Adolf (Martinsen) Gundersen (1865 - 1938)

Born 8 Oct 1865 in Åsnes, Hedmark, Norge

Died 15 Sep 1938 at age 72 in Åsnes, Hedmark, Norge

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Biography

Adolf Martinsen was born in Åsnes, Hedmark on 08 Oct 1865. His family was living at Keiserud in 1865.^[1] His father was widowed and the family was still at Keiserud in 1875.^[2] He graduated from the Royal Univeristy at Oslo in 1890. He emigrated to the United States, settling in La Crosse where he founded the Norwegian Lutheran Hospital, which now bears his name and is called the Gundersen Lutheran Health Care Systems of Wisconsin. He returned to Norway often and he was visiting his brother Gunder when the 1891 census was taken.^[3] He returned to Norway in 1893 and was married at Åsnes on 16 Sep 1893 to Sara Helga Terese Isaksætre.^[4] His wife went by Helge Sara in the United States. They raised a large family in La Crosse but their oldest son moved back to Norway and took over the family farm. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in February of 1900.^[5] They were back in La Crosse in 1905.^[6][7] He renewed his passport several times and continued travelling back and forth between his home in La Crosse and Norway.^[8][9] In 1926, Adolf was honored with the Knighthood of Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olaf, 1st rank, from King Haakon of Norway. They were enumerated in La Crosse in 1930.^[10] The family travelled to Norway in 1938 to visit their son. Adolf died on this visit in Åsnes on 15 Sep 1938^[11] The church book says he will be buried in the United States. His obituary stated it was not determined at the time of his death if his body would be sent to La Crosse or if he would be buried in Norway. There is a tombstone for him and his wife in La Crosse.^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ 1865 Norway Census: Folketelling 1865 for 0425P Åsnes prestegjeld: Tellingskrets: 005 Keiserud og Bashammeren, Bosted land: 0029 Keiserud, Person: 004 Adolf Gundersen census trascription
   RA, Folketelling 1865 for 0425P Åsnes prestegjeld, 1865, s. 110; Brukslenke for sidevisning: census image
2. ↑ 1875 Norway Census: Folketelling 1875 for 0425P Åsnes prestegjeld: Tellingskrets: 004 , Bosted land: 0049 Keiserud, Person: 004 Adolf Gundersen census transcription
   SAH, Folketelling 1875 for 0425P Åsnes prestegjeld, 1875, s. 553; Brukslenke for sidevisning: census image
3. ↑ 1891 Norway Census: Folketelling 1891 for 0425 Åsnes herred: Tellingskrets: 004 [Mangler kretsnavn], Bosted land: 091, Person: 003 Adolf Gundersen census transcription
   RA, Folketelling 1891 for 0425 Åsnes herred, 1891, s. 2154; Brukslenke for sidevisning: census image
4. ↑ Marriage: Åsnes prestekontor, SAH/PREST-042/H/Ha/Haa/L0000D: Ministerialbok nr. 0B, 1890-1929, s. 109; Brukslenke for sidevisning: church book image of marriage record
5. ↑ Passport Application, 1900: "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJP-HSK6 : 16 March 2018), Adolf Gundersen, 1900; citing Passport Application, Wisconsin, United States, source certificate #17481, Passport Applications, 1795-1905., Roll 541, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ 1905 Wisconsin Census: "Wisconsin State Census, 1905", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM3X-SWD : 5 March 2022), Adolf Gunderson, 1905.
7. ↑ 1910 US Census: "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPKG-DJH : accessed 16 April 2023), Adolph Gunderson, La Crosse Ward 16, La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 113, sheet 1A, family 7, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1716; FHL microfilm 1,375,729.
8. ↑ Passport Application, 1913: "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-LZPG : 16 March 2018), Adolf Gundersen, 1913; citing Passport Application, Wisconsin, United States, source certificate #12573, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 634, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
9. ↑ Passport Application, 1921: "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-QNH1 : 16 March 2018), Adolf Gundersen, 1921; citing Passport Application, Wisconsin, United States, source certificate #28299, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 1591, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
10. ↑ 1930 US Census: "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9QT-BCV : accessed 16 April 2023), Adolph Gunderson, La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 26, sheet 3A, line 47, family 66, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2579; FHL microfilm 2,342,313.
11. ↑ Death: Åsnes prestekontor, SAH/PREST-042/H/Ha/Hab/L0012: Klokkerbok nr. 12, 1921-1942, s. 237; Brukslenke for sidevisning: image of church book death record
12. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/124084628/adolf-gundersen: accessed 16 April 2023), memorial page for Dr Adolf Gundersen (8 Oct 1865–15 Sep 1938), Find A Grave: Memorial #124084628, citing Oak Grove Cemetery, La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wisconsin, USA; Maintained by Susanna Parrish Gullickson (contributor 46929622).

See also:

• Store Norske Leksikon article on Adolf Gundersen
• Wikidata: Item Q4684345