Henrik Henriksen Fossum

Utreist med/Emigrated on: "CLAUS THOMMESEN", departed from Skien May 25th to New York. Arrived Aug 11, 1849 with 158 passengers.

Utreist til/Emigrated to: Benona, Oceana Co, Michigan

Henrik was born Nov 25, 1823 or 1825 at Hørte in Bø parish in Telemark. He was the son of Henrik Christophersen, born Dec 2, 1810 at Hørte, and who died May 9, 1859 at Fossum in Gjerpen and Anne Monsdatter, born 1806.. In 1849 Henrik emigrated together with his brother Tollef.
The family had migrated from Hørte to Gjerpen in 1831 as Henrik Christophersen was hammersmith and got work at Fossum Ironworks. Their attestation from the pastor of Bøe is dated Oct 29, 1830.

In 1835 they live at Justeplassen under Fossum
Henrik Christophersen, hammersmith, age 48
Anne Marie Torkildsdatter, age 44
Tollef Henriksen, hammersmith, age 23

Sara Henriksdatter, age 22                                                                  
Johannes Henriksen, age 19
Elisabeth Dorthea Henriksdatter, age 14
Henrik Henriksen, age 13
Hans Henriksen, age 9
Tollef Henriksen, age 7
Dorthea Henriksdatter, age 4

In 1845 they still lived on Justeplassen, and according to the census, both the father Henrik and the sons Henrik, hans, Tollef and Johannes were hammersmiths.
The son Johannes had now married Trina Gundersdatter, and they lived on the same place as the rest of the family with their children, Henrik age 4 and Gunder age 2.

A posting in GenForum by Sharon Compton gives us more info about Henrik:

This photo is found on thewebsite:  http://rogercschultz.tripod.com/oldcopic.html

HENRICH married MARTHA K. THOMPSON born December 4, 1826 died April 16, 1917 in Benona, Oceana County, Michigan, burried in Bradyville Cemetery. HENRICH died June 12, 1900 in Benona and buried in Bradyville Cemetery, Oceana County, Michigan. By 1856 Henrich Hendrickson had purchased enough land so that he was able to leave 40 acres of land for his daughters as a dowry. At this time, land was going for $1.25 per acre. There were no white settlers in Oceana County before 1849 and Henrich and his family were some of the very first settlers to come here and their first child Anna Petrine Marie was one of the first children born in this county. HENRICH and MARTHA had four children: 1. ANNA PETRINE MARIE born August 23, 1857 in Benona, Oceana County, Michigan. ANNA PETRINE married PERRY COMPTON. ANNA died August 7, 1908. 2. MATHILDA born in 1861 in Benona, Oceana County, Michigan. MATHILDA died in 1945. Married JOHNANNES HENRICKSON. 3. EMMA born in Benona, Oceana County, Michigan, married a SQUIRES. 4. INGEBERG HANSINE DORTHEA born May 9, 1866/September 5, 1866 in Benona, Oceana County, Michigan, married WILLIAM SULLIVAN. In 1872 Henrich Hendrickson became Benona Township treasurer until 1877. In 1859, this Norwegian community established one of the first school districts. Henrich helped organize and build Bradyville’s first church and played a big part in clearing and opening up the land for the influx of new settlers.



 



In 1859 Henrich Christophersen died on Kulleplassen under Fossum in Gjerpen. The probate was held June 15th, and heirs were the widow Anne Marie Tollefsdatter and children from his 2 marriages. In his first marriage with Dorthe Tollevsdatter:

1. Christopher Henrichssen in Larvik, age ca 50.
2. Tollef Henrichssen, in America, age 40
3. Johannes Henrichssen Fossum. Present.
4. Sara Henrichsdatter, dead, but had the following children in her marriage with Niels Jenssen:
      a: Henrich Nielssen, age 19

      b: Jens Nielssen, age 17
      c: Dorthea Nielsdatter, age 14

In marriage no 2 with Anne Marie Tollefsdatter:

5: Henrich Henrichsen, age 34, in America
6: Tollef Henrichssen, age 30, in America
7: Elisabeth Dorthea Henrichsdatter, in America, married to Peder Clementsen.
8: Dorthea Henrichsdatter, married to Zacharias Anderssen Fossum. Present.

The belongings were sold by auction at 84 speciedaler 61 skilling. The debts amounted to 62 – 14, so 22 speciedaler 47 skilling were divided between the heirs.
Among the movables can be mentioned: A silver pocket-watch, a silver-fitted pipe, some paintings (??). The livestock consisted of: 2 cows, 1 sheep and 2 lambs.
The daughter Dorthea requested a salary for 10 years of nursing her parents, but her brother Johannes and brother-in-law Niels Jenssen objected to this, so she received nothing. The widow was sickly and could not be present at the proceedings.

 

 

 

 

 

2003 - Skien Genealogical page - by Jan Christensen