Hans Larson Opsahl > Emma Larson > Daniel Erickson
A couple
weeks ago, I was connected with Peggy Hanson, a (distant) cousin via
information on Find A Grave. We share common ancestors in Hans and Mary
Larson. My great-grandmother Emma Larson and her grandfather Fred Hanson were
siblings and children of Hans and Mary.
Hans has been
a bit a mystery for a while, as I wrote about in an earlier post. In all the
records I had about Hans, he was Hans Larson, but his obituary and burial plot
connect him with the last name of Opsahl. I asked my newly found cousin if she
had ever heard “Opsahl” in connection with Hans. She hadn’t and began digging
into her information and asking other relatives. We finally have our answer!
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| The church and cemetery in Eidsvoll, Norway where members of Hans' family are buried |
Opsahl comes
from Opsalengen which means “the Opsal Meadow.” Opsal was the name of the farm
where Hans and his family lived. Peggy wrote, “It is clear that our Hans Larson
properly referred to himself in Norway as Hans Larson Opsalegen; as there was a
close connection between a family’s name and the name of the place they lived.
Once in America Hans Larson Opsalengen and his family embraced the American
manner and became Hans and Mary Larson; but all the while remaining in their Norwegian
minds as Hans and Mary Opsahl.”
Peggy also sent
me information from the 1865 census in Norway and from that I can add not only
Hans’ father and mother, but also his grandparents! I now know that Hans was
born in Ejdsvold (now called Eidsvoll, Norway), and he is the son of Lars
Anderson and Anna Hansdotter (both who also came to live in French Lake, Minnesota). Lars is the son of Anders Larson and Marie
Andersdotter. With all the Hans, Lars, Anders, etc, it’s no wonder they also
used place names to identify themselves! Another way to think of Hans Larson Opsahl
is “Hans, son of Lars, from Opsahl.”
A huge thanks
to Peggy and everyone who helped us finally figure out where “Opsahl” came
from! And it’s always fun to welcome another cousin J
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