Who is Ludvig?

As you know from my most recent posts, this winter I have been working with newly found family member, Inger Zainer.  We have been researching our connection to Tjome, Norway. She has presented me with a mystery about a previously unknown family member.  Unknown to Inger until a friend of hers, Lars, found a baptism record and brought it to her attention.  Unknown to me because much of my Norwegian roots was unknown until this winter. The mystery is centered around a young boy whose name is Ludvig Bühring Andersen Zainer. 

That is right!  The record implies that Hans and Matilde had a son in 1902 and that this is the offical record of his birth and baptism. 

 

This record seems to suggest that Ludvig is the half brother to my Grandfather.  No where in my family records have I seen anything about Ludvig. This record is an official baptism/ birth record from the Tjome Church.

The mystery is that no one on either side of the ocean seemed to know that he existed.  There was never a reference to him by my grandfather Anders or his brother Haakon.  Nor did the Zainer family in Norway seem to know anything of him.  We are all caught by surprise.

And then we are even more surprised to learn that he left Norway with Mary,the wife of Jorgen Seiner for America in1911. He is listed with this family who came through Ellis Island. These two records answer very few questions and make me ask so many more.

“ Why would he go to America with his Uncle?”

“Why would Mathilde allow her only child to be taken to America with Jorgen and Mary.”
“Why did my Grandpa “Anders” not talk about his half brother?”
“Why did the Zainer’s not talk about him too?”

It’s our mystery to solve. I have my own personal thoughts on how this mystery will unravel.  I am doing some research through American records to see what answers we can find. Until the next blog.…Happy hunting!

Love,


Jan