Halvor Nilssen Lohner

Halvor was born November 15, 1815, in Sauland and left Norway on the Ellida, landing in New York on August 9, 1842. Three months before leaving he married Ingeborg Olsdtr, on May 8, 1842.  She accompanied him to America and died in Muskego on November 15, 1843. She is buried in Muskego Lutheran Cemetery.

Halvor would marry twice more.  He had one child with Ingeborg and six children with his second wife. 

Halvor was the leader of the timber work during the building of the old Muskego Church. A quite amusing story about his wedding was published in an old issue of Telesoga.  Most of that story is reprinted (in Norwegian) on the Hjartdal Historielag website: "...for at finde en blidere skjebne".

Halvor died September 29, 1891 and is buried in Muskego Lutheran Cemetery.   The family name is now spelled "Lonar."

Source: Information contributed by Leif Skoje of Hjartdal

Source: Norwegian Immigrants To The United States, A Biographical Directory, 1825-1850. Volume One 1825-1843. By Gerhard B. Naeseth. p. 133, #126-127. 

Contributed by Jackie Hufschmid