Anna Helene Olsdatter was born 24 Sep. 1853(# 98) on Melsbø farm, Lødingen, Nordland County, Norway. She died 1908 in Spring Valley, Pierce, Wisconsin, USA. She was daughter of Ole Andreas Amundsen and Martha Andersdatter. Anna Helene married Carl E Widgren abt. 1878. They had at least 3 children.

1. Laura Mathilde O. Widgren, b. Sep. 1879, d. 19 July 1961, m. John (Johannes) S. Danielson.
2. William Henry Widgren, b. Oct. 1884, d. Aft. 1916.
3. George Alrich Widgren, b. 14 Jan. 1895, d. 8 Jan. 1986. (AKA William E Erickson ??.)

Anna Helene was christened on 20 Nov. 1853(# 98) in Lødingen.

In the 1865 census Anna Helene was living on Melsbø farm in Lødingen together with her parents and siblings. (At that time the farm name was written as Mælsbø).

She emigrated to USA in 1866 together with her parents and siblings. They departured from Trondheim on 5 May 1866 on the bark Neptunus. They arrived in Quebec Canada on 9 June 1866. Passenger list (see # 346 - 353). Her name was then listed as Anne Helene.

She used the name Anna Helene Melsby in USA. Later Anna H Widgren.

In the 1880 census she was living in River Falls, Pierce, WI, together with her husband Carle E Vidgren and their daughter Laura Vidgren. Anna Helene's name was listed as Anna Vidgren.

In the 1900 census she was living in Gilman, Pierce, WI, together with her husband Chas Widgren and their son George Widgren. Her name was then listed as Anna Widgren. She had been married 22 years and her immigration year was 1866.

In the 1900 census her children William H Widgren 16 years old and Laura Mathilde O. Danielson 21 years old and her husband John S Danielson was living in Reynolds Township, Todd, Minnesota. All of them born in Wisconsin.

In the 1905 census she was living in Gilman, Pierce, WI, together with her husband C E Wedgren and their children William Henry Wedgren 20 years old , George Alrich Wedgren 10 years old and their daughter Laura Mathilde O. Danielson 24 years old and her husband John Danielson. Anna Helene's name was listed as Anne Hele Wedgren.

There is also a William Widgren living in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1916. He was born 1884 in US and his immigration year was 1912. ????

Her brother's Ingvald Melsby and Hans Melsby are mentioned several times in the pioneers stories a cousin of my great grandfather wrote. The Melby's are mentioned in part # 1, 2 and 3 in this link: http://slektsforskning.com/login/person/anetre/tekst/Pioneers.asp

Link to her page on FIND A GRAVE: Anna H Melsby.

In the link to Lødingen above, click on the pictures for a bigger picture. 1)

1) SAT, Ministerialprotokoller, klokkerbøker og fødselsregistre - Nordland, Ministerialbok nr. 872A08, 1840-1863, s. 69.
Folketelling 1865 for 1851P Lødingen prestegjeld.
Passenger list 1866 - bark Neptunus.
FIND A GRAVE.
Tolleif George Thomsen: Memories from Bear Lake.