The Kantens of Minnesota

Fillmore and Winona Counties

According to Iver's entry in the family bible, his family arrived at the home of his wife's brother, John Tinglestad, in southeastern Minnesota after twelve weeks and three days of travel. They lived there (Winona County) for two years.

During this time, Karen Martia was born.

In 1866 the family moved to Fillmore County. Ingeborg was born here, where the family lived until 1869.

Watson and Chippewa County

Iver and his family claimed a homestead in Tunsberg Township, Chippewa County in 1869. Their first home was a dug-out a mile west of the present village of Watson, Minnesota. The following year, Iver and his sons built a log cabin. Peder was born in the dug-out, and Anne was born in the cabin.

Land Patent

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1870 Census

Anne Kanten - confirmation

Anne Iversdtr Kanten was born in Watson, Minnesota on May 23, 1872. She was Iver Halvorsen and Anne Gulbrandsdtr Kanten's youngest child.

(The "e" at the end of Anne's name is sounded as an "a" in Norwegian. In English, her name might more properly have been spelled "Ah-nah.")

Click Here for an excerpt from Shirley Kanten's "The Immigrants"

Click Here for Family Info from history of Chippewa and La Qui Parle Counties

From page 740 of "Nordmeandene i Amerika"

The above is an excerpt from Nordmaendene i Amerika (Norwegians in America) p. 740 Translation: "Kanten, Iver Halvorson, emigrated from Gran, Hadeland in 1864. Pioneer and farmer in Watson, Minnesota (since 1869). Sons: Helge Iverson has owned a "General Store" in Watson Minnesota since 1879 and was the town's first merchant. Hans Iverson has also been a merchant at the same place."

1880 Census

Iver and Anne celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on February 11, 1908.

By his count, they had 9 living children, 60 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren

(with more grandchildren and MANY more great-grandchildren yet to come!).

The Kanten Family

Name	Born	Died
Hans Iverson	April 19, 1845 in Hadeland Norway	August 26, 1927 in Chippewa County
Gulbrand Iverson	April 21, 1850 in Hadeland, Norway	June 20, 1927 in Minot ND
Kristian Kanten	February 1, 1853 in Hadeland, Norway	October 12, 1932 in Chippewa County
Helger Iverson	April 17, 1855 in Hadeland, Norway	June 24, 1928 in Chippewa County
Mikkel Iverson	April 6, 1858 in Hadeland, Norway	Oct 31, 1932 in Lac Qui Parle County MN
Anders Kanten	October 17, 1860 in Hadeland, Norway	1944 in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada
Iver Iversen	September 3, 1863 in Hadeland, Norway	June 30, 1864 in Drammen, Norway
Karen Martia	October 25, 1865 in Winona County, MN	April 5, 1958 in Chippewa County
Ingeborg	December 26, 1867 in Fillmore County, MN	March 29, 1893 in Chippewa County
Peder Iverson	May 9, 1870 in Watson, MN	March 4, 1945 in Chippewa County
Anne Kanten Alm	May 23, 1872 in Watson, MN	May 28, 1957 in Binford ND

Click Here for pages from the Kanten Family Bible

Information collected by Kontaktforum Hadeland-Amerika

Click Here

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Anne Gulbrandsdtr Kanten died on November 24, 1908 after a long illness. She was 82 years old. Cared for by his daughter Anne in the last few months of his life, Iver Halverson Kanten died at age 85 on December 18, 1910.

The Kantens are buried in Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery outside of Watson.

Stained glass window above entry

More about Zion

Photo of Anne's Brother John's Tombstone

Story of Anne's Sister Dorthea's Emigration

The story says that Dorthea and her family "possibly had friends"

in Watson MN. Actually, Dorthea had a sister!