During the fall, I started a new research project and began researching my granddaughter's maternal line which is Italian and English ancestry. While researching her English line, I came across the following post:
HELGERSON
Looking for anything on the following families: James FAIRHURST and Hilda HELGERSON of Dell Rapids. (Hilda d. 1985.) Andrew LARSON and Hattie Helgerson. (Hilda and Hattie were sisters.) (Brian Gaber, hodag@t-online.de)
Hilda Helgerson is my granddaughter's great, great, great grandmother. I found seven siblings for Hilda and their birth records listed in the South Dakota Birth Index, 1856-1917, with Peter and "Dena" Helgerson as the parents. There was no daughter by the name of Hattie Helgerson listed. I was determined to find Hattie so that there would not be an unaccounted for child in the Helgerson family!
Later, I found a Hattie Larson, wife of Andrew Larson, who is the person listed in the description above. Hattie was born in January 1856 in Norway, married Andrew Larson in 1890 (according to the 1900 Census), and had one child who had died previous to 1900. I also found Hattie in the 1905, 1910, 1915, 1920, 1930, and 1935 census records. She was tied to the Helgerson family in three of the census records, 1910, 1920 and 1930.
In the 1910 Census Minnie Helgerson, age 14, was living with Hattie and Andrew Larson and was listed as their "adopted" daughter. Hilda had a younger sister named Minnie Helgerson who was born in 1896. Hilda and Minnie's parents lived a few doors down from the Larson residence in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. The Helgersons had seven of their eight children living with them in 1910, including a duplicate listing for Minnie Helgerson born in 1896. This was the first connection between the Larson family and the Helgerson family.
By 1920, Henry Helgerson, Hilda's younger brother, was living with Andrew and Hattie and was listed as a "nephew". If Henry was the nephew, then Hattie would be his mother's (or father's) sister. However, ten years later, the 1930 Census shows Hattie living with Peter and Dena Helgerson, and she is listed as "mother-in-law" of Peter Helgerson, which would mean that she was the mother of Dena Helgerson, born in 1863. Since Hattie was born in 1856 and Dena was born in 1863, Hattie was seven years old when she gave birth to Dena--an impossibility! It is much more likely that they were sisters as was the case in the 1920 Census where Hattie was listed as an aunt to Henry Helgerson.
Hattie and Dena came to the United States, the former in 1885 and the latter in 1887, prior to their marriages in 1890, according to the census records. I was unable to locate either one in immigration records using the last name of Amundson. However, in a history written by Brian Gaber, he indicated that Dena immigrated to the U.S. in 1887.
It appears that Hattie and Dena were sisters which would make Henry Helgerson a nephew and Hattie, a sister-in-law, not a mother-in-law, to Peter Helgerson. "Adopting" Minnie Helgerson in 1910 was probably not an official adoption but rather a common tradition where family members lived with extended family for one reason or another, as was the case with Henry Helgerson living with Hattie and Andrew in 1920. Because Hattie had lost her only child, born in 1896 and who had died by 1900, it is very likely she would have taken in nieces or nephews from time to time.
In a family history written by Brian Gaber, there is an entry listed as follows:
Dena Amundson or Amundsdatter is listed later in this same history as the sister to Herborg.
It appears that Herborg Amundsdatter Instanes could be the Hattie Larson listed in the previously mentioned census records. The name Herborg may have been Americanized to Hattie. Arrival in the United States as well as the name of her spouse matches the census record information, although the birth date of 1854 does not. There is a Herborg Ommundsdatter born on January 10, 1854 in Norway baptisms, although the 1900 Census for Hattie Larsen states that Hattie was born in January 1856. It is still most likely that Herborg Amundsdatter is "Hattie Larson" sister to Dena Amundson Helgerson.
Therefore, the statement by Brian Gaber that Hattie and Hilda were sisters is incorrect. Hattie was a sister of Dena, not a sister of Hilda Helgerson.
New Title: Hattie and Hilda: Aunt and Niece!
Looking for anything on the following families: James FAIRHURST and Hilda HELGERSON of Dell Rapids. (Hilda d. 1985.) Andrew LARSON and Hattie Helgerson. (Hilda and Hattie were sisters.) (Brian Gaber, hodag@t-online.de)
Hilda Helgerson is my granddaughter's great, great, great grandmother. I found seven siblings for Hilda and their birth records listed in the South Dakota Birth Index, 1856-1917, with Peter and "Dena" Helgerson as the parents. There was no daughter by the name of Hattie Helgerson listed. I was determined to find Hattie so that there would not be an unaccounted for child in the Helgerson family!
Later, I found a Hattie Larson, wife of Andrew Larson, who is the person listed in the description above. Hattie was born in January 1856 in Norway, married Andrew Larson in 1890 (according to the 1900 Census), and had one child who had died previous to 1900. I also found Hattie in the 1905, 1910, 1915, 1920, 1930, and 1935 census records. She was tied to the Helgerson family in three of the census records, 1910, 1920 and 1930.
In the 1910 Census Minnie Helgerson, age 14, was living with Hattie and Andrew Larson and was listed as their "adopted" daughter. Hilda had a younger sister named Minnie Helgerson who was born in 1896. Hilda and Minnie's parents lived a few doors down from the Larson residence in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. The Helgersons had seven of their eight children living with them in 1910, including a duplicate listing for Minnie Helgerson born in 1896. This was the first connection between the Larson family and the Helgerson family.
By 1920, Henry Helgerson, Hilda's younger brother, was living with Andrew and Hattie and was listed as a "nephew". If Henry was the nephew, then Hattie would be his mother's (or father's) sister. However, ten years later, the 1930 Census shows Hattie living with Peter and Dena Helgerson, and she is listed as "mother-in-law" of Peter Helgerson, which would mean that she was the mother of Dena Helgerson, born in 1863. Since Hattie was born in 1856 and Dena was born in 1863, Hattie was seven years old when she gave birth to Dena--an impossibility! It is much more likely that they were sisters as was the case in the 1920 Census where Hattie was listed as an aunt to Henry Helgerson.
Hattie and Dena came to the United States, the former in 1885 and the latter in 1887, prior to their marriages in 1890, according to the census records. I was unable to locate either one in immigration records using the last name of Amundson. However, in a history written by Brian Gaber, he indicated that Dena immigrated to the U.S. in 1887.
It appears that Hattie and Dena were sisters which would make Henry Helgerson a nephew and Hattie, a sister-in-law, not a mother-in-law, to Peter Helgerson. "Adopting" Minnie Helgerson in 1910 was probably not an official adoption but rather a common tradition where family members lived with extended family for one reason or another, as was the case with Henry Helgerson living with Hattie and Andrew in 1920. Because Hattie had lost her only child, born in 1896 and who had died by 1900, it is very likely she would have taken in nieces or nephews from time to time.
In a family history written by Brian Gaber, there is an entry listed as follows:
HerborgAmundsdatter Instanes, born 1854 in Instanes, Kinsarvik, Søndre Bergenhuus,Norway51; died in Dell Rapids, Minnehaha Co., SD; marriedAndrew Larsen
Notes for HerborgAmundsdatter Instanes:
Emigration lists forBergen, Norway, 1874 - 1924; Record #1426:
Herborg AmmundsdatterIndstanaes, born 1855, registered 29 Jun 1885, Svenska Line
Dena Amundson or Amundsdatter is listed later in this same history as the sister to Herborg.It appears that Herborg Amundsdatter Instanes could be the Hattie Larson listed in the previously mentioned census records. The name Herborg may have been Americanized to Hattie. Arrival in the United States as well as the name of her spouse matches the census record information, although the birth date of 1854 does not. There is a Herborg Ommundsdatter born on January 10, 1854 in Norway baptisms, although the 1900 Census for Hattie Larsen states that Hattie was born in January 1856. It is still most likely that Herborg Amundsdatter is "Hattie Larson" sister to Dena Amundson Helgerson.
Therefore, the statement by Brian Gaber that Hattie and Hilda were sisters is incorrect. Hattie was a sister of Dena, not a sister of Hilda Helgerson.
New Title: Hattie and Hilda: Aunt and Niece!
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