Reunion Photos

Cousins Come Around

When my cousins come around,
there's a smile on my face.

We laugh and play all day long,
making memories from place to place.

Friendships that will last through life
are things you can't replace.

So when my cousins come around,
my family I embrace

-author unknown

I think everyone had a good time. If you have any other photos to share let me know and I will add them to the above slide show and the online photo album.

John's Family

While using the records found on DigitalArkivet,
a free website with Norwegian census records and parish records,
I have gathered these basic facts about John's family.

John's roots are in the area of Hedmark, Norway.

John's parents were

Christian Johnsen
(born 1811 in Stange, Hedmark Norway)

and Olia Mikkelsdatter
(I am still looking for her birth date but it was around 1813).

They were married in Stange, Hedmark, Norway on 5 Nov 1841.

At this time in Norway the surnames were created from the names of the father
thus the endings of "sen" and "datter".

The children of Christian and Olia that I have found are the following -
(all were born in the Stange Hammerstad area of Hedmark, Norway)

Johan Christiansen -born 9 Nov 1841
Ann Christiandatter - born 15 Dec 1843
Mickel Christiansen - born 6 Oct 1846
Kari "Carrie Christiandatter- born 26 Jan 1849
John Christianson- born 10 Feb 1853
Martinus Christianson- 25 Feb 1855
Syverin Christianson- born 13 May 1858

Currently I am only aware of Carrie coming to the United States.
She married Brede Mikkelson and lived in Big Stone County, Minnesota.

The spelling of names at this time was flexible because it was based on phonetics. So occasionally Christian is spelled Kristian. Christianson was sometimes spelled as Christensen or Kristiansen.

John's beginnings

Here is John Christianson's christening record
from the Stange, Hedmark, Norway church records.

It lists his birthday as 10 Feb 1853

It lists his christening as 28 Mar 1853

His parents are listed as Christian Johnsen and Olia Mikkelsdatter

I found this record on the free Norwegian website Digital Arkivet

Roots in Norway

John Christianson was born in Stange, Hedmark, Norway.

This is a photo of Stange Church in Norway.
It is possible that this is where John and his family attended services.

New Blog!

I have created this blog as a way for the Christianson family to keep in touch. I am more than happy to allow others to post information. If you are interested just let me know and I will get you editing rights. Everyone is free to make comments.

I will try and post news of information that turns up to fill in details about our family. And any family announcements that I am aware of (births, marriages, anniversaries, deaths, etc).

Please let me know if you would like me to post any information that you may have here.