Hendricks Family Tree Project

Newsletter: Volume 7, November 2005
Author: Jim Winsness, 323 Broadwater Circle, Anderson, SC 29626
Phone: 864-261-7139 Email: winsness@charter.net
website: http://www.LRWMA.com/hendricks

This newsletter will focus on the Gayle Kvernmo, Lorenchia and Irv Scott, and Bev and Jim Winsness' 3 weeks in Norway but first, I want to give you the latest new 'relative' found in Hendricks!

If you live in Hendricks, you probably know Gayle Sudduth, however, she independently found our website and sent me an email on November 9th asking if I could help her gain information on her Norwegian ancestry. She had seen the name Hugaas on our website and wondered where I got the name but she remembered it being used by her grandmother who called her mother "old lady Hugaas." Well, a week later we had identified not one, but 3 of her immigrant ancestors and had obtained lineage for all 3 back to the 1600's. Two of the 3 were on a file provided me by Per Moen, and Dag Einar Winsnes told me precisely where to find the 3rd in my Singsaasboka. Torill Johnson from Oslo added information on that 3rd line with one branch coming from Storen and she provided me the book and page number to get that information. Per Moen is blood related to Gayle and he even went to photograph the old buildings remaining on the property once owned by the immigrants. What a great home run for Gayle. I'm putting together one file for her with all the lines together and she is quite happy with the whole group!

Kvernmo, Scott, and Winsness visit Norway:

The planning for this trip actually started in 2001 when Jim spent 3 weeks helping restoration of 2 old buildings at the farm of Jakob and Annbjorg Winsnes in Singsaas. Before he left, it was decided that he would return in 2005 with his wife to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the departure of his grandfather, Jens Winsness in 1905. Well, between that year and the trip, Jim found Hendricks and connected with Lorenchia Scott and Gail Kvernmo, both of which wanted to go to Norway so it was decided to all go together.

Since Jim's first visit, Jakob and Annbjorg have begun a business of a B&B supporting salmon fishing along the Gaula River at their farm. The Discovery Channel even filmed a show at their farm named "Storstuu" and the facility is getting quite well known. So that we would not compete with the fishing activity, it was decided to be there in September and October. We arrived in Norway on September 10th and left on October 3rd!

Our first week was spent at Storstuu Winsnes and the Singsaas area, the second week we traveled, and the 3rd week was again spent at Storstuu Winsnes with Annbjorg and Jakob. There are day-by-day links showing the people we met and the places we visited on Jim's website at Kvernmo, Scott, and Winsness Norway 2005 and I encourage you to take the time to go through each of the links as it will give you a great impression of the wonderful people and great places we visited. There is no reason to repeat all those pages here in this newsletter.

Before I explain my feelings further, I would also encourage you to go to the Hendricks Family Tree Project, home page and to spend some time looking through the 2 new links at the top of the home page that are titled "Experience Norway" and "Hosting Opportunities". In the "Experience Norway" link, I explain the new opportunity for you to realize your ancestry, and to live as a Norwegian in the area that was so common to your ancestors through visiting Storstuu Winsnes. There are links on the pages that will even take you to the web site of Jakob and Annbjorg ( Storstuu Winsnes )that gives a great explanation of what you may expect in a visit to their farm. In the "Hosting Opportunities" link, I propose that you consider the benefits of hosting a Norwegian in the US, or an American in Norway. We have these personal connections now and we just need to expand on them in any way possible to strengthen the relationships that have been broken for so long.

Now, a little bit about our trip: The research in the Hendricks Family Tree identified that Gail Aune Kvernmo, Glen Kvernmo, Lorenchia Nygaard Scott, Jim Winsness, and our host Jakob Winsnes were all direct descendants of Per Persen Vinsnes, born 1639. That alone made the visit so incredible as we really were all family. However, not long after arriving, Jakob's wife Annbjorg stated she thought she might be related to Gail Kvernmo. The last week we were there, one evening when all the others had gone to bed, Annbjorg and Jim started working more on Gail's Aune line and about 2 hours later, it was not only realized that Annbjorg and Gail were in fact related, they were the most closely related of anyone there! Gail is the 4th cousin once removed to Annbjorg Solberg Winsnes (4th cousin of Annbjorg's mother)! So just think about the fact that both Jakob and Annbjorg were blood relations of Gail! That is just so incredible.

It is simply impossible to explain the heart felt welcome you feel when staying with Jakob and Annbjorg. I believe that I can truly tell you all that all 5 of us have the same trouble trying to explain our feelings having not just lived in their house, but having become true family with these two wonderful people. I think that no one says it better than my wife Bev when she describes them as 2 people who "live their religion." The people they have taken in their home over the years, those friends who stop and stay with them, and their neighbors all were so open in their feelings and welcome to us. When I was explaining to my son how much we enjoyed living there he said "I just can't imagine living with another family like that - moving into their home - it does not seem right." I told him that someday he will stay there and I know that within seconds he will smile, and he will understand that he is simply 'at home' with them.

The last Sunday we were there, I was laying down on a couch in one room by myself reading a book, and the women were playing a card game in another room. The women were all laughing and having such an obviously delightful time and I just smiled and realize again just how special this visit was to all of them. I knew that all our ancestors were smiling down on us and were delighted beyond words just as we were.

It brings to mind the portion of a song by Pat Humphries: "All of those who came before me, stand together to be my guide. Loving spirits I will follow, we are all swimming to the other side." I truly believe that my ancestor's spirits did stand together to be my guide to Storstuu Winsnes.

It is impossible for me to put into words the feelings I have about the wonderful people that I have met through my relationship with the people of Singsaas Norway and of Hendricks MN. I truly believe I am the most lucky person in the world. I believe that Gail, Lorenchia, Scotty, and Bev feel that these relationships we made with our Norwegian friends are among the most priceless relationships we have. We all would encourage all of you to take advantage of having a facility now in Singsaas Norway with Jakob and Annbjorg that can truly link you to your ancestry. Jakob and Annbjorg would love to provide you with the same experience they provided us and we encourage you to honor your ancestors with a visit to the area in Norway that they remembered even on the day they died.

Jim
Just a few photos!

Gail Kvernmo is with Ingeborg Steffensdtr Vinsnes who's mother was Petra Johnsdatter Kvernmo Interestingly, Petra was not blood related to Glen - or we just have not found the link YET.


This is Bev Winsness with Annbjorg Winsnes at the party Annbjorg gave for us our last night at Storstuu.


Lorenchia with a relative she found in Oslo - she describes the relationship: "The person I met in Oslo and who also came to Kasson, MN. for the Fjerstad reunion was ELIN NISESSTAD who is a veterinary science major at the University of Oslo. Her parental home is Selbu which is just north and east of Singsaas. I am related to Elin through my mother, Marcella Nygaard, whose mother was Caroline Fjerstad Hanson. It is through our great, great grandparents that we are related."


A picnic on the return from a trip to Roros. Gail Kvernmo - I just realized - since those are Annbjorg's parents (4th and 5th from the left), the woman that is 4th from the left was your perfect 4th cousin! Why didn't we think of that when we were there!


Those photos were from the webpages with the links provided earlier in this newsletter and I encourage you to look at all the webpages. Enjoy your heritage as seen by the 5 of us! Then, plan your trip - I will be happy to help!