The Lovely Life of Petrine and Tom Osmundsen Sands
aka The marriage of Petrine Jorgine Hansdatter Kvamme and Torjus Aasmundsen
This essays is about the lovely life of our relatives Petrine [b. 1862] and Tom Sands[b. 1859]. This was their name and how they were referred to by the Ohio Bahm/Sands/Darnell families in the 1940s. Petrine would be my great grandmother. I never met her, she died about four years before I was born. I do remember her daughter Louise talking about her mother. Louise had a fat picture album of her family members from Norway.
In Norway names are ordered and created differently than in America. In English speaking American we could consider Petrine's name like this: Petrine Jorgine Hansdatter Kvamme Sands. USA would list all of her names in the order in which they were given to her. You can find listings for Petrina Jorgine (Hansdatter) Qvamme Osmundsen in Norway. In that case, her father's last name Qvamme/Kvamme would be dropped after she married. In USA genealogy sites you can find her by Petrine Sands sometimes. She takes on the new last name "Sands" in genealogy and census records in the USA. You can also find genealogy info from Norway. You can find Petrine Jorgine Hansdatter Osmundsen/Aasmundsen (born Qvamme). Her name is often spelled incorrectly such as Petrina. One her husbands death certificate she signs her name Petrine Hanson. She's made an English language, USA adaptation probably because in USA, we do not write Hansdaughter/Hansdatter. One relative listed her as Trine and Tom as Thais.
Tom is most frequently referred to as Torjus in Norway, sometimes Thomas in USA. When Torjus lived with his father his name is writtern Torjus Aasmundsen/Osmundsen. I'm not sure how the last name Sands comes into the picture, save for someone saying it's where he lived geographically in Norway.
Petrine Qvamme was a Norwegian Finnmarkian born in 1862. Her entire young and teen life was lived by a small bay fed by the Norwegian Sea in a tiny, tiny village called Talvik.
Behind her farm house called Stensgjaard, which was right by the shore line, she could see the fjords all around. Indeed, she lived in the stunning land of the mighty fjords, the northern lights, pine trees a plenty and massively beautiful constant sounds from the sea waves. As far as we know, she stayed there with her large family until she was in her late teens. Her father was Hans Andreas Bernhard Qvamme (Kvamme), her mother Nicolai Nærum Kvamme (Qvamme); their children Ane-Margrethe Hansdatter (Qvamme), Caroline Helmine Larsson Herreid (født Hansdatter Qvamme), Indiana Eriksen (født Hansdatter (Qvamme)), Juliana Christina Hansdatter (Qvamme), Oluf Hansen Kvamme and of course, Petrine Jorgine Hansdatter Qvamme/Kvamme.
The kinds of people around her were an unusual mix of three cultures - Russians, Saami and Norse. Outdoor life played a large role in Petrine's life. Imagine Talvik as rural like with warm, lovely and friendly neighbors all helping each other. The people were Christianized, except the Saami, mostly shamans. Winter was very cold but the families prepared well and stashed foods that dried well, included a lot of salted cod and salmon. Common foods and experiences would be, and probably still are for half the village, fishing, deer raising, elk, bear, grouse, ducks, geese, lakes, forests, rivers, birch trees, heather, small vegetable farming, gardens, sewing, spinning wool, raising sheep, knitting, candle light, chopping wood, keeping fireplaces, skiing, dog-sledding, hunting, trapping and probably some tanning barns. Stories would include those of the Vikings. By 1613 we can find records of a Shaman in Talvik, so it was most likely settled by then. Stories of witchcraft by the Shaman Saami would be in Petrine's ear too.
Talvik, Finnmark, Norway was settled in the 13th century. When you think of the shape of Norway, long and skinny, on the western side of the body of land we ordinarily consider to be Scandinavia, imagine the land of Norway going from south to north. Facing west on it's entire coast is the Norwegian Sea. Along the western side of this land area are thousands of fjords. Norway is long and skinny and as it turns to the right at it's top, that turn is where you can imagine Finnmark, the county in Norway that is located on the curve. Talvik is in Finnmark among fjords. Talvik is a tiny village that curves into the land.
From research, I think their property had 4 structure/apartments, maybe all attached.
The entire village is mostly by the bay. Most or all of Finnmark was destroyed during World War II. About two third of the population was evacuated to Southern Norway by force. During spring and summer of 1945, most of those who had been forced to leave moved back home. Perhaps Hans [born and died in Talvik] would have had to leave and come back. Everything had to be rebuilt. In 2016 the population is no more than 300. In 2016 Talvik has been incorporated into the nearby Alta so the area is Alta-Talvik, Finnmark, Norway. I shall concern myself with Talvik, the tiny village from whence Petrine came and where many, maybe a few dozen of her relatives lived.
Petrine's mother was Nikoline Albertine Helmer Hansdatter Qvamme. Helmer is her last name before marriage. She is the daughter of a man named Hans. Don't confuse this with the man she married whose first name was also Hans. Nikoline married Hans Christian Andreassen Qvamme [b Sept 21, 1815 d. 1871] Hans and Nikoline married in Nov. 28, 1847.Both of Petrine's parents lived in Talvik, raised their 6 [or seven depending on how you read the names] kids there and while some or all kids left, the parents stayed and died in Talvik. Petrine Jorgine Hansdatter Qvamme's mother, Nicoline Alberthine Hansdatter Helmer was born in 1823 in Tromsø, Troms, Norge and at some point moved to Talvik and had her family. Nicoline died in. Talvik, Finnmark, Norge. As of today, I'm on facebook page for Talvik people/village to try to get someone to find their grave. Geni.com and other sources say they both died in that village.
The family would have attended the one church in Talvik. Here's it's history: At first, it was the Aroya Church and located off shore, by ferry, and on an teenie island. The Årøya Church was barely in use and already in 1703 the people were expressing a desire to move the church to the village of Talvik on the mainland, and the following year the governor approved the move. Årøya Church was demolished and transported across the fjord to Talvik. In 1705, the church was ready for use in Talvik. This church was a cruciform church, somewhat larger than the one that was on Årøya. Poor maintenance meant that by 1734, the church already was in such poor condition that it is unable to be repaired. That building was demolished and a new church was completed in 1737. This church had 220 seats and room for 80 people to stand. This church served Talvik for 147 years. On the night of 16 January 1882, there arose a violent storm and the whole church was torn loose and lifted from the foundation. It had to be demolished and rebuilt once again. On 17 October 1883, the new (present) church was consecrated. This church was designed by Jacob Wilhelm Nordan and it has 410 seats.
I have no story yet on how Torjus ever got so far north of his home turf which as far as me and another cousin Christian Sands [in the USA now] can tell, was Sands, Norway. He would have had to have some kind of fascination to travel that far north. The trip would take perhaps like two weeks by boat.
Nevertheless, Torjus/Thomas met Petrine in northern Finnmark county in the town of Hammerfest, Norway.
Thomas and Petrine met, as far as I can tell, by 1884, doing house work or maybe also farm work at the Eids residence, a married couple. Eids lived in Hammerfest, not too far from Talvik...like just north maybe four towns away or so. Petrine was born in 1862 Talvik, Norway. Thomas Osmundsen Sand [often in Norwegian records like this: Torjus Aasumdsen Sands] was born in 1859 and listed as living with his father Osmund Tormundsen Sand in Sand, Norway, way, way, south in Norway.
Away from their birth town, and in Hammerfest, Norway, in 1884, Petrine Qvamme and Torjus Osmundsen are both listed as "fadder" meaning "sponsor" or "mentor". In the USA this could mean "godparents." It could also mean they were house helpers/caretakers. They were not married at the time. Perhaps Petrine was godparent to new baby. Petrine was born in 1862, [also saw 1860, 1861, 1863] so this would be about right for the age of "work." She'd be about 22. By 1885 the role for Petrine is changed to tjenestegipge, meaning, female servant and she is still in Hammerfest, Norway. Thomas is not listed that year with her. In the 1884, in a Hammerfest Baptism document, I assume who I call Thomas is the same as Torjus Aasmunds, he is listed. It could be one of the children of the owner of the house, the Eids, was getting baptized and Petrine is just present in attendance. None the less, it appears they were both working at the same place in 1884, mentoring for some reason, and probably provided help to the owners.
Petrine and Thomas marry in 1886 [Torjus Osmundsen] and by 1887, in Vardo, Finnmark, Norway, they are baptising their first son Trygve who is a newborn. This suggests that they could have married in 1886, birthed their first son Trygve in 1887, and emigration paperwork shows emigrated to USA by 1888. It appears once they got to the shores of USA, they went to Clearfield County, Houtzdale, Pennsylvanis in 1888. They settle there for a short time, maybe one or two years. When the couple arrive in USA, they say their name is Petrine and Thomas Sands. Noteworthy is her trip to Vardo, an astonishing place to go. Why go? Her brother Hans Andreassen Bernhard Qvamme was there so she was probably going visiting and the baby was born there. We are unsure of this first child because records in Norway and the USA confuse the situation.
It could be true that Trygve, the first child born died in Norway while a baby. This seems true by some docs I've seen, but there is no death record yet. However, in the USA another birth records a child Twigg/Trigg as born in the USA and records also record that this is the couples first child. This could be a mistake by a record keeper. The name by then is Americanized in spelling. Could they have had a first child who died and who was called Trygve, and then a second child shortly after who used the Americanized spelling Trigg? The second child theory is speculation. However, our relative Christian Sands, with whom I communicated, is a descendent of the Trigg in the USA. Christians father, Doug Sands, was a son of Trigg N. Sands. In USA records, it shows their first child is Twigg N. Sands. Therefore, in USA, Petrine and Tom's "Charles" is the 2nd born, if those two sons --Twigg and Tryggve are the same or if the one died and then another was born here. Records show that Trigg was born here. So there is confusion about this point. Charles lists his birth in Houtzdale in 1891. Trigg N. Sands lists his birth in Houtzdale. I speculate that there was a Trygve and he was the first son, born in Norway, but died before arriving in the USA. It appears, if interpreted correctly, Petrine and Tom had 8 or 9 pregnancies, but 6 lived. The birth order in general is Trygve, Trigg, Charles, Mary, Louise (Asora), Clarence, Rubye, Margaret. It is still unclear if Asora is my grandmother Louise. Asora may be a baby who dies shortly after birth. I've seen Louise and Asora's birth year as the same. More checking.
After emigration, the family firsts moves to Houztvale, then I'm not sure exactly when the family moves to another residence in the USA, but their next move is a few counties to the west in Pennsylvania, in McCalmont township, Jefferson county PA, by a 1900 census. It's not too far away.
I read some of the history to guess why they moved: it could have been because of the budding coal mining industry. I wonder at times if Oluf Hanson, Petrine's brother, was already in Punxsutawny first and sent news.
By 1910 the family lives at 112 Cherry St., Greater Punxsutawny Borough, Ward 1, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.Thomas, Petrina and children: Twigg, Charles, Mary, Louise, Clarence, Rubye, Margaret, Petrina’s brother Oluf Hansen Kvamme. Note the spelling of Petrine’s name changes.
There are about five variations of the spelling in the genealogy banks, even Sands has been spelled incorrectly to San...so it’s hard to find.
By 1915, Trigg aka Twigg, is marrying in Mahoning Country, where I grew up [Susan Louise Darnell, grand daughter to Petrine's daughter Louise Sands Bahm]...so the whole Sands family may be in Mahoning county at this point. Petrine and Thomas die in this county or nearby. Tommy was born to Trigg, but Trigg died in 1918. Twigg names his son after his father Thomas Sands but the child was always called Tommy Sands. Tommy bore a son named Doug Sands. Doug has a son Christian, who in 2016 is 39 years old, lives in Colorado and his daughter is 4 and named Rowan Sands. I, Susan Louise Darnell, am in Connecticut. Whoever reads this can get on geni.com and see more about the family tree. Geni.com is free for everything necessary even though it has a premium plan, you can bypass the premium plan and just start a tree. I've gone all the way back to our Viking relatives. We have plenty of kings, queens, barons, knights and so on in our line. Once you see how geni.com has a function that traces back in time, you will love it. You just start your tree, and in the search bar put another relative you know and geni.com will bring into the same page a section that says something like "just a minute we are searching to see if you are related to the person"....Other people can click to follow your tree people or you can too. Do it as in time, the information and track grows. For us, well we have relations all over: Norway, Denmark, Scotland, England, Ireland...all over the place. I have traced back to the 1400s.
1917 Petrine and Tom Sands are in Youngstown, Ohio, USA with Rubye, Margaret, Charles Sands, Louise Sands Bahm and George Anthony Bahm. [Mary and Clarence are out of their parents house at this time. Clarence might be enlisted in WWI, and Mary might be married. Twigg married in 1915]. All live at 399 W. Warren Ave. house in Youngstown, Ohio
1928 Thomas Sands died at 69. At the time, the Sands occupied 399 W. Warren Ave., in Youngstown., OH.
1930 In an Ohio listing we find living together: Petrina age 67, Rubye age 25, Margaret 22.
I’d guess Petrine went to live with her son Charles at some point, maybe in her last months of life. Charles R. Sands is listed as her son who lives with Petrina at Regents St., Yo. Ohio. He might have lived there as a single man. Other siblings were there too: Clarence and Margaret and Charles. [At some point, Charles is dating a woman named like his two sister but the spelling of her name is different. The gals name is Mary Margarette. Recall, Charles has a sister named Mary and another one named Margaret. This is only important when tracking documents online because Charles new wife uses the name Mary sometimes or Margarette sometimes, or the recorders do. Charles marries Mary Margarette so it’s confusing. Charles moves out and to Market Street, as seen next. 1945 When Petrina dies in 1945, the address listed for the person who signed the death certificate is 1749 Market Street ...and the signature is Charles R. Sands. It seems Petrina lived with him at the end of her life.
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