JOHNSON, Bertha Jensdatter 1838-1925

JENSDATTER, JENSEN, JOHNSON, HENDRICKSDATTER

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 2/6/2014 at 08:01:18

Berthe (Betsy) Jensdatter was born April 19, 1838 at Strand, Rogaland, Norway to Jens Adolph Jensen (1814-1906) and Berthe Marie Hendricksdatter (1810-1850), the oldest of their four children. She had 3 brothers and 10 more half-siblings (her father was married twice).

Berthe was baptized at Strand, Rogaland, Norway abt April 22, 1838. Baptismal record found in the Norwegian Digital Archives for Strand in Strand, Rogaland, 1834-1854, pg 17, 2nd entry.

She left Norway with her parents on April 12, 1850 to emigrate to America, settling at Wisconsin. Found in the Norwegian Digital Archives on-line the emigration record for April 12, 1850 for Jens Jensen Helland, age 36 years; Berthe Hendricksdatter age 40; Birthe Jensdatter (b 4/19/1838); Jens Jensen (b 1/25/1841); Lars Jensen (b March 16, 1843); Peder Jensen (b Nov 17, 1845).

The family left Wisconsin and moved to Mitchell County, Iowa. Berthe married Ole Helgesen Johnson on April 23, 1859 at Mitchell County, Iowa. (Ole born September 3, 1832 Buskerud, Norway, d September 13, 1902 Mitchell, Iowa).

The 1900 census says that Berthe and Ole had 12 children who were all born at Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa (only 7 lived to adulthood)10 were:
Gunhild (b October 11, 1860, d September 15, 1866 Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa);
Hellina (b September 1, 1864, d March 14, 1905 Osage, Mitchell, Iowa);
Gunhild Bertine (b April 7, 1867, d August 5, 1944 Osage, Iowa);
Hans Lauritz (b May 18, 1869, d July 20, 1952 Rudd, Floyd, Iowa);
Johannes Bernhard (b July 4, 1872, d August 1939 Cedar, MItchell, Iowa);
Carl Ole (b April 29, 1874, d August 21, 1944 Mitchell, Iowa);
Ole Julius (twin, b August 14, 1876, d May 25, 1894 Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa);
Oscar Bernhard (twin, b August 14, 1876, d February 8, 1877 Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa);
Marie Olava (b June 7, 1879, d September 12, 1905 Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa) and
Olea (b October 11, 1882, d July 13, 1963 Osage, Iowa).

Found in the 1860 - 1895 censuses farming at Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa:
1860: Ole Johnson 26, Betsey Johnson 22, Helga Johnson 57, Lewis Johnson 24, John Johnson 22, Ann Lewis 30, Josephine Lewis 1.

1870: Olen (Ole) Johnson 37, Bertha Johnson 32, Helen Johnson 5, Gonnel Johnson 3, Lawrence Johnson 2 (this is Hans Lauritz).

1880: Ole Johnson 47, Betsy Johnson 42, Helena Johnson 15, Gunnel Johnson 13, Hans Johnson 11, Johannes Johnson 8, Carl Johnson 6, Ole Johnson 2, Maria Johnson 11m, Ole Larson 20.

1885: Oley H Johnson 52, Betsy Johnson 47,Helena Johnson 20, Kenstian Johnson 17, Louis Johnson 15, Johan Johnson 13, Carl Johnson 11, Julias Johnson 7, Maria Johnson 5, Olea Johnson 2.

1895: Bertha Johnson age 57.

Found in the 1900 - 1925 censuses at Osage, Mitchell, Iowa:
1900:head of household, married 41 yrs, a landlady, 12 children - 7 living: Bertha Johnson 62, Helen Johnson 35, Olea Johnson 17.
1910: widowed; Bertha Jensdatter Johnson 72, Thyra Nordley 26.

1915: Bertha Johnson age 76.

1920: Bertha Johnson 81, Hannah Johnson 65.

1925: she is widowed, says her mother was Bertha Straud & father was Jens Jenson; Berthe Johnson age 86.

Bertha J Johnson died March 7 (or 17th?), 1925 at Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa and was buried at the Rock Creek Lutheran Cemetery, Meroa, Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa.

Find A Grave Memorial# 57504471 with picture of Bertha.

(Censuses transcribed as found without fixing spelling errors. Discrepancies found for her death record.)

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Photo of Bertha, from the Rock Creek Lutheran Church Ladie's Booklet.