Ole Benjamin Pedersen was my great-great grandfather (my grandmother's grandfather). He was born on September 20, 1834 at the farm Ladingen in Stamnes, Alstahaug Norway. He was the son of Peder Ingebrigtsen Vestvog and Berit Olsdatter Laddingen. He was baptized October 12, 1834 at the Alstahaug church.
In rural Norway, a person’s name meant much more than a name. Ole’s whole name was: Ole Benjamin Pedersen Vestvaag. His official name was “Ole Benjamin”, which is the name he was baptized with. A patronymic name was usually added in day to day interactions, because there could be several persons named Ole Benjamin in a community. So he was called Ole Benjamin Pedersen, because he was Ole Benjamin, the son of Peder. Finally, because there could be several persons in a community with the name Ole Benjamin Pedersen, rural Norwegians would add the name of the farm where the person was living – not as a name, in the modern sense of the word, but as an address or identifier. So they would say of him, “There goes Ole Benjamin, the son of Peder, who lives on the Vestvaag farm.” The farm Ladingen where he was born seems to have been the farm that his mother and her parents lived on.
He spent his early life at fishing. His daughter described him in 1902 as “an old seafaring man, who didn’t feel any seasickness” as they traveled on the North Sea, even as the others who traveled were very seasick. He married Else Marie Johansdatter Sornaes at the Tjotta church on October 18, 1863, at the age of 29. Else was 24 years old at the time of their wedding. Ten children were born to this marriage; five died early in life, the others were two sons and three daughters. Their fourth daughter, Jorgine Emilie Pedersen, was my great-grandmother. Ole was “a faithful Christian man, and a member of the Lutheran Church all his life.” His daughter, Jorgine remembers that “Father read the Gospel every Sunday to his family.”
Else passed away in 1902, so Ole decided to emigrate to America, where two of his daughters had already settled. He arrived in Philadelphia on October 18, 1902, and proceeded directly to Mandan, North Dakota, where his daughters lived. Ole remained in Mandan until his death in 1922. At the time of his death, he had 41 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. He was remembered as being good with his hands, and was known for making baskets in his later years, square-shaped, out of natural wood. These he sold for 75 cents each. With the sales of these baskets, he saved up $38 to pay for his funeral! He was very well known in Mandan, and reputed to be the oldest resident of the community. He was a great reader, and had a lively memory. He kept up on history and current events up until days before his death.
Ole Pedersen suffered a paralytic stroke in June 1921, and spent most of his time in bed after this. He died in Mandan on April 22, 1922 of pneumonia, at the age of 87.
In rural Norway, a person’s name meant much more than a name. Ole’s whole name was: Ole Benjamin Pedersen Vestvaag. His official name was “Ole Benjamin”, which is the name he was baptized with. A patronymic name was usually added in day to day interactions, because there could be several persons named Ole Benjamin in a community. So he was called Ole Benjamin Pedersen, because he was Ole Benjamin, the son of Peder. Finally, because there could be several persons in a community with the name Ole Benjamin Pedersen, rural Norwegians would add the name of the farm where the person was living – not as a name, in the modern sense of the word, but as an address or identifier. So they would say of him, “There goes Ole Benjamin, the son of Peder, who lives on the Vestvaag farm.” The farm Ladingen where he was born seems to have been the farm that his mother and her parents lived on.
He spent his early life at fishing. His daughter described him in 1902 as “an old seafaring man, who didn’t feel any seasickness” as they traveled on the North Sea, even as the others who traveled were very seasick. He married Else Marie Johansdatter Sornaes at the Tjotta church on October 18, 1863, at the age of 29. Else was 24 years old at the time of their wedding. Ten children were born to this marriage; five died early in life, the others were two sons and three daughters. Their fourth daughter, Jorgine Emilie Pedersen, was my great-grandmother. Ole was “a faithful Christian man, and a member of the Lutheran Church all his life.” His daughter, Jorgine remembers that “Father read the Gospel every Sunday to his family.”
Else passed away in 1902, so Ole decided to emigrate to America, where two of his daughters had already settled. He arrived in Philadelphia on October 18, 1902, and proceeded directly to Mandan, North Dakota, where his daughters lived. Ole remained in Mandan until his death in 1922. At the time of his death, he had 41 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. He was remembered as being good with his hands, and was known for making baskets in his later years, square-shaped, out of natural wood. These he sold for 75 cents each. With the sales of these baskets, he saved up $38 to pay for his funeral! He was very well known in Mandan, and reputed to be the oldest resident of the community. He was a great reader, and had a lively memory. He kept up on history and current events up until days before his death.
Ole Pedersen suffered a paralytic stroke in June 1921, and spent most of his time in bed after this. He died in Mandan on April 22, 1922 of pneumonia, at the age of 87.
