (1720-1797). They had eleven children. Britha Knutsdatter Kroken’s parents were Knut Knutsson Krogen (1718-1797) and Mari Nilsdotter Krogen (1721-1797). They had three children.

Nils’s great, great, great, great grandparents: Torbjorn Gjertson Hesteskaar’s parents were Gjert Torbjornson Alsmo (1635-1692) and Gullaug Pedersdotter (1642-1710). They had two children. Kirsti Johannesdotter Skar’s parents were Johannes Thomasson Skaar (1649-1689) and Ragnhild Gundersdotter Morkrid (1646-1689). Ingegrigt Orjensson Bring’s father was Orjens Ingebrigtson Langetieg (1639-1720). The parents of Torkild Thomasson Sande were Thomas Jorgenson Sande (1668-1744) and Abelona Haaversdotter Holmestad (1678-1751). They had at least four children. Anna Thorsdotter Sorheim’s parents were Thor Pederson Sorum (1699-1747) and Elizabeth Nilsdotter Nes (1701-1760). They had eleven children. The parents of Mari Nilsdotter Krogen were Nils Sjursen Krogen (1675-1743) and Metta Nilsdotter Kroken (1691-1764). They had four children.

Nils’s great, great, great, great, great grandparents: Gjert Torbjornson Alsmo’s parents were Torjborn Torgerson Aaberge (1602-1668) and NN Larsdotter Nes (1606-1641). Johannes Thomasson Skarr’s parents were Thomas Ingebrigtson Opthun (1615-1674) and Kristi Findsdotter Opthun (1624-1670). Thomas remarried to Gunnhild Jensdotter. The parents of Ragnhild Gundersdotter Morkrid were Gunder Torbjornson Morkrid (1610-1660) and Britha Solfestdotter Bolstad (1615-1665). They had five children. Orjens Ingebrigtson Langetieg’s father was Ingebright Wigdahl (1610-1657). The parents of Thomas Jorgenson Sande were Jorgen Nilsson Sovde (1635-1680) and Martha Johannesdotter (1640-1698). The parents of Abelona Haaversdotter Holmstad were Haaver Iverson Holmestad (1622-1686) and Inga Petersdotter Rebni (1639-1720). They had five children. Thor Pederson Sorum’s parents were Peder Thorson Hoyum (1653-1744) and Ingeborg Johannesdotter Nes (1668-1727). Elisabeth Nilsdotter Nes’s parents were Nils Paulson Naes (1652-1740) and Anna Claudsdotter Sviggum (1662-1706). Metta Nilsdotter Kroken’s parents were Nils Anfindson Krogen (1652-1716) and Gro Petersdotter (1651-1741).

The great, great, great, great, great, great grandparents of Nils: The parents of Torjborn Torgerson Aaberg were Torger Johanneson Hoyum (1570-1610) and Gunnhild Trondsdotter Dolsoyri (1560-1635). They had two sons. She was a widow, previously married to Johannes Hoyeim. The parents of NN Larsdotter Naes were Lars Arneson Naes (1570-1630) and Gjorond. Kirsti Findsdotter Opthun’s parents were Find Opthun (1580-1650) and Bertha Olsdotter (1585-1667). The father of Gunder Torbjornson Morkrid was Torbjorn Johannesson Berge (1560-1640). Britha Solfestsdotter Bolstad’s father was Solfest Nilsson Bolstad (1570-1633). Jorgen Nelsson Sovde’s father was Nils Christopherson Sovde (1585-1656). The parents of Haaver Iverson Holmestad were Iver Johannesson Holmestad (1596-1670) and Ingeleive Arnesdotter Svensoy (1595-1670). The parents of Inga Pedersdotter Rebni were Peder Rebni (1607-1684) and Anna Johannesdotter Bringe (1610-1677). The father of Peder Thorson Hoyum was Thor Erikson Fuglestad (1631-1695). The parents of Ingeborg Johannesdotter Naes were Johannes Tollefson Naes (1636-1693) and Solvi (1635-1688). The parents of Nils Paulson Naes were Paul Johnson Naes (1620-1683) and Guri Aamundsdotter Bringe (1625-1700). They had eight children. The parents of Nils Anfindson Krogen were Anfind Knutson Feigum (1619-1682) and Agatha Nilsdotter.

The great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandparents of Nils: The father of Torger Johannesson Hoyum was Johannes Torgerson Talle (1540-1608). The father of Gunnhild Trondsdotter Dolsoyri was Trond Frakstue, born 1520. The father of Nils Christopher Sovde was Christopher Sovde (1550-1622). The parents of Iver Johanneson Homestad were Johannes Svendsoy (1560-1640) and Ingrid Olsdotter Bolstad (1565-1640). The father of Ingeleiv Arnesdotter Svensoy was Arne Olson Ormelid (1565-1630). The father of Anna Johannesdotter Bringe was Johannes Nilsson Bringe, born 1581. The parents of Thor Erikson Fuglestad were Erik Berg (1600-1660) and NN Nilsdotter Berge (b.1608). The father of Johannes Tollefson Naes was Tollef Torbjornson Heltne (1602-1680). The father of Paul Johnson Naes was John Olson Naes (1581-1666). The father of Anfind Knutson Feigum was Knut Thomasson Feigum (1580-1654).