Torjus Kjetilson EIKEN

   Another name for Torjus was Torjus Kittilsen HOLIM.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Farmer.

• Immigration: from Norway, 1852, America. Torjus and Gunhild lived at Lundehall in 1851-1852. To America in 1852 on the ship Colon.

Passenger list 1852 - ship Colon
Captain C. Hassel
Departure Kragerø May 27
Arrival New York July 26
Source arr. no. 1023

Ref. Name Age Sex Remarks Addition: Read or submit by clicking the names
44 Torjus Kittilsen Holim* 36 m Steerage E: Unclear list. From Eiken, Fyresdal
45 Gunnild Gjermundsdatter Holim* 34 Steerage E: Unclear. Bruce Larson: see 48
46 Gjermund Torjusen* Holim* 6 Steerage E: Cut in list, num. unclear. B.R: From Eiken in Fyresdal
46 Kittil Torjusen* Holim* 4 m Steerage Bruce Larson:From Eiken in Fyresdal
47 Ole Torjusen Holim* 6m m Steerage Bruce Larson:From Eiken in Fyresdal
48 Gjermund Olsen 55 m Steerage E: from Holer Tveten, Fyresdal
49 Marie Bjørgersdatter 56 f Steerage Bruce Larson: From Tveitane in Fyresdal
50 Ole Gjermundsen 25 m Steerage Bruce Larson: From Tveitane in Fyresdal
51 Bjørguf Gjermundsen* 22 m Steerage Bruce Larson: From Tveitane in Fyresdal
52 Oluf Gjermundsen* 12 Steerage Bruce Larson: From Tveitane in Fyresdal

• Land: Township 102 [Black Hammer], 1857, Houston County, Minnesota, USA. Accession Names Date Doc # State Meridian Twp - Rng Aliquots Sec. # County
MN2330__.063 KETTELSON, TORGUS 4/2/1857 2840 MN 5th PM 102N - 007W NW¼SE¼ 6 Houston
MN2320__.295 KETTLESON, TORGUS 4/2/1857 2560 MN 5th PM 102N - 007W NE¼NW¼ 6 Houston
MN2310__.084 KETTLESON, TORJUS 4/2/1857 1704 MN 5th PM 102N - 007W SE¼NW¼ 6 Houston

• Census: Black Hammer, 1860, Houston County, Minnesota, USA. line 11

585 600 Torgus Kettelson 44 Norway
Cornelia Kettelson 40 Norway
Jerman Kettelson 14 Norway
Kettel Kettelson 11 Norway
Ole Kettelson 9 Norway
Gro Kettelson 7 WI
Mary Kettelson 5 MN
Tollif Kettelson 3 MN
Andrew Kettelson 3/12 MN

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• Census: Black Hammer, 1870, Houston County, Minnesota, USA. Toryus Kettleson54
Gertrud Kettleson62
German Kettleson23
Ketth Kettleson21
Ole Kettleson18
Geo Kettleson16
Mary Kettleson14
Taliff Kettleson12
Andrew Kettleson10
Anna Kettleson7

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• Will: Last Will and Testament of Torjus Kittleson [Eiken], 1886. The Last Will and Testament of Torjus Kittleson Eiken is included because it tells where his children were living as of December 1886 and that one child, Margit, had already died but she had one daughter, Gina Wentzel.

(Dated December 8, 1886, filed March 15, 1887, recorded in Book 26 of Wills, page 273.)

Recites: Know all men by these presents; that I, Torjus Kittleson (Eiken) of Town of Black Hammer, County of Houston, State of Minnesota; being of sound disposing and memory and being desirous of settling my wordly affairs and directing how the estate, with which it please God to bless me, shall be disposed of after my death and to make and publish this my last will and testament.

First. I commend my immortal soul to him ((who)) gave it. As to my worldy estate, real and personal to which I shall be entitled to at the time of mine decease. I devise bequeath and dispose thereof in the manner following to-wit:

It is my will that all my property "real and personal" shall be equally divided between my seven (7) lawful children (By my Executors hereafter named) know by the following names to-wit:
Gjermund Eiken, Crookston, Poke Co., Minn.
Kittel Eiken, Crookston, Poke Co., Minn.
Ole Eiken, Bratsberg, Fillmore Co., Minn.
Gro Breiland, Moorhead, Clay Co., Minn.
Tollif Eiken, Bratsberg, Fillmore Co. Minn.
Andrew Eiken, Crookston, Poke Co., Minn.
Anne Olafson, Crookston, Poke Co., Minn.

And it is my will, that Gina Wentzel, daughter of my deceased daughter Margit, shall have the sum of Four Hundred dollars ($400.00) out of same estate, and I do hereby commit the guardianship of said Gina Wentzel until she shall have attained the age of Twenty one (21) to my son-in-law Anne ((Aadne)) H. Bresland ((Breiland)), Moorhead, Minn. And in the case of death of said Gina Wentzel before the age of 21 the guardian shall repay the money to said executors of deceased (Torjus Kittleson) then alive or their heirs.

And be known, that my son Ole Eiken have bought following land per verbal contract for the amount of Twenty seven ((hundred)) and fifty dollars ($2750.00) as follows: The W1/2 of the NE1/4 Section 6 Town 102 R 7 and NE1/4 NW1/4 Sec. 6 Town 102 Range 7 and the 20 acres of the E1/2 of the SE1/4 Sec. 6 Town 102 R 7 and the NW1/4 of the SE1/4 Sec. 6 Town 102 R 7 and that said Ole Eiken has paid on the above described land fifteen hundred dollars ($1500.00) which leaves a ball of twelve hundred and fifty dollars ($1250.00) for which said Ole Eiken shall after my decease give note and mortgage on the said land when warrantee deed is given him, at the rate of three (3) per cent said note shall be paid when settlement of said estate is made.

And that all farming implements, household goods, horses and stock on said land shall belong to said Ole Eiken with the following named exceptions to-wit: One single buggy, one lumber wagon, one fanning mill, one 4 year old horse Prince, one cow 10 yr old which shall after my decease belong to my estate.

And be it known that my son Tollif Eiken shall have 2 3/4 acres located in the NW1/4 of the NW1/4 Sec. 6 Town 102 R. 7 deeded to me Torjus Kittleson from Kittle Knudson Nov 16th, 1867 according to descriptions of same deed.

And be it known that my son Tollif Eiken have bought following land per verbal contract for the amount of Fourteen Hundred and fifty dollars ($1450.00) as follows: The S1/2 of the NW1/4 of the NW1/4 Sec. 6 T 102 R 7 and the SW1/4 NW1/4 Sec. 6, T 102 R 7 and the W1/2 of the SW1/4 Sec. 6 Town 102 Range 7 and 20 acres of the West 1/2 of the SE1/4 NW1/4 Sec. 6 T 102 R 7 and that said Tollef Eiken has paid on above described land Eight hundred dollars ($800.00) which leaves a ball of six hundred and fifty dollars ($650.00) for which amount said Tollif Eiken shall after my decease give note and mortgage on said land when warrantee deed is given him at the rate of three (3) per cent, said note shall be paid when said estate is settled.

It is also my will, that if any of my above named children should die before estate be divided that such part of estate belonging to either of deceased children shall belong to heirs, executors or administrators of same.

Lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my two sons Ole Eiken and Andrew Eiken to be executors of this last will and testament.

[Note: This is from a typed copy that was not the original. The copy had some typing errors. Where text was added to make it clearer the text is noted by (( )). RBL]

• Cemetery: Highland Prairie Lutheran Church Cemetery, 1887, Fillmore County, Minnesota, USA. Torjus Kittelsen Eiken
fodt 4 Sep. 1816
dode 1 Jan. 1887

• Biography: History of Houston County Minnesota, 1919, Houston County, Minnesota, USA. P198
Torjus Kettleson (Eiken), a pioneer of Black Hammer Township, was born in Norway, and came to Houston County, Minn., when there were but a few settlers here, entering land, Aug. 25, 1855, in Black Hammer Township. He was accompanied by his wife and several children, and, like nearly all the early immigrants, had crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel, landing after a long and tedious voyage. The first home of himself and family here was a dugout, which he soon converted into a cellar, erecting thereon a log house, which for some years proved a fairly comfortable residence. He began his agricultural operations by clearing off a patch for corn, which, when ripened and gathered, was ground into meal in a coffee-mill --- a common device with the pioneer settlers before a grist mill was established in the neighborhood. In time Mr. Kettleson developed his farm and raised various crops, establishing for himself and family a comfortable home.

Torjus married Gunhild Gjermundsdatter HOLER, daughter of Gjermund Olavson HAGA and Margit Bjørguvsdatter RINDEN, on 30 Nov 1846 in Fyresdal, Telemark, Norway.¹ (Gunhild Gjermundsdatter HOLER was born on 4 Jul 1820 in Fyresdal, Telemark, Norway,⁵ died on 25 Dec 1875 in Black Hammer Township, Houston County, Minnesota, USA ⁴ and was buried in Highland Prairie, Norway Township, Fillmore County, MN.)