Visit from America

The exodus

The exodus was great from Mauranger between 1850 and the First World War. Almost everyone here has a close or distant kin in America and there is probably more Mauranger relatives over there than in Mauranger itself, perhaps thousands?

Long way home

The first settlers knew all too well they probably said goodbye to their homes and families for ever when leaving for America.

Most of them settled in the Mid West; Iowa, Dakota and Minnesota, usually as farmers or contractors on the railway. Others went to the west coast, such as Seattle.

The journey in those days took most of 20 days under perfect conditions, a few days by train to/from New York and the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, best part of one week. Flights only started in the 1950`s. The journey was long and costly and one was not free to bring as much dollars out of the USA as needed in those days such as the immigrants may today.

On the other hand one needed a few dollars to enter the USA. If you were poorly, criminal or lacking in money on the doorstep of Ellis Island you were refused entry. Many were probably missing their hometown in spite of a better economic situation. One son from Gjetingdalen brought his mother to the USA although she was around 80 years of age. She didn’t settle easy and they went back to Norway after a couple of years.

Found their relatives in Mauranger 

Fortunately things have changed, today we have yearly visitors coming “home”

Last June the sons of Ardith and Peder Pederson, (farmers in Storden – Morgen) Michael and Jeffrey and Jeffreys wife came home. Jeffrey runs the farm along with his father and Michael works in a bank in Minneapolis.

"Janastova at Bondhus, where Ole Torbjørnsen Bondhus was born.

Peder Pederson`s father was from Bakka in Gjetingsdalen. Ardith Pederson came from Nordrepollen and is the sister of Signe Eide. Peder`s mother, Karen went to America at 17 years of age – before Signe was born. Today Signe is the only one left of a large number of siblings.

Ardith`s great grand father, Mr Ole Thorbjørnsen Bondhus was born in “Janastova”  at Bondhus which is probably the only house still standing from the time Ole emigrated, approx 1865. Ole married Oline Tørresdatter Øyre from Nordrepollen. His brother Torbjørn also left for America and neither of them ever returned to Norway.

Ole and Torbjørn were the brothers of my grandfather, it’s a far cry but still so very nice that their descendants (Michael and Jeffrey) wanted to track down their ancestry! They were happy to be able to see “gamlestovo” (the old cottage) at Bondhus were their great great grandfather was born in 1845.

Local guide and huge gathering

Jørgen, the son of Signe and Olav Eide looked after the two “boys”, being the local guide and interpreter, both here in Mauranger and In the East of Norway.

Their relatives are scattered in Bakka, Flatebø and other places, making it hard to reach out to everyone but a huge gathering was organized in “Olaløa” in Bondhus.

Later we learned they appreciated the trip to Norway very much and were delighted they met so many of their relatives.

Text/Photo: J. Bondhus

Translation: Marianne McFarland

Publ. 01.08.10