Bjorn Dahler of Moss, Norway, wrote to The Forum last year seeking information about his ancestors who had immigrated to the Fargo-Moorhead area. He gave their names in hoping someone would recognize them.
Someone did.
Stella Dormanen of Frazee, Minn., said she was reading the Neighbors column in which Bjorn's request appeared and, "There staring up at me were the names of my grandparents, dad, aunts and uncles.
"We had tried finding relatives before but since grandpa had changed his name when he came from Norway, we were at a dead end. It was so exciting to read the letter looking for us."
Meanwhile, Krista Arendes of Moorhead writes that her mother handed her the article and told her she was related to these people.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I was so surprised to see something about my family in The Forum," Krista writes.
"The first person in the family to realize this was Stella Kangas (nee Christianson), who called her brother Kennard Christianson; they are Magnus Ludwig's children." (Magnus was one of the people Bjorn mentioned in his e-mail.)
"Kennard then contacted Gary Hukee, his cousin and grandson to Alma Teoline (also mentioned by Bjorn). Gary contacted Hazel Albrecht, who is Alma's daughter and my grandmother."
The family contacted Bjorn in Norway, and soon Hazel received a phone call from him.
"I don't think I have seen grandma so excited in a long time," Krista says.
So, with this Norwegian family having connected, let's try for another one.
Nils Rune Hjelle e-mails from Norway that "I have tried for some time to find information about my great-grandfather's brother, John Britanus Knudsen Hjelle. His father was Knut Torbjornsson and his mother was Berte Karine Hansdatter.
"He was born in 1858 in Volda, Norway, and left for America in 1881. He settled in Fargo.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Could you help me find out more about him and his life in America?"
You can e-mail Nils at nilshjelle@yahoo.no .
If you have an item of interest for this column, mail it to Neighbors, The Forum, Box 2020, Fargo, N.D. 58107; fax it to 241-5487; or e-mail blind@forumcomm.com
