Need help with Norwegian notable - tree flawed

+7 votes
277 views
Moroni Olsen was a notable actor perhaps best remembered as the voice of the Magic Mirror in the classic Walt Disney film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938).

His parents, Edward Arenholt Olsen and Martha Margaret Hoverholst were immigrants to America from Hoverholst, Norway. Both of their fathers are said to have been named Gabriel Jorenson, which is perfectly feasible given Norwegian naming practice. However, although the two fathers have different dates of birth and death, Wkitree has both men linkied to the same set of parents as if they were the same man. If this were the case, it would mean that Moroni's parents were actually brother and sister.

It would be wonderful if someone experience in Norwegian records could take a look at these profiles and help set the record straight.
WikiTree profile: Moroni Olsen
in Genealogy Help by David Randall G2G6 Pilot (350k points)
edited by David Randall
I'm looking at it right now.

1 Answer

+8 votes

It appears like there were two Ole Gabrielsens with the same parents, one of them (d.e. = the elder) born in 1816 and the other (d.y. = the younger) in 1819. This would make Edvard and Marthe first cousins and nothing uncommon in Norway. See Gabriel Joreson's profile.

by Leif Biberg Kristensen G2G6 Pilot (208k points)
Thank you so much Leif. It never occurred to me that the two Ole's could be brothers. Guess I just need to break through my American way of viewing things. It does seem, however, that giving your children the same name would just be asking for trouble. Makes me wonder if the two boys might have middle names or nicknames to distinguish themselves from each other.
It was not uncommon in Norway back then to have two children with the same name, in particular when there were two grandparents who should be called up. I suppose they were called "Store-Ole" (Big Ole) and "Lille-Ole" (Little Ole) or something.

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