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He was my g-g-uncle and he came to America in the year 1842 with his wife Kari. They were co-founders of the Norseland Community at present day St. Peter, Minnesota. They settled there before Minnesota became a state.
Gene Estensen
Torstein Østensen Bøen was born at farm Bakhuus in Tinn, Telemark, Norway in the year 1817. His wife was Kari Østensdatter. Torstein and Kari sailed on the brig Ellida with others from Tinn. Jacob Olsen Einung, wife Anne Johnsdatter Såheim, and eight children sailed too. When the Ellida arrived in New York in August of 1842, eight were dead of cholera and 30 were "half dead". Among the dead were Anne Einung and one of her daughters. Anne's daughter Gunhild, age nine, would grow up to marry Hans Christian Heg. Heg became the legendary commander of the 15th Wisconsin Regiment, the "Norwegian Regiment" of the American Civil War. Anne's son John, age 12, would grow up to become a founder of the town of Harmony, Minnesota. Many of these pioneers from Tinn would settle in Harmony. They include Herbjørn Nielsen Ingolvsland and John Pedersen Husevoll. Many of these travelers were following the well known pioneers John Nilsen Rue and John Nilsen Lurås who left Tinn in 1837 and 1839 respectively. Torstein and Kari settled at Muskego, Wisconsin Territory where Torstein, Jacob Einung, and others would sign the famous Muskego Manifesto. A dozen years later, Torstein and Kari began a seven week journey with two other couples, by wagon train, to become the first settlers at Norseland in Nicollet County, Minnesota Territory near what is now St. Peter. This was long before the Civil War and the Indian Wars.
Last updated June 01, 2002.
