Introduction

This is the beginning of the story of Asbjørn Hallvardsen Raae (Raa, Roe, Rowe) and his descendants. Asbjørn, his wife Ragnhild Andersdtr Raae and their two children, Anders and Anna left Norway in 1852 and came to America and Wisconsin. By 1860, according to the Federal Census, they were living in Portage Co. where Asbjørn and Ragnhild lived the rest of their lives.

Asbjørn's father, Hallvard Olsson Raa, was greatly influenced by Hans Nielsen Hauge, a traveling preacher who disagreed with the Church of Norway and espoused a simpler, pietistic Christianity. Asbjørn apparently followed in his father's footsteps for he too was a lay preacher both in Norway and in Wisconsin. I have included copies of letters written by Asbjørn to his Anders, after Anders had moved to Minnesota (with a rough translation) which vividly illustrate his beliefs.

This booklet deals mostly with the descendants of Anders Roe, but I correspond with a descendant of Anna (Roe) Berry, so perhaps her descendants can be included later. I also correspond with and have met a descendant of Lars Rowe, a brother of Ragnhild and a cousin of Asbjørn, so the circle ever widens.

Please inform me of errors, additions, better translations, etc., so that this can be given to our descendants as correctly as possible.

Verla Williams
4333 Pine Ridge Trail NE
Iowa City, IA 52240

Birth Record: Ragnilde Andersdtr RAAE

Detail of Sogn og Fjordane fylke, Lærdal, Ministerialbok nr. A 4 (1805-1821), Fødte og døpte 1817, side 172-173. Image courtesy of Digitalarkivet.

Wedding Record: Asbjørn and Ragnhilda (RAAE) RAAE (18 May 1843)

Detail of SAB, Lærdal sokneprestembete, Ministerialbok nr. A 8, 1834-1853, s. 23. https://www.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070514630470.

The Minister's book for Lærdal records the wedding of Asbjørn Halvorsen RAAE, 30, and Ragnhilda Andersdtr RAAE, 27, on 18 May 1843. Their fathers' names are given respectively as Halvor Olsen RAAE and Anders Olsen RAAE. Since Halvor and Anders are brothers that would make Asbjørn and Ragnhilda first cousins.

Emigration Record: Asbjørn Halvorsen RAAE family (16 Apr 1852)

The Minister's book from the Lærdal parish has a record of the Asbjørn Halvorsen and Lars Andersen Raae families leaving the church 16 Apr 1852 to emigrate to America.


Detail of Sogn og Fjordane fylke, Lærdal, Ministerialbok nr. A 17 (1851-1877), Innflyttede 1852, Utflyttede 1851-1852, side 6. Image courtesy of Digitalarkivet.

16 / 16 April / Asbjørn Halvorsen Raae born 4 August 1813 / 38 years / to America
17 / 16 April / wife Ragnilda Andersdtr Raae born 20 April 1817 / 35 years / to ditto
18 / 16 April / son Anders Asbjørnsen born 13 September 1844 / 7 years / to ditto
19 / 16 April / daughter Anna Asbjørnsdtr Raae born 24 January 1851 / 1 year

Passenger list: Bjørgvin (1852)

The United States brig, Niagara. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

According to Wikipedia, a brig is a "sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts." The brig, Bjørgvin, would have looked similar to the photo above of the brig, Niagara.


Passenger list. Bjørgvin (26 May-16 Jul 1852). Image courtesy of Norway Heritage: Hands Across the Sea.

Above is a scan from the passenger list for the brig, Bjørgvin, which departed from Bergen, 26 May 1852 and arrived in New York, 16 Jul 1852. The captain was Gunder P. Olsen. The list shows passengers Asbjørn Raa and family as well as his cousin, Lars (Ragnild's brother).

22 / Asbjørn Raa / 38 / m / Houses on deck
23 / Ragnild Andersdatter Raa* / 34 / f / Houses on deck
24 / Anders Asbjørnsen* Raa* / 7 / m / Houses on deck
25 / Anne Asbjørnsdatter* Raa* / 6 mo / f / Houses on deck
26 / Lars Raa* / 37 / m / Houses on deck

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SOURCE: NARA Roll # 116, arr. no. 961 - Transcribed by Børge Solem - 2000. Norway Heritage: Hands Across the Sea.

1860 US Federal Census: Asbjørn ROWE Family

Detail of 1860 US Federal Census. Asbjørn ROWE family. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Detail of 1860 US Federal Census. Asbjørn ROWE family. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Asbirn [Asbjørn] H. Rowe / 46 / M / Farmer / 400 /200 / Norway
Ragnil [Ragnhild] Rowe / 40 / F /Norway
Andrew Rowe / 16 / M / Farmer / Norway
Ann Rowe / 9 / F / Norway
Ole Rowe / 6 / M / Wisconsin
Knudt Rowe / 3 / M / Wisconsin
Andrina Rowe / 1 / F / Wisconsin

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Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: Amherst, Portage, Wisconsin; Roll: M653_1426; Pages: 206-207; Images: 210-211; Family History Library Film: 805426.

Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Children of Asbjørn and Ragnhild ROE

Asbjørn and Ragnhild ROE's Children (Bef. 1913). From left: Anders, Anna, Ole, Andrina, and Knudt. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.



Asbjørn and Ragnhild ROE's Children (Bef. 1913). From left: Anders, Anna, Ole, Andrina, and Knudt. B/W copy of the above image courtesy of Verla Williams.