Gotskalk Grønstad Genealogy

Record modified: 2024-11-11
This is my ancestor 5 generations back.

 / Hallvard Hallvardsson
 / Erik Grønstad|
|  \ Siri Eriksdotter
Gotskalk Erikson "George" Grønstad |
|  / Johannes Sachariasen
 \ Ingeborg Litledalen |
 \ Marta Joenesdatter

Born: 1823-04-14 Grønstad, Etne, Hordaland Norway
Died: 1881-08-04 Lisbon, Kendall Co, Illinois USA
Marriages:
1. 1847-11-14 Valjar Larsdatter Tjelle
Children of Gotskalk Grønstad and Valjar Tjelle:
Isabelle Grunstad b. about 1848-00-00
Erik Gotskalkson Grunsted b. 1851-05-15
*Malinda Grunstad b. 1854-05-20
Martha J Grunstad b. 1855-08-00
Lars Grunstad b. about 1858-00-00

Notes:

He immigrated in 1847 on the ship "Kong Sverre".
The Kong Sverre left Bergen, Hordaland Norway 1847-05-11 under Captain Didirich Niels Fischer. It
arrived in New York 1847-06-24. It carried 165 people from Etne parish led by Torkel Henricksson
Kallestadbakken. This group settled in Kendall Co IL.

There were three Grønstad brothers and one sister who married four Tjelle siblings. Three of these
couples emigrated from Norway to the US in 1847 with several other members of the Tjelle family, and the
fourth in 1854. They settled in Kendall Co and Grundy Co IL, near the county line (probably even on the
county line). The Grønstad name changed to Grunstad (and others), and the Tjelle name changed to
Chally (and others).

Hordaland is in the SE part of Norway. Skånevik is on the southern border of Hordaland. Until 1965 it
was a separate municipality, but it was then split. The part with the village of Skånevik became part of
Etne.

--
marriage record: see Kendall Co marriage book A1 page 17
death: see Kendall Co death records Vol 1 p29
buried in W Lisbon Lutheran cemetery, Kendall Co IL

--
He is mentioned on page 181 of "A Bicentennial History of Kendall County, Illinois" [Kathy Farren, editor, 1976].

--
"History of Grundy Co Illinois"

About 1845 the Norwegian element began to come into [Nettle Creek] township. Among the earliest were ... G E Grunstead and others.

In 1849, on section 4: G E Grunstead

--
Here is an 1874 map of Grundy Co IL showing his land in section 4.

--
"Biographical Directory of Kendall Co IL" p87

Grunstad, G E: Farmer, sec 27; PO Lisbon; born in Norway in 1823; came to US 1847; owns 173 acres;
value of property $7,000; Rep; Lutheran; six children, five living. Wife was Valger Chelley, born in
Norway, 1825; came to US 1847.

--
According to this page, he was a teacher at Lisbon Parochial School in Big Grove, Kendall Co IL around 1850.

--
Kendall Co IL Deeds 1831-1859

p571
1859-03-31 Godskalk Grunstad and wife Walgjer to Torkel Henryson and Thor Thorson; a fraction of land in Kendall Co; $5

Kendall Co IL Deeds 1858-1863

p450
1863-01-11 Godskalk Grunstad and wife Waljer to Ole Johnson; 4 1/8 acres in Big Grove; $1900

--
He lived in Section 27 of Big Grove twp.

The estate of his daughter Malinda describes land her children own in common with Lars Grunstad, E G
Grunstad, Erick S Holland, and Marthy G Enger. The legal description of the land is:

part of E 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Section 27, Township 35 Range 6 of 3rd meridien, bounded as follows:
Commence 53 1/4 rods S from NE corner said 1/4 section, thence S 107 3/4 rods to SE corner said
1/4, thence W along S line of said 1/4 sec 80 rods to W line of said E 1/2, thence N 107 rods, thence
E 80 rods to place of beginning. Containing 53 1/3 acres excepting a piece of land 11 rods and 4 feet
N and S and 16 rods E and W in the NW corner of said tract sold to Norwegian Lutheran church;
making a total of 52 14/100 acres

The part that was sold was used for a cemetery.

--
1880 census Kendall Co IL p287a, Big Grove twp
Goskalk Gronstad 65 NOR/NOR/NOR
wife Julia 58 NOR/NOR/NOR
dau Martha 23 IL

He is a farmer. He and his wife can read and write.
[Big Grove twp is the southwest corner of the county.]

1880 agricultural census Kendall Co IL p7
G E Gronstad 58 acres tilled, 6 acres meadows; farm value $6000, implements $200,
livestock $300; 3 horses, 2 mules, 5 milch cows, 3 other cows, 3 calves, 300 lbs butter;
4 swine; 40 barnyard fowl, 100 doz eggs; 36 acres Indian corn, 1200 bushels; 2 acres
oats, 1060 bushels; 1 acre potatoes, 20 bushels; 3 acres apples, 100 trees, 10 bushels

1870 census Kendall Co IL p322b, Big Grove twp, Newark? post office
George Runsted 48 NOR
Julia 48 NOR
Alla? (f) 19 NOR
Martha 15 NOR
Larse? (m) 13 NOR
Malinda 17 NOR
Isabelle 22 NOR

[Apparently a careless census taker.]
He is a farmer. His real estate is valued at $3000, and his personal estate at $700.

I still can't find him on the 1860 census. I don't see him in Kendall Co or Grundy Co. The writing on many of the pages is faded to the point of invisibility. I think he must be on one of those pages.

1850 census Grundy Co IL p168b, Nettle Creek twp
Gotsel Gunsted 28 NOR
Julia 25 NOR
Elizabeth 1 IL [really Isabelle]
Benjamin Thompson 26 NOR
Christian Thompson 30 NOR
Lars Thompson 20 NOR

He is a farmer. His personal estate is valued at $400.
I wonder who the Thompsons are.
[Nettle Creek twp is the northwest corner of the county.]
Hinds Site: Genealogy of Ken Hinds -- page 4580
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