The Kassenborgs

The Kassenborgs

Gulbrand Kassenborg

Gulbrand Gulbrandsen Kassenborg

1811-1888

In Norway

Gulbrand Gulbrandsen Kassenborg was born in Valdres, Norway, on February 10, 1811 to Gulbrand Gulbrandsen Skjærsteineie (born Braka) and Liv Knudsdatter Houg. He was baptized March 17 of that year in Bagn church in Sør Aurdal. The family lived on Kølbu, a subfarm of Skjærstein at the time. The "eie" indicates that his father was a husmann, cotter or renter.

The family moved to Nordre Land parish about 1818, possibly to Kassenborg. Kassenborg was a sub-farm of the large Thomle farm holdings. This may explain why the family is often referred to as Thomleie in many Norwegian genealogies. Gulbrand was confirmed on October 30, 1825, in the Haugner (now Nordsinni) church.

Gulbrand returned to Sør Aurdal and Vang church for his marriage on October 19, 1833, to Astri Andersdatter Skjærstein. It appears he married a daughter of the owner of the farm on which he was born. Astri's father was Anders Juleson Solbjør (1780-1848). In 1819 he traded the Solbjør farm for Skjærstein and the family name changed accordingly. Astri's mother's name was Anne Isaaksdatter Sørum (b. 1778).

Gulbrand and Astri lived on Kassenborg after their wedding. Tarje Grover's wife Geline was born in 1834, her brother Andreas in 1836, and Gulbrand in 1842.

Where are Valdres and Land?

Norwegian Church Records
Ancestors' Family Tree

Rock County Wisconsin

Gulbrand and his family registered their intent to emigrate on May 2, 1850. Their son Andreas, who was just 14 years old, remembered that it was a difficult journey, and that the fresh water supply aboard ship ran out before they reached their destination. The Kassenborgs made their way to Rock County, Wisconsin, where the first large groups of Norwegians settled in Wisconsin. Luther Valley was the new home for many immigrants from Land kommune and also from Valdres, so it seems likely that Gulbrand would have settled in this area.

To read an interesting history of how Luther Valley was settled in 1839

Click Here

1.34 MB pdf format, opens in a new window

To read a complete translation of the Rock County History in Martin Ulvestad's "Nordmændene i Amerika"

Click Here

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Minnesota Pioneers

Gulbrand moved his family to Yucatan township, Houston County in 1853. Martin Ulvestad writes on page 97 of "Nordmændene i Amerika":

"Guttorm Guttormsen Oino from Rotnem in Gol, Hallingdal, Ole Evensen Dølehus from Hemsedal, along with the Stutelein Brothers and G. G. Kassenborg from Valders were the first white settlers on the South Fork (Root) River; but at that time the area was full of drunken Indians. They discovered that they were not hostile; nevertheless, they had constant fear of them."

1857 Territorial Census

1858 Land Patent

To read a complete translation of the Houston County History in "Nordmændene"

Click Here

67 KB pdf format, opens in a new window

Descendants of Gulbrand qualify

for membership in the

Minnesota Territorial Pioneers

1860 Census

1865 Census

1870 Census

Later Years

Astri died in Houston County on November 14, 1871 and was buried in the Stone Church cemetery. Gulbrand moved to Moland Township with his children where he lived with son-in-law Tarje and daughter Geline.

1880 Census

Gulbrand learned the blacksmith trade in Norway and brought his anvil with him from his home in the Land kommune in Norway. His skills were important to the farmers in Houston County and were even more valuable in the Buffalo River Settlement. His grandsons, Krist and Aleck in particular, loved to help him and credited that "apprenticeship" for developing their own mechanical skills.

Gulbrand (Gilbert) Kassenborg died on August 8, 1888.

He is buried at Concordia Lutheran Church Cemetery. His gravestone is directly behind Tarje and Geline's.

Death Record

(142 KB PDF document opens in a separate window)