Hi All! I have been trying to figure out my family for ages, and have gotten nowhere. They were all emmigrated Scandanavians, into the New York and New Jersey area. I haven't come up with one record, even my own birth! I just came into a letter that was written to Louisa Olsen, who then gave it to my mother, her cousin. As you read this letter, know that Louisa is the daughter of "Emma" that is mentioned as going to the states. Louisa never married, so Emma must have married an Olsen. Here is the letter, with more info after it. I THINK(?) Emma's brother, Peder, is my mother's father, or grandfather. I hope this letter may be of help to other people as well as myself.

Goteborg 16 November 1975
Dear Relative,
I hope you will be glad to get a letter. I have got your adress from Olga Taylor (Cissy).
My name is Marta Holst and I am oldest daughter of Annie Pettersson, Finnagarden Sweden. I have got a younger sister, Greta, and an older brother, Karl. I am 57 years old and I live in Gothenburg during the winter and in Onsala (near Finnagarden) in the summertime. My mother was the daughter of Josefina Pedersen (as married).
When I was a child we used to write to Emma and Josefina in Lista, but Josephina died in 1933. I was about 15 years old about that time and I have to start working to earn a living.
In 1939 when the war started we knew Emma had a hard time, and I remember we sent packages to Norway. Later on we heard Emma had moved to Kristiansand and about that time I was married and naturally had a lot to do, so the writing stopped.
Later on our father began to get weak and needed a lot of care. He was 82 years old when he died in 1961. When mother became a widow she was 76 years old and weak herself but she lived until she was 90 years old and died in 1974.
We missed our mother very much and we started to wonder if Emma was still alive. At that time we didn't know where to find her. We found her last letter among some of mother's papers and there she wrote "I will never see Lista again."
Duringour holiday in 1975 we went to Kristiansand and Lista trying to find Emma or get information on her. From the vicar, we found out she was dead and berried in Vanse. From an old man named Hoiland, working at the graveyard, we heard Emma was buiried in her parents grave, which no longer was to find. But we found our grandmother Josefina's grave and we restored it as well we could. After that we went to Lista and there we found people living where Emma's cottage was.
We met people who remembered both Emma and Joesephina. Talking to these people we heard Emma had a daughter who emigrated to America, and now we would like to get in touch with you.
We were astonished at how poorly Lista had become and could understand why you emmigrated.
The family living at the old cottage is named Olaf Larsen and they thought you had a brother in America also.
We know that Emma's brother, Peter, is dead but we suppose he has children.
We hope you are well and have a good time in Florida.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Mrs Marta Holst
Fridkullagatan 17 D
S-412 62 Gothenburg
Sweden

Old photos I have found of people associated with this family are what looks like a wedding picture of Peder Mark Pedersen who married Thora Tollisen. There is a picture of 3 of their children(?), Yanney, Karsten and Hjordes, who all look like around 14-15. Yanney and Hjordes look like my mother, Jan b.1929 and aunt Carol, so I wonder if it is them, and they "Americanized" their names. Then portraits of each of adults Peder Adolph Pedersen who apparently married Lise Ingrid Neilsen. These photos appear older. Maybe the three children are theirs. So then, Louisa Olsen immigrated to the states, and either she or my mother had a box that I have now. My mother referred to it as a "money box" my grandmother brought from Norway. Indeed it has an ancient lock on it, so did hold papers, jewelry, money or something important. It is lovely, all handpainted in what I have heard refered to as "Peter Hunt" designs. Inside the lid, in large GORGEOUS script letters is written:
Torlach Ol's, Sen Firoden, 1831.
Perhaps he is the patriarch of the Olsens? It is such a difficult thing to follow Norwegian family names and their changes! Now to piece it all together...
Any questions, please email me! And any help filling in blanks would be much appreciated! I do have info on who Thora / Tora's children married.

The girls- Carol to Joe Bodnar, Irene to Raymond Moran, Jan b.1920 to Philip v Voegelin, and Peder b.1929 to Ethel Menke. I know their children as well.