A kingdom in northern Europe lying north of the Artic Circle is a long island called "The Land of the
Midnight Sun", or another name - "Norway"
(An interview with our great uncle Christ Bollingberg)
My name is Christ Bolllongberg. Last Saturday I was 82 years young. I have been in America 63 years.
I was born May 7th, 1895 in Gaupne Lysti Sogne Norway. Sogne is situated in a valley. Bergen is the
nearest big city to Sogne. To go to Bergen we have to travel the fjords.
I lived with my family in Sogne. There were 5 of us children. I was named Christopher after my
grandfather. The name Bollingberg came from the last name of the people who had lived previously on
our farm. This was a custom in Norway.
In Norway the boys started making a living young, usually after confirmation age. When I was 15 years
old I went out digging potatoes for $.80 a day.
My father was a "Vegerbeirder" which means road worker. He drilled the mountains for new roads. Oyr
farm was small and we had our chores to do. Hay was cut with a scythe. We had sheep, a cow which
gave us our milk supply and usually a pig for butcher. We were considered a middle class family.
My family and I lived in a small modest home where the windows opened like doors. We possibly could
not have those kinds of windows here because of the flies, but in Norway there were no flies to bother
us. The house consisted of a living room and kitchen with only one bedroom. Of course that meant we
had to sleep in the living room.
Water was available to us from the river three blocks away. When my mother washed clothes, she
rinsed them in the river.
Prospects of making a living in Norway seemed dim. Promises of a better living in America appealed to
me. Albert Raaum, an uncle of mine, sent over $65.00 for me to use as passage to America. My sister,
Maria, had already left Norway for the United States in 1912. I was excited about the trip to another
land, but when the time actually came to go, then I began to wish I had never decided to venture from
my home land.
I left by boat to Bergen, Norway traveling the fjords. With this mode of travel, it took us some time to
get to Bergen. At Bergen, 3 days later, I boarded the "Kristiana Fjord" heading for New York. All my
personal belongings were in a small suitcase and box. We were on the ocean for 10 days. The Kristiana
was grey in color. There were 500 passengers on board. I shared the room with three other fellows
down on the lower deck. The wealthier passengers were on the other decks. We had bunk beds in our
square room. I slept on the top bunk.
The biggest problem on the ship was seasickness. Some people were mighty sick and by the time they
reached their destination, they were not looking so good. To pass the time , my buddies and I would go
to the upper decks to see how the upper class lived. We were chased back down to our lower deck.
We also played music, sang songs, and ate to make the time go faster. If we would eat soup in the
middle of the boat, the soup would not spill. The boat rocked back and forth and water would come in
on the deck of the boat. We would reach the water with our hands. Sitting with soup in the middle
would balance out perfectly.
We finally arrived at our destination - NewYork harbor-on March 21, 1914. I was then 19 years old.
We then took a ferry to Ellis Island. Ellis Island was run by civilians. At Ellis Island, we took an
intelligence test and a physical. If you did not pass the physical you were sent back to your homeland.
Some of the passengers looked near dead after their bouts with seasickness, so they were inspected
quite throughly. Someone I knew from Norway was sent back two or three times because he was
suffering from an illness. . I'm sure passing the physical was a concern to many. My baggage was
inspected an O.K.'d. We were able to buy food at Ellis Island. One more requirment for immigrants was
that they have $25.00 on their person..We were then put in a pen like horses after finishing at Ellis
Island. We were herded on to the train at New York. Next stop was Chicago, Illinois. We were one
whole day in Chicago. Then back to another pen where we were put on a stage driven with horses. I
was on top of the stage. Women were put inside the stage. This stage took us to another train depot,
where my next destination was Madison, Wisconsin. Then on to St. Paul, Minnesota. At St. Paul I
stayed overnight and next stop was Little Falls and my final destination, Cyrus, Minnesota. I could only
speak Norske so it was hard for me to communicate when I was traveling. A fellow by the name of
Hans Barsness met me at the train. He was a brother to my aunt. (note: Hans was the brother to
Gjertrud Hansdotter Barsness Raaum, our Gr. Gr grandmother)
After being in Minnesota for one week. I hired out to a felow by the name of Ole Larson. This turned
out to be a good place to work because Ole Larson had two pretty sisters. Like in the bible story of
Jacob working for 7 years for the oldest and then 7 years for the youngest, I worked for four years and
then married the younger daughter. Jacob had to work longer so either my work was worth more or the
girls were not worth as much.
Anna Severine Larson and I were married on the 23rd of March 1918. Anna and I rented the Larson
farm from Annas brother Ole. We lived 27 years on the farm. In 1945 my wife and I moved to Starbuck
just down the street from the Dairy Queen. For a while I worked for my brother-in-law doing carpentry
work. I purchased land later and worked it while I lived in Starbuck.
My wife died some years ago now and I still live in the same house in Starbuck. Next door Neighbor to
me is another Norske named Newman Erikson.
I've been back to my homeland twice. Once in 1969 and then in 1972. I correspond with relatives in
Norway occasionally to find out about my homeland - Norway.
Midnight Sun", or another name - "Norway"
(An interview with our great uncle Christ Bollingberg)
My name is Christ Bolllongberg. Last Saturday I was 82 years young. I have been in America 63 years.
I was born May 7th, 1895 in Gaupne Lysti Sogne Norway. Sogne is situated in a valley. Bergen is the
nearest big city to Sogne. To go to Bergen we have to travel the fjords.
I lived with my family in Sogne. There were 5 of us children. I was named Christopher after my
grandfather. The name Bollingberg came from the last name of the people who had lived previously on
our farm. This was a custom in Norway.
In Norway the boys started making a living young, usually after confirmation age. When I was 15 years
old I went out digging potatoes for $.80 a day.
My father was a "Vegerbeirder" which means road worker. He drilled the mountains for new roads. Oyr
farm was small and we had our chores to do. Hay was cut with a scythe. We had sheep, a cow which
gave us our milk supply and usually a pig for butcher. We were considered a middle class family.
My family and I lived in a small modest home where the windows opened like doors. We possibly could
not have those kinds of windows here because of the flies, but in Norway there were no flies to bother
us. The house consisted of a living room and kitchen with only one bedroom. Of course that meant we
had to sleep in the living room.
Water was available to us from the river three blocks away. When my mother washed clothes, she
rinsed them in the river.
Prospects of making a living in Norway seemed dim. Promises of a better living in America appealed to
me. Albert Raaum, an uncle of mine, sent over $65.00 for me to use as passage to America. My sister,
Maria, had already left Norway for the United States in 1912. I was excited about the trip to another
land, but when the time actually came to go, then I began to wish I had never decided to venture from
my home land.
I left by boat to Bergen, Norway traveling the fjords. With this mode of travel, it took us some time to
get to Bergen. At Bergen, 3 days later, I boarded the "Kristiana Fjord" heading for New York. All my
personal belongings were in a small suitcase and box. We were on the ocean for 10 days. The Kristiana
was grey in color. There were 500 passengers on board. I shared the room with three other fellows
down on the lower deck. The wealthier passengers were on the other decks. We had bunk beds in our
square room. I slept on the top bunk.
The biggest problem on the ship was seasickness. Some people were mighty sick and by the time they
reached their destination, they were not looking so good. To pass the time , my buddies and I would go
to the upper decks to see how the upper class lived. We were chased back down to our lower deck.
We also played music, sang songs, and ate to make the time go faster. If we would eat soup in the
middle of the boat, the soup would not spill. The boat rocked back and forth and water would come in
on the deck of the boat. We would reach the water with our hands. Sitting with soup in the middle
would balance out perfectly.
We finally arrived at our destination - NewYork harbor-on March 21, 1914. I was then 19 years old.
We then took a ferry to Ellis Island. Ellis Island was run by civilians. At Ellis Island, we took an
intelligence test and a physical. If you did not pass the physical you were sent back to your homeland.
Some of the passengers looked near dead after their bouts with seasickness, so they were inspected
quite throughly. Someone I knew from Norway was sent back two or three times because he was
suffering from an illness. . I'm sure passing the physical was a concern to many. My baggage was
inspected an O.K.'d. We were able to buy food at Ellis Island. One more requirment for immigrants was
that they have $25.00 on their person..We were then put in a pen like horses after finishing at Ellis
Island. We were herded on to the train at New York. Next stop was Chicago, Illinois. We were one
whole day in Chicago. Then back to another pen where we were put on a stage driven with horses. I
was on top of the stage. Women were put inside the stage. This stage took us to another train depot,
where my next destination was Madison, Wisconsin. Then on to St. Paul, Minnesota. At St. Paul I
stayed overnight and next stop was Little Falls and my final destination, Cyrus, Minnesota. I could only
speak Norske so it was hard for me to communicate when I was traveling. A fellow by the name of
Hans Barsness met me at the train. He was a brother to my aunt. (note: Hans was the brother to
Gjertrud Hansdotter Barsness Raaum, our Gr. Gr grandmother)
After being in Minnesota for one week. I hired out to a felow by the name of Ole Larson. This turned
out to be a good place to work because Ole Larson had two pretty sisters. Like in the bible story of
Jacob working for 7 years for the oldest and then 7 years for the youngest, I worked for four years and
then married the younger daughter. Jacob had to work longer so either my work was worth more or the
girls were not worth as much.
Anna Severine Larson and I were married on the 23rd of March 1918. Anna and I rented the Larson
farm from Annas brother Ole. We lived 27 years on the farm. In 1945 my wife and I moved to Starbuck
just down the street from the Dairy Queen. For a while I worked for my brother-in-law doing carpentry
work. I purchased land later and worked it while I lived in Starbuck.
My wife died some years ago now and I still live in the same house in Starbuck. Next door Neighbor to
me is another Norske named Newman Erikson.
I've been back to my homeland twice. Once in 1969 and then in 1972. I correspond with relatives in
Norway occasionally to find out about my homeland - Norway.
| A Norwegian Immigrant |
