"The Saga of the Lavik Family of Eksingedalen." Added November 2010: Lavik Family Photo Project (CD, 300+ scanned images). Donated by John Laird, Santa Cruz, CA (Jan. 28, 2010). The following photographs were identified by Laird: 9. Five Adult Rasmus Lavik Children – This photo, with five adult children of Rasmus Lavik in it (from Ingeborg), show Peter, John R., and Dora as identifiable by name. It also includes Marie and Hannah. Not here was Andrew, the oldest child, who died in 1900. The next child died in 1902, someone who is in this photo, so this clearly was taken prior to 1902, and the only question is whether it was in the window after Andrew died, or he was still alive, and away at school – which he was at points from 1892 until his death. The Studio, stamped in the corner reads J. H. Hunter, Foreman, North Dakota. This photo is of the same place and style, and even dress, of the two Lavik sisters shown in photo #18 below. This photo also matches one of the identified ones from Paul Lavik – showing just four of the five children, but in the same dress from the same sitting, and with the same photographer listed. Foreman is the county seat of Sargent County in North Dakota, not that far from Milnor. J.H. Hunter had a studio in Forman from 1902 to 1907, according to the Dakota directory. 10. Postcard – Rudy Lavik and two younger men. This postcard, undated and with no writing, looks like Rudy Lavik, and two younger men. It could be from one of his early coaching jobs, and these could be two students that he coached. They are clearly dressed up. There is no identifying information on the reverse side – just a blank post card form. 11. Antonette and Hannah? – Red Lake Falls. This photo shows a woman, and girl, possibly a mother and daughter, taken in the W. A. Reichel Studio, Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Rasmus Lavik lived there from 1889-1892. Hannah would have been between six and nine in this era, the daughter Dora would have been between nine and twelve, and the daughter Marie would have been between twelve and fifteen. It is more likely, given the age, that if this is one of their daughters, it is the youngest, Hannah. Ingeborg, the mother of Hannah, was deceased by the time they were in Red Lake Falls, so this could be Antonette with her stepdaughter. There is a photo of a couple taken at the same studio, but the woman in each photo appears different. W. A. Reichel is shown in the Minnesota directory in Red Lake Falls, but no years are given. There are a number of photos in this Lavik batch taken by Reichel, and there appears to be two distinctive styles of his name at the bottom.

The following photographs were identified by Laird: 12. Woman in wedding dress – Sioux City. This photo is of a woman in what appears to be her wedding dress. It was made in Genelli Studio, in Sioux City, Iowa. The only Lavik daughter of Rasmus to get married was Dora, and this does not appear to be her. There are a number of wedding photos of people in the this batch of photos that appear not to be immediate Lavik family members. 13. Two Boys and a girl – Wheaton, Minnesota. These three children were in a photo taken by A. Carlson Studio in Wheaton, Minnesota. Number eight was taken in the same place. 14. WWI Soldier – Rudy Lavik. This has been identified as Rudolph Lavik. This is actually the photo on a postcard, which was sent by Rudy and dated January 28, 1919. However, someone has written Ingvald? On the back. I believe it they were wrong. [I think it was the Steinberg’s, who had the batch of photos before me.] There were two Laviks in Europe, Ingvald and Rudolph. The postcard photo of Ingvald is clear. This looks like Rudolph and matches the text. The text is scanned at the next item. 15. Text on WWI Postcard. This is text, dated January 28, 1919, and signed by Rudolph (Lavik) which has the Item 14 picture on the other side. In the card, he indicated he “shipped home a flock of post card pictures”, and asked that they be held until the 528 arrives in U. S. “Am having the time of my life”. Those post cards are likely all the postcards of France and Italy that were found with these photos, and were scanned as a separate batch. ]]> Gunnufson, Kent]]> Huseby, N. Dean]]> Hokeness, Kenneth]]> Austrumdal, Johannes Mauritzsen]]> Mauritzsen, Johannes]]> Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815]]>
Manuscript volume of poems copied by Mauritzsen at his gaard, Ostrimdahle. Probably donated by M. Muritzen, Chicago, 1936. (A Johannes Mauritser Austrumdal (age 22) emigrated from Bjerkreim, Rogaland, April 20, 1850, with brother Hans Tobias (24) and sister Serine Gemalia (20): see "Sem Austrumdal, Bjerkreim skipreida, herad og kyrjesokn" (Stavanger, 1932, pp. 455-456, includes portrait of Johannes. According to Lisabet Risa's letter of Dec. 16, 1999, Johannes was born June 18, 1823, died in Chicago 1863, married in Chicago, had many children. His father Mauritz Halvorsen (baptized March 31, 1782) received a correspondence from Cleng Peerson (dated Dec. 20, 1824/See P0435 America Letters/photocopy/original held by MHS) via Thormod Madland, As a result, three of his children emigrated as did his widow (Mauritz died 1836).

FAMILY LETTERS. ( Previously entered as: Napoleonic Wars. Correspondence, 1807. Letters written to families at home in Norway by men in military service at Christiansand during the Napoleonic Wars. P 254) Letters dated 1807, Christiansand, on one sheet but two signatures. On the reverse is written: Johanes Muritzsen, Østrimdahl, 1832, also, drawings like those in the poetry book.]]> Mauritzsen, Johanne]]> Knutsen, Alfred]]> Janson, Kristofer, 1841-1917]]> Fosse, J. L.]]> Egeland, Rasmus]]> Risting, Jens O.]]> Estrem, Ole O.]]> Bull, Ole, 1810-1880]]> Luther College (Decorah, Iowa)]]> Wisconsin]]> Larsen, Peter Laurentius]]> Lien, Ole O.]]> Breda, Olaus Jensen]]> Brandt, Diderikke O.]]> Brye, Martha B.]]>