What happend to Great-uncle Karl?

What happend to Great-uncle Karl?

24 June 202218 October 2024 Author

Karl Mathiasen Brustuen b.25 Oct 1907 emigrated to Canada in 1927. Rumor has it that he disappeared in Canada. Some traces show he may have farmed and lived in Alberta, Canada. This is an attempt to bring the facts about what really happened.

(Photo of Skeikampen mountain in Østre Gausdal)

The parents was Mathias Simensen Brustuen b. 1870 and Randine Pedersen b.1868. Karl was the youngest of 7 siblings, and he was born at the farm Brustuen, located at Svingvoll, Follebu, Gausdal in Norway. This is in the area of Lillehammer, and near the mountain Skeikampen.

Karl was brother to Mathea Brustuen b.1891, who migrated to Minnesota in 1911, and married Louis Hanson.

aka: Carl Matiasen Brustuen, Karl Matiasen Brustuen, Karl Simenson Brustuen, Carl Mathiason

The Brustuen family abt 1924. Showing, Mathias & Randine, with Martha and her 3 brothers (one of which is Karl)

Developments

2018: Found a possible match in Calgary: Garden of Peace Cemetary: Mathiasen, Carl 2nd Aug 2000. (but unlikely! This has been confirmed to be NO MATCH!)
2022 June: Contacted Canada Archives for more information
2022 June: Posted a thread on Ancestry
2022 June: Contacted Alberta Family Histories Society for assistance
2022 June 28: First response on posting on messageboard on Ancestry
2022 July 8: Someone at Red Deer Branch of the Alberta Genealogy Society is looking into the records.
2022 Sep: A helper at Ancestry.com answered the message on the forum, and pointed to an obituary and headstone for a CARL SIMONSON, 59y, d.04.Jun.1963 in Edmonton. That points to birth in 1907, which seems to be a good match. Working now towards confirming this record.
2022 Sep: Forwarded a request for records to Library and Archives Canada. They have a case backlog, and are currentkly working on requests from 2018. So, this may take years.
2022 Sep: Obtained death certificate of mentioned person in Edmonton, but this did not identify the person. It only stated name, 56 years, norwegian, Date of death was 4 Jun 1963, Address stated: 9647 101 St, Edmonton, Alta. Canada 021-11.
2022 Oct: Forwarded a request to Veteral Affairs to see if they may have some further personal data in their records of the mentioned soldier.
2022 Nov: Case is at a standstill, just waiting for answers on applications. I guess we just have to be patient…

S. Monahan via Ancestry messageboard found that Karl had decleared on his immigration pax record that his destination contact was Halvard (Nilsen) Brujord in Veteran, Alberta. Halvard Nilsen Brujord was born in Ulnes 1894, Valdres, and was a postman. He emigrated to Canada in 1913, and passed away in 1942. Halvard N. Brujord crossed the Atlantic together with Iver Nielsen Sundheim in 1913. Iver became brother-in-law to Carl Simonsen when Iver married his sister Martha Simensen Brustuen in Superior, Wisconsin in 1920. We have here found a possible link as to why or where Karl chose to immigrate in 1927.

Various unconfirmed findings:

Canada, Voters Lists, 1974 for Carl Mathiassen on Ancestry This Carl lives with Lynne in Edmonton-Strathcona, and is a Glass Glazier. Maybe a match?
Carl Mathiasen on FindaGrave, buried in Alberta 2000
Canada deathindex: Name: Carl Simonson, Death Date:4 Jun 1963, Death Place:Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Reg.no.:005-392
Canada deathindex: Name: Carl Simenson, Death Date:15 Dec 1948, Death Place: Winfield, Alberta, Canada, Reg.no.: 007-765
Ringsaker Blad, skatteligningen 1952, Karl M. Brustuen?? Strange?
Find A Grave, Carl Simonson , 59 year, d.04.Jun.1963. Inscription: “M45521 Tpr, South Alta Regt, age 56”

sundheim.net