Sydnes, Niels Sjursson

Sources:  A Brief information about the Sydnes Family told by Thomas (Torres) N. Sydnes in a brief family history written shortly before his death in 1937. (Translated and reorganized by his granddaughter, Angelin Tesdell, in 1975).

 

 

Parents and Siblings

Niels Parents were Sjur Reinertson Sydnes and Valborg Sjursdotter they were married in 1803 in Norway.

Sjurs Reinerstsons Sydnes’ uncle Torger Sjurson andhis aunt Valborg Sjursdotter (Torgers’ wife),  from Skartland in Vigebygd bought the Sonnes gaard (Sydnes in Danish) from the Danish King in 1770 or 1771.  This was the southernmost gaard(farm) on Kloesteroen (The Monastery Island) and had belonged to the Halsenoien Munkecloster (The Halsen Island Monastery which seems to be referred to also as Klosteroen or The Monestery Island).  This property was confiscated at the time of the Reformation.  The island is in Sonhordland, Fjaelberg Sogn.  Torger and Valborg had no children of their own, so they raised Sjur Reinertson, nephew of Valborg, as their foster son.

Sjur and Valborg obtained the Sonnes gaard in 1804 and lived on the farm.   They had the following

children:

  • Reinert Sjursson Sydnes b. 1806, d. 1826
  • Gunhild Sjursdotter Sydnes b. 1809
  • Niels Sjursson Sydnes b. 1813, d. 1899
  • Torgeir Sjursson Sydnes b. 1815, d. 1816
  • Torgeir Sjursson Sydnes b. 1817
  • Johannes Sjursson Sydnes b. 1820
  • Torstein Sjursson Sydnes b. 1822, d. 1834
  • Bodil Sjursdotter Sydnes b. 1829

Marriages & Children

Niels Sjursson Sydnes married Martha Torresdatter, from Etne, on 14 July 1833, in Norway. They obtained the Sonnes gaard in 1834.

Children:

Reinert Nilsson Sydnes b. 1834 on Sydnes farm, Fjeldberg, Hordaland Cty, Norway, d. 1915 in Story County, Iowa. 

Reinert left for America in 1859 and went to Grundy County, Illinois where he settled in with Sjur.  He moved to Polk County, Iowa in 1864 were he joined the Norwegian Settlement which had its early beginnings in Story and Polk counties in 1855.  They settled on a farm two miles east of the  present town of Slater in Story County.  (SEE CENSUS #1 INFO BELOW)

Anne Lisbeth Nilsdatter Sydnes b. 1838 on Sydnes farm, Fjeldberg, Hordaland Cty, Norway. 

Anne Lisbeth and her husband Simon Easthouse(Osthus) immigrated to America in 1866 with her parents, Niels and Martha.  They located in the Norwegian Settlement which had its beginning in Story and Polk counties in 1855.  Anne and Simon bought a home near White Oak Grove.

Sjur Nilsson Sydnes  b. 1839 on Sydnes Farm, Fjeldberg, Hordaland Cty, Norway, d.  1916. 

Sjur immigrated to America in 1858 and settled in Grundy County, Illinois where he lived for most of his life.

Anna Nilsdatter  Sydnes b. 1841on Sydnes farm, Fjeldberg, Hordaland Cty, Norway, d. 1902. 

Anna Nilsdatter married Gunder Gudmundsen and they remained in Norway their entire lives.

Torres Nilsson Sydnes b. 1843, d. 1846, birth and death both on Sydnes farm, Fjeldberg, Hordaland Cty, Norway.

Torres (Thomas N. Sydnes) came to America with his parents in 1866 and joined Reinert on the farm near Slater.

Niels Nilsson Sydnes b. 1846 He came to America with his parents in 1866. 

They joined Reinert and settled on a farm two miles east of Slater.  (SEE CENSUS #2 INFO BELOW)

Thomas (Torres) Nilsson Sydnes b. 1850 on Sydnes farm, Fjeldberg, Hordaland Cty, Norway d. 1937 in Story County, Iowa

#1  Below is the 1880 Census information for Reinert Nilsson Sydnes.

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father’s Birthplace Mother’s Birthplace
R. N. SYDNES Self M Male W 46 NOR Farmer NOR NOR
Bertha M. SYDNES Wife M Female W 43 NOR Keeping House NOR NOR
Nelse R. SYDNES Son S Male W 20 IL Works At Home NOR NOR
Paul R. SYDNES Son S Male W 18 IL Works On Farm NOR NOR
Severt SYDNES Son S Male W 16 IA Works On Farm NOR NOR
Elisabeth SYDNES Dau S Female W 12 IA At Home NOR NOR
Martha SYDNES Dau S Female W 10 IA At Home NOR NOR
Mary SYDNES Dau S Female W 6 IA At Home NOR NOR
Annie SYDNES Dau S Female W 3 IA At Home NOR NOR
Cyrus SYDNES Son S Male W 8 IA At Home NOR NOR

Reinert’s Children:

Niels (Nelse) Reinert Sydnes b.27 Jan 1860, d. 5 Jan 1944, Married 22 Nov 1890 to Mary Marie Olson b. 1 Jan 1870, d.    30 May 1932. Nelse R. Married Mary Marie Oleson they owned land on the 1908 plat in sections 27, 28 and 23.  Nels and his brother in law Ole Hatteberg were in the hardware business together in Huxley before they moved to a farm between Huxley and Slater.  Their Children:

  • George b. 29 Oct 1891, d. 9 Apr 1912
  • Richard Benjamin b. 7 Oct 1893, d. 30 Jul 1965 Married 14 Oct 1915 to Theresa Medelia Halvorson b. 26 Apr 1896, d. 7 Jan 1981
  • Nettie Matilda b. 2 Sept 1896, d. 29 Dec 1969 Married 18 Feb 1914 to Elmer Roy Halvorson b. 21 Jul 1891, d. 11 Dec 1968
  • Agnes Daleta b. 14 Nov 1897, d. 18 Jul 1985 Married to Elmer Severson b. 1894, d. 1954
  • Pearl Silvia b. 3 Feb 1900, d. 1988 Married to Wilbur Otto Thornwall b. 30 Nov 1895, d. 1981
  • Lillian Gladys b. 28 Mar 1906, d. 30 Sept 1987 Married 25 Apr 1957 to William Edward Franz d. 2 Oct 1975
  • Mae Violet b. 19 May 1908, d. 29 Mar 1968 Married  17 Aug 1937 to Shelby Arntz Chader b. 30 Nov 1908, d. 24 Feb 1999
  • Ernest Edwin b. 3 Jul 1910, d. 31 Jul 1967 Married 25 Apr 1936 to Leona Dorothy Gates b. 30 Nov 1910

Paul Reinert b. 1862, d. 1892

Severt Reinert B. 21 Feb 1864, d. 8 Aug 1926 in interurban train crash Married 23 Oct 1888 to Carrie Sharon Strom b. 28 May 1863, d. 23 Jan 1946. Severt and Carrie are buried in the Lincoln Cemetery north of Huxley in the town that was once Midvale.   Children:

  • Margaret (Adopted) b. 21 Jun 1911, d. 8 Aug 1926 Interurban train crash, buried Lincoln Cemetery
  • Clarence b. 1 May 1903, d. 8 Aug 1926 interurban train crash, buried Lincoln Cemetery
  • Rinerd b. 28 Feb 1890, d. 27 Aug 1890 (Drowned)
  • Jacob b. 11 Nov 1891, d. Feb 1974 Married to Jonnethe Lindberg b. 1889, d. 1966
  • Roy b. 19 Dec 1896, d. Dec 1963 Married to Mable Teig b. 20 Feb 1898, d. 18 Jul 1991
  • Burton b. 27 Sep 1896, d. 8 May 1958 Married 3 Mar 1923 to Selma Hanson b, 29 Sep 1905, d, 27 Aug 1988
  • Sanford Paul b. 16 Apr 1899, d. 7 Jun 1991 Married Gladys May Larson b. 6 Feb 1900, d. May 1978. Both Sanford and Gladys are buried in the Palestine Cemetery in Huxley, Iowa.

Rachael Elizabeth b. 1868 Married to Albert A Johnson b. 6 Jul 1857, d. 14 Jun 1918.  Then married Henry Fatland.   Children:Cecil

Cyrus Reinert b. 1872, d. 1949 Married in 1901 to Bertha Josephine Tesdell b. 1880, d. 1776.

Children:

  • Elnora Sophia b. 26 Jun 1902-, Married in 1922 to Curtis M. Wald b. 1900, d. 1976
  • Myrtle Rosetta b. 1904, d. 1988 Married Everett Carlson; Nils Jensen
  • Eddie b. 22 Mar 1906, d. 31 Oct 1988
  • Freddie Hubert b. 1908, d. 1971 Married to Gwendolyn M. Torrance b. 1915, d. 1961
  • Mary Evelyn b. 1914-, Married in 1931 to Guy Rea
  • Esther F b. 1919-, Married in 1937 to Phillip Hursh, M.D.

Martha b. 1873, d. 1951 Married 8 Mar 1893 to William (Ole) Olson b. 1872, d. 1947.

Children:

  • Myrna Sophia b. 29 Jun 1904, d. 1904
  • Rebecca
  • Winnie
  • Pearl
  • Elma, Married to Sam Haberman

Mary b. 29 June 1874, d. 13 Nov 1953 Married 13 Nov 1896 to Benjamin Christopher Dueland b. 25 Aug 1866, d. 25 Dec 1934.

Children:

  • Lillian Murien b. 1 Sep 1897, d. 1991 Married 21 Dec 1915 to Joe L. Elder b. 25 Sep 1893, d. 11 May 1975
  • Raymond C b. 9 May 1899, d. 15 Jul 1978 Married 22 Jun 1925 to Ruth L. Halverson b. 18 Sep 1899-.
  • Mrytle Burnett b. 23 Jun 1903 Married 6 Nov 1929 to Walter B. McBride b. 16 Aug 1889, d. 27 Sep 1955
  • Mabel Glendora b. 29 Nov 1908
  • Carl Leroy b. 4 Jun 1910 Married to Lulu Foshe b. 1 Nov 1910
  • Margaret b. 28 Jan 1913 Married 27 Nov 1934 to Jacob Levine b. 16 Nov 1909-

Anna b. 16 Oct 1876, d. 21 Dec 1917 Married to Jacob Floden b. 8 Jul 1872,d. 28 Feb 1946.

Children:

  • James Earl b. 21 Feb 1897, d. 9 Dec 1984 Maried to Junetta Larson
  • Richard Burton b. 21 Feb 1897, d. 13 Dec 1969 Married to Myrtle Goodwin
  • Pearl b. 25 May 1899, d. 15 Feb 1991 Married to Earl Speicher
  • Joseph Andrew b. 31 Jul 1901, d. 28 Nov 1961 Married to Erika Nelson
  • Melvin b. 31 Jul 1903, d. 23 Aug 1903
  • Morine b. 31 Jul 1903, d. 23 Aug 1903
  • Marrion b. 1905
  • George b. 18 Sep 1906, d. 21 Sep 1969 Married to Ruth Golay
  • Sanford b. 10 Mar 1908, d. 8 Mar 1987 Married 27 Nov 1930 to Estella Tweedt b. 25 Jun 1910
  • Mildred b. 13 Feb 1912 –, Married 3 Dec 1930 to Carroll Obert Tweedt b. 26 Aug 1908
  • Stanley Clifford b. 28 Aug 1914, d. 4 Oct 1988 Married to Louise Jennings b. 25 Sep 1915, d. 8 Nov 2002

John Reinert b. 7 Oct 1880, d. 24 Oct 1963 Married 30 Oct 1907 to Anna Bertina Torresdal b. 30 Apr 1884, d.31 Jan 1977.  Children:

  • Rose Beatrice b. 25 Sep 1908, d. 9 Jan 2001
  • Arnold Buel b. 6 Sep 1910, d. 23 Jan 1993 Married to Margaret Fritz b.25 Jul 1908, d. 1 Apr 1960; Gwendolyn Whitney Sorenson
  • Flora Margaret b. 10 Aug 1912 – Married 1 Oct 1932 to Kermit Thomas Freeland b. 11 Aug 1907, d. 16 Apr 1984
  • Dorothy Caroline b. 25 Jun 1918 – Married Jan 1936 to Henry Daniel Ehm b. 28 Jul 1912 –
  • Thelma Javerne b. 3 Apr 1920 -, Married in 1937 to Forrest Truman Monson b. 1 May 1915
  • Virginia Marie b. 14 Jul 1925 -, Married Harry Donald Lee b. 23 Jan 1920, d. 31 Jan 2002
  • Juanita La Vonne b. 27 Jan 1919 -, Married Maurice Leland Clark b. 13 May 1929

#2  Niels Nilsson Sydnes – Below is the 1880 Census information

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father’s Birthplace Mother’s Birthplace
Nelse SYDNES Self M Male W 33 NOR Farmer NOR NOR
Bertha Lovina. SYDNES Wife M Female W 27 IL Keeping House NOR NOR
Martha L. SYDNES Dau S Female W 7 IA   NOR IL
Nelse O. SYDNES Son S Male W 6 IA   NOR IL
Vina S. SYDNES Dau S Female W 3 IA   NOR NOR
Nelse S SYDNES Father M Male W 70 NOR Does Not Work NOR NOR