Hans Torgussen was born on 16 April 18301 in Tvordalen, Heddal, Telemark, Norway1 as the second child of Torjus Hansen Tverdalen and Anne Hansdatter Aasens. He was baptized on 02 May 18301. His older sister Anne had only lived a very short time.
Hans had a brother Ole born in 1831 who died in 1833, the next son was then named Ole when he was born in 1834. His family then added brothers Torjus, or Torjur, (1837) and John (1839) as well as another sister named Anne in 1842.
When Hans was 14, he was confirmed. At that time he was living on the Kasene farm in Heddal, Telemark5.
When he was 19, he married Anne Jonsdatter (also seen as Anna in records) Mork on 01 Mar 18504 in Heddal, Telemark, Norway4. At the time Hans was living at Nykaas farm and Anne was living at Sondre Mork.
Hans and Anne soon added to their family with their firstborn arriving less than two months after their marriage. Their children were:
1. Torger Hansen “Torgus” Haugen was born on 22 Apr 185014 in Telemark, Norway14. He died about 1928 in Washburn, North Dakota, USA. He married Ingeborg Olesdatter Skogan about 1883.
2. John Hansen Torgersen was born on 18 Jun 185315 in Telemark, Norway15 (Heddal15). He died on 27 Nov 192616,17 in Minnesota, USA16,17 (Stomach cancer16,17). He married Ingeborg Rollefsdatter Holte on 13 Jun 187818,19 in Lac qui Parle, Minnesota, USA18,19 (lic #A7807618,19).
3. Hans Hansen Haugen Odergaarden was born on 13 Apr 185720 in Heddal, Telemark, Norway20. He died on 10 Nov 186321 in Telemark, Norway21.
4. Anne Hansen Haugen Odergaarden was born on 24 Apr 186122 in Telemark, Norway22.
On the 1865 census, Hans was living at the Haugen farm with Ann and their three living children Torjus, John and Anne6.
Hans and his family immigrated to America7 on 04 Apr 18687. At that time he was 38, Anne was 50, Torjus and John were 18 and 15 respectively, and the youngest Anne was 7.
He, Anne and their children lived in Military Township, Winneshiek, Iowa, USA8 in 18708. By 1875, he had moved to Lac qui Parle, Minnesota, USA9, where he was living with Anne, John and Anne. At that time Hans used the last name of Torgersen, rather than the farm name as many of his compatriots did.
He lived in Lac qui Parle, Minnesota, USA in 188010 with both Annes. By that time, John had married Ingeborg Holte18,19. Shortly after the census was taken, Anne married Ingeborg’s brother Torsten Holte23.
He received his land patent for 160 acres in Lac qui Parle county, Minnesota on 10 June 188225. In 1885 11 he was still in Lac qui Parle, but was now using the surname Haugen from the Norwegian farm. His brother Ole, his wife and children were also living at the farm.
On 4 May 1897, Hans signed his US Citizenship application. One of the signatures on the application, confirming he knew that Hans lived in the US for five years, was his son John.
He lived in Ten Mile Lake, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota, USA12 in 190512 where his is no longer listed as a farmer, but is listed as a “capitalist” on the census.
After Anne died, Hans continued to live in Ten Mile Lake, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota, USA in 191013 and is listed as retired.
He died of pneumonia and senile debility on 10 Apr 19172,3 in Ten Mile Lake, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota, USA2,3 and was buried 3 days later next to his wife24.
1 Baptisms. Norway, Heddal, Telemark. 2 May 1830. Torgussen, Hans. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/7934/91 : accessed 12 April 2019.
2 Monumental Inscriptions, United States. Ten Mile Lake, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. Haugen. Anne Haugen Dodecagons 7 Feb 1906 Alder 88 ajar 20 D Af Naade ere i frelsye bed froen Hans T. Haugen Dodecagons 10 Apr 1917 Alder 86 aar 11 ms 25 ds. Ross, Kathleen 29 October 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/78427002/_#view-photo=50098833 : accessed 29 October 2020.
3 Deaths (CR) USA, Ten Mile Lake, Lac Qui Parle, Minnesota. 10 April 1917. HAUGEN, Hans Torgeson. No. 6339.
4 Marriages. Norway, Heddal, Telemark. 1 March 1850. Torjussen NYKAAS, Hans and Johnsdatter Soudre Mork, Anne. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/5959/221 : accessed 17 March 2021.
5 Confirmations. Norway, Heddal, Telemark. 17 November 1844. Torjussen KARINE, Hans. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/5959/30587/27 : accessed 13 March 2021.
6 Census, 1865. Haugen, Heddal, Telemark. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/38140/104 : accessed 30 March 2019.
7 Heddal Church Books, Norway. Heddal, Telemark. Out-migrated. 4 April 1868. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/5960/30595/33 : accessed 1 April 2021.
8 Census. 1870. USA. Military Township, Winneshiek, Iowa. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-XCDS-38J?i=37&cc=1438024 : accessed April 2019.
9 Census. 1875. USA. Baxter, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-61F2-XZ?i=2&cc=1503053 : accessed April 2019.
10 Census, 1880. United States. Baxter, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. https://www.ancestry.ca : accessed : 17 March 2021.
11 Census. 1885. USA. Baxter, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DBB7-ZYN?cc=1503044 : accessed April 2019.
12 Census, 1905. United States. Ten Mile Lake, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. https://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 31 March 2019.
13 Census, 1910. United States. Ten Mile Lake, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. SD 7, ED 92. https://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 31 March 2019.
14 Baptisms. Norway, Heddal, Telemark. 26 April 1850. HANSEN, Torjus. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/5959/117 : accessed 30 March 2019.
15 Baptisms, Norway. Heddal, Telemark. NYKAAS, John Hansen. 18 June 1853. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/5959/132 : accessed April 2019.
16 Deaths (CR) USA. Leon, Clearwater, Minnesota. 27 November 1926. TORGERSON, John. No. 2831.
17 Monumental Inscriptions. USA. Silver Creek, Clearbrook, Clearwater, Minnesota. 27 November 1926. TORGERSON, John. https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2010/110/51450907_127190893990.jpg : accessed April 2019.
18 Census. 1900. USA. Baxter, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed April 2019.
19 Marriages (CR) United States, Lac Qui Parle, Minnesota. 13 June 1878. HAUGEN, John H. and HOLTE, Ingebor R.
20 Baptisms. Norway, Heddal, Telemark. 18 April 1857. HANSEN, Hans. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/5960/26 : accessed 30 March 2019.
21 Burials. Norway, Heddal, Telemark. 29 November 1863. HANSEN, Hans. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/5960/369 : accessed 31 March 2019.
22 Baptisms. Norway, Heddal, Telemark. 28 April 1861. HANSDATTER, Anne. https://media.digitalarkivet.no/view/5960/52 : accessed 30 March 2019.
23Census, Ten Mile Lake, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. SD 2, ED 120, S. 4. https://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 11 April 2021.
24Monumental Inscriptions, United States. Our Saviours Lutheran Church of Baxter Cemetery, Lac qui Parle, Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. HAUGEN. Anne Haugen Died 7 Feb 1906 aged 88 years 20 days Af naiad ere frelsye troen (by grace are saved by faith) Hans T. Haugen Died 10 April 1917 Age 96 years 11 months 25 days. Transcription: Kathleen Ross 18 April 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/78427002/anne-jonsdatter-haugen : accessed 18 April 2021.
25Bureau of Land Management, USA. General Land Office Records. Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. Torguson, Hans. 10 June 1882. https://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 18 April 2021.
