Sandnes or Sannes

by marvinsannes

Grandpa Erick could speak no English, Immigration at Ellis Isl. ask how his name was pronounced – “San’ ness” – so the official stuck out the ‘d’ and told him this was his American name – he was quite happy.

Erick had followed my grandmother who had emigrated the yr. before, she went to N. Dakota and homesteaded a section of land – 640 ac., spent the winter in a sod hut her neighbors helped her build and went to NY to get Erick in the spring.

Erick was the 1st born and would have inherited the very good Sandnes Farm in Snausa – he gave it up to follow his love, Bertine, to the new world.

Bertine was the daughter of Ole the Swede Lap and being 1/4 Laplander she was barred from teaching, govt., medicine, etc. The Laps were Norge’s Negro and her blood was tainted. I’ve a pic. of her on my wall – she was a raving Norge Beauty! She came here alone at 19, 1897, wagon to N.D. and became a wheat farmer, and descendants all over western North America.