Browse all people

Abbott Elmore Townsend

1868–1958

A home on Yew Street, a life of work, and memories passed to the next generation.

Albert Otto Falkenrath

May 16, 1873 – January 10, 1954

Ida’s brother, remembered for his long association with Racine Screw Works.

Alf Johnsen

January 11, 1918 – August 22, 1983

Alf grew up between his sisters Alfhild, Ruth and Ragna. His records follow his life as a workshop worker, husband of Rønnaug Mildred Holm, and father remembered in a large family notice.

Alfhild Bergljot Johnsen Harjo

November 14, 1914 – 2001

From a childhood in the Johnsen family to a home with Hans and seven children, Alfhild’s story connects Norway, Staten Island and Seattle.

Amanda Sofie Andersen

30 November 1880 – April 1956

Amanda grew up near Fredrikstad in a tailor's family with Swedish roots. Her adult records follow domestic service, marriage to sailor Jacob Anstensen, widowhood, sewing work and a second family with mechanic Thor Møller. A surviving police-album photograph and a detailed census form preserve unusual glimpses of her life.

Andreas Severin Harjo

November 6, 1895 – April 22, 1925

Farm work, fishing and a family home in Tana.

Ane Katherine Dortzbach

1854 – 1930

Peter’s eldest sister, who devoted much of her life to service as a Lutheran deaconess.

Ane Kristine Dortzbach

1858 – 1893

Peter’s sister, a skilled dairy worker who married Otto Juhl.

Anna Kathrine Børresen

1871 – February 7, 1935

From a childhood in Tana and a foster home in Jakobselv to a family of her own at Larsnes, Anna’s story connects the Børresen, Harjo and Barski families.

Anna Mathilde Barski

The younger half-sister whose family connects with ours today.

Annie Hulda Helen Dortzbach

Annie was Milly’s sister, a daughter of Peter and Ida Dortzbach. The family album records her life as 1891–1945. Photographs follow the sisters from childhood to their adult lives, including Annie’s 1912 wedding to Harry Schmidt and family photographs with Dorothy and Valetta.

Anton Anstensen

July 24, 1874 – June 21, 1910

Anton followed a life in the mechanical trades while his brother Jacob worked at sea. His story ends in Kristiania in 1910, where a family notice, a probate entry and a union insurance record bring the metalworker and the family around him into view.

August Hilpert

Letters from Germany preserve his voice, his family connections and his hopes for the future.

Bergliot Signora Helene Hansen

12 March 1902 – 16 July 1911

Bergliot's life was short, but the records restore her place in the family. Born in Kristiania to Gustav Albert Hansen and Marie Sofie Anstensen, she lived with her mother and grandmother before dying of polio at nine. She was Alfhild's older maternal half sister, although the two girls never met.

Beulah Carol Hilpert

Phillip and Alice Hilpert’s daughter, who preserved a child’s view of life on the family farm.

Carl F. Falkenrath

1836 – 1901

Ida’s father and Milly’s maternal grandfather, a file maker who brought his family from Germany to Racine.

Charles Falkenrath

1871 – 1935

Known as Charlie or Carl, Ida’s brother worked as a machinist in the Milwaukee area.

Christel (Christina) Hilpert

Remembered in the family as Christel, also named Christina. Letters connect her household with Germany and America, and bring news of Reinhold and Selma.

David August Hilpert

His life, family and the letters that connect generations.

Eileen Marie Hilpert Townsend

Eileen was the daughter of Otto and Milly Hilpert. She married Francis Abbott Townsend, known as Frank or Bud. Their four children were Martha, Bill, Albert, and Betty Lou. Eileen preserved family photographs, letters, and stories in binders for her children—the beginning of the digital family book shared here.

Elizabeth Hedwig Hilpert (Hattie)

Elizabeth Hedwig Hilpert, known as Hattie, was born on January 8, 1880. Her father, David Hilpert, was 52 and her mother, Magdalena, was 38.

Emilie Augusta Falkenrath

A child of Carl Falkenrath and Emilie Pleis who died at the age of three in Germany.

Emilie Pleis

December 15, 1842 – March 15, 1915

Ida’s mother and Milly’s maternal grandmother, at the center of the Falkenrath family’s Racine home.

Ernst Emil Falkenrath

March 28, 1880 – May 9, 1945

The youngest of Ida’s siblings to survive to adulthood, Ernst spent his working life in Racine manufacturing.

Ernst Hilpert

A member of David’s family in Germany, with his own story to follow through the family records.

Friedrich Hilpert

His surviving letter speaks of family losses, his sons and his longing for news from his sister.

George Frederick Dortzbach

Born January 8, 1828

Peter’s father and Milly’s paternal grandfather, remembered for skilled work and persistence through repeated setbacks.

George Karl Dortzbach

George Karl was Milly’s brother and Peter and Ida Dortzbach’s oldest son. His portrait caption records his birth on September 12, 1893, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and his death on August 26, 1900, in Cripple Creek, Colorado. Eileen’s caption says he died of appendicitis.

Gundeste Cesilie Anstensen (Aunt Cecilia)

November 8, 1887 – April 28, 1963

Remembered beside Alfhild and the Johnsen children; documented as a daughter, sister, wife, mother and baptismal sponsor in Oslo.

Gurine Sophie Jacobsdatter

September 30, 1842 – August 9, 1926

From a farm family near Egersund to decades of work in Kristiania, Gurine’s life is traced through parish books, shared homes and an unusually revealing state pension record.

Gustav Albert Hansen

2 April 1877 – 31 January 1907

Gustav Albert Hansen grew up in a family of tenant smallholders and mill workers, then earned his living on Kristiania's waterfront. He and Marie Sofie Anstensen married in 1902 and had a daughter, Bergliot. His death at 29 left Marie widowed and their daughter not yet five.

Hans Kristian Harjo

January 6, 1902 – October 5, 1990

A sailor, whaler and machinist whose life led from northern Norway and the South Atlantic to a family home in Seattle.

Helena Christina Hilpert

Helena Christina Hilpert, known as Helen, was born on November 23, 1885, on the family farm in Centralia. Her father, David August, was 57 and her mother, Magdalena, was 43.

Herman Falkenrath

August 15, 1868 – May 20, 1924

Ida’s brother, a Racine hardware merchant and civic businessman.

Hulda Falkenrath

1875 – August 23, 1929

Also called Hilda, Ida’s sister married Charles Brinkman and made her home in Racine.

Ida Falkenrath

March 12, 1866 – November 27, 1944

Milly’s mother, whose work helped sustain the Dortzbach household through moves, businesses and family losses.

Isak Wilhelm Harjo

A life in Tana, and a letter that keeps his voice close.

Jacob Andreas Gunvald Anstensen

10 December 1881 – 4 November 1911

Jacob's working life followed Norway's waterfronts: an ordinary seaman aboard Homborsund, a driver in Sandefjord, a recorded connection to whaling on Glimt, and dock work in Kristiania. He married Amanda Sofie Andersen in 1908. Three years later, at 29, he died in the wreck of Ocean off Islay.

Jen Peter Dortzbach

July 8, 1863 – May 23, 1942

Milly’s father, a tanner and shoemaker whose own recollections carry the family’s story from Schleswig to Wisconsin, Colorado and Washington.

Johan Bernhard Harjo

The eldest brother, remembered as Bernhard.

Johan Ludvig Harjo

1869 – March 5, 1908

A fisherman, local representative and shopkeeper, Ludvig raised a family with Anna in Vadsø and at Larsnes in Masjok. Their photographs and the surviving papers tell a story of family ties, ambition and difficult years.

Johanna Hilpert (Hannah)

Johanna Hilpert, known as Hannah, was born on February 14, 1875, on the Hilpert family farm. Her father, David, was 47 and her mother, Magdalena, was 33.

Johanne Marie Johnsen

Olaus’s maternal half-sister and the family connections in Oslo.

Karl Fredrik Harjo

Hans’s brother: his northern roots, life at sea, home and family.

Karl George Dortzbach

Karl George was the youngest of Peter and Ida Dortzbach’s four children, and a brother of Milly, Annie and George Karl. Born in 1906, he died on February 27, 1985. He also appears as Carl in the album’s captions.

Kjesten Schmidt

September 11, 1818 – 1899

Peter’s mother and Milly’s paternal grandmother, from a Danish family of craftspeople, teachers and clergy.

Laura Elizabeth Maley Townsend

1877–1935

A home on Yew Street, a life of work, and memories passed to the next generation.

Leonora (Pitzer) Hartshorn

June 17, 1895 – February 19, 1920

A violinist and singer whose life led from El Paso to a German conservatory, and home to the music and family gatherings of Washington.

Marie Sofie Anstensen

March 15, 1877 – probably May 23, 1947

A daughter of Kristiania’s working waterfront, Marie raised a family through loss, widowhood and a second marriage. Her story connects the Anstensens of Grønland with the Johnsens of the Oslofjord.

Martha Gilbert Saunders Townsend

1844–1923

A boy with a rooster, a journey west, and the beginnings of a family.

Milly Hilpert

Milly was Otto Hilpert’s wife and Eileen Townsend’s mother. In the family book, Eileen tells of Milly’s work in a Denver telephone office, a trip to the Pacific Northwest, and the letters that brought Milly and Otto together.

Olaus Johnsen

February 8, 1877 – July 18, 1950

A smith from Kristiania whose story connects a Swedish mother, an American journey and two branches of a Norwegian family.

Otto Hilpert

Otto was a son of David August and Magdalena Hilpert and the father of Eileen Townsend. His life with his wife Milly is remembered in the family book Eileen made for her children.

Paul George Dortzbach

November 10, 1861 – 1926

Peter’s older brother, a cabinetmaker whose family’s story connects Schleswig and the United States.

Pauline Magdalena Hilpert

Paulina, usually called Pauline in the album, was Otto’s sister. She married Frederick H. Reece.

Peter Ernst Falkenrath

A child of Carl Falkenrath and Emilie Pleis who died in infancy in Germany.

Phillip Henrich Hilpert

Phillip Henrich Hilpert was born on the Hilpert farm on July 23, 1883. He farmed alongside his brother Otto.

Ragna Johanne Johnsen

May 13, 1920 – probably January 13, 1997

Ragna was the youngest of Olaus and Marie’s four children. Her baptism records a home at Skjønheim, while her father’s family notice connects her to Arne Jørgensen. Later Oslo records offer a strongly supported continuation of her story, with some details still to be verified.

Reinhold Hilpert

Reinhold Hilpert was born on March 14, 1870, in Centralia, Washington. His father, David, was 42 and his mother, Magdalena, was 28. He was named after his cousin in Germany, Reinhold Leukroth (1850–1920).

Ruth Sissi Sofie Johnsen

January 28, 1916 – June 29, 1974

Ruth’s records lead from a childhood with Alfhild along the Oslofjord to a family of her own. Banns in Sandar and a later family notice connect the young Ruth Johnsen with Ruth Nicolaysen, mother of Leif and Eva.

Selma Anna Hilpert

Selma Anna Hilpert was born on December 23, 1872, in Centralia, Washington. David was 45 and Magdalena was 30.

Severin Anstensen

December 11, 1845 – June 5, 1897

A sailor, dockworker and ship rigger from Egersund, Severin helped build the Anstensen household in Kristiania. His family’s trades connect the waterfront with the town’s pottery workshops.

Signe Margrethe Harjo

From her childhood in Tana to family life in Harstad.

William Albert Townsend

1827–1903

A boy with a rooster, a journey west, and the beginnings of a family.