Karl Fredrik’s story
Get to know Karl and Gunvor, their children and life at Larsnes through family photographs, letters and memories.
Our people · Our places · Our stories
Our Family History
Every photograph has people behind it, and every family has stories worth keeping. Here we’re bringing together the lives, letters, photographs and memories of our Harjo, Johnsen, Townsend and Hilpert families—with more being discovered along the way.
Recently added
Family Lives in the Newspaper
Weddings, family milestones and everyday life in 42 original newspaper articles, each with an English translation.
Andreas’s story, and his daughter Ester
New records, family photographs and the story of Ester’s mother, Elen Anna.
Our people, their stories
Find a family member
Choose a family, then a name to discover their life and photographs.
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Four branches of our shared history
Start with a story
More stories →
Harjo · Biography
The life of Hans Harjo
Follow Hans through family memories, photographs and the records of his life.
Read the story →
Johnsen · Biography
Alfhild’s journey from Norway to America
Childhood, family and the journey to a new home with Hans and their children.
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Townsend · Family story
William and Martha Townsend
Meet William and Martha and follow their story through the generations.
Read the story →
Letters · 1849–1880
The Hilpert letters
Read the family correspondence alongside original scans, English translations and research notes.
Read the story →Explore the collections
Albums: Otto & Milly’s album · Peter & Anna’s album
Letters: The Hilpert correspondence · Letters from Hans
The connections between us
Our family tree
See how the generations and family branches connect. Our tree is kept on Ancestry; find out how to request an invitation or return to it if you already have access.
Recognize a face? Remember a story?
A name, a memory or a correction can help us tell these stories more fully. Your message goes privately to Isaac, and you choose whether it may be shared.