Bobbi Rongstad Home Page:Information about Lars Jensen Aasgaard
Lars Jensen Aasgaard (b. 18 February 1830, d. 01 January 1901)
Notes for Lars Jensen Aasgaard:Lars came to America from Norway in July 1869.They settled on the farm in Section 7, the Town of Hale, Trempealeau County, WI--later owned by Milo Rongstad.The name Aasgaard means "farm by the creek" in Norway and is located north of Oslo near Lake Mjosa, the largest lake in Norway.
(Note: The Aasgaard Farm that they came from was in Stange, Hedmark, not in Eidsvold, Akershus)
Lars and Krestine lived in Stange, Prestegjold, Stor Hammer, Norway as prosperous farmers.Unlike many in Norway at that time, they had plenty of land and employed servents and laborers.They were content until they heard from some Brohaughs from America of the new-found paradise. One of the Brohaughs was Marte Krestine's brother, a pioneer educator at the Lutheran Seminary located at Red Wing, Minnesota.So they sold their land and prepared to bring their seven children to the new world.
They left Oslo on a boat called the "Anadeleus" and eight wks later landed in Quebec.The family suffered greatly on the trip from lack of food.One daughter died (Inga Marie?) and had to be buried at sea.From Quebec they took a train to LaCrosse, WI.
Lars had planned to settle in Goodhue County, MN where the land was level and the soil was rich, but in LaCrosse, someone talked them into going to Hale Township in Trepealeau Co. because it looked so much like Norway.
The family had little money and no food, so they left some of their children along the way to work with various farmers.The children worked for room and board and one even got a bonus of a $2 pair of shoes!
After Lars and Krestine were settled, the sent for their children.The Aasgaards found Hale Co. to be very hilly and regretted they hadn't gone to Goodhue Co. Lars walked 130 miles to Red Wing, MN and returned full of gloom because he had not settled there.He also walked to LaCrosse (60 miles) when they needed provisions.
--from narrative by Pastor James Hulberg
Marriage Notes for Lars Jensen Aasgaard and Marte Krestine Olsdatter Brohaugh:According to James Hulberg's narrative, seven children came to America with Lars and Krestine.One girl died while crossing the Ocean and was buried at sea.
Children of Lars Jensen Aasgaard and Marte Krestine Olsdatter Brohaugh are:
- +Jens Aasgaard, b. 19 May 1854, Stange, Prestegjold, Stor Hammer, Norway, d. 1940, Long Beach, CA.
- +Olava Aasgaard, b. 04 April 1856, Stor Hamar, Norway, d. February 1952, Eau Claire, WI.
- +Martinus Aasgaard, b. 1858, d. 1904.
- Ole L Aasgaard, b. 1860, d. 1940.
- Inga Marie Aasgaard, b. 1863, d. 1869, during the crossing from Norway.
- +Karen-Laura Aasgaard, b. 16 January 1865, Hedemarken, Norway, d. 28 September 1938, Ashland, WI.
- +Inga Mathilda Aasgaard, b. 26 March 1868, Stange, Norway, d. 13 May 1893, Hale Township, Trempealeau Co., WI.