#66: Knit Back Together: The Aftermath of 1930

I’ve written before about the day my great-grandfather, Ludvig Amandus Olsen, lost his life. It’s a story defined by a split-second tragedy—a falling steel rod on a Brooklyn pier in January 1930. (Link HERE) But lately, I’ve been looking past that single day and focusing on the quiet, grueling survival story that followed for my great-grandmother, Gulborg, and her five children.

Arthur, Irving, Gulborg, Clifford, Ethel and Gertrude. Digital image of an undated photo ©️Edward R. Olsen

#61: Favorite Photo

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2026-06)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of February 2 is "Favorite Photo.”

Scan of a photo of Edward Olsen and his great-grandmother Cecelia Strahle Hillenbrand. From the collection of ©️Virginia Summers Olsen, originally from the collection of Emma Dorothy Hillenbrand Olsen.

#57: An Olsen Record That Adds Color — Laurits Olsen

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2025-02)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of January 5 is "A Record That Adds Color" so let me introduce you to Laurits Olsen.

#40: Name's The Same: Ole

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2021-10)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of March 7 is "Name's The Same."  In my paternal family tree, the name Ole is a name that keeps popping up.

#36 - Valentine: Emma and Clifford Olsen

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2021-06)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of February 7 is "Valentine." 

#33 - Legendary: Ole Torsen

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2021-02)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week beginning January 10 is Family Legend.  In her email to introduce the theme, Amy provides some inspiration, and I took from it her message: "Perhaps you have an ancestor who was legendary (or should have been)."

So for this week's blog entry, I'm writing about Ole Torsen since he should be legendary because he is my oldest documented paternal ancestor.  Ole is my 5th-Great Grandfather.   He appears in the 1801 Norwegian Census for Trøgstad, Østfold county.

#31 - Happy 130th Birthday Gulborg Gulbrandsen

Gulborg Kristine Gulbrandsen

Today is Gulborg's 130th birthday, having been born on October 17, 1890, in Oslo, Norway (when she was born, Oslo was called Christiania.)  Her parents were Karl Anton Gulbransen and Charlotte Emilie Gustava Larsen.  She was the fifth of six children born to Karl and Charlotte and the third of four daughters.  

Her siblings were: Ragnhild Petrine (born August 20, 1880), Arthur Emanuel (born September 22, 1882), Borghild Marie (born March 11, 1885), Karl Eugen (born November 1, 1888), and Karoline Antonette (born September 5, 1892).  All were born in Oslo.  Also, those were some interesting Norwegian names!

#29: Irving and Clifford Olsen - The Original Olsen Twins

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2020-28)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of July 12 is "Multiple" so let me introduce you to the Original Olsen Twins - Irving and Clifford Olsen.

#26: Handed Down - Crocheted Crafts

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2020-24)

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The weekly prompt is provided by www.amyjohnsoncrow.com. The prompt for the week of June 10 is "Handed Down."  If your keeping track of my blog posts, you will see that I am running late on posting this on time!

So what am I covering in this week's post with the theme "Handed Down?"  I'm writing about the crocheting that my grandmother Emma Dorothy Hillenbrand Olsen did.

Emma Hillenbrand Olsen - Our own Rosie the Riveter

Emma Dorthy Hillenbrand Olsen (1924-2011) and Clifford Olsen (1922-1966) were married on November 28, 1943 at Grace Lutheran Church in Bellmore, New York.  This was one year after Clifford had enlisted in the army.

Edited digital image of framed bridal photograph of Emma Hillenbrand Olsen in the personal collection of ©Virginia Summers Olsen.

A Virtual Easter Parade Through the Years

It's been a while since I've posted a Family History Blog Post!

Contemporary History: COVID-19

I thought I'd start this post off with some current events as we are living through history right now in 2020.  As family looks back on this post in years to come, I'd like to give some personal perspective about the COVID-19 or Corona Virus.

Family Recipe Friday #1: Crumb Cake

Family Recipe Friday is a genealogy blogging post prompt suggested by by Lynn Palermo of The Armchair Genealogist where you share recipes with family and fellow bloggers.

Tombstone Tuesday #2 (but on a Thursday!): Ludvig Almandus Olsen

Note: I had originally planned this post to appear on Tuesday, but in doing some last minute research, I came across additional information that made it so I had to delay posting.

Ludvig Almandus Olsen was born Friday, May 13, 1887 at Eidbostranda in the Tvedestrand municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway.  He was the 6^th of 7 children born to Laurits Olsen and Amalie Lovise Jensdatter Christoffersen.

The Eidbostranda house is located in the small village of Sagesund located on the shore of the Oksefjorden Fjord (a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier).  The village is now mostly a summer vacation location.

Clifford Olsen in Germany during WWII

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks (2019-43)

Clifford Olsen, scanned from an original photo in the personal collection of Virginia Summers Olsen.
© Edward R. Olsen 10.21.2019

Lately I've been looking at information and photos of my grandfather, Clifford Olsen (1922-1966), during his WWII tour.  I recently came across this photo of him in a jeep that I've had for a few years and felt that it worked perfectly for the "Transportation" prompt for this week.

World War II saw the creation of one of America’s most beloved vehicles, the Jeep...the Jeep was once a military workhorse designed to move troops, help the wounded and more. The story of the Jeep begins in the late 1930s, when the United States military was searching for a vehicle that was light, rugged and could travel over rough terrain. By the early 1940s, the Jeep’s design was complete..."^{1  "}The tough, simple, Jeep® ... became the GI's best friend—second only to his rifle."³

PFC Clifford Olsen was a soldier in the 414th Infantry Regiment of the 104th Infantry Division. He was part of the medical detachment and was a medical technician. The 104th Infantry entered the European Theatre of WWII on Sept. 7, 1944 when they landed in Cherbourg, France.  They began a quick march across France and into Belgium and later Germany.