Minnesota Territorial Pioneers
The Minnesota Territorial Pioneers is an active organization of descendants of pioneers who lived in Minnesota Territory.
Descendants of Amund Thorsen (Thor's grandfather) and Bjorn Gunderson (also known as Ben Benson, Gunil's father) lived in Minnesota in the 1850's. Their descendants qualify for membership in MTP. Visit the MTP website for more information and a membership application for Minnesota Territorial Pioneers.
The following documents can be used as proofs for both (all are in pdf format):
| Amund Thorsen | Bjorn Gunderson | |||||||||
| Proof of Minnesota Residence prior to 1858 | ||||||||||
| 1857 Minnesota Territorial Census Houston County - Twp 104 Dwelling 51 Family 54 Click Here for document image | 1857 Land Patent Accession/Serial# MN2300_.440 Fillmore County - Twp 104-N Click Here for document image | |||||||||
| Proof of Descent | ||||||||||
| Sissel as Amund's Daughter The record of Mikkel & Sissel's marriage Kviteseid Churchbook 1836-1858 (1850) Telemark, Norway Click Here for document image ________ | Gunil as Bjorn's daughter The record of Gunild's baptism from the MN: Fillmore County Baptisms 1854-1883 database Click Here for the document image
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| Torger & Thor as Sissel's Sons 1880 US Census Minnesota, Fillmore Cty, Norway Township Click Here for document image Kristi's Baptism Kviteseid Churchbook 1836-1858 Telemark, Norway Click Here for document image ________ | Gunil as Thor's wife Clarifies Gunil's many surnamesGunil & Thor's Marriage License | |||||||||
Thor's Children Thor's obituary lists all of his children Thor Hegland Obituary McIntosh MN Times October 30, 1941 Page 1 Click Here for the document image
Torger's Children 1910 US Census Minnesota, Fillmore County, Norway Twp Click Here for document image
Kristi's Children 1900 US Census North Dakota, Barnes County, Thordesjold Twp Click Here for the document image
_________ | Sophie & Allette as Gunil's Children Thor Hegland Obituary McIntosh MN Times October 30, 1941 Page 1 Click Here for the document image | |||||||||
Proofs for Thor's Grandchildren Click on the parent's name(s) below to view a document that can be used to prove relationship to their children.
________ | Proofs for Sophie & Alet's Children The 1930 Census can be used as proof of descent for both Sophie's and Allette's children. | |||||||||
Proofs for Successive Generations Proofs for successive generations may/may not be on the website. Copies of published obituaries, birth/death certificates, church and school records are acceptable proofs | ||||||||||
 Norwegian Statehood Pioneer Project The Norwegian Statehood Pioneer Project offers certificates to direct descendants of Norwegian immigrants or their children who arrived in Minnesota before 1920. An application fee is required. Proofs listed above can be used to support an application. A sesquicentennial book published by the project includes brief biographies of Amund Thorson and Bjorn & Helge Gunderson as Statehood Pioneers, and Thor and his family are listed as Century Pioneers. Visit the NSPP website for more information.. | ||||||||||
