Looking for Karl Larsen

[Homer Ficken]

Here's the daughter Laura, the first born, and her surname is recorded as Laursen, which may support your family belief that the name was changed:

Minnesota, Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980
Name: Laurenze Mette Marie Laursen
Birth Date: 31 Oct 1888
Birth Place: Stillwater, Washington, Minnesota
Gender: Female
Father's Name: Karl Laursen
Mother's Name: Mary Hansen

[Jane C]

Karl and Mary Larsen, as posted before:

1895 St Paul, Ramsey County, Minn
Carl Larsen 35 Denmark
Mary " 26 Denmark
Laura " 6 Minn
Myrtle " 5 "
Lettie " 3 "
Ansena " 1 "
(Mary's mother not yet listed with them)


This could be Mary's parents:
1895 St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, 919 Marion Street
Soren Hansen 57  b Denmark laborer
Mattie Hansen 58 b Denmark
Annie Hansen 23 b Denmark [born about 1872]


1900 St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, 919 Marion Street
Soren Hansen 62 b DEC 1837 Denmark milkman to USA 1880
Mary Hansen 63 b APR 1837 Denmark to USA 1880
married 35 years
7 children; 2 living (!!) If this is correct, then Annie and Mary are the only living children in 1900


After 1900 census and before 1905 census, Soren died and Mette/Mary/Mattie Hansen moved to Wisconsin and lived with daughter Mary, 1905 census, not with that family in 1910 census, is with that family again 1920 census

Mary and Carl Larsen moved to Wisconsin after daughter Annie born 1898 and before Gothart born 1899

Just to recap the Karl and Mary Larsen children:

1. Laura, born 1888 Minnesota

2. Myrtle, born 1890 Minnesota

3. Line, ( = Sena) born 1894 Minnesota

4. Fred, born 1896 Minnesota

5. Annie, born 1898 Minnesota

6. Gothart, born 1899 Wisconsin

7. Bertha, born 1900 Wisconsin

8. Soren Wilmer Larsen born 09 Sep 1905 Luck, Polk, Wisconsin parents Carl Larsen and Marie Hansen later moved to Covington, Washington; likely died 14 Nov 1983

9. Louie born 1908 Wisconsin

[Jane C]

1920 Census in Luck, Polk, Wisconsin Carl and Mary Larsen have been found - with their children.

ALSO found in 1920 census (and in 1905, 1910, etc)
Bone Lake, Luck, Wisconsin
Karl Larsen, 57 [59], b. in Denmark abt 1861 [1863] - brackets show alternate transcription on Ancestry
Betty Larsen, 51
Louie Larsen 19

Thus the Karl Larsen b 1862 buried at Bone Lake Cemetery could be this second Karl Larsen.

[Homer Ficken]

1920 Census in Luck, Polk, Wisconsin Carl and Mary Larsen have been found - with their children.

ALSO found in 1920 census (and in 1905, 1910, etc)
Bone Lake, Luck, Wisconsin
Karl Larsen, 57 [59], b. in Denmark abt 1861 [1863] - brackets show alternate transcription on Ancestry
Betty Larsen, 51
Louie Larsen 19

Thus the Karl Larsen b 1862 buried at Bone Lake Cemetery could be this second Karl Larsen.

And there was also a Carl Larsen born ca 1862 Sweden and wife Bertha in Polk County.

But this info posted on WorldConnect indicates the Carl who died 1943 was Laurenza (Laura)'s father:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=nonmaskable&id=I43939

I was hoping Colleen could verify same.

[Jane C]

Yes Homer - looks like the same guy.

The owner of the tree (link you posted) lists Carl as Karl Frederik LAURSEN born in Copenhagen. just so forum readers can quickly see that lead.

An obit for Carl J. Hansen, son of Rasmus and Laurenza (Laursen) Hansen, can be found online. He was born April 6, 1914, at Frederic, died 2003, buried at Bone Lake Cemetery in Luck.

[Jane C]

Transcription of Bone Lake Cemetery, Polk County, Wisconsin Link:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wipolk/Bone-cem.htm

Listed in "Family Plots":

LARSEN,  Jens Ludvig father 1900 - 1932,  Larsen, Karl  father  1862 - 1943

The Wisconsin census shows the other Karl Larsen b. 1862 (wife Betty) with a son Jens born 1900.

Bone Lake Cemetery is associated with Zion Lutheran Church in the very small town of Bone Lake:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wipolk/PolkCountyCemeteriesbyTownship.htm

Paul mentioned Luck Lutheran Church which started as a Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Colleen said she knew he was buried there. So it's not the same as Bone Lake. 

The Rootsweb link is definitely referring to "our" Karl Larsen and family, because clearly that's his daughter on that tree - but I think the Rootsweb poster has birth and death dates that belong to the other Karl, not ours.

She has made an error, I believe.

I haven't found the link to Denmark. ;C

[Lissa Pedersen]

Neither have I - I have been through numerous censuses and church books and Familysearch etc. - cannot find any of either Soren, Mette Marie etc.

However, I have found a Karl Frederik Larsen, 16 years old, servant, in the 1880 census in Vallekilde, Ods, Holbaek and born in same parish on 10 September 1863 - opslag 8 - mother Jensine Severine Schou - father of the child bachelor Anders Larsen, Vallekilde.

Would be good, if Colleen receive more info from the church.

Lissa

[Jane C]

Lissa, if the Rootsweb poster can be wrong about the birth and death dates for "our" Karl, then how does she know his middle name is Frederik? Is she looking on the death certificate for the wrong Karl? Should we trust that name?

[Lissa Pedersen]

Jane, I really don't know what to do now and what to believe - I have tried various name spellings and combinations, both with Carl/Karl and Mary and Søren and his wife .... but no luck - have tried the 1880 censuses all over Denmark ... still no definite result. However, there are a few options regarding Carl/Karl besides the one I mentioned earlier, but it's difficult to decide ....

Hope for good news from Colleen. Death certificates perhaps?

Lissa

[Jane C]

I did check Wisconsin genealogy site (index of births, marriages, deaths) and only that one son, Soren, has a record that I found (birth).

There are paths of investigation but they start to get convoluted.

How about Mrs. Hansen? Where is she in 1910? With daughter Annie?

The West Denmark church in Luck, Wisconsin is one of the oldest Danish congregations in USA. That's a small town and small church - probably very friendly and helpful! 

Colleen will know which church cemetery she once visited...

[colleen stafford]

Anything more that you can do to find any family in Denmark?  I spoke with someone from the Bone Lake Luthern Church today and found that this cemetary is under the city and not the church. They do not have much for records. The person I spoke with said that he had a Karl Larsen with a date of death of 1942. He did not have a date of birth. He said that he would try to find the grave in the spring after the snow is gone. I know that I was not able to give you much information and that the last name of Larsen is common. I greatly appreciate all of your efforts.

Colleen

[colleen stafford]

I did not see page two of your efforts. Give me some time to see if I can find anything more. You are fantastic!

I do think that you are on the right track with the spelling of the name Larsen. I heard many times that it was changed and probably was Laursen. Other family lived in the same area of Bone Lake and kept the spelling of Laursen.

I will check other churches in the area and talk with my Dad's sister to see if she has any information that would help with this.

Thank you so very much!

Colleen

[colleen stafford]

I am feeling a little unsure of the church and cemetary right now. I visited with my Dad many years ago and then again before he died about three or four years ago. I will talk to my aunt, his sister to see if we were mistaken and if there could be another place that he is buried.


I will try to get a death certifcate from Wisconsin for both Karl and Mary Larsen. Maybe some information there that would help you track family in Denmark.

Colleen

[Homer Ficken]

Anything more that you can do to find any family in Denmark?  I spoke with someone from the Bone Lake Luthern Church today and found that this cemetary is under the city and not the church. They do not have much for records. The person I spoke with said that he had a Karl Larsen with a date of death of 1942. He did not have a date of birth. He said that he would try to find the grave in the spring after the snow is gone. I know that I was not able to give you much information and that the last name of Larsen is common. I greatly appreciate all of your efforts.

Colleen

Coleen, without an exact birthdate and/or mention of a specific parish in Denmark, I see little hope of tracing Karl's Danish roots, as the name is too common.

Your best bet for such info is the church records, not the cemetery records, and any Lutheran church should have their old record books that listed marriages, births, confirmations, and deaths unless they were destroyed in a fire or have been archived.

And contrary to censuses and court records, the old church books usually listed full names with original spelling.

You should also contact the Lutheran churches in Stillwater.  There are several listed so ask which date from 1880-90s:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnwashin/churches.htm  (scroll down to Stillwater)

Also try posting queries on Ancestry's free message boards:

http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.minnesota.counties.washington/mb.ashx

http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.minnesota.counties.polk/mb.ashx

You might get lucky and connect with long lost cousins who know more.

[Homer Ficken]

Posted link to Polk County Minnesota by mistake, here's Polk County Wisconsin:

http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.wisconsin.counties.polk/mb.ashx

[Jane C]

Hi again -

Colleen, I think the Danish congregation in Luck rather than Bone Lake would be the right congregation for this family, although who knows? They farmed, and probably attended church in whatever town was closest.

Here is a link for the Polk County (Wisconsin) Register of Deeds:
http://www.co.polk.wi.us/rod/

In a recent forum thread (see Dale Rasmusssen), the poster contacted the Polk County Register of Deeds for help and they immediately located a death date for her ancestor. They also mailed her the death certificate, although that required a fee ($20 I think). The Register of Deeds could also tell where the Laursen farm was located - and this might point you to the right congregation for them.

Also Colleen, you say "Other family lived in the same area of Bone Lake and kept the spelling of Laursen." Who are these people?

Maybe we would have better luck tracing a family member back to Denmark. Share whatever additional info you have. For example, do you know who your grandmother married? Do you have an obit for her? Sometimes in that generation a person's obit tells where the family had immigrated from.

We can't find the 1900 census for the Laursens, and it is the 1900 census that tells the month and year of birth for a person. So that is one hang up in tracking the Laursens.

[Jane C]

Luck Township Map 1914

[vedhæfting slettet af admin]

[Jane C]

Bone Lake Township map 1914

Lots of Larsens, Laursens, and Lawsons in Bone Lake Township and Luck Township, including a C.S. Laursen (see bottom left, a little up from bottom, of this plat map). The plot marked C. S. Laursen adjoins land in Luck Township map marked L. P. Laursen.

[vedhæfting slettet af admin]

[colleen stafford]

Hi Jane,

Thanks for everything.  I an going to take you advice and contact the church in Luck, Wisconsin.

I have an Aunt still living that may know something. Carl Larsen was her grandfather. I will show her the map you found.

I checked the 1900 censes and found a Carl Larsen in Albert Lea, MN Born in January of 1861, immigrated in 1872.  Listed as single.

He was listed as a farmer in a boarding house.

Another Larsen listed was a Thomas Larsen born in1818 in the month of July he was widowed and immingrated in 1878. He was 81 years old.  Carl's father??

Thanks!

Colleen

[colleen stafford]

Hi Jane,

Thanks for everything.  I an going to take you advice and contact the church in Luck, Wisconsin.

I have an Aunt still living that may know something. Carl Larsen was her grandfather. I will show her the map you found.

Thanks,

Colleen

[Homer Ficken]

I have an Aunt still living that may know something. Carl Larsen was her grandfather. I will show her the map you found.

I checked the 1900 censes and found a Carl Larsen in Albert Lea, MN Born in January of 1861, immigrated in 1872.  Listed as single.

Surely the aunt knows what church the family attended?

'Your' Carl was in Washington County with a family in 1895, so unless he had temporarily left his family the one in Albert Lea could not be him.  And 'your' Carl listed 1880s immigration.

[Jane C]

Homer is right Colleen, unfortunately - the name Carl Larsen doesn't mean much. There were several in Washington County, Minnesota, in those years of the 1890s. In 1900 Carl was married and had several children - plus we've all searched (I have anyway) for all names in the family - not just Carl - and not found them. One explanation is that there is a transcription error, and the Larsen name is so mangled that it doesn't turn up when we search for variations of Larsen.

Colleen, you earlier mentioned that "other family" were also in the Luck and Bone Lake area. Who were you referring to? Their names, relationships, immigration dates, any info you have about them....