Johannes "John" LOVEN

My great-grandfather was born as Johannes ASLAKSEN LOVEN on 2 November 1862 in Aurland, Nodre Bergenhus (now Sogn og Fjordane), Norway. At that time in Norway, surnames were based on the name of the father. Thus, ASLAKSEN means "son of Aslak." The LOVEN in his name was, at that time, the family's farm name. Simply meaning that they lived on the farm named Loven. He was born to Aslak OLSEN and Anna JOHANNESDATTER, both with the farm name of LOVEN.

From the Mineserialbok for Aurland. John is entry 49. It's been translated to "Date of birth Nov 7th, date of baptism Nov 9th, name Johannes, born in wedlock parents cotter Aslak OLSEN LOVEN and wife Anna JOHANNESDATTER, witnessess Alf MORTENSEN, Morten AUGUSTINUSSEN, Gjert OLSEN, Britha SJURSDATTER, and Monsine GJERTSDATTER LOVEN.

John left Norway 12 Apr 1869 from Bergen, Norway on the Bark Alma at the age of 6 with his parents, 2 sisters (Sigrid "Sarah" and Metta), and  1 brother (Ole). The ship landed in Quebec on 1 Jun 1869. The passenger list can be viewed at www.norwayheritage.com. On that particular list, the family is on lines 69-74 with John on line 72. He became a naturalized US citizen on 28 Oct 1880. I only have his 2nd papers at this time though.

John's 2nd papers

Sometime between 1800 and 1887 the surname was changed to LOVEN. John married Berte Maria "Mary" LYSTAD on 1 Mar 1887 in Glenwood township, Winneshiek county, Iowa. They had 9 children together: Albert Herman on 15 Jun 1887, Adolph Melvin on 16 Oct 1888 (who went by Melvin), Henry Rudolph on 1 Oct 1890, Anga Cornelia on 6 May 1892 (who died 7 Sep 1893), Carl Alfred on 7 Dec 1893, Julius Bernard on 25 Sep 1895, Anga Cornelia Minerva on 30 Sep 1897, Hanna Violeta "Violet" on 5 Apr 1899, and Roy Philip on 17 Jun 1903.

John & Mary's marriage record. I also have a PDF of this.

John became a widow 10 Apr 1948 when Mary died. He died a few months later on 4 Sep 1948 in Waukon, Allamakee county, Iowa. I do have a PDF of his obit and he has a memorial at findagrave.com.

I've found John on the following censuses:

• 1865 Norwegian census for Aurland.
• 1870 US Census, page 15, Glenwood towsnhip, Winneshiek, Iowa
• 1880 US Census, page 1, Glenwood township, Winneshiek, Iowa
• 1895 IA Census, page 474, Glenwood township, Winneshiek, Iowa
• 1910 US Census, page 8B, Glenwood township, Winneshiek, Iowa
• 1920 US Census, page 3A, Glenwood township, Winneshiek, Iowa
• 1930 US Census, page 2B, Glenwood township, Winneshiek, Iowa
• 1940 US Census, page 3B, Glenwood township, Winneshiek, Iowa

UPDATES: