Knudt Olson Holtan was born on Christmas Day, 25 Dec 1802 and baptized on New Year’s Day, 1 Jan 1803 at Kviteseid, Telemark fylke, Norway. (Source: Parish register of Kviteseid, Telemark fylke, Norway). His parents were Olav Knutson Midtsund and Marken Jørgensdatter Grave. He married at Kviteseid, Telemark fylke, Norway on 20 Mar 1833 to Ragnhild Knutsdatter Bjaaland. She was the daughter of Knut Johanneson Tveit and Gyrid Sveinsdatter Aa. (Yes, “Aa” is a farm name), baptized 22 Aug 1807. Knudt, Ragnhild and five of their children immigrated to the United States. They arrived in New York, New York aboard the “Tuskina” which arrived on 14 Aug 1843 (See Naeseth, Norwegian Immigrants to the USA, Vol. 1, p;. 265), bound from La Havre, France, N.C. Johnson captain. They had departed from the farm Holtene, farm number 42 in Kviteseid. Initially the family used “Olson” as their surname, most were using “Holtan” by 1886. The children they brought from Norway were Marken, born 1832; Ole, born 1837; Anne, born 1838; Guri, born 1841 and Kari, born 1842 and died 1846. They settled at Pleasant Springs Township, Dane County, Wisconsin, part of the Koshkonong Norwegian Settlement. Knut and Ragnhild had at least four more children in Wisconsin: Kari, born 1846; Knut born 1847, Ragnhild, born 1849 and Karl, birth date unknown, likely 1851. Knudt’s wife, Ragnhild died between Karl’s possible birth in 1851 and 1860. [In the 1860 Census Knudt was already married to Gjertrude]. It is unknown if Ragnhild died in Wisconsin or Minnesota. There is no known grave for her. Knudt married Gjertrude O. shortly after Ragnhild died (he needed help with the children). Little is known about Gjertrude. She was born about 1798 in Norway.
About 1854 the family moved to Salem Township, Olmstead County, Minnesota. Knudt Holtan died in Salem Township on 6 Dec 1886; his widow followed and died on 10 Dec 1886; they were buried in a joint funeral on 13 Dec 1886 and buried in East Saint Olaf Cemetery, Rock Dell Township, Olmsted County, Minnesota. These correct dates come from the Church parish register. [Obviously the current headstone for Knudt & Gertrude is not original, the old one was likely wooden or became illegible, a new one replaced it long ago and the year 1886 was mistakenly written as 1880 on the new stone. The month and days are otherwise the same.] Knudt Olson Holtan wrote a will, dated 12 July 1884. He left his worldly goods to his wife for her use during her lifetime, and anything left upon her demise would be divided between his four surviving children: Ole Olson, Knut Olson, Marken Holtan and Anne Swenson. There is no record that Ole moved to Minnesota, Knut Olson was living with his parents in Salem Township in 1865. What became of the men is unknown. Marken and Anne are both buried in the East Saint Olaf Lutheran Cemetery. Written by Kevin Tvedt, Dec 2025