FJELDE, Gunnild Maria Eriksdatter Haugsrud 1815-1910

ERIKSDATTER, FJELDE, FIELD, HAUGSRUD, STEINGRIMS

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 8/20/2013 at 09:42:45

Gunnild Maria Eriksdatter Haugsrud (NOT Haugerud) was born January 18, 1815 at the Haugsrud farm near Begnadahlen,Valdres, Oppland, Norway to Erik and Marit Steingrims, one of 12 children. (Also found birth date January 28, 1819 but that is incorrect). Name variations: Gunnild, Gunhild, Mary, Mari, maiden surname Hougsrud and married surname as Field, Fjeld, Fjelde.

Gunnild was baptized at the Hedalen Kirke on February 12, 1815. The Haugsrud family was wealthy enough to have owned a large farm which had been in their family since 1635. By 1971, they owned 11,000 acres. A forest ranger lives on the farm in a separate house from the family home.

Gunnhild married Ole A. Olsen Fjelde on December 28, 1848 in Oppland, Norway. The couple had 5 children, all born in Oppland, Norway:
Ole;
Else Marie (b March 26, 1853 Valdres, married George Oscar Olesen Moe March 17, 1892, at Rock Creek Lutheran, Meroa, Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa, died January 16, 1912 Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa);
Erik Olsen Fjelde (born May 1855);
Martin Olsen Fjelde (born April 15, 1858, married Gunhild Olsdatter Christiansmoen June 3, 1892 Rock Creek Lutheran, Meroa, Iowa, died July 19, 1959 Mitchell Co, Iowa) and
Harald Olsen Fjelde (born August 17, 1861, died April 20, 1921 Marshall, Minnesota).

From her gr-gr grandson, Steve Norby: After Ole Fjeld and Gunhild Maria were married, it looks like they were very poor. The oldest son, Ole Olsen Fjeld was listed as a foster son (pleieson) on the 1865 Norwegian census. He was living with his mother's sister, Inger Eriksdatter and her husband, Johan P. Ostby on the Skjørvold farm in Norderhov, Buskerud. Daughter, Else Marie was living with and taking care of her grandmother on Haugsrud in 1865. There is some question about how many children there actually were. Unfortunately, the church records are from the Bruflat church in the time period that were all destroyed by the German army during WWII.

Ole, Gunhild, and sons, Erik, Martin and Harold left their small mountainside farm in Nordre Aurdal near Bruflat, Valdres, Norway in 1868 to emigrate to America. Their only daughter, Else, remained in Norway with her grandmother and did emigrate later. They had not heard from their oldest son Ole since he went to sea. The family arrived in Dane County near Stoughton, Wisconsin. In 1869, they left Wisconsin by train for Adams, Minnesota and from Adams, traveled by team and wagon to Cedar township, Mitchell County, Iowa, settling in the Rock Creek Community (another name for Meroa village area).

Found in the 1880 - 1910 censuses living at Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa:
1880: Ole A. Field 60, Maria Field 65, Martin Field 22, Harold Field 19.

1885: Oley O Tjelde 65, Mary Tjelde 69, Martin Tjelde 25, Harond Tjelde 23.

1895: Mary Fjelde age 80.

1900: Maria E Moe 47, Georga O Moe 6, Ole Fjeld 79, Gunhild M Fjeld 85.

1905: Ole A Fjelde, Gunhild Fjelde, Marie Moe, Georgia Moe

1910: Else Marie Fjelde Moe 56, Georgia Olava Moe 16, Gunnild Mari Eridsdatter Haugsrud Fjelde 95.

Gunnild died December 28, 1910 at Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa and is buried at the Rock Creek Lutheran Church Cemetery, Meroa, Cedar, Mitchell, Iowa.

Find a Grave Memorial #56809688 with photos.

Mitchell Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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