Torstein Jonson Aakre was born in 1838 in Norway. He and his wife, Boel Torsteindatter Onarheim (1840 - 1921), had four sons:
* Jon Torsteinsen Aakre (1872 - 1928)
* Torstein Torsteinsen Aakre (1875 - 1956)
* Odd Torsteinsen Aakre (1878 - 1939)
* Johannes Torsteinsen Aakre (1881 - 1949)
All four sons were given the middle name of "Torsteinsen," following the Norwegian custom of giving sons a middle name of their father's first name with an "-sen" or "-son" suffix.
Torstein was a farmer and labored on the Aakre family farm in Nå (pronounced "Nor").
Torstein and Boel sent their three youngest sons, Torstein, Odd and Johannes to emigrate to the United States in 1893, 1895 and 1899 respectively. The reason for doing so was to keep them from being drafted into the Swedish army (Sweden and Norway were a single, united country until 1905).
Torstein personally made three round trips from Norway, across the Atlantic, to the United States to escort each son safely to the United States. He then purchased rail tickets for his sons to a settlement in Wallingford, Iowa, where each son was to remain until they earned citizenship and either learned a trade or gained steady employment. Once he saw his sons on the train to Iowa, Torstein returned home alone to Nå.
His eldest son, Jon, remained in Norway with his parents to help work the family farm.
Torstein died sometime in 1914 - the exact date is not known. He and Boel have many descendants, living in both Norway and the United States today.
A more recent photo of Torstein Aakre's grave can be seen at http://www.disnorge.no/gravminner/bilde.php?id=4139464.
* Jon Torsteinsen Aakre (1872 - 1928)
* Torstein Torsteinsen Aakre (1875 - 1956)
* Odd Torsteinsen Aakre (1878 - 1939)
* Johannes Torsteinsen Aakre (1881 - 1949)
All four sons were given the middle name of "Torsteinsen," following the Norwegian custom of giving sons a middle name of their father's first name with an "-sen" or "-son" suffix.
Torstein was a farmer and labored on the Aakre family farm in Nå (pronounced "Nor").
Torstein and Boel sent their three youngest sons, Torstein, Odd and Johannes to emigrate to the United States in 1893, 1895 and 1899 respectively. The reason for doing so was to keep them from being drafted into the Swedish army (Sweden and Norway were a single, united country until 1905).
Torstein personally made three round trips from Norway, across the Atlantic, to the United States to escort each son safely to the United States. He then purchased rail tickets for his sons to a settlement in Wallingford, Iowa, where each son was to remain until they earned citizenship and either learned a trade or gained steady employment. Once he saw his sons on the train to Iowa, Torstein returned home alone to Nå.
His eldest son, Jon, remained in Norway with his parents to help work the family farm.
Torstein died sometime in 1914 - the exact date is not known. He and Boel have many descendants, living in both Norway and the United States today.
A more recent photo of Torstein Aakre's grave can be seen at http://www.disnorge.no/gravminner/bilde.php?id=4139464.
Torstein Jonson Aakre was born in 1838 in Norway. He and his wife, Boel Torsteindatter Onarheim (1840 - 1921), had four sons:
* Jon Torsteinsen Aakre (1872 - 1928)
* Torstein Torsteinsen Aakre (1875 - 1956)
* Odd Torsteinsen Aakre (1878 - 1939)
* Johannes Torsteinsen Aakre (1881 - 1949)
All four sons were given the middle name of "Torsteinsen," following the Norwegian custom of giving sons a middle name of their father's first name with an "-sen" or "-son" suffix.
Torstein was a farmer and labored on the Aakre family farm in Nå (pronounced "Nor").
Torstein and Boel sent their three youngest sons, Torstein, Odd and Johannes to emigrate to the United States in 1893, 1895 and 1899 respectively. The reason for doing so was to keep them from being drafted into the Swedish army (Sweden and Norway were a single, united country until 1905).
Torstein personally made three round trips from Norway, across the Atlantic, to the United States to escort each son safely to the United States. He then purchased rail tickets for his sons to a settlement in Wallingford, Iowa, where each son was to remain until they earned citizenship and either learned a trade or gained steady employment. Once he saw his sons on the train to Iowa, Torstein returned home alone to Nå.
His eldest son, Jon, remained in Norway with his parents to help work the family farm.
Torstein died sometime in 1914 - the exact date is not known. He and Boel have many descendants, living in both Norway and the United States today.
A more recent photo of Torstein Aakre's grave can be seen at http://www.disnorge.no/gravminner/bilde.php?id=4139464.
* Jon Torsteinsen Aakre (1872 - 1928)
* Torstein Torsteinsen Aakre (1875 - 1956)
* Odd Torsteinsen Aakre (1878 - 1939)
* Johannes Torsteinsen Aakre (1881 - 1949)
All four sons were given the middle name of "Torsteinsen," following the Norwegian custom of giving sons a middle name of their father's first name with an "-sen" or "-son" suffix.
Torstein was a farmer and labored on the Aakre family farm in Nå (pronounced "Nor").
Torstein and Boel sent their three youngest sons, Torstein, Odd and Johannes to emigrate to the United States in 1893, 1895 and 1899 respectively. The reason for doing so was to keep them from being drafted into the Swedish army (Sweden and Norway were a single, united country until 1905).
Torstein personally made three round trips from Norway, across the Atlantic, to the United States to escort each son safely to the United States. He then purchased rail tickets for his sons to a settlement in Wallingford, Iowa, where each son was to remain until they earned citizenship and either learned a trade or gained steady employment. Once he saw his sons on the train to Iowa, Torstein returned home alone to Nå.
His eldest son, Jon, remained in Norway with his parents to help work the family farm.
Torstein died sometime in 1914 - the exact date is not known. He and Boel have many descendants, living in both Norway and the United States today.
A more recent photo of Torstein Aakre's grave can be seen at http://www.disnorge.no/gravminner/bilde.php?id=4139464.
