Thursday, January 13, 2011

TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY

Following the suggestion for GenealBloggers Thursday writing prompts...I have only one "family treasure", something passed down from my paternal grandmother Gwendolyn [Anderson] Danielsen [1902-1970].  When she passed away, my father gave me a necklace that had belonged to her - a silver cross with diamond chips hung on a very fine silver chain.  It is very delicate looking, and I assume the chain is made of white gold, as anything other than "real" gold irritates my skin.  I've been thinking about it lately...I don't have a daughter.  To whom should I pass this on?  My one niece didn't know Nana, and wasn't raised Catholic.  My 9 cousins of course knew Nana, but their children certainly didn't; all have been raised Catholic, I believe.  My son will eventually marry...in fact at age 18 he is currently planning to marry within the next couple of months.  Dare I give it to this young woman, gambling on the necklace perhaps passing out of the family altogether?  

My father also brought home some of my grandmother's furniture - a sideboard [I think that's what it was called], a chest of drawers...I don't recall if there were any other pieces.  After my parents divorced and after the house was, eventually, sold, the pieces were put into storage.  Unfortunately, they were lost due to non-payment of the storage fees.  I always wished I had known about this before the fact, so that my grandmother's furniture could have been saved and kept in the family.

I don't know what, if anything, my father's brother took of my grandmother's belongings after her death.  I must ask my cousins - are there any other remaining family treasures?

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

David Danielsen of New York and Norway

David Danielsen, brother of my great-grandfather Kristian, traveled back and forth to Brooklyn, New York, where he earned money to send home to his wife and the farm.  Three of his four living children [Hilmar, Emma and David], later joined him in New York to work for various periods of time.  Only one, Kristian Hilmar Danielsen [known as "Hilmar"], failed to return to Norway.  It appears he was also the only use to use the surname Danielsen; I believe the others took the farm name, Vigmostad, as their surname.  Daughter Emma married in New York, returned to Norway to have her daughter, left her with her parents to raise, and returned to New York to live another 15 years or so.  When she returned to Norway for good, it is said she brought a car with her for her daughter to drive.

Here are some photos of David, Hilmar and Emma:

Hilmar Danielsen & father David, ca. 1914



David, Hilmar & Emma Danielsen,
circa 1914


Sunday, December 12, 2010

NORWAY RELATIVES


David Danielsen [brother of Kristian] & wife Lise
Haying, circa 1920, Norway



Sofie Kalleberg [sister of David & Kristian], Norway, ca. 1920

& More Photos...

Kristian Danielsen, wife Mary [Reynolds], daughter Mary "Mae" [Danielsen] Williams