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Arneson Family

Introduction

   
     The Arnesons are from Norway. In some ways Norwegian genealogy is easier than others. In Norway the local historical societies and other organizations print a Bygdebøker or Rural Chronicle. The ones I have seen are for individual parishes. These books combine regional, farm and family histories. They describe the farms, the buildings and the residents of that farm. These go back to when the farm was first settled if the records are available. It is common to trace lineages as far back as the 16th and 17th centuries. Most of the information used in these books comes from parish records, census records, land records, production figures and tax lists. Even if a family moved around frequently in a parish they still can be traced and if they moved to a different parish that will be mentioned too. If a Bygdebøker for that parish can be found and then the other available records searched a most complete history of a lineage can be written. I have spent many hours at the Family History Library in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, pouring over reels and reels of microfilmed records. Many more hours were spent at court houses looking through birth, death, marriage and land records. Visits were made to the University Of Wisconsin Area Research Centers in Kenosha, Eau Claire and at Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin State Historical Society in Madison was also visited a number of times.
      Nowdays research can be carried out from your own computer using the internet. In any case the original records mut be consulted if they are online or on microfilm. More and more data is being digitalized and can be accessed. The Norwegian Historical Data Centre at the University of Tromsø, Tromø, Norway and Digitalarkivet in Norway have web sites and are making available census, parish and other records on line. This type of research has its own problems too. Many more years of research and interviews will be needed to complete this genealogy. But, in fact, it will never be completed because there is always one more birth, marriage, death or story to be added.
      Many thanks are due to all of the relatives that have freely given of their time and have submitted to my constant questions about them and their families. I hope this will encourage others to add their knowledge to this endeavor.

 

 

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