Hamar August 12

This is another Sinrud clan family blog entry. As an aside, you do learn a little Norwegian on the internet, like Logg PÅ means log in. Luckily cousin Ingrid taught me how to switch from Norwegian to English for blog directions or I would really be lost. Another aside, saw my first pickup truck in Norway today, after 3 weeks of travel! Gas at $8 per gallon may be the reason.

Today we visited the Sinnerudstranden farm where Ruby's great grandfather Peder Pedersen and great grandmother Pernille Pedersen and Grandfather Anton lived just before they left for America in 1866. Grandpa Anton was 8 years old when he left Norway with the family. Mickey and I had found the farm in 2002, but there was no one home. Today (Sunday) we found the owner of the farm home. (I've got the directions to this place figured out, so it should be easy for another family member to find it - the address is Kjonerudvegen 240, Ottestad 2312). His name is Laef Hansen and his family has owned the farm since 1920 or so. It is located on a beautiful river (Akersvika - I think means black river) that flows into Lake Mjosa from the south. He grows hay to sell plus raspberries and currents for his own use. Currents are served regularly in Norway. After lots of pictures, he directed us to the adjacent home of his uncle. So we knocked on the neighbor's door and met 2 wonderful people, Erna and Oddvar Hansen. Oddvar was born on the farm (Sinnerudstranden)about 78 years ago and didn't speak English but Erna spoke English quite well. She is 74 and learned English when she was 14. She said this was the first time she had a chance to use it! They invited us for coffee and promised to do some research on the farm to determine the history of when the houses were built and who has lived on the farm. So we are finding total strangers amazingly friendly and helpful.

We then took Mom on a tour of the churches that we had found last time in 2002, including the Stange church dating from 1600 where Peder Pederson was baptized in 1816, the Ringsaker church dating from 1200 where Pernille was baptized in 1813, the Furnes Kirke (kirke is church) dating from 1706 where they were married and the Romedal church where Grandpa Anton was baptized. The Romedal church had a sign indicating that it was built in 1887 but Anton was baptized in 1858. We think the original church probably burned down. I need to do a little more research on this. So all in all, it was a great day of genealogy discovery. It was fun to walk in the footsteps of the ancestors and see the places they lived or worshiped. All the churches have extensive graveyards around them. They are also out in the beautiful countryside. Ringsaker and Stange are on the top of hillsides overlooking Lake Mjosa. Lake Mjosa is about 50 miles long, stretching from Lillehammer to Eidsvoll. I read that they have a 150 mile dedicated bike path around the entire lake!

Tomorrow we meet cousins Ola and Thorborg in Eidsvoll to explore the Aasgaard and Orbeck side of the family. Grandma Karen Laura Aasgaard was Grandpa Anton Pedersen Sinrud's wife. While they were both born in Norway, they met and were married in Wisconsin.