Kristi and Aase   It is not clear exactly when Kristi and Aase moved from Houston County to Tone's home in Iowa. They are living with Tarje at the time of the 1857 Minnesota Territorial Census.   We do know that Kristi and Aase were living with Tone and her family at the time of the 1860 Census. Aase married Torjus Haraldson in Iowa in 1861. Kristi remained with her daughter Tone until her death in 1867.

Kristi's Final Resting Place   She died in 1867 and was laid to rest in  North Shell Rock Cemetery in Worth County, Iowa.     "Kristi Lee" shares a gravestone  with her  grandson Alexander  Lee (1857-1874).           Worth county maps: http://www.rootsweb.com/~iaworth/wor_maps.htm

Widowed for just 4 months at the time, Kristi brought her children to America decades before the main wave of Norwegian immigration began.   Given the culture of the times,  she and her children probably were faced with a difficult future in Norway. Her brother who had been in Wisconsin for 3 years may have encouraged her to make the journey.  Given his adventurous nature, 60-year old Aslak may have been planning the family's immigration before his death.  None of those possibilities minimizes the strength and determination her life-changing decision and the family's journey in 1846 demanded.

Kristi's courage commands our respect, and the thanks of all her American descendants.

"The Promise of America:  Norwegian Immigrant Monument"    Just a few minutes down the road from North Shell Rock Cemetery, a tribute to ALL the Norwegian immigrants can be found on the outskirts of Lake Mills, IA.    This bronze depiction of a typical Norwegian immigrant family, complete with immigrant trunk, looks out onto quiet farmlands from 6 acres that have been restored to natural prairie grass.