JOHNSON MAAKESTAD, Sjur (Stewart)

JONSDATTER, MAAKESTAD, JONSEN, JOHNSON

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 10/2/2014 at 17:41:33

Sjur (Szurr, Stewart) Jonsen (Johnson) Maakestad was born October 4, 1836 at Maakestad, Ullensvang, Hordaland, Norway to Jon Mikkelsen Maakestad and Marithe Jonsdatter, the seventh of their eight children. He was baptized on October 9, 1836 at Ullensvang and confirmed at same on October 3, 1852. Birth/baptismal record in the Norwegian Digital Archives for Ullensvang, Hordaland, Norway, 1825-1853, page 47, entry #103. Sponsors listed. Confirmation record at Norwegian Digital Archives for Ullensvang, Hordaland, Norway, 1825-1853, page 216 (right side of page), entry #37. Age 16.

Information from the 1911 MItchell County Atlas says that Sjur emigrated in 1859 to Iowa but he may have came earlier and first settled at Lee, Illinois, do not know. Could not find him in any census using the name Sjur, Szurr or Stewart Jonsen, Johnson or Johnsen. His brother, Ole Johnsen (Maakestad)'s, notes say that Sjur helped his brother Ole split 1200 rails to build a fence for Ole's land in Cedar, Mitchell County, Iowa. That would have been about 1856 to 1858. Don't believe he married, nor had children.

From the 1911 Mitchell County Atlas: Sjur Johnson Maakestad, a brother of Ole Maakestad, came to Cedar Township, Mitchell County, Iowa in 1859 and bought a quarter section of land in Section 13-97-18. When the Civil war broke out, Szurr enlisted in the Fifteenth Wisconsin Regiment, but never returned. After arriving in America, Szurr's first name was changed to Stewart.

There is a photo of him in the 1911 Mitchell County Atlas, Sec. 3, page 30: It states that he enlisted to fight in the Civil War, and died soon after from a wound. He would have probably died in Tennessee or Georgia but could not find his name in the Roster of 15th Wisconsin Regiment Soldiers on-line and cannot find his death date nor his burial site.