He is born in Drammen, Norway, the Son of Ludvig (Louis) Emanuel Stensgaard (b abt 1863) and Helga (Helen) Matilda Olsen (b abt 1873). Helen then married Millard Arthur Porter. (his tombstone though, says A.M. Porter and he died 1970 New Bruswick, NJ. His stepson Thomas Thorleif Johan Stensgaard named a son Thomas Porter.

Thomas might have had a first wife and son, but this remains unsure.(it was on papers, but never confirmed.)

Thorleif and Mabel had 4 children:
Richard, Dorothy, Ruth and Thomas.
Ruth and her husband died in a house fire in 1979.

Torleif Stensgaard
Arrival Date: 4 Oct 1900
Birth Date: abt 1891
Age: 9
Gender: Male
Place of Origin: Norw Am
Port of Departure: Christiansand, Norway
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Norge
Looks like he arrives with his mother Helga.

Millard Arthur Porter (mentioned above) later marries Hellen's daughter Signe Sanmore Stensgaard after Allan Theodore Nelson Dies.

1905 Census:
Thorleif Stensgaard
Residence Place: Brooklyn, Kings, New York
Age: 13
Birth Year (Estimated): 1892
Birthplace: Norway
GS Film number: 1930263
Digital Folder Number: 4296325
Image Number: 00058
Head of household: Louis Stensgaard
M, 42y, Norway
Wife Helga Stensgaard, F, 32y, Norway
Son Thorleif Stensgaard, M, 13y, Norway
Boarder: Charles Sorensen age 24 from Norway.

One Census says he immigrated in 1897
Helen (his Mom) is 39 in one census, no husband listed though it says she is married. She arrived in 1894.
Daughter Sique S. is 20 born abt 1890 Norway, She immigrated in 1904 and again in 1907.
Son Thomas J. immigrated in 1897 and is 18.
Not uncommon to travel back and forth to home country, so there are many dates.

1915 Census: New York, Kings, NY
Thomas is 25 and Mabel is 24
(last name is spelled wrong as Stensgard).

WWI Draft for 1917-1918 lists him as:
Thomas F. Stensgard, age 26 born Jun 1, 1892, Naturalized under Father. confirms where born.
Looks like he is an Expert Gas Meter Engineer working for B. Englander at Bush Terminal, NYC.
married with wife. Says he was a Sargent for Drammen Norway for 1 year.. Medium height and built, with blue eyes and lt Brown hair.

Family is found in the 1920 Census for Brooklyn (name spelled Stensgard). In this census for Thomas and Mabel 1 child has the Stensgaard name and 2 have the Jacobsen name (who are cousins), but not sure if anyone is still alive. There is also a brother of Thomas living with him who is Frank Stensgaard who is 25 born abt 1895 in Norway.

Border Crossing from Canada to US May 9th, 1944 arriving in Buffalo, NY.
Born Drammen, Norway, he is 49, a Machinist. Nearest person or relative from where he came is a Commanding Officer RNAF, 192 Blaer St., Toronto, Ontario. He was in the Us from 1896 to July 1941 (it looks like)in NY City. His wife Mabel lives at RFD #1 in Monmouth, NJ. He is 5ft. 7 1/2 inches, ruddy complexion, has a mark on his left cheek and plans on resuming his residence.

Thomas Stensgard SS death indes:
Last Residence: New Jersey
Born: 1 Jun 1891
Died: Jul 1964
State (Year) SSN issued: New Jersey (Before 1951)

another good find from Eliz:
barn (baby): Thorleif Johan 01.06.1891
2 far (Father) Styrmand (don't know what this means except it is under Role and family position, martial status and occupation) So Styrmand must be the father's occupation.
Ludvig Emanuel Stensgaard, Lives in Tangen
3 mor (Mother), Helga Mathilde F. Olsen, lives in Tangen
4 fadder (Sponsor), Hstr.,Tekla Christiansen
5 fadder, Pige, Karen Olsen
6 fadder, Fuldm, Emil Christiansen
7 fadder, Sømand, R. Olsen
8 fadder, Bogbinder (book binder), N. Jørgensen
Baptism No 1230
Serial no. 54
Year 1891
Baptism date June 28th
Parish/Church Stromso (with a slash thru the o's.
Also have his sister Signe's baptism records with no place to put it. write me if you need it.




Thanks Elizabeth and Robin for all your help with this family.