Birgit Nilsdtr Lostegaard (1843-1887)

Birth

Birgit Nilsdtr Lostegaard was born on 23 Feb 1843 on the Lostegaard farm in Gol, Buskerud, Norway. She was the ninth child of Nils Olson Ro Lostegaard and Barbo Eriksdatter Lostegaard. She had eleven siblings, namely: Barbo, Birgit, Ola Nilson, Ragnhild Nilsdatter, Ingeborg Nilsdtr, Birgit, Barbo, Erick Nilsson, Gunhild, Tolliev Nilsson, and Ole. Birgit was baptized on 25 Feb 1843 in Gol, Buskerud, Norway.

Marriage

When she was 21, she married Halvor Stemson on 21 Apr 1864 in Gol, Buskerud, Norway. He was the son of Stengrim Halvorsen and Kristi Knudsdr.

Voyage

Birgit and Halvor started their family in Norway with the birth of two daughters. Then, on 31 March 1866, with a toddler and newborn in tow, they boarded a three-masted ship called the Sirius in Bergen, Norway and set sail for Quebec, Canada. The cargo ship had been modified to accommodate emigrants between decks. Three person bunks were found fore and aft, and on each side of the ship there was single-person bathroom. There were three smalls stoves for cooking.  The passengers had to provide their own provisions and cook their own meals. They brought flat-bread, dried and smoked beef, cheeses, and coffee to get them through the voyage. There was a large water tank in an under deck that supplied fresh water. Each passenger was issued three pieces of wood and three small pots of water each day. Drinking water was also available on deck, but it was closely rationed by the crew. Birgit and Halvor would have had to hand most of their belongings over to be stored under that middle deck for the trip and only had what was essential to daily living with them in the passenger area of the ship.

Early in the voyage they sailed into a heavy storm. The Stemson family, like other passengers, were probably sea sick and rolling with their belongings from side to side as the ship was tossed through the sea. When the weather was nice, the passengers were permitted on deck, and there was dancing on deck those evenings.

After about six weeks of sailing, the ship landed at the quarantine station near Quebec, Canada. After several days wait, a steamship took the emigrants ashore and then the Stemson and other families boarded a train. The train took them to Sarnia, at the end of Lake Huron, where they boarded a large steamboat. The boat took them as far as Milwaukee. They then got on another train that took them to Prairie du Chein, Wisconsin. The train line ended there because of the Mississippi River, so it was onto another steamboat to cross the river and then by land to Minnesota. They finally arrived at their destination on 15 June 1866, about two and a half months after they’d left their home in Norway.

Minnesota

They settled in Newry, Freeborn county, Minnesota and became a successful farm family. They were among the early members of Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church.

Family

Halvor Stemson and Birgit Nilsdtr Lostegaard had twelve children:

1. Ingeborg Stemson was born on 05 Jun 1864 in Gol, Buskerud, Norway. She died on 02 May 1953 in Wessington Springs, Jerauld, South Dakota, USA. She married Thor Thompson on 03 Dec 1884 in Freeborn, Minnesota, USA.
2. Barbra Stemson was born on 20 Feb 1866 in Gol, Buskerud, Norway (Other sources say 24 Feb). She died on 20 Oct 1875 in Mower, Minnesota, USA.
3. Christina Stemson was born on 09 Feb 1868 in Lansing, Mower, Minnesota, USA. She died on 03 Mar 1971 in Preeceville, Saskatchewan, Canada. She married Samuel Austin Swan on 23 Oct 1889 in Mower, Minnesota, USA.
4. Nels Stemson was born on 20 Oct 1869 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. He died on 12 Sep 1896 in Barrett, Grant, Minnesota, USA.
5. Sam Stemson was born on 16 Oct 1871 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. He died on 11 Jun 1913 in Minnesota, USA.
6. Carl Stemson was born on 15 Nov 1873 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. He died on 04 Apr 1874 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA.
7. Carl Gilbert Stemson was born on 25 Apr 1875 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. He died on 26 Aug 1961 in Udolpho, Mower, Minnesota, USA. He married Laura Margarette Quam on 07 Jan 1905 in Freeborn, Minnesota, USA (The record said Austin, Freeborn, Minnesota, but Austin is in Mower County.).
8. Bertha H Stemson was born on 05 Mar 1877 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. She died on 11 Jun 1968 in Austin, Mower, Minnesota, USA. She married Christian Bennett Christianson on 05 Mar 1898 in Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Austin, Mower, Minnesota, USA.
9. Berthena Olivia Stemson was born on 09 Dec 1878 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. She died on 07 Apr 1967 in Austin, Mower, Minnesota, USA. She married Edward Ferdinand Kittelson on 28 Nov 1917 in Austin, Mower, Minnesota, USA.
10. Julia Helene Stemson was born on 03 Nov 1880 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. She died on 27 Jul 1956 in Austin, Mower, Minnesota, USA. She married Lewis A. Ulland on 05 Mar 1901 in Freeborn, Minnesota, USA.
11. Henry Bennett Stemson was born on 21 Aug 1882 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. He died on 13 Apr 1974 in Wadena, Wadena, Minnesota, USA. He married Ida Bertina Aldahl on 30 Mar 1921 in Austin, Mower, Minnesota, USA.
12. Ole Edwin Stemson was born on 09 Oct 1884 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. He died on 27 Jan 1971 in Mower, Minnesota, USA. He married Clara Marie Aldahl on 18 Mar 1914 in Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Austin, Mower, Minnesota, USA.

Death

Birgit Nilsdtr Lostegaard Stemson died from pneumonia on 05 Nov 1887 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota, USA. She was only 44 years old. She is buried at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Video highlighting the life of Birgit Lostegaard

 

Norway

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The Stemson Family