Marta aka Martha Jordal

Marta (Martha) Olsdatter Jordal, daughter of Sigri Gunnersdatter and Ole Larson had married Ingebrigt "Albert" Knudtsen Strand in 1882.   Martha passed away sometime between their marriage and 1896 when Albert remarried.

Here is a xerox copy* of the only photo I have seen of Martha.     It does not state the name of the man sitting down but it must be her husband, Albert Strand. 

*Photo provided by Anna and Gunder's great granddaughter, Jennifer Gallenbach.

Martha Olsdatter Jordal - immigration passenger list

The passenger list for Marta's arrival in the United States had eluded me, even though I had located those of her siblings, Lars, Gunder and Omund (my great grandfather) Jordal.

After tracking down her marriage record, I then located the baptism record for her husband, Ingebrigt Knudtsen to verify his date of birth and potential spellings of his father's name as well as their farm name.    His baptism record was located in the Odda parish, Hordaland County, Norway.    Ingebrigt is entry #9, though no mention of his farm.   His father, Knud Larson apparently was born or had lived in Strand, Rogaland county.

The handwriting on the baptism record wasn't too clear, so I located the Norwegian 1865 census record for the Knudtson family, (which did match the marriage record) as Knudts (abbreviated).   The complete spelling has a few variations including Knudtson, Knudtsen, Knutson, Knutsen Knudson, Knudsen and for daughters, Knudtsdatter, etc.   It was also easier to read the transcription of the unusual name given his mother which matched the First Lutheran Church marriage record.

I then located Ingebrigt's emigration record (entry #51) from the Odda parish dated April 13, 1881, which was the page prior to the Marta's.

Then I found the transcribed 'Emigration from Bergen' record for Ingebright (#8401).

At this point it became clear that Marta and Ingebright were possibly traveling on the same ship to the United States.

Cross-referencing with other passengers having left on May 5, 1881 from Bergen, I located the SS Abyssinia which left Liverpool, England and arrived in New York on May 28, 1881.

Marta is listed as entry as 8205 "Martha Olsdatter" and Ingebrigt is listed at entry 8207 as "I Knudsen".
Martha is listed as a 25 year old "spinster" and Ingebrigt a 21 year old laborer.   Again, like the marriage record, Martha was not 25, but rather had turned 26 fifteen days earlier on May 13, 1881, prior to the arrival in New York harbor.

More about the SS Abyssinia can be found here.     Below is a drawing of the ship.

Marta Olsdatter - immigration

Marta Olsdatter, the 3rd child born to Sigri Gunnersdatter and Ole Larson was also the 3rd of their 6 children to leave Norway and (I assume) move to the United States.  As of today's date, these are the last records I have found for Marta.   The search continues.....

Here is the Odda parish emigration record, Hordaland County, Norway for Marta (entry #63) who left the parish on April 21, 1881.    This was the first document I've encountered that spelled her name as Martha rather than Marta.   

Here is the transcribed emigration record from Bergen which indicates Marta (again, spelled Martha) left Norway on May 5, 1881 traveling on one of the ships from the American Line.    I have not been able to locate a passenger list which included Marta so I do not know on which ship she sailed.  There were 24 ships built prior to 1881 on the American Line. 

Marta Olsdatter - confirmation

Marta Olsdatter, the 3rd child of Sigri Gunnersdatter and Ole Larson was confirmed on July 6, 1873.   Here is the Odda parish record from Hordaland County, Norway.   Marta is the second entry.

Marta Olsdatter - baptism

The 3rd child born to my 2nd great grandparents, Sigri Gunnersdatter and Ole Larson was Marta Olsdatter.   Here is the Ullensvang parish record of her baptism (#66).

Marta was born May 13, 1855 and baptized June 10, 1855.   Looking in the right hand column, there was a Marta in attendance and using the Norwegian naming patterns, it would appear to be Marta Olsdatter's maternal grandmother.    The last name is difficult to read, but it appears to be Marta Torbjorsdatter.