Johannes Andersen Anderson Stamperstuen

Johannes Stamperstuen left Valdres in 1865 and journeyed to America. (...) We understand he came to Wisconsin and worked for a pastor a short while. This pastor must been a relative or close friend of the family. Most likely this pastor had sent Johannes money to help him come to America. This was part of the custom in those days. People in America would send money to Norway to friends or relatives so they could make the trip and they wood pay them back the money they had borrowed by working for them.

After he came to America Johannes changed his name from Stamperstuen to Anderson, as he was the son of Andrew (Anders) and Anderson was more in keeping with the American language.

In 1866 Johannes Anderson left Wisconsin and came to Mower County, Mn. Here he met and got aquainted with Miss Anne Jonsdatter Granai Nielsen. (...) She was born 1st. of Jan 1851 on a cattle boat sailing to America by her parents, a young couple from Valdres. The journey across the ocean took 14 long weeks. Those of you that have been on the ocean know how mildew and dampness want to creep in everywhere, even in an airconditioned cabin. Imagine what that journey would be like furnishing your own food for that length of time and having a baby born and caring for it under those conditions.

They were married in Mower County.

The old homestead is in Section 6 close to the Yellow Medicine River. Johannes staked out his claim in the spring of 1871 with two friends, Ole Broughton (Bråten) and Johannes Stensrud. He later brought his family here in what we know as the prairie scooner or covered wagon, in the fall of 1871.

("Our Family History", published by Robert Lancaster, Mn 1971)