The Stengleson/Stengelson Mystery

Shirley's email this morning made this statement and asked this question:

It wouldn't let me post a comment..I was wondering if the Edwin Stenglesen that wrote that article is the same Ed Stengles that lived on the corner where we'd turn S. to go to the Lilac Farm?

I started my answer before 8 AM it is now 11:30 AM. Once I answered her with lots of questions, I started looking. Well, genealogists, you know the rule: Divide the time you have into minutes, hours, half days, and days.

I wrote to Shirley:

Regarding the Stengelson's. I do know they lived adjacent to the Lilac Farm because that is were they went to school. Edwin dictated the information to his brother Albert. Edwin was born in 1890 and Albert in 1902. At the time of the writing, Edwin was living in a nursing home in Montana.

Their parents immigrated to Minnesota from Norway in 1881. They settled in Michigan before moving to Minnesota. We know this because Ida was born there.

Other children of Peder and Carrie are Lawrence, Anna, Laura,and Henry are listed on the 1910 and 1920 census.

They link up to the family because of Olga. Who married John Ranum, Benhard's brother. But she is not listed in that family as Olga. I don't believe she was Ida, as later census show her as a house maid working outside the home.

The section and the dates are correct. They very well have lived on/near the lilac farm, we know that because they went to school at the intersection near or about Lilac Farm Road and County Road 8.

Peder and Carrie, the parents, as well as Albert and Edwin are buried at Rindal in lot 11. Other Stengelson's mentioned as being buried in that plot are Bridt, Clarence, Clara, and Erick but I don't know who they connect with at this time. I don't have any death dates for any of them, nor can I find any information that Albert or Edwin were married. Next time I go to the cemetery, I will make note of who is buried by whom. Wait! I have a plat map, I can look on that! Gotta find it first.

I looked at the census for 1885, 1895, and 1905. We do know that Peder Stengelson pioneered near Newfolden before moving to New Solum. I think that is what the problem is, my research just didn't stretch far enough!

But what I did find in the 1885 census was there were four Stengelson's listed in New Solum Township in 1885:
Brith 1828
EB 1869
EP 1826
Mayda 1874

New Solum Township census 1895: This is when Mr. Stengelson remembers starting school at five.
This is when it gets good.
The last name is spelled S-K-J-O-R-L-S-R-O-L-D

1900 Federal Census:
Spolsvold There were two different families by this name living in the area at the time.

In 1905
It is spelled S-J-O-L-S-V-O-L-D

The plat map I am looking at shows Erik Stengelson owning land in section 29. According to the 1900 census, Erik and Brit owned this land; they were born in 1826 and 1829 in Norway and Peder was born in Norway in 1860. I think they are two different families. Like I told Shirley, I am going to have to go to the cemetery and look at the graves because the information I need to satisfy this blog and myself, is not on the plot/lot map of the Rindal Cemetery, that is birth and death dates.

Although Erik and Peder may have been brothers, I do not know that for certain. I am not finding anything on message boards doing a quick search. We DO know that Edwin, who wrote about going to school had a sister, Ida, who became a teacher.

We do know that Bridt, (Brit) are buried in the same plot as Peder and Carrie at Rindal. Also buried there are Clarence, Clara and of course, Edwin and Albert.

I was hopeful I would find another Stengleson/Stengelson in New Solum with a daughter, Olga, born in 1891 who married my grand uncle, Johnnie Ranum. Alas, I did not.

I do know in reading the Rosewood News, that my dad worked for the Stengelson's, it does not say which one, although we know they were farmers.

It is NOON! We are leaving on holiday in a few hours! I need to get moving!

BUT! Before I do, if Ralph Skjod can change his name to SKAY, isn't it possible the first recordings were the old country spellings?

Think about this: We know in the census there was an EB and A EP. Could EP be Peder and went by Erik?

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