Alvald Larsen Stole

GEDCOM Note

The Norwegian Churches Combined Baptism and Confirmation Records In Family Groups, compiled by Compiled by Elmer Dickson and Owen Thompson says that Alvard was born September 1, 1873 to Lars Stole and Betsey Thompson. However, a fellow researcher says that she believes Alvard may have actually been a son of Lars' first wife, Anna, and would, therefore, be a brother of Otis and Emma, rather than a half-brother and son of Betsey Thompson. She bases this on the fact that there are two records of Alvard's birth, the Norwegian Churches Combined Baptism and Confirmation Records In Family Groups, and the census. She believes the church record may actually record Alvard's baptism or confirmation, which was in 1887, and, indeed, it does say the year of his baptism/confirmation was 1887. Since Betsey Thompson wasn't with Lars and his family in the 1880 census and the date of Lars' and Betsey's marriage, according to Kendall County records, was March 24, 1881, she reasons that it's likely that Alvard was a son of Anna, rather than Betsey. I tend to agree with this. This would indicate, however, that my grandmother was unaware of Alvard completely, as well as Betsey Thompson, for her notes list only Otis and Emma as children of Lars and make no mention of Alvard, while stating that the name of Lars' second wife was unknown to her.

This being the case, it is consistent that my grandmother would also not have been aware that Lars and Anna had children other than Alvard, Otis and Emma. According to the 1880 census, taken in Big Grove, Kendall County, Illinois, Lars Stole, age 40, widowed, had the following children living with him: a son, John, age 20 (1860), born in Norway; a son, Oliver (probably a misinterpretation of Alvard), age 5 (1875), born in Norway; a daughter, Ellen, age 18 (1862), born in Norway; a daughter, Mary, age 15 (1865), born in Norway; a daughter, Malinda, age 7 (1873), born in Norway; a daughter, Sarah, age 2 (1878), born in Norway. There is no mention of Otis or Emma, however, this is explained by the fact that Otis and Emma had been adopted out. Otis, in 1880, was living with a John O. Larson at Saratoga, Grundy County, Illinois, at the age of 22 (1858). There is no evidence of where Emma wound up.

Another curiosity is that the ship passenger records don't list either Otis, Emma or Sarah. Sarah is explained by the fact that she was listed as 2 years old in the 1880 census and the family emmigrated from Norway in 1878, evidently before she was born. As the ship passenger record states their departure fro Norway as being on July 23, 1878, that would pinpoint Sarah's birth at some point between July 23rd and December 31st of 1878. Given this, it's evident that Anna must have been pregnant during the voyage. If we assume Sarah was born in December, then Anna must have conceived sometime around April 1878 at the latest. Then again - and this is what I believe happened - it is probable that Sarah was born during the voyage, at sea, and that Anna died during or after childbirth. That would seem the most likely scenario, explaining both Sarah's being missing from the passenger manifest, as well as Anna's death in transit. As for Otis and Emma, evidently, they made the crossing on another vessel, in the company of John O. Larson, so their adoption to him had already occurred, in Norway.

The age of Otis in the 1880 census suggests that my grandmother's data about him is, at best, highly questionable, since she gives a birthdate of June 21, 1863 for Otis. It's difficult for me to believe that she didn't know her own grandfather's birthdate, so it may be the census is incorrect in giving Otis' age as 22. If my grandmother's date is correct, however, then Otis would have been 17, not 22, in 1880. Then again, considering that my grandmother didn't have any knowledge of Otis' several siblings, with the exception of Emma, this casts doubt on the accuracy of all of her information.

The Norwegian Churches Combined Baptism and Confirmation Records give Alvard's name as Alvard L. Stole. The "L" would have stood for Larsen or Larson. According to the ship passenger record, however, the name Alvald Larsdatr, indciating a female, is used. This would be inconsistent with the name Alvald, which is obviously a masculine given name, so the "Larsdatr" should have read "Larsen," instead. The passenger record is in error, then.

A WWI era draft registration card was issued to an Alvald Stoley, born September 1 1873, and was recorded in Hyde County, South Dakota.

Even though the Norwegian Churches Combined Baptism and Confirmation Records gives his name as Alvard, I believe the evidence shows it was probably Alvald, instead. This was his father's middle name (Alvaldsen), as well as (obviously) his grandfather's given name, so, it stands to reason that his name was Alvald. Besides, Alvald is the name given on the ship passenger record.