Map of Oslo (soon to come)	Olso, the capital city of Norway, is situated at the head of the Oslo Fjord, in a wide valley with low hills around it to the east, north, and west. It is home to Norway's Royal Family, Norway's parliament and its government offices. For 300 years, from 1624 - 1924, Oslo was called Christiania or Kristiania.
	Kamilla (b. 2 June1891) was the fourth child of Karl and Petra Karlsen. She was born in Christiania (Kristiania), Norway. Kamilla enjoyed music and had a beautiful alto voice.
	Kamilla's parents, Anders Karlsen and Petra Mortensen were probably married on 10 Sep 1882 , at Vestre Aker, Oslo, Akershus, Norway They had 4 children. The first, a son Karl, died at age seven, followed by three daughters, Anna, Karoline, and Kamilla. This may sound like a small family, but Petra had been a widow before this marriage and already had 4 children. Karl or his family was from Sweden. (At the time of the children's births, Norway was still a Swedish territory.)
	Sometime between 1900 , and 1908, they moved to Liabroveien 114 in Christiania or Kristiania as Oslo was known at that time, on a hill overlooking the Oslo fjord next to the prestigious Seamans School. Karl was a antiques dealer and furniture finisher from Sweden and Petra Mortensen took care of her home and children. Their home was located near the King's palace and when he went by in his carriage, Kamilla would go to the gate and wave at the king when he went by.
	Kamilla was a "city girl". While she was growing up, Kamilla enjoyed music and attended concerts on the fjord. She trained to be a hat maker in Oslo although it is unclear whether or not she worked as a hat maker there. (Notice the hats in the picture.) This picture is of Kamilla (rt) and her sister Karoline (lf).
	Kamilla (rt) had another sister, Anna, who was the eldest. She left Oslo in 1904 for the Chicago, where she had an Aunt and Uncle living. While there, she met and married Alf Hansen. Her eldest, Anne, was born in 1908. Kamilla left Oslo in 1909 to visit Anna.
Other images	See other images of Kamilla, her parents and siblings, and the Oslo area. Larger printable images are available from this location.

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Oslo

A small settlement at the head of the Oslo Fjord, Oslo began in the 8th century. It was a center for agriculture, shipbuilding and trade. There is a folktale about the founding the founding of Oslo by King Harald Hardraade in the year 1050 (archaeological finds support at least that age.) In the Middle Ages, more than half of Oslo's population died. Like many cities built of wood, Oslo experienced near-complete destruction by fire in the 1600's. This fire was attributed to four witches. After the fire, King Christian IV (of Denmark) rebuilt Oslo nearby and renamed it Christiania.

Through the 18th century the city remained small. However, by 1910, the year after Kamilla's trip, the population had already reached 225,000.

In1924, Christiania's 300th anniversary, the city was renamed Oslo.

Oslo is the capital city of Norway and also the cultural center of Norway.

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Karl and Petra

Petra's husband (Kamilla's father) is usually refered to as Karl. This may have been a "nickname" because apparently his name is actually Anders. In the 1900 census, there are no good matches for a Karl but some definate posibilities for Anders. Additional confusion arises about the spelling of the last name, Karlsen. If Anders is Swedish, it is likely that his name would be spelled Karlsson or Karlson. However, consistantly, the daughters spell their lastname Karlsen, the Norwegian and Danish style.

In the marriage record that I found at the LDS site (http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search) and Petra seems to be using her first husband's last name and Anders is spelling his name "Karlson".

At this time I am assuming that this is the record of their marriage because the names are essentially correct, the date is in the right window, and it took place in Oslo..
Petra HOLMSEN Sex: F
Marriage(s):
Spouse: Anders Peter KARLSON
Marriage:10 Sep 1882 , Vestre Aker, Oslo, Akershus, Norway

Karl Karlsson and Petra Mortensen's children were a son Karl, died at age seven, followed by three daughters, Anna, Karoline, and Kamilla. Petra had at least 4 children fron her first marriage, Petra, Olgat, Herman, and Olaf. The second youngest child of this group was Herman (his wife was Lydia) who is the father of Arthur Holmsen. Arthur and his wife Signe had 3 children, Elsa, Olstein and Lillian. Lillian visited the Woldhagen's in Texas and was visited by members of the American Woldhagen family (including Doug White) at her apartment in the Oslo area. There was also an Agoth Holmsen who married Carl Anderson and had three children, Reidar, Einar, and Gunar. There is also a reference to an Aunt Ola.

Karl was a antique dealer and furniture finisher (information from Lillian) with a shop on Kunghanswei. Apparently he was from Sweden. At this time Norway was still a Swedish territory.

Petra Mortensen took care of her home and children. Petra's origins are unsure. Mortenson is probably her maiden name. Lillian once told Doug White that Petra's brother, Oscar, was the head of Parliment. Her first husband was probably a Mr. Holmsen. His father's first name could have been Holm. (Note the "sen" ending.)

Petra died May 11, 1929 and Karl died January 21, 1937.

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Liabroveien 114

Sometime between 1900 , and 1908, they moved to a hill overlooking the Oslo fjord next to the prestigious Seamans School, near the king's palace. (This would have been after 1905 because prior to that Norway did not have a king.) In the 1900 census for Oslo (Kristiania) the inhabitants of Liabroveien 114 (the address on the backs of the postcards that were mailed to Karoline) are the Andersson family (#142289 -92 in the census). The head of household may be Johan Anfind Andersson.)

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Sisters

Her sister Anna was is the USA and already married to Alf Hansen and the mother of one child, Anne, before 1908. Karoline was still in Norway on 19 August 1908 because Anna mailed her a postcard with that date. ( On the postcard Anna is pictured with her husband, baby Anne (b. 29 Apr 1908). Ingeborg Johnson-Lund and her husband Olaf Lund and Oscar Martin another couple, Olav and Anna Martins with their daughter Bertha and Oscar Martins who with his wife, Elizabeth, (not shown) were the sponsors of quite a few immigrants to come to Chicago. It is noted somewhere that some of relatives took the name Martins when they emigrated but these Martin's were not related to Anna.

Karoline seemed to travel a great deal. According to a photograph, Karoline visited Anna in Chicago when she had two of her children. In 1911, there is another postcard mailed from Chicago to Karoline in Norway from Kamilla.

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