RUSTAD, Ole Christopherson 1824-1908

RUSTAD, CHRISTOPHERSON, OLSON, ASSORSON

Posted By: Karen L. Robertson (email)
Date: 1/10/2010 at 19:12:35

Ole Christopherson Rustad was born the 12th day of March 1824 in Hurdal parish, Norway, and died the 16th of November, 1908 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Gustava Olson. In the year of 1852 he was married to Miss Inga Louisa Guldbrandsdatter Taje.

With wife and children he emigrated to America in 1886 and arrived at St. Ansgar that fall. They located about two miles west of St. Ansgar where he has had his home until about three years ago when his health begin to fail him and after that he has stayed at the home of Mrs. Olson where he died at the age of 84 years 8 months and 4 days, from a sudden stroke of appoplexy.

He is survived by his wife and seven children, thirty grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.

Card of Thanks
We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to our many friends who so willingly assisted us after the death and during the funeral of our beloved father and grandfather.

Mrs. G. Olson and children
Mr. and Mrs. K. Assorson and children

St. Ansgar Enterprise
(Credit: Karen Robertson)
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Ole Kristoffersen was born June 16, 1825 at Lykkja, Hurdal, Akershus, Norway to Kristoffer Pedersen and Katrine Olsdatter . Found birth record in Norwegian Digital archives for Hurdal, Akershus, Norway 1815-1828, pg 166, entry #24 (Parents: Christopher Pedersen and Chatrine Olsdatter; baptized June 26, 1825. (This date conflicts with birthdate given in obituary but believe this one is the correct date.)
Hurdal census records: Ola Kristoffersen (Christophers) living at Lykkja from 1852-1875. Says he was born in 1826 at Lykkja. "Lykkja" is a dialect for Løkken". His parents moved from Lykkja to the Rustad farm in Hurdalen in 1875. Ole used the surname Rustad after emigrating. Hurdal is a municipality in Oppland County, Norway, located between Oslo and Toten, approximately 60 km. north of Oslo. There is still a "Rustad" sawmill in operation in that area in 2000.

Ole married Inge Lovise Guldbrandsdatter on April 15, 1852 at Hurdal, Akershus, Norway. Marriage record found in the Norwegian Digital Archives for Hurdal in Hurdal, Akershus, Norway 1846-1859, pg 126, entry #4. Both Ole and Inga listed as 26 years old. The couple had 8 children (see Inge's obituary for names).

Before 1920, some big farms in Norway owned small farms where some of the workers could live and produce their own food. These farms were called Husmansplassers or cotters farm. A cotter or crofter or husmann was a tenant farmer. At Rustad, there were 3 husmansplassers.
Ole and family found in the 1865 Norway census at Hurdal, municipality #0239 Lokken farm: Ole (born 1826), Huusmand med lidt Jord Rorskarl; Inger Olsdatter (his wife/kone) born 1826; son Christian Olsen (born 1863); Mina Christina Olsdatter (born 1853); Katherine Olsdatter, (born 1855); Gustava Olsdatter (born 1858) and Christina Olsdatter (born 1861) all in Hurdalen.

Ole and family emigrated from Norway on November 30, 1886 to St. Ansgar, Iowa. Emigration record found in Hurdal book: "In the year 1886, "cotter" Ole Kristoffersen Rustad, born 1826, going to Minnesota together with wife Inge Lovise Gulbrandsdatter, born 1826; married 1852. Children: Gunvald Leonard Olsen, born 1866; Johan Olaf Olsen, born 1869; and son of a daughter (grandson), Kristian Olausen, born 1874. This seems to be the same family living at Lykkja until 1875. The book mentions three more children, Kristine, Katrine and Kristian Nikolai.

Found in the 1895 - 1905 censuses living at Newburg, Mitchell, Iowa:
1895: Ole Christoferson, age 70, from Norway, Lutheran; wife, Inga, age 70; Olaf Christopherson, age 25, from Norway and Christian Christopherson, age 20, from Norway, Lutheran.

1900: Ole Christoferson 73, Enya Christoferson 73. Says he was born March 1827. Ole's daughter, Gustava (widowed) and her children Olaf and Olga and Ole's son, Gunvald, live next door.

1905: Ole Rustad, Ole Rustad, Inga Olsen Rustad.

Ole Kristoffersen Rustad died November 16, 1908 at Newburg, Mitchell, Iowa and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery (First Lutheran), St Ansgar, Mitchell, Iowa.
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See FindaGrave Memorial #100369396
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In "Mitchell County Cemetery listing" booklet, Ole's last name is spelled Christphorson.
Mitchell County, Iowa Grave Records,Page 22
Name: Ole Christphorson
Birth Date:1824
Death Date: 1908
Cemetery: Evergreen
Town: St Ansgar

(Credit: Deidre Badker)