Erik Iversen Thorstad

• Birth: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VW2R-ZB4

Erik Iversen Thorstad is listed in the list of emigrants from Øyer, Oppland, Norway on 10 June 1852, with America as his destination.

Erik Iversen Thorstad probably left Norway on the sailing ship "Argo", which sailed from Christiania (now Oslo) on June 16th and arrived in Quebec on August 12th 1852 (Captain Olsen).

On August 20th 1852 Erik was aboard the ships SS Atlantic when it collided with the ship Ogdenburg on Lake Erie.

http://www.norwayheritage.com/articles/templates/great-disasters.as...

From "Disaster on Lake Erie in 1852" - by Nanna Egidius, Trond Austheim & Børge Solem [from a letter written by From Erik Thorstad, at Ixonia, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, to his parents and siblings in Øyer, 9 November 1852]

In the middle of June 1852 a group of emigrants departed from Christiania bound for Quebec on the bark Argo, mastered by Capt. Olsen. The transatlantic crossing in those days could be quite unpleasant, and quite hazardous. We can only imagine what relief the passengers on the Argo must have felt as they reached Quebec on August 12th. However, the immigrants now faced another long journey, which went by railroad and wagon, for some also partly by foot, but first and foremost by ship on the Great Lakes. The inland voyage was also combined with a considerable danger to the venerable newcomers.

Captain Olsen on the Argo contracted with a company to carry the emigrants and their baggage to Milwaukee for seven dollars for each adult and half fare for the children. On August 14th the baggage was brought aboard a large steamboat and in the evening at five o'clock they departed from Quebec. At six the following morning they came to Montreal. Captain Olsen had accompanied the passengers, and took leave of them there. Shortly after he had gone, an accident occurred. Thorsten Nilsen Majestad from Valdres fell overboard as he was bringing his baggage of the boat. It was right pitiful for the others to see how he struggled. And no means were on hand whatsoever with which to save him. Arrangements were finally made for dragging, whereupon he was found, but by then he was dead. This event was all the more tragic since he had a family, which mourned its lost provider

At Montreal their baggage was taken in wagons about one English mile, and then they traveled by steamboat for about twenty-four hours. they passed through many locks which they looked at with wonder. They reached Toronto but could not get a boat to proceed the day they arrived there. Their baggage was unloaded on the wharf, and most of the immigrants spent the night under open sky. At eight the next morning they left by steamboat, and in the afternoon of the same day they landed below the Niagara Falls, near the ingenious hanging bridge made of steel cables. Many of them had decided to go near this masterpiece and inspect it, but they had to forego this, as their baggage was immediately loaded on wagons and drawn by horses on a railway for about sixteen English miles. On this trip they had the opportunity to view the great and much-famed waterfalls, Niagara.

They came to the town of Kingston late in the evening. There, too, their belongings were placed on the wharf, and again most of the immigrants found lodging on the wharf. Some of the immigrants left for Buffalo on a small steamboat at five o'clock the next morning. At five in the evening the boat returned and got the rest of them. From Quebec to Buffalo some seventy-five poor people from Valdres had free transportation. But here they had to remain as they did not have enough money to pay passage across the Lakes.

At Buffalo a group containing of 132 Norwegian immigrants boarded the steamer Atlantic, mastered by Capt. Patty. At eight o'clock of the evening on August 12th, the Atlantic departed from Buffalo bound for Detroit. The total number of passengers was 576, comprising the 132 Norwegians, a number of Germans, and the rest Americans. About two o'clock in the morning of August 20th the Atlantic collided with the Ogdensburg, and the disaster was a fact..

The description above is mainly based on a letter from Erik Thorstad, Town of Ixonia, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, November 9th 1852, to parents and siblings in Øyer. The white line on the map below shows the route Erik Iversen Thorstad and the other Norwegian immigrants took from Quebec to Milwaukee. The white star marks where SS Atlantic sank in 1852. Below is Erik's own description of the voyage and collision.

Part of Erik Torstad's letter: We left Buffalo on a large steamer, called the "Atlantic", in the evening of the same day - August 12 - at eight o'clock. The total number of passengers was 576, comprising 132 Norwegians, a number of Germans, and the rest Americans.

Since it was already late in the evening and I felt very sleepy, I opened my chest, took off my coat and laid it, together with my money and my watch, in the chest. I took out my bed clothes, made me a bed on the chest, and lay down to sleep. But when it was about half past one in the morning I awoke with a heavy shock. Immediately suspecting that another boat had run into ours, I hastened up at once. Since there was great confusion and fright among the passengers, I asked several if our boat had been damaged. But I did not get any reassuring answer. I could not believe that there was any immediate danger, for the engines were still in motion. I went up to the top deck, and then I was convinced at once that the steamer must have been damaged, for may people were lowering about with the greatest haste. Many from the lowest deck got into the boat directly, and as the boat had taken in water on being lowered, it sank immediately and all were drowned.

Thereupon I went down to the second deck, hoping to find means of rescue. At that very moment the water rushed into the boat and the engines stopped. Then a pitiful cry arose. I and one of my comrades had taken hold of the stairs which led from the second to the third deck, but soon there was so many hands on it that we let go, knowing that we could not thus be saved. We thereupon climbed up to the third deck, where the pilot was at the wheel. I had altogether given up hope of being saved, for the boat began to sink more and more, and the water almost reached up there. While we stood thus, much distressed, we saw several people putting out a small boat, whereupon we at once hastened to help. We succeeded in getting it well out, and I was one of the first to get into the boat. When there were as many as the boat could hold, it was fortunately pushed away from the steamer. As oars were wanting, we rowed with our hands, and several bailed water from the boat with their hats.

A ray of light, which we had seen far away when we were on the wreck and which we had taken for a lighthouse, we soon found to be a steamer hurrying to give us help. We were taken aboard directly, and then those who were on the wreck as well as those who were still paddling in the water were picked up.

This boat, which was the one that had sunk ours, was of the kind known as a propeller, driven by a screw in the stern. The misery and the cries of distress which I witnessed and heard that night are indescribable, and I shall not forget it all as long as I live. The number of drowned were more that 300, of whom sixty-eight were Norwegians. Many of the persons who were in the first class were drowned in their berths or staterooms. The Norwegians who were rescued totaled sixty-four, but most of them lost everything. I saw many on board the propeller who had on only shirts. The newspapers blame the command of the "Atlantic" for this sad event and reproach them most severely and accuse them openly of having murdered three hundred people.

The propeller soon delivered us to another steamboat which brought us to a city called Detroit, where we arrived at eight the next morning. After we had got some provisions for our journey, we continued on a steam train. Late in the evening we reached a large torn in Illinois, called Chicago, where we spent the night and had everything free. On the trip there, we saw many beautiful farms and orchards as well as many attractive buildings. We left the following morning by steamboat, and after five or six hours we reached Milwaukee. That was on the twenty-second of August. We stayed with a Norwegian where we remained until the twenty-eight of the same month. Since the city had taken up a subscription for our support, we lived free of charge, and in addition each person received eleven dollars in money. With this money I bought two coats, a pair of trousers, a pair of shoes, two shirts and a bag.

From Milwaukee I went by steam train twenty to twenty-five miles without charge, and then I footed it, reaching Østerlie's the thirtieth of August. There I have since remained. I am well and have, God be thanked, been in good health all the time. Although I have lost all my possessions, I have not lost courage. The same God who has helped me in the time of danger will, I hope, continue to be my protector."

https://www.kaldor.no/oyergenealogy/showmedia.php?mediaID=5

In the 1870, 1880, 1895 & 1900 U.S. census Erick & Mary Thorstad are listed as living at La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wisconsin.

• 1870: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN9L-6C9
• 1880: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN4T-J9H
• 1900: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMVH-T6C
• 1905: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM3X-3JJ

In 1888 Erik returned to Norway for a visit , he and his wife Mary were passengers on the ship Rollo, on their way from Christiania (Olso) to New York.