Maren Olsdatter Meen

The Nils Anderson Doxrud Family
By Robert Anderson

This is a brief history of my great-great-great grandfather, Nils Anderson Doxrud, and his family (particularly his daughter Maren, my great-great grandmother) who immigrated from the small community of Gjerpen, Telemark, Norway in 1855 to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The history is based on notes my grandmother (Hildegarde Moe Jordahl) made over the years, news clippings from Manitowoc, Wisconsin area newspapers, and invaluable genealogical information obtained through the websites of Jan Christensen and Gard Strøm.

Nils was born December 2, 1814 in Gjerpen, a small community located near Skien in Norway. Nils' parents were Anders Johannesen (b. around 1785) and Maren Nielsdatter (b. around 1783), who had married September 25, 1806 and appear to have lived their entire lives on the Gronstein farm, a small cotter's farm that was part of the larger Nordre Boe farm. Hildegarde's notes indicate that Anders was a miner from Tinn in Telemark and worked in the mine owned by Kammerhere Løvenskiold. Anders and Maren had five children: Johannes (b. 1808, d. Oct. 14, 1810 at Gronstein), a second Johannes (b. Dec. 9, 1811), Nils (also spelled "Niels"), Ole (b. Jan. 20,
1818), and Mads (born ca. 1822). Hildegarde's notes indicate that Mads became a schoolmaster and studied in the seminary in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. We know nothing of the other children.

Nils' daughter Margaret visited Gronstein in 1892 with her daughter Milla. The farm was located 9 miles from Skien, up a very narrow trail. Margaret and Milla had to leave their carriage and walk two miles to the farm. On arriving, (quoting from the notes) they "found a stone foundation of a house and a barn still intact. Wild forget-me-nots and tiny pansies grew in the cracks and several birch trees grew in the cellar. Two large flat stones, worn by feet, were at the door - looking up the mountain side was a hole in
the ground called to [that] day 'Anders Gronstein's Gruve' [Norwegian for "mine"]."

Nils' future wife, Turine Eriksdatter Berberg, was the daughter of Eric Abrahamsen Berberg and Margrete Tollefsdatter and was born June 14, 1812 and baptized June 28 that same year. We have a few stories about Turine's family from Hildegarde's notes. Turine's father Erik was a "freeholder" (meaning, presumably, that he owned land) and he wore knee breeches, white long stockings and had silver buckles on his shoes. (Hildegarde's notes indicate that the silver buckles were "thrown away just before I arrived". It is not clear what she means by "arrived". Hildegarde also apparently had a hymn book dated 1794 that is connected to Erik.) Probate records for Berberg (another farm in the Gjerpen area) indicate that Erik died in 1825 but his debts exceeded his assets and so he was practically bankrupt. The records further indicate that "all their belongs were sold at auction."
Turine ("Tone") (who would have been 13 years of age) is listed as an unmarried heir, along with a brother Abraham, age 17 (bapt. Jan. 3, 1808), and sisters Inger (b. ca. 1790), Margrete (b. ca. 1796), Maria (no age listed), who was also unmarried.

Turine and her brother Abraham were the youngest in her family. Abraham became a coachman "for some rich people in Skien". He was kept waiting for several hours in the bitter cold in the coachman's seat on top of the carriage, contracted tuberculosis and died at the age of 29. Hildegarde's notes also indicate that Abraham was married and had one child, a daughter who was "lame" and who came to Chicago and married a widower, Per Holtz. He also had a granddaughter, Maren Berberg Johnston or Johnson at Waupaca, Wisconsin.

Turine "worked in a bakery and learned to make wonderful bread that [Andrew's sons] Martin and Thorval could not forget." While working in the bakery, she met Nils, and they were married October 14, 1836 and settled at Gronstein (Grønstein - Norwegian). About this same time, at the age of twenty-two, Nils contracts tuberculosis while spearing salmon. He would struggle with the disease his entire life. They had four children: Maren, Erik, Anders and Margaret.
Maren (my great-great grandmother) was born at Gronstein on April 22, 1837, followed by her brother Erik on May 24, 1840.

According to Hildegarde's notes, Nils subsequently moved to the Sandbakken farm, a part of the larger Tufte farm, where Anders (on May 11, 1843), and Margaret (on Dec. 1, 1846) were born. I can find no records indicating that Nils owned any of these farms. More likely, he was a tenant. In the 1845 census, Nils is working at the iron-works (at Fossum in Gjerpen) and living with his family at Sandbakken. In 1849, the family moved to the Hagen farm, part of the larger Doxrud farm. Vivar Rhode in Gjerpen confirmed Maren and Erik prior to emigrating to the U.S.

Nils, Turine and the four children (Maren then age 18, Erik 15, Anders 12 and Margaret 9) departed May 1, 1855 from Gjerpen and emigrated to Wisconsin. The family landed in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and took and overland team to Manitowoc, arriving July 13, 1855. There was a fairly large immigrant population in the Manitowoc area from Gjerpen (there is a cemetery in Manitowoc County called the "Gjerpen" cemetery), so Nils and families likely were among friends when they arrived in Manitowoc.

Maren Doxrud.
In 1857, Maren married Andrew Hanson, a Danish immigrant. Andrew was born Anders Hansen Mogensen on March 13, 1834 on the Bronsby farm (spelled "Brandsbye" on his passport), in the Humble Parish on the Danish island of Langeland, southeast of Copenhagen. His passport (issued when he was 21), indicates that he had blue eyes and blond hair. One source lists Anders' father as Mogens Johnson. This is the only mention of Anders' father that I have been able to locate, and he soon disappears from the picture. Anders mother was Martha Christiane Hansen, who was born at Brimsby (probably another variation of spelling on "Bronsby"), also in Humble Parish, Langeland on May 23, 1811. Andrew appears in the 1845 census for Tryggelov parish (also on Langeland). Andrew, age 11, is found in the home of Anders Christian Rasmussen, age 43, a blacksmith from Fodslette, Langeland.
Andrew's mother married Rasmussen, who has two children from a prior marriage, Rassemine (age 11) and Niels Peder (age 10). In addition, Martha and Anders Rasmussen have had two children together, Rasmus (age 4) and Anne Kirstine (age 3).

The next stage in Andrew's life is summed up in his own words, found in the Hanson family bible: "[I was] confirmed the 30th of April 1848 in the Fodslette Church, and on the first of April 1955, I left my ancestral home for the first time in order to make my living among strangers. On the 10th of May 1855, I bid my beloved mother and brother [presumably Niels Peder] farewell in the harbor of Rubkøbing [the largest city on Langeland]."
Andrew had apparently learned the trade of blacksmith from his stepfather and was ready to make his way in the world. Leaving his family in May, he traveled through Hamburg, Germany, arriving in New York in June 1855, and then to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where he arrived July 6, 1855. His brother, Niels Peter, joined him in August 1856.

On November 15, 1857, Andrew and Maren were married and set about building his blacksmith and eventually wagon-building business. A son, Martin was born on December 29, 1858. On February 14, 1861, a daughter, Marte (also spelled Martha) Christiane (my great grandmother), was born and on October 6, 1863, a son, Thorvald Nikolai, was born.

The Hansons Wagon Works.
Andrew and Maren's company, the Hanson Wagon Works, would become a major manufacturing enterprise in Manitowoc and its influence carried throughout the region. The firm's letterhead indicates that it manufactures "all kinds of farm, truck and spring wagons, carriages, buggies, cutters, sleighs, carriage and buggy tops and trimmings." Hildegarde mentions with pride that the Wagon Works was "well known throughout the Midwest" and that "we would be so proud when we found the name of 'Hanson Wagon Works' under new wagons standing in the street outside the implement dealers." The announcement of Andrew and Maren's 50th wedding anniversary in 1907 describes the Wagon Works as "one of the city's leading manufacturing concerns which, from a small beginning has developed, through his efforts, to become one of the largest wagon manufactories in the state of Wisconsin. The company has a reputation that extends outside of the state and throughout the northwest
and its product is recognized as among the very best on the market."

The 1880's and 1890's would be busy years for the Hansons. We know that Martin worked for much of this time at the Wagon Works. He married Anna Sophie Kappleman (b. Nov. 20, 1863) on June 1, 1883. Martin and Anna had three children: Alvina Almina Dorothea (b. March 1884, Manitowoc), Wilhelm Mortimer ("Willie" in the letters) (b. June 1887 in Manitowoc), and Alvin LeRoy ("Roy" in the family letters) (b. October 1889 in Manitowoc). Anna died April 22, 1890 and is buried in the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery, Manitowoc. Martin married Jesse Warren on October 5, 1894 and they adopted a child.

Martha Hanson married Lars Moe from Elroy Wisconsin on July 23, 1889 and moved to Elroy, where she had three children, Leonard, Olga, Hildegarde and Valdorf. Thorvald married Albertine ("Bertie" in the family letters) (b. Feb. 1870) around 1893. Her family was from New Lisbon, Wisconsin. They had two children: Viola (b. April 1894 in Wisconsin) and Matilda (b. June 1899 in Wisconsin). Thorvald is listed as a blacksmith in the 1880 census, but subsequently worked as a bookkeeper. Adolph married Myrtle Bates during this period and continued to live in Manitowoc. Adolph and Myrtle had no children.

One can sense the gradual decline of the Wagon Works as a significant business after 1900. In 1907, Andrew and Martha celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and the significance of the Wagon Works is touted in the news account of the celebration (quoted above). Letterhead from this time indicates the firm sells or makes "heavy trucks, farm and spring wagons, Studebaker line, vehicles and harness, Sterling whips, Mound City house paints, Eagle gasoline engines, and Kelly-Springfield tires." This suggests an attempt to diversify away from the wagon business, but the lack of work in this time period is palpable in the family letters. Perhaps the advent (ankomst) of the automobile simply was too much. The business closed around 1910, and Andrew and Maren went into permanent retirement. Andrew passed away December 4, 1914 at his home, after a short illness. Maren passed away January 7, 1924 after a lingering illness. Martha her daughter and Hildegarde were with her the last weeks of her life.

The Anderson-Doxruds in Manitowoc.
After immigrating to Manitowoc in 1855, the Anderson-Doxruds continued to live in the Manitowoc area, where their lives continued to be intertwined with the Hansons. Erik Anderson, the oldest son of Nils and Turine, is listed as a "sailor" in one account, and family records indicate he ran a store in Bayview, Door County (just north of Manitowoc). Erik appears from time to time in the Hanson letters. He was married to Marie Salvesen on December 12, 1870 and had three children: Hansine Andrea ("Sina" to her cousin and close friend Martha) (b. April 6, 1872, in Manitowoc County), Theodora Katrine (b. Jan. 3, 1876 in Manitowoc) and Erik Norman (May, 1879, in Manitowoc). Nils' second son, Anders, is listed as a carpet weaver who married Christine Eriksen on December 10, 1865, and had two children: Nils Theodor (b. Oct. 14, 1868) and Edward Martinus (b. May 11, 1874.) Anders died March 17, 1896, in Chicago.

Nils' daughter Margaret married Peter Christensen (b. Jan. 26, 1844 in Porsgrunn, Norway), a boat captain on Lake Michigan, on September 7, 1867. Margaret and Peter had a daughter, Anne Emilie ("Milla" to her friend and cousin Martha Hanson) (b. Jan. 10, 1868). Margaret and Milla traveled back to the family's home in Norway in 1892. Margaret and Peter appear frequently in Andrew's letters from 1910 to 1914, when Peter suffered with foot pain. Peter died May 16, 1917. Margaret died May 14, 1924. Both are buried in Manitowoc.

Nils and Turine lived in Manitowoc the balance of their lives. We know that Nils suffered from tuberculosis, having contracted it in Norway when he was twenty-two. He is listed in the 1880 census as a "laborer" although it is not clear how much work he could do, given his condition. Nils passed away July 27, 1886. We have a beautiful hand-written sermon given at his funeral by Reverend C. F. Magelssen on July 30, 1886. Turine passed away March 9, 1889. Both are buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Manitowoc.

Robert Anderson of Phoenix, Arizona.