The Farm

The Farm (Melrose Township, Grundy, Iowa, USA)

View Elias Smith, Jr. in a larger map

Map for Elias Smith, Jr.

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

Otto Birger Traasdahl--Canadian Passenger List

Library and Archives Canada

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

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.

1920 Census Record for George and Nora Pence with children Lawrence, Georgia, Harvey.

Otto Birger and Anna Pauline Traasdahl

Otto Birger and Anna Pauline Traasdahl with Elin and Osborne Otto.

While helping Rylie prepare a talk about how we can strengthen our families, we were learning about Otto Birger Traasdahl and talking about his picture. I asked Rylie what his name was, she said, "Ogre Hangaber Johnson".

Learn more about Otto and Anna on the Traasdahl Family History website:

https://sites.google.com/site/traasdahlfamilyhistorysite/families/traasdahl/otto-birger-traasdahl

https://sites.google.com/site/traasdahlfamilyhistorysite/families/erickson/anna-pauline-erickson.