Blacksmith Borse-Gunner (Gunder) Ellingsen

ELLIINGSEN, LANGBRAATEN

Posted By: Kari Northup (email)
Date: 7/9/2018 at 09:14:56

I am trying to find info on a man who is legendary in Aadalen Norway but disappears after 1855 in the USA. A letter postmarked 1872 indicates he had a very large Blacksmith building in Mitchell County Iowa. Does anyone know more about this? Complete story is at: http://henkestrand.com/borse-gunner/. Excerpt about the letter says: At the immigration office in America all tracks initally disappeared, but new information has come to light. Børse-Gunner and Gunhild Olsdatter were found in Rock County, Wisconsin, where their son Gulbrand was born 24 September 1853, and daughter Gunhild Marie 22 May 1855. But in 1860, they were no longer found in Wisconsin. It has not been possible to find them in other places either.

It’s here the saga of Børse-Gunner could have ended, if it were not for a letter to Ole Haraldsen Wasenden from Anders Nilsen Wasenden, postmarked Johnsrud (Mitchell County, Iowa, USA) on 12 July 1872, found in the attic at Vassenden. The letter reads: “About the biggest building I have heard of was the smithy of Gunder Borse Smith. It was so big that if you had the best binoculars that were ever made you wouldn’t be able to see the walls or roof – you know the ground it was built on was very flat. “