Gusta / Hans Jørgen
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.Gusta Marie and Hans Jørgen Thorsen
Gusta Marie was born in Glemmen by Fredrikstad 3. October 1862. She was the daughter of Sagmester (Sawmaster) Erik Pettersen and wife Helene Olsdatter. She was married to Ungkarl Sømand (bachelor and sailor) Hans Jørgen Thorsen 6. December 1885. She died in Larvik 24. march 1933 and was buried at the Undersbo cemetery. See more about the family here.
In 1865 the Pettersen-family moved to Thorstrand in Larvik. Her father had obtained a job at the saw there. In 1871 he family moved to Sannikedal (Kragerø), were Gusta Marie was confirmed. However, they must have enjoyed Larvik, because in 1879 they are returning, and almost all of the children found their spouses in Larvik.
Gusta Marie did not travel long to find Hans Jørgen. He lived in Fiskerveien 3, later owned by the fishmonger Martin Larsen. Hans Jørgen was accomplished sailor, and one of the ships he sailed was the "Mohawk", which belonged to the Augestad shipping company, Larvik. After navigation school he became first mate of the bark "Malone" on 1134 reg. tons, a big sailor on the seven seas (see image below). The company was N. M. Bugge, Larvik. Hans Jørgen became sick on the way to South Africa and died soon after anchoring in Cape Town. There he was buried at the Lutheran cemetery 5. nov. 1896.
Et annet brev fra Hans Jørgen til sin datter Anna; skrevet fra Sapeto (Georgia, USA) bare noen måneder før han døde.
Hans Jørgen was first mate of the bark "Malone" on 1134 reg. tons. Thecompany was N. M. Bugge, Larvik. Hans Jørgen became sick on the way to South Africa and died soon after anchoring in Cape Town.
Hans Jørgen's sea chest
Brev fra Hans Jørgen til datter Anna; datert 2. Februar 1896 i Liverpool. Hans Jørgen ble syk på vei til Sør-Afrika og døde senere samme år. Brevet er skrevet på tynt papir, så det er gjennomslag fra baksiden.
The priest came in well with the message to Gusta and Olaf O. Lund (probably 2. the first mate on board) sent a well-written letter to her from Cape Town to the 7. December and told about oldefars last days and funeral. The letter is preserved (see below). Gusta read it enough time and time again, and took good care of it. It was found among the cases to his daughter Anna after she was dead.
Gusta and Hans Jørgen lived in Helgesens gate 7 in Larvik (see map here). Gustas youngest brother, Bernhard, owned the house, but he went to New York and sold it to his brother-in-law Hans Jørgen. Then suddenly put great-grandmother alone with three small children, and besides, she had to take care of his mother Helene, who was divorced from her husband Erik after he had left her. Hyren came to an end, and there was no enkepensjon or other social benefits. Only the Dole, that decent people could not go to, for skams sake. What did great-grandmother? Yes, she started sewing for people and business: coats, dresses and aprons. And it went well. One time, she had more seamstresses in the work, and the daughters Anna and Borghild was not the old before they also got the thimble. Their brother Thoralf helped enough with what he could, and by the joint efforts they managed it: to keep the home together and keep the house.
They had to of course be satisfied with little. A letter shows that grandma's highest wish was that her father should have with letterheads with roses on to her home. The page was enough expectations even less. Fate was heavy for the family who lost the provider, and the sjømannsfamiliene lived in constant suspense and anxiety.
The children of the great-grandmother was adult for each, and as many others at the time, had the good ballast: great-grandmother had shown them how to cope in the difficulty of holding together.
This is, in slightly revised form, written by Hans Andersen. He continues:
"When mom and dad got married, they got to stay in the 1. floor of Helgesens gate 7. In 1918 we moved to the Noose under the Mesterfjellet, but luckily got my brother to Egil and I errands for my mother out to grandparents with a note in hand. She was always well against us. Brødstykkene with butter and sugar on tasted extra good with her. Sometimes baked her monks and rolled them in sugar while they were warm. It was the top for hungry guttær."
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Anna, Borghild and Thoralf with their mother Gusta Marie
"We never thought that we really were supposed to have had a grandmother as well, because she died when my dad was only 2 years old. So granny was our only grandmother, and that space was very well filled by her. She had time to speak with us, so we felt very welcome and safe with her.
When I had the confirmation in may 1927, I got a psalm book from her, and inside was a sheet of paper with a note, written in her beautiful handwriting:
Grandmother had walked on the right way for many years and was able to share with others of her rich experience from this path, which she completed a spring day in 1933.
Hans Andersen (1980)
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Letter from Erik Pettersen to the kids
We assume that the letter is written by Erik Pettersen b. 16/6-1828 in Skjeberg. He had just turned 50 years. He writes the letter in Larvik to "dear kids", and the children have to stay somewhere other than in Larvik. Erik lives probably in Larvik, since he writes that he "came home at 6 today".
Maybe the addressee ("Baren") are Anne Sophie and Ole Petter b. 1854 and 1856 from Erik's first marriage, and they live probably in Kragerø.
Erik would like to thank for the "New dress", which probably refer to the new suit which "the children" have bought for him (to 50 years-celebration?). Among "the children" is possibly also Ole Kristian Hansen as Erik's wife Helene was her aunt and that Ole Kristian called "mother" (and Erik "father"). They were his foster parents?
"Bernhard" that Erik has "bought clothes to" was the youngest brother of Gusta Marie; Erik and Helenes youngest kid, born approx. 1865. "Anders and Abel" are unknown to me.
(comment Hans Andersen)
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.This letter is dated 26. October, possibly in 1878. The question is, who is it meant for? Anne Sophie, Gusta or maybe a sister of Ole Kristian Hansen ("Ole Chr"). Kathrine is unknown.
It is evident that Erik Pettersen ever was on the move. "Your mother 'tags on' and is quarrelsome now it is cold." Must surely mean that she is "ailing". The mother is Helene?
If "kjere daughter" is in Horten in the work, she can hardly be Gusta, for she was born in 1862, but....
Erik was not very communicative
(comment by Hans Andersen)
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Gusta Marie and family outside of Helgesens gate 7 (above), and in 1918 (below). The top picture above is taken about 1914 – people Gusta Marie and His (then approx. 1 1/2 years). Gusta was then a widow, and owned the house; she lived himself upstairs, while Anna and Eilif with His kids, and Jenny lived in the right half of the 1. floor. The bottom picture is also taken about 1914 (Jenny is 5 years old, His is almost 2). Tap to see the larger images.
Gusta Marie i Helgesens gate 7.
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From the Census in Larvik, norway in 1910. We see that also the Anna, Eilif and Jenny lived in 1910, while Gusta, Toralf and Borghild lived in the 2. floor.
Helgesens gate 7 in 2005 and in 1936. Gusta their grandchildren Carl Nesjar also grew up here.
Title for Helgesens gate 7
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Letter from Olaf O. Lund to Gusta Marie Thorsen in connection with the fact that her husband, Hans Jørgen Thorsen, died at sea.
Hans Jørgen Thorsens andaktsbok. Datteren Anna har skrevet med blyant sitt eget navn Anna Marie Thorsen etterfulgt av 1898 (såvidt skimtes nedenfor faren sitt navn).
Toralf, Anna and Borghild
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Family Erik Pettersen and wife Helene and the children enrolled out-migration from the Gurihullet in Skjeberg to Trosvikstranden in Glemmen 7. October 1862. The 12. may 1865 joined the migration to Larvik from Fredrikstad (Glemmen). Stated place of residence in Larvik: Thorstrand, "the little Skalberg-house". The 7. may 1871 joined the emigration from Larvik to Sandøkedal (=Sannikedal=Sunday). Later the family moved back to Larvik (before 1880). All of the children mentioned above, and who got to live, grew up together and Helene was the mother of all the letters that are preserved shows this). Erik lived not together with Helene at the end. She lived with her daughter Gusta and died there in 1899, while Erik lived in Kongsberg, and died there in 1915 without much contact with the family. – Erik was sagmester, but in recent years the tømmeroppkjøper. (Hans Andersen)
The splice on the Fiskervejen 3, Thorstrand (see map here). The first deed from Hans Hansen Jahrens widow Thor Jørgen Hansen in 1858, as from Thor Jørgen Hansen's widow Christiane Hansen, Thorvald Mathisen in 1900. Thorvald Mathisen was the granddaughter of Christiane, and when his mother Anne Marie died, took Christiane out of Thorvald. In 1900 was Thorvald 20 years.
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Outside Fiskerveien 3 on Thorstrand (see map here). From left Inga Othilie (f. 1868, d. 1913), Anna Marie (b. 1887), Thoralf (f. 1889), Gusta Marie (f. 1862), Christiane (b. 1826, d. 1912). Front sitting Borghild (f. 1891) and Randi (f. 1892; Ingas daughter). The photo is most likely taken around 1902. Inga married in 1891 by Rudolf Andersen; in the picture she was possibly pregnant with his 6. children. Anna married later (1909) with Eilif, the son of Rudolf Andersen.
Gusta Marie buried 24. march 1933
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