Friday, September 25, 2009

Otto Birger Traasdahl Comes to America

Otto Birger Traasdahl immigrated to the USA "by way of Canada" beginning March 19, 1913. He sailed from Trondheim to England on the SS Irma (part of the Allan line), and then from England to North America on the Victorian (also part of the Allan line). Information about these two ships is available online: Irma and Victorian.


The Victorian

Also see: http://www.norwayheritage.com/ or http://www.theshipslist.com/ and Norwegian Immigration Records

*Note: According to Norwegian records he left on the Irma (which was part of the Allan line) from Trondheim to Liverpool. From Liverpool he went to Halifax - St. John. He is on the Victorian manifest leaving Halifax, St. John, NB on April 5, 1913. His record states that he was born in Striden, Norway, age 23 years, married and a fisherman. His last permanent address was Trondhjem, Norway. It states that his wife, Anna Trosdal is his nearest relative in the country where he came from and her address is Strandvt (it looks like) 43 Trondhjem. He's never been in the US before and he paid his own passage. He is headed to Lago, Idaho - with $25 - never been arrested or deported or excluded from admission - paid his head tax already - he's 5' 11", fair complextion, fair hair, blue eyes and no distinguishing marks to report. --Renee Pence

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Newsroom article from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I found this article on the Newsroom Web site of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. I thought you might find it interesting.
Click on the link below to view:

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/volunteers-to-bring-sweden-church-records-online

Monday, August 17, 2009

Find A Grave
On this website I found an entry for George Corner Pence. It has links to the Smith's, Boyer's, and Schwarck's; and includes photographs of each person and of the gravestone.
Check it out!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Grandpa Pence’s Priesthood Line of Authority

Harvey Alonzo Pence was ordained an High Priest on 6 Sep 1970 by

Spence W. Kimball who was ordained an Apostle on 7 Oct 1943 by

Heber J. Grant who was ordained an Apostle on 16 Oct 1882 by

George Q. Cannon who was ordained an Apostle on 26 Aug 1860 by

Brigham Young who was ordained an Apostle on 14 Feb 1835 by

Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris who were called by revelation to choose the Twelve Apostles
and were “blessed by the laying on of the hands of the Presidency,” on 14 Feb 1835.
The Presidency consisting of Joseph Smith Jr., Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams
(History of the church, Vol. 2, p. 187 – 188)

Joseph Smith Jr. was ordained an Apostle by

Peter, James & John who were ordained Apostles by

the Lord Jesus Christ

Sunday, July 26, 2009






Funeral Services for Ranald Healey Devey were held January 13, 2005


This was Grandma Pence's copy of Clair de Lune.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009



1900 Census Record for John Schwarck who was the father of Alonzo Lyman Schwarck who married Ada Ethel Smith who was the daughter of Elias Smith Jr. who was the grandfather of Harvey Alonzo Pence.


TRAASDAHL, OTTO B (1920 U.S. Census)
IDAHO , BANNOCK, GRACE
Age: 30, Male, Race: WHITE, Born: NORW
Series: T625 Roll: 288 Page: 70


Ada Ethel Smith Schwarck was the daughter of Elias Smith Jr. She married Alonzo L. Schwarck. Alonzo and Ada had a farm in Melrose Township, Grundy, Iowa, USA. This is the farm that Harvey Alonzo Pence lived on after George Corner passed away.