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Research by Jen Witzel:
Knute was born in Tinn, Telemark on 3 Sept 1818, Gyri on 2 Oct
1816. They were married in Norway, presumably in Tinn, on 23 April 1839. They
left for America in May 1839 via Sweden and then Boston, to Milwaukee, to the
Muskego Settlement, WI. Knute and Gyri (or Georgina as she was known here) lived
there up until about 1847. They then moved to Clayton township in Winnebago,
WI (near Oshkosh) where they farmed about 500 acres. Knute and Gyri had at least
3 of their children while they lived in Muskego: Elisabeth b: 1843, Niels b:1845,
and Betsey b: 1847. They also had 6 other children who are believed to have
been born in Winnebago county. These were: Cornelia Caroline b:1849, Isabella
b:1851, Georgina b:1853, John b & d: 1854, John b:1856, and Knute b:1858.
Gyri’s brother was Jon Nielson Rue who reportedly came to the US with her cousin
Snowshoe Thompson in 1837. She also had another brother Niels Nielson Rue and
a sister Gro Nielsdtr who came in 1843, perhaps with her parents. Her father
was Niels Jonsen Rue and her mother was Birgit Jonsdtr Haakaland.
Knute & Gyri are buried at Grace Lutheran Church in Larsen, WI. Knute died
21 Oct 1871, and Gyri died 5 Sept 1896.
Their daughter Betsey married a Civil War veteran (also from Norway) Nels Olavus
Thorson in 1867. They had 10 children. Among them was George Alvin who married
Mattie Erickson (who’s parents were also from Norway). They had my great grandfather
Roy Thorson who then married Palma Stensvold (also from Norway). They had my
grandmother Twyla who is still living. She jokes that she screwed up the line
by marrying a German!
I have a picture of Gyri and some census documents, cemetery records, etc if
you would be interested. I have very little on the rest of their lives and have
nothing about their time in Muskego other than what is on your site. In fact,
yours is the first place I have found their names actually written down as settlers.
Thank you for that!!
I would be very interested in any more information that you had on the Muskego
pioneers and any photos of the old farms in Norway as well.
Thanks,
Jen Witzel
Response from Gene Estensen:
Jen,
Looking at Tinns Emigrasjons Historie 1837-1907 by Andres Svalestuen I can verify
that your Knut Johnson Luraas (son of John Nilsen Luraas and Lisbet Gunnulvsdatter
Hegard) and Gyri Nilsdatter Rue (daughter of Nils Johnsen Jelljorden Luraas-Rue
and Birgit Johnsdatter Hakaland) departed for America in 1839. I am in agreement
with the birth dates from your e-mail but the record shows they were married
on the 25, not the 23rd.
Now I turn to Tinn Soga by Halvor Einong:
Under the farm Sud Luraas I find that Nils Olsen Luraas, born 1724, married
Gunnhild Olsdatter. Nils and Gunnhild had these children:
1. Birgit Nilsdatter married Ola Halvorsen of Mellom Luraas.
2. Jon Nilsen, born 1754, First married Joran Torsdatter Luraas. This is our
key person.
3. Ola, born 1758.
4. Gunnhild, born 1761.
5. Helge.
Nils died at age 63 and Gunnhild at 82. Then Jon Nilsen (our key person), oldest
son, took over the farm. With his wife Joran Torsdatter they had the following
children:
1. Gunhild Jonsdatter, born 1783.
2. Ingeborg, born 1784, married John Torsteinsen Såheim.
3. Nils Jonsen Luraas, born 1789, married Gunnhild Kjetilsdatter Luraas and
they moved to America in 1843. Their son Jon Nilsen Luraas, born 1814, was the
ringleader of the 1839 pioneer move to America.
4. Tor, born 1791.
In 1793 our key person, Jon Nilsen Luraas, marries again, to Lisbet Gunnulvsdatter
Hegard. They had the following children:
1. Ola Jonsen, born 1794.
2. Joran, born 1797, marries Tore Hansen Luraas-Rue.
3. Øystein, born 1801, marries Aslaug Torsteinsdatter Luraas-Rue.
4. Ingeborg, born 1802.
5. Gunnulv, 1804, marries Bergit Olsdatter Dale.
6. Lisbet, born 1811.
7. Knut Jonsen, born 1818, marries Gyry Nilsdatter Rue and moves to America
in 1839.
Now, moving on to your second paragraph. We need to know more about Gyri Nilsdatter
Rue. Looking at farm Hakaland I see that Jon Ingebritsen Hakaland was first
married in 1781 to Gyry Sigurdsdatter. They had the following children:
1. Gro Jonsdatter, born 1781, married Torstein Olsen Luraas-Rue. Yes, their
son was Snowshoe Thompson.
2. Birgit Jonsdatter, born 1783, married Nils Jonsen Eggerud.
3. Barbrau
4. Aslaug
5. Ingebrit
Svalestuen's book tells me that Nils Jonsen is really Nils Jonsen Jelljord.
Looking at farm Jelljord we find that a John Nilsen bought the farm in 1786.
He married, in 1779, Birgit Jonsdatter. They had these children:
1. Nils Johnsen, born 1786 and married Birgit Jonsdatter Hakaland.
2. Jon Nilsen, born 1789.
3. Ola,
4. Astrid,
5. Anne
6. Øystein who moved to America in 1842.
7. Joran
I jumped back to farm Luraas and found the Nils Johnsen and Birgit Jonsdatter
were indeed there and had these children:
1. Jon Nilsen Luraas, born 1814, and married Anne Olsdatter Berg in 1839, and
they left for America in 1839.
2. Joran, born 1815, married Halvor Kjetilsen Luraas in 1839 and moved to America.
3. Kjetil, born 1818, married Ingeborg Øysteinsdatter and moved to America.
4. Ingeborg, born 1821.
5. Gunnhild, born 1826.
6. Aslaug, born 1829.
7. Kari, born 1832.
8. Birgit, born 1836.
There is a note that "Alle r.t.A. 1843, i.e., all moved to America in 1843.
Svalestuen shows the last three children still at home and moving to America
with their parents.
Well Jen, there you have it. Hopefully I have substantiated your e-mail to me
and added much more detail. You may have to plot this out on paper to better
understand the relationships.
In 2001 I spent some time at the Luraas-Rue farms in Tinn. Very nice! My Luraas
ancestor came from Mellom-Luraas. If we are distant cousins, the link is through
Truls Torkjellsen Gaustad. His decendants went to Hakeland (your people) and
Luraas (my people).
Your Luraas family was very instrumental in establishing Muskego. On our website
there is much to read about Muskego, and your family. Here is a link.
http://www.telelaget.com/Telemark%20HTML/Settlements2E.html
Your Knut Johnsen Luraas was a signer of the Muskego Manifesto, one of our cherished
documents in Norwegian-American history http://www.telelaget.com/Telemark%20HTML/MuskegoManifesto2A.html
and with your permission, I would like to add the contents of this e-mail to
his name on the website (for others to learn too).
Keep in touch!
Gene Estensen
Telelaget of America
Gene Estensen - Webmaster - Submitted after researching "Tinn Soga . Last updated November 18, 2007.
