The Peter Olsen Steen Family

Compiled by Lawrence W. Onsager ([email protected])

First Generation

Peter Olsen Steen

Peter Olsen Steen was born in 1809 in Norway. He was married to Inger Trondsdtr. Inger was born on April 14, 1810 (1804/5, 1880 cen, Jan 12, 1806, Norderhov, Buskerud County, Norway-Larson) near Christiana, Norway. Several of their children were born in Ringerike Township in Buskerud County, Norway (Norderhov is now part of Ringerike Township). Two of their sons came to the US in 1854. In 1870 and 1880, they lived in Mauston. In 1880, Peter's occupation was given as gunsmith. They moved from Mauston probably to Steen, Clinton Township, Rock County, Minnesota. Inger died on January 15, 1898 in Steen, Minnesota. P. O. died before that date (US Cen, 1880, Mauston #30; Larson, Theodore Genealogy).

Children (known):

2 Ole P., b. Jan 14, 1832, Ringerike, Nor (see).

3 Carl (Charles), b. Jan 16, 1834, Nor (see).

4 Gunhilde, b. Norsschoring?, Ringerike, Norway; m. Anders Olsen (see).

5 Johan Anthon, b. 1841/2, Ringerike, Norway (see).

Second Generation

Ole Petersen Steen

2 Ole Petersen, the son of Peder Olsen Steen (1) and Inger Trondsdtr., was born on January 14, 1832 in Ringerike Township, Buskerud County, Norway. He came to America in 1854. In 1860, Ole was a laborer working in Necedah, Wisconsin and living in the Benson Peck boarding house. Ole was married on May 10, 1864 in Township 18, Adams County to Birgit (Betsy) Christoffersdtr. Berg. Birgit, the dau of Christoffer Christoffersen and Ragnhild Olsdtr., was born on November 23, 1843 in Norway (Spring Prairie (Wis) Church record, pp. 46?7). Ole and Betsy moved to Steen, Rock County, Minnesota in 1870.

Ole homesteaded a quarter section of land in section 32 of Clinton Township, Rock County, Minnesota. O. P. and Betsy Steen appear in the 1880 census for Clinton Township. Ole's brother, John, also appears in the 1880 census for Clinton Township, two households away. The village of Steen is located on a portion of John's land. The village was named in honor of Ole and his brother, John (US Cen, 1880, Clinton Twp, Rock Co, MN, familysearch; Rose, A., An Illustrated History of Rock and Pipestone Counties, Minnesota, c1911, p. 206).

Children:

Peder (Peter C.), b. 1867/8, WI.

Hilda A., b. 1869/79, WI; m. Peter Boyson.

Clara (Josephine C.), b. 1871/2, MN; m. Andrew Sanderson.

Carl (Charles O.), b. 1873/4, MN.

George A., b. 1875/6, MN.

Oscar B., b. 1877/8, MN.

Second Generation

Carl (Charles) Steen

3 Carl (Charles) Torald (Peter), the son of Peder O. Steen (1) and Inger Trondsdtr., was born on January 16, 1834 in Christiana, Norway. He came to America in 1854. Carl located, first, in Waupun, Wisconsin and later in Necedah. Carl was married on March 24, 1860 in Necedah to Karen Hansdtr. (Kareen Howe).

Karen, the dau of Hans Olson Howe (see) and Anna Larsdtr. Dravold, was born on December 10, 1833 in Christiania, Norway. She came to America in 1850 with her brothers Lars and Ole. They settled, first, in Chicago, later in Milwaukee, and in 1855 in Juneau County.

Carl and Karen located first in Waupun, Wisconsin and then in Necedah. In 1864, they moved to Mauston where Carl engaged in the blacksmith business for about 20 years. They then purchased a farm in Lindina Township (Mauston P.O.). Carl died on September 25, 1900 in Lindina Township. He had a brother at Steen, Minnesota and a sister living in Milwaukee. In 1905, Carrie (Karen) was living alone in Mauston. Her occupation was given as capitalist. She died on January 25, 1916 at her home in Mauston. They were buried in the Mauston Cemetery (US Cen, 1880, Mauston #10; JCGS Cem Bk 5, p. 592; obits, Mauston Star, Sep 27, 1900, p. 1, Jan 27, 1916; Wis Cen, 1905, Mauston #12).

Children (known):

Perry Henry, b. Oct 29, 1861, Juneau Co; bp. May 1, 1861, E Lem (spon: Tavi? Pedersen, Sjur Hansen, and Berthe Marie Hansdtr.); conf, Aug 19, 1895, WLC (see).

Anneta Ione (Nettie), b. Feb 1, 1863, Necedah; m. Mar 5, 1892, Lindina Twp, Wilber E. Thompson (see).

Clara Amalia, b. May 1864; bp. May 13, 1864, E Lem (spon: Ole Olsen & K and Gabriel Oddsen & k); d. Aug 26, 1865 age 1 yr. 4 m., East Lem Cem (JCGS Cem Bk 3, p 236).

Clara Augusta, b. Mar 1, 1867, Mauston, Wis; bp. Jun 9, 1867, E Lem (spon: Lars Olsen, Odd Larsen, Christine Hansdtr. and Siri Larsen); m. Morgan O. Loomis (see).

Gurine Lorenze (Lula), b. Mar 6, 1871; bp. Jul 2, 1871, E Lem (spon: Odd Larsen, O. T. Olsen, Siri Ingebrechtsdtr., and Siri Paulsdtr.); m. Ever Carlson (see).

Second Generation

Gunhilde Petersdtr. Steen

Gunhilde, the dau of Peter O. Steen (1) and Inger Trondsdtr., was born in Nordschoung, Ringerike, Norway. Olsen, AndersShe was married in Mauston, Juneau County, Wisconsin by Rev. St. S. Reque on December 10, 1870 to Anders Olsen. The witnesses were O. T. Olson and Johan P. Steen.

Anders, the son of Ole Syversen and Bertha Aslesdtr., was born in Nordschoung, Ringerike, Norway. At the time of his marriage, Anders was a blacksmith living in Mauston. When her brother Carl (Charles) died in 1900, Gunhilde was living in Milwaukee (JMR; ELCR; Mauston Star, Sep 27, 1900, p. 1).

Children:

Joseline Berntine, b. Sep 5, 1871; bp. Oct 1, 1871, E Lem (spon: Iver Christofersen, Joh. Olsen, Ingeborg Bakken, and Karen Sjursen).

Second Generation

Johan (John) Anthon Steen

Johan (John) Anthon, the son of Peder O. Steen (1)and Inger Trondsdtr., was born 1841/2 in Ringerike Township, Buskerud County, Norway. He fought in the Civil War. A resident of Lindina Township, John was mustered in on May 1, 1861 as a private in Company K, 50th Wisconsin. He was mustered out on October 5, 1865. In the 1870 census, he was living at the Louis Rivers hotel in the village of Necedah. His occupation was listed as blacksmith and he was 28 years old. Johan had $600 in personal property but no real estate. He was married on March 23, 1871 in Lisbon Township by Rev. St. S. Reque to Lena Marie Clemetsen. They were both residents of Necedah, Wisconsin. The witnesses were Carl Clemetsen (Clemmetsen) and Peder O. Steen. Lena, the dau of Nils Clemetsen (see) and Rise Dorthea Johnsen, was born in Kongsberg (a town in Buskerud County), Norway (ELCR).

John and Lena moved to Clinton Township in Rock County, Minnesota in 1871. John's brother, Ole, had moved to Clinton Township in 1870. They homesteaded on adjoining quarter sections in Section 32 of Clinton Township. John and Lena appear in the 1880 census in Clinton Township. John was 38 and Lena was 30. Ole P. Steen also appears in the 1880 census for Clinton Township, two households away. The village of Steen is located on a portion of John's land. The village was named in honor of John and his brother, Ole. John and Lena died before 1911 (US Cen, 1880, Clinton Twp Rock Co, MN, familysearch; Rose, A., An Illustrated History of Rock and Pipestone Counties, Minnesota, c1911, p. 206).

Children:

Peder (Peter N., b. Apr 23, 1872, MN; m. Dec 18, 1898, Rock Rapids, IA, Josie Johnson; 6 children.

Richard, b. 1873/4, MN.

George, b. 1875/6, MN.

Almar (son), b. 1876/7, MN.

Ida, b. 1878/9, MN.