Jens Kristian Hansen (1890-1950)

Jens was my husband's grandfather. They never knew each other but we have heard stories about him from other family members.

Here's a brief timeline of events for him which can then be used as a jump off point for adding in other details.

Birth - 15 June 1890 - Buksnes, Lofoten og Vesterålen, Nordland, Norway.
He was the 10th of 12 children.
Census 1900 - Hol øvre nordre, Buksnes, Lofoten og Vesterålen, Nordland, Norway.
http://digitalarkivet.arkivverket.no/ft/person/pf01037537003708
Census 1910 - Hol øvre nordre (gaard), Buksnes, Lofoten og Vesterålen, Nordland, Norway.
In father's household. Assumed residence Kirkenes. http://digitalarkivet.arkivverket.no/ft/person/pf01036935004231
Then we have his emigration information when he left from Norway to go to Canada. His sponsor was his brother Nils.
Residence - March 1913 - Leknes, Lofoten, Nordland, Norway
Departure - 4 April 1913 - Liverpool, Lancashire, England - on "Empress of Britain"
Arrival - 12 April 1913 - St John, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Farm Laborer, Single, Stayed with his brother Nils at Thunder Bay for a while.
WWI registration - 318 8th Street South, Virginia, St Louis, Minnesotta, USA.
Surname written as Hanson. Lumber Piler. Single. Previous military experience - 72 days, Private, Infantry, Norway.
Marriage - 23 August 1919 - Fort William, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Witness - Thom Olgren.
He married Gerda Josefine Marie Valentinsen. They were both single. He was a Lumber Grader and she was a Domestic. They were 1st. cousins.
They met before he enlisted for WWI. He was in the US visiting relatives (so I've been told.)
Census 1920 - 398 Broadway Street, St Paul, Ramsay, Minnesota, USA
1920 - Birth of son Einar Ingvald Hansen (died 2002)
1924 - Birth and death of son Robert Herman Hansen
1927 - Birth of son Robert Moncreif Hansen (died 1998)
Census 1930 - 1224 East 3rd Street, St Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, USA
Married. Painter for House Decorating Company
Address 1933 - 1224 East 3rd Street, St Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, USA
Painter YMCA
Address - 1935 - 1224 East 3rd Street, St Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, USA
Census 1940 - 1224 East 3rd Street, St Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, USA
Surname spelled Hanson. Married. Painter Decorator for boy's club.
Address - 1948 - 837 Margaret Street, St Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, USA
Painter Veterans Administration
Death - 29 April 1950 - St Paul, Ramsey, Minnesotta, USA
Burial - 1950 - Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesotta, USA
Jens C. Hanson, Minnesota, PFC OMC, World War I, June 15 1890, April 29 1950

So this is the very basic time line. I have not included the birth of his youngest son, because he is still living, but the other 3 sons, and Gerda, are all deceased.

What else could be added in?
Information about his parents and siblings
military record from Norway
what life was like in the areas he lived in Norway
why did he decide to leave Norway
the date he left Norway to go to Liverpool
the date he left Canada to visit family in USA
the final date he settled in the USA
USA naturalization records
Social Security records
more details about his employment
details about how he and Gerda met and where.
who was Gerda and where did she come from
when they found out they were 1st cousins. Their mothers were sisters but lived in different parts of Norway.

Jens parents
Hans Magnus Rode Jensen (1848-1929) and Elen Kristine Christofersdatter Lindgaard (1848-1909)
Siblings
Emilie Kristina Amanda Hansdatter (1867-1937)
Hansine Lovise Hansen or Jensen (1871-1949)
Amandus Olai Hansen (1873-1874)
Amandus Olai Hansen (1875-1949)
Sara Hansdatter (1877-1952)
Marthin Luther Hansen (1879-1920)
Lotte Marie Hansen (1882-1968)
Marie Løkke Hansen (1885-1968)
Nils Martin Hansen (1890-1950)
Hanna Eline Hansen (1893-1971)
baby girl Hansen (1897-1897)
With the exception of his brother Nils, all of Jens siblings lived and died in Norway. Nils died in Canada.
Wife (very basic information)
Gerda Josefine Marie Valentinsen
birth - 19 June 1893, Åse, Andøy, Nordland, Norway
emigration - 10 August 1911 - from Trondheim, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway
arrival - 28 Aug 1911 - Ellis Island, New York, USA. Passage paid by her cousin Mrs. G. E. Gilbertson
death - 18 January 1984 - Fairborn, Greene Co., Ohio, USA
burial - beside her spouse at Fort Snelling

19 Jun 1893 • Åse, Andøy, Nordland, Norway

Buksnes, Lofoten og Vesterålen, Nordland, No

Buksnes, Lofoten og Vesterålen, Nordland, N

Timelines and how to use them

I love timelines. They are a wonderful way to combine information about a person you are researching into a short format. They can also help you see any gaps in your research. I use a basic word document to write mine so that it can be easily incorporated into any family history I might write.

Just as an example here is a timeline I created for my g-g-grandfather William Colville.

William Colville timeline

Parents – John Colville and Isabella or Ann Falconer

1833 – birth, Cortachy nr. Kirriemuir

1850’s

1851 – census – Culhauk Bothy, Kirriemuir, Forfar

1856 – marriage to Janet “Jessie” Anton – Lochee, Dundee, Forfar

1857 – birth of daughter Jeannie Jack Colville

1859 – birth of daughter Jessie Ann Colville

1860’s

1861 – birth of son Thomas Wilson Colville

1861 – census – Deuchersland, Perth Road, Dundee

1862 – death of son Thomas Wilson Colville

1863 – birth of son William Falconer Colville

1865 – birth of son David Knight Colville

1866 – birth of son Robert Anton Colville

1867 – birth of son James Mealmaker Colville

1868 – death of brother-in-law William Anton

1869 – birth of son Alexander Patterson Colville

1870’s

1870 – death of son Alexander Patterson Colville

1871 – birth of daughter Elizabeth Cox Colville

1871 – census – 1 Fords Lane, Perth Road, Dundee

1871 – death of sister-in-law Margaret Jack

1872 – birth of daughter Wilhelmina Colville

1873 – birth of daughter Annabella Johnstone Colville

1874 – death of daughter Annabella Johnstone Colville

1874 – birth of daughter Marjory Myles Colville

1880’s

1881 – marriage of Jeannie Jack Colville to John Robertson Miller

1881 – census – 1 Fords Lane, Perth Road, Liff & Benvie

1882 – birth of grandson William Colville Robertson Miller

1884 – birth of grandson George Miller

1885 – birth of granddaughter Jessie Anton Miller

1885 – marriage of son David Knight Colville and Annie Watson Wighton

1886 – marriage of daughter Jessie Ann Colville to Alexander McKenzie Christie

1886 – birth of granddaughter Elizabeth Cox Colville

1886 – birth of grandson David Knight Colville

1887 – birth of grandson John Robertson Miller

1887 – death of sister-in-law Isabella Johnston

1888 – birth of granddaughter Mabel Colville Christie

1889 – birth of granddaughter Jeannie Miller

1889 – birth of grandson Arthur George Christie

1890’s

1890 – birth of grandson George Bell Miller

1891 – census – 1 Fords Lane, Perth Road, Liff & Benvie

1891 – marriage of son William Falconer Colville to Julia Ann Lyell Stewart

1892 – birth of grandson Alexander Ross Colville

1892 - death of brother-in-law Alexander Reid Wilson

1893 – death, Dundee

As you can see it gives very basic information about William and his family. For each year I have documentation that can be looked at to gain further information. In addition to the standard birth, marriage, death, and census records there are also wills, military, travel, newspapers, family stories, and social history that can give valuable information. I like to add in basic information about siblings and their families as a reminder to myself to continue researching them. Side branches in our family trees can often overcome stumbling blocks or brick walls in our research.

I have the same kind of timeline for William's wife Janet Anton. Since she died in 1916 it has a lot more basic family information in there. 

Janet “Jessie” Anton timeline

Parents – Robert Anton and Janet Barrie

1837 – birth, Lochee, Dundee, Forfar

1841 – census – Back Muir, Liff & Benvie, Forfar

1841 – birth of sister Agnes Dewar Anton

1850’s

1854 – marriage of brother William Anton to Catherine Birrell

1855 – birth of niece Katherine Birrell Anton

1856 – marriage of sister Margaret Anton to Alexander Jack

1856 – marriage to William Colville – Lochee, Dundee, Forfar

1857 – birth of niece Isabella Wilson

1857 – birth of daughter Jeannie Jack Colville

1857 – birth of niece Margaret Anton

1858 – marriage of sister Isabella Anton to George Johnston

1858 – birth of niece Jane Wilson

1859 – birth of daughter Jessie Ann Colville

1859 – birth of nephew Alexander Johnston

1860’s

1860 – birth of nephew George Johnston

1860 – birth of niece Margaret Wilson

1861– birth of nephew Robert Anton

1861 – birth of son Thomas Wilson Colville

1861 – census – Deuchersland, Perth Road, Dundee

1861 – birth of nephew William Colville Johnston

1862 – death of son Thomas Wilson Colville

1862 – birth of niece Agnes Wilson

1862– birth of nephew John Johnston

1862 – marriage of sister Agnes Dewar Anton to James Alston

1863 – birth of niece Mary Ann Anton

1863 – birth of son William Falconer Colville

1863 – birth of niece Jessie Ann Matthew Alston

1864 – birth of nephew James Johnston

1864 – death of nephew Robert Anton

1864 – birth and death of nephew baby male Wilson

1865 – birth of son David Knight Colville

1865 – birth and death of nephew baby male Wilson

1865 – birth of niece Isabella Alston

1865 – birth of niece Isabella Johnston

1866 – birth of son Robert Anton Colville

1866  – birth of nephew William Anton and niece Janet Barry Anton (twins)

1866 – birth of nephew Alexander Reid Wilson

1867 – death of brother-in-law Alexander Jack

1867 – birth of son James Mealmaker Colville

1867 – birth of niece Ann Johnston

1868– birth of niece Jessie Whammond Colville Wilson

1868 – death of brother William Anton

(abt) 1868 – Birth of niece Agnes Alston

1869 – birth of niece Jessie Johnston

1869 – birth of son Alexander Patterson Colville

1870’s

1870 – death of son Alexander Patterson Colville

1870 – birth of nephew David Johnston

(abt) 1870 – birth of nephew James William Rogerson Alston

1871 – birth of daughter Elizabeth Cox Colville

1871– Census – 1 Fords Lane, Perth Road, Dundee

1871 – death of sister Margaret Jack

1872 – birth of nephew Charles Johnston

1872  – birth of nephew William Fisher Wilson

1872 – birth of daughter Wilhelmina Colville

1873 – birth of nephew Joseph Johnston

1873 – birth of daughter Annabella Johnstone Colville

1874 – death of daughter Annabella Johnstone Colville

1874  – birth of nephew James Alston Wilson

1874 – birth of niece Robina Johnston

1874 – birth of daughter Marjory Myles Colville

(abt) 1874 – death of niece Margaret Anton

1875 - Sister Agnes Alston and her family immigrated to New Zealand

1876 – birth of nephew Robert Wilson

1876 – death of father Robert Anton

1876 – birth of nephew Thomas Johnston

(abt) 1878 - birth of niece Georgina Wilson

1878 – marriage of sister-in-law Catherine Anton nee Birrell to Duncan McInnes

1880’s

1881 – marriage of Jeannie Jack Colville to John Robertson Miller

1881 – census – 1 Fords Lane, Perth Road, Liff & Benvie

1882 - birth of grandson William Colville Robertson Miller

(abt) 1884 - birth of grandson George Miller

1885 – death of aunt Isabel Barrie

1885 – marriage of son David Knight Colville and Annie Watson Wighton

1885  – birth of granddaughter Jessie Anton Miller

1885 – birth of granddaughter Lizzie Cox Colville

1885 – death of mother Janet “Jessie” Anton nee Barrie

1886  – birth of grandson David Knight Colville

1886 – marriage of daughter Jessie Ann Colville to Alexander McKenzie Christie

1887 – death of sister Isabella Johnstone

1887 – birth of grandson John Robertson Miller

1888 – birth of granddaughter Mabel Colville Christie

(abt) 1889 - birth of granddaughter Jeannie Miller

1889 - birth of grandson Arthur George Christie

1890’s

1890 - birth of grandson George Bell Miller

1891 - census – 1 Fords Lane, Perth Road, Liff & Benvie

1891 – marriage of son William Falconer Colville to Julia Ann Lyell Stewart

1892 - birth of grandson Alexander Ross Colville

1892 - death of brother-in-law Alexander Reid Wilson

1893 – death of husband William Colville

1893 – death of sister-in-law Catherine Anton McInnes

1894 – birth of granddaughter Edith Stewart Colville

1897 – marriage of daughter Marjory Myles Colville to Robert Smith

1897 – marriage of daughter Elizabeth Cox Colville to David Henderson Smith

1898 – birth of granddaughter Florence Maud Colville Smith

1898 – marriage of son James Mealmaker Colville to Isabella Baxter Wyles

1899 – birth of grandson William Colville

1899 – death of son-in-law David Henderson Smith

1899 – birth of granddaughter Jessie Colville

1900’s

1900 - death of brother-in-law George Johnston

1900 – birth of grandson Colville George Watt Smith

1901 – birth of granddaughter Elizabeth Downie Colville

1901 – marriage of son David Knight Colville to Mary Adams

1902 – marriage of daughter Elizabeth Cox Colville Smith to Alexander Reid Wilson

1905 - birth of granddaughter Mabel Eliza Colville Wilson

1905 – death of sister Susan Wilson

1906 – marriage of son Robert Anton Colville to Ann Marshall

1907 – birth of grandson Forbes Wyles Colville (twin)

1907 – birth of grandson James Mealmaker Colville (twin)

1907 – death of grandson Forbes Wyles Colville

1908 – marriage of grandson William Colville Robertson Miller to Elizabeth Keir Miller

1910’s

1912 - marriage of grandson David Knight Colville to Bessie Thompson

1913 - marriage of granddaughter Mabel Colville Christie to Ian McDonald

1916 – death, Dundee, Forfar

You'll notice in her timeline that there are some (abt)'s. This is a good indication that I need to research that further e.g. (abt.) 1884 - birth of grandson George Miller. All I have in my personal notes is that he was born in Perth, Perthshire and that he died bef. 1890. 

Given this basic information I would have to search www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk to find out if his birth and death were registered there. According to the index there is a George Miller born in 1883 in Errol. Is this the right person? I would have to buy credits and use them to find out. 

Unfortunately he lived and died between census records in 1881 and 1891 so that avenue is not open to me. 

How do I know he died before 1890? His parents had a son George Bell Miller born September 4th 1890 in Perth so he had to have died before then. Using the age range of 0 to 8 in the Scotlandspeople index a number of George Miller's pop up, but none died in Perthshire so I would be making an absolute guess as to which one it was, and where he died.

Another question to ask myself is - where did I find him in the first place, and with more recent research tools available, did he even exist? Hopefully I kept some research notes about him, but somehow I doubt it. That is one area I am working on getting better at.