For the record, the mother of the family is listed as Mary, but she was born Maren Olsdatter Mellem in Brandval Parish, Hedmark, Norway. Her birthdate is given in Wisconsin records as 25 Feb. 1840, and this is also the birthdate given in her marriage record in Brandval. However, her birth record gives the date as 12 Sep 1839, with baptism following on October 20. To complicate matters, in the birth/baptismal records, her father is given as Ole Johansen Kopmoen. In the marriage record, he is given as Ole Olsen Mellem. However, copious evidence exists that she is one and the same woman, the daughter of Ole Johansen. Another little genealogical puzzle! Her brother, Erik Olsen Mellem, settled in Decorah, Iowa in 1871. I'd welcome the chance to discuss the evidence for her identity with other descendants of these families.