Ole
Nilson Viker was the son of Nils Hanson Rustand
Viker & Kari Thorsdatter Viker
Margit Nubsdatter was the daughter
of Nub Knudsen Onsgaard & Ingeborg Evensdatter
Devegge
THE FAMILY OF OLE NILSON VIKER & MARGIT NUBSDATTER ONSGAARD
 | Ole
Nilson Viker was born February 10, 1830 in Wiger (Viker), Buskerud, Aadalen, Norway.
Ole immigrated to America in 1850, and married Margit Nubsdatter Onsgaard
in Beloit, Wisconsin on December 19, 1853. Margit had a son, Julius, from a previous
marriage that Ole raised and who was known as Julius Viker. Ole & Margit had
five more children. Ole is listed as Ole Nelson on records through 1875, and as
Ole Wiker or Viker on records after 1880. His children spelled the last name Wiker,
Viker and Wicker. In 1854 they moved from Wisconsin to Iowa, and they are listed
on the 1856 census of Osage, Mitchell Co., Iowa living next door to the household
of Peder & Else (Gravli) Lunde. Ole Viker's
daughter Ingeborg later married Peder's son Ole Lunde. In 1857 the family moved
to Madelia, Brown (later became Watonwan), Minnesota. They are not listed on the
1860 census there, but one of the families they were friends with was listed twice
in two different households in Madelia Twp, and I believe one of them should be
Ole's family. According to family story, Ole shared food with one of the Sioux
Indians there, and in the summer of 1861 the man warned Ole that he should leave
the area as the Sioux were planning to attack the settlement. Ole tried to convince
some of the other settlers to leave also, but they did not want to go as the harvest
was going to be good that year. Ole and family fled with very few of their belongings,
and the Sioux did attack in the spring of 1862, killing some of the friends that
had stayed behind. Ole and famly were in Highland Prairie, Fillmore Co., Minnesota
by November 3, 1861, when their daughter Caroline was born there, and was baptised
in the Elstad Lutheran Church on November 17, 1861. According to a later bio on
Caroline, her father Ole joined the Union Army and was in the service for several
years. I believe he may be the Ole Nelson who was in the Minnesota 4th Infantry,
Co., H, from December 19 1862 to July 19, 1865. On July 25, 1865, their son Julius
accidentally killed their son Nils during harvest. The family is listed on the
1865 & 1870 censuses of Holt, Fillmore Co., Minnesota. About 1871 the family
moved to Frankford, Mower Co., Minnesota, and they are listed there on the 1875
& 1880 census. About 1882 the family moved to Polk Co., Minnesota, Minnesota,
and Ole & Ingeborg (Viker) Lunde's daughter Margaret was born in Thief River
Falls on September 21, 1883 when Ingeborg was visiting her parents. Ole, Margit
and two sons are listed on the 1885 census of Sanders Twp, Polk Co., Minnesota,
and on June 12, 1889, Ole was granted a land patent at Crookston, Minnesota. Ole,
Margit & sons Julius & Karl moved to Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota in 1891,
where married daughter Ingeborg was living. Margit Nubsdatter Onsgaard Viker
died on December 6, 1894 in Austin, Mower, Minnesota, I assume at a hospital there.
Ole is listed with sons Julius & Karl on the 1900 & 1905 censuses
of Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota. Son Julius died on November 25, 1906, and Ole
& Karl are listed on the 1910 census of Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota. in 1905
& 1910 they are living next door to Ole & Ingeborg Viker Lunde & family.
Ole Nilson Viker died Dec 22, 1910 in Moscow, Freeborn Co., Minnesota. Ole
& Margit are buried in the Moscow Lutheran Church Cemetery under the last
name WIKER. No known photos exist for Ole or Margit, but I believe this
unidentified portrait is them; it was found in the attic of the house of their
grandson, Peder Lunde, and to me the woman looks older than the man (Margit was
about 11 years older than Ole). Notes for Ole Nilson Viker Notes for Margit Nubsdatter Onsgaard Records for Ole Viker & family |
The Children of Ole Viker & Margit Onsgaard:
 | Julius
Viker | Julius
Johnson Viker was born October 24, 1846 in Moss, Ostvold Co., Norway. Information
sent to Lorraine Haugstad by Edna Rude, Halling Genealogist: Margit was born Aug
15, 1818 to Nub Knudsen and Ingeborg Evensdr. Went to Moss, Ostvold County, had
a son born there by the name of Niels Julius Johnson on Oct 24, 1846. Father is
listed as Johan Jensen. Have not yet found the marriage of Johan and Margit. Julius
was 7 years old when his mother married Ole Viker in December 1853, and was raised
as a son by Ole. In 1854 the family moved from Wisconsin to Mitchell Co., Iowa,
and Julius is listed with his parents there at age 9 on the 1856 census of Osage,
Mitchell Co., Iowa. The family moved to Madelia, Brown (now Watonwan) Co., Minnesota
in 1857. I have not found the family on the 1860 census at this time, but from
family story they lived there until the summer of 1861, when the family fled to
Fillmore Co., Minnesota due to rumors of an upcoming Sioux attack. Julius was
age 15 at that time. On July 25, 1865, Julius killed his younger brother Nils
in a farming accident. Julius (age 18) was cutting wheat with a scythe, and didn't
see Nils (age 11) in the tall wheat. Julius hit Nils with the scythe in the stomach,
and he was not able to be saved. Nils is listed in the 1865 death records of the
Elstad Lutheran Church in Lanesboro, Fillmore Co., Minnesota. The family is listed
on the 1865 & 1870 censuses of Holt, Fillmore Co., Minnesota. Julius is not
listed with the family in 1870, but I do not find him anywhere else and think
it was census taker error. About 1871 the family moved to Frankford, Mower Co.,
Minnesota, and Julius is listed with them there on the 1875 & 1880 censuses.
Neither Julius or his brother Carl ever married, and they lived with their parents
until their deaths. About 1882 the family moved to Polk Co., Minnesota, Minnesota,
and Julius is listed at age 39 on the 1885 census of Sanders Twp, Polk Co., Minnesota.
Julius moved with his parents to Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota in 1891, and his
mother died there in 1894. Julius is listed with his father & brother Carl
on the 1900 & 1905 censuses of Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota. Julius
Johnson Viker died Nov. 20 1906 in Moscow, Freeborn Co., Minnesota. He was
buried with his parents on Nov 26, 1906 at the Moscow Lutheran Church under the
last name WIKER. Notes for Julius Johnson Viker |
 | Nils Viker | Nils Olson Viker was born about 1854 in Mitchell
Co., Iowa. He is listed as age 2 on the 1856 state census of Osage, Mitchell
Co., Iowa, along with Julius, age 9 and Ingeborg, less than one year. The family
moved to Madelia, Brown (now Watonwan) Co., Minnesota in 1857. I have not found
the family on the 1860 census at this time, but from family story they lived there
until the summer of 1861, when the family fled to Fillmore Co., Minnesota due
to rumors of an upcoming Sioux attack. Nils was age 7 at that time. Nils Olson
Viker died on July 25, 1865 in Fillmore Co., Minnesota. His sister Ingeborg
later told her daughter Cornelia that her brother Julius killed Nils in a farming
accident - Julius (age 18) was cutting wheat with a scythe, and didn't see Nils
(age 11) in the tall wheat. Julius hit Nils with the scythe in the stomach, and
he was not able to be saved. I originally thought that this accident happened
when Nils was a toddler in Iowa, but Nils is listed in the 1865 death records
of the Elstad Lutheran Church in Lanesboro, Fillmore Co., Minnesota, in the same
church where Ole & Margit's daughter Caroline was baptised in 1861. Thanks
to Julie Dragvold, Elstad Lutheran Church historian, for this record. Nils is
not listed with the family on the 1865 census of Holt, Fillmore Co., Minnesota,
but the census is not dated, and I believe it was taken in late July or early
August (after the harvest) as that is when the 1860 & 1870 censuses were all
taken in that area. Notes for Nils Olson Viker |
 | Ingeborg Viker | Ingeborg Olsdatter Viker was born Nov 16,
1855 in Grand Meadow, Mitchell Co., Iowa. On early records she is sometimes
listed as Isabel, and she was known to her nieces and nephews as "Aunt Belle",
although all her grandchildren knew her as Ingeborg. "Isabel" is listed
with her parents on the 1856 census of Osage, Mitchell Co., Iowa, with her age
listed as blank since she was an infant. On that census they were living next
door to the family of Ingeborg's future husband, Ole Lunde, who had not been born
yet. Ingeborg moved with her parents to Madelia, Brown (now Watonwan) Co., Minnesota
in 1857. I have not found the family on the 1860 census at this time, but from
family story they lived there until the summer of 1861, when the family fled to
Fillmore Co., Minnesota due to rumors of an upcoming Sioux attack. Ingeborg was
age 5 at that time, and in later years remembered accidentally dropping a beloved
homemade doll from the wagon when they fled, and that her father would not go
back for it. The family is listed on the 1865 & 1870 censuses of Holt, Fillmore
Co., Minnesota. About 1871 the family moved to Frankford, Mower Co., Minnesota,
and "Isabel" is listed with them there on the 1875 & 1880 census.
Ingeborg married Ole Pederson Lunde on May 15, 1881, and they had 6 children.
All of their children were born in Freeborn Co., Minnesota, except for daughter
Margaret, who was born on September 21, 1883 in Thief River Falls, Polk Co, Minnesota.
Ingeborg had probably gone there to visit her parents, who were living there at
that time. Ole & Ingeborg are listed with their family on the 1895 census
of Hayward, Freeborn Co., Minnesota. They moved from Hayward to Moscow between
1895 & 1900, and they are listed on the 1900, 1905, 1910, 1920 censuses of
Moscow, Freeborn Co., Minnesota. In 1920, Ole and Ingeborg retired from farming,
and their younger son Rudolph took over the Moscow farm. Their older son Pete
had bought their own farm down the road. Ole P. Lunde died on April 18, 1933 in
Hayward, Freeborn Co., Minnesota. Ingeborg is listed with her daughter Margaret
and two female boarders on the 1940 census of Hayward, Freeborn, Minnesota. Ingeborg
died June 14, 1948 in Hayward, Freeborn Co., Minnesota. Ole & Ingeborg
are both buried in the Hayward Lutheran Church Cemetery, Hayward, Freeborn, Minnesota. |
 | Theodore Viker | Theodore Olson Viker was born about 1857 in Mitchell
Co., Iowa. I think his name was Thor, "americanized" to Theodore.
His father, Ole, had a brother named Thor, and also his maternal grandfather's
name was Thor. The family moved to Madelia, Brown (now Watonwan) Co., Minnesota
in about 1857, probably when Theodore was less than a year old. I have not found
the family on the 1860 census at this time, but from family story they lived there
until the summer of 1861, when the family fled to Fillmore Co., Minnesota due
to rumors of an upcoming Sioux attack. Theodore was about age 4 at that time.
Theodore is listed with his parents on the 1865 & 1870 censuses of Holt, Fillmore
Co., Minnesota. In 1870 he was age 13. About 1871 the family moved to Frankford,
Mower Co., Minnesota, and Theodore is listed with them on censuses there at age
18 in 1875, and at age 23 in 1880. I have not found Theodore on any records after
1880 - his niece Cornelia Lunde Brees never mentioned him, and a family history
written by Cornelia's son Duane Brees in 1951 states that Ole had 6 children,
and then names all of them but Theodore. Theodore died sometime after 1880,
and probably between 1880-1885. On the 1885 state census of Sanders Twp, Polk
Co., Minnesota, Ole Viker is listed with Margit and sons Julius & Carl, but
Theodore is not with them. Notes for Theodore Olson Viker |
 | Karl Viker | Karl Olson Viker was born October 15, 1858 in
Madelia, Brown (later Watonwan) Co., Minnesota. Karl is sometimes listed as
Charles or Charlie on some of the early census records. I have not found the family
on the 1860 census at this time, but from family story they lived there until
the summer of 1861, when the family fled to Fillmore Co., Minnesota due to rumors
of an upcoming Sioux attack. Karl was age 2-1/2 at that time. He is listed with
his parents on the 1865 & 1870 censuses of Holt, Fillmore Co., Minnesota.
About 1871 the family moved to Frankford, Mower Co., Minnesota, and Karl is listed
with them there on the 1875 & 1880 censuses. Neither Karl or his brother Julius
ever married, and they lived with their parents until their deaths. About 1882
the family moved to Polk Co., Minnesota, Minnesota, and Karl is listed at age
26 on the 1885 census of Sanders Twp, Polk Co., Minnesota. Karl moved with his
parents to Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota in 1891, and his mother died there in 1894.
He never married, and lived with his father Ole and brother Julius on the family
farm, which was next to the farm of his sister Ingeborg and her husband Ole P.
Lunde. They are listed on the 1900 & 1905 censuses of Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota.
His brother died in 1906, and Karl is listed with his father Ole on the 1910 census
of Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota. His father died in December 1910, and Karl is
listed as a lodger in the household of Ole & Ingeborg (Viker) Lunde on the
1920 census of Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota. Ole & Ingeborg retired from farming
and moved into Hayward in 1920, and they gave the farm to their younger son Rudolph
& his wife, Hattie (Nordland) Lunde.. According to Atlanta Brees Dye, Karl
gave the Ole Viker farm, which he had inherited, to nephew Rudolph & Hattie
Lunde in exchange for care in his old age. The Viker farm was connected right
behind Lunde farm, and Karl's sister Ingeborg Viker Lunde was Rudolph's mother.
Karl is listed as an uncle in the household of Rudolph Lunde on the 1930 &
1940 censuses of Moscow, Freeborn, Minnesota. Karl Olson Viker died
Feb 17, 1943 in Moscow, Freeborn Co., Minnesota. He is buried with his parents
in Moscow Lutheran Cemetery, Moscow, Minnesota, under the last name WIKER. Notes for Karl Olson Viker |
 | Caroline Viker | Caroline Olsdatter Viker was born
Nov. 3, 1861 in Highland Prairie, Fillmore Co., Minnesota. She was baptised
as Karoline on November 17, 1861 at the Elstad Lutheran Church in Lanesboro, Fillmore
Co., Minnesota. Caroline is listed with her parents on the 1865 & 1870 censuses
of Holt, Fillmore Co., Minnesota. About 1871 the family moved to Frankford, Mower
Co., Minnesota, and Caroline is listed with them there on the 1875 & 1880
census.Caroline married Ole Michael Omlie on Aug. 27, 1883 in Fargo, Cass
Co., North Dakota, and they had five children. The family settled in Grafton,
Walsh, North Dakota, and they are listed on censuses there in 1885, 1900 and 1910.
Ole M. Omlie died on February 17, 1917 in Grafton, and Caroline is listed as widowed
on the 1920 & 1930 censuses of Grafton, Walsh, North Dakota. Caroline's maiden
name is listed as "Wicker", and one of her son's middle names is listed
as "Wicker". She was called "Aunt Lena" by the children of
her sister Ingeborg. There are several pages of information on Caroline and her
family in at least two books on the history of Grafton, North Dakota. Caroline
was active in the Methodist church, in the Eastern Star, the W.C.T.U and was a
Gold Star mother in the American Legion Auxiliary. She took her children every
summer to visit their Omlie relatives in Decorah, Iowa and their Viker (Lunde)
relatives in Freeborn Co., Minnesota. Caroline Olsdatter Viker Omlie died July
9, 1952 in Grafton, Walsh Co., North Dakota. Caroline and her husband O. M.
Omlie are both buried in Crescent Cemetery, Grafton, Walsh, North Dakota. Children
of Caroline Olsdatter Viker & Ole Michael Omlie were: Chester (1884), Lillian
(1888), Myron (1889), Oliver (1892) and Vernon (1895) Omlie. The Family of Caroline Viker Omlie Notes for Caroline Viker Omlie |
