Peter Adolf Jensen Vanebo (Wannebo)
Born on 7-15-1855 in Beitstad, Norway
Died on 10-8-1941
Wife: Berntine Gurina Holm, born 5-9-1855 in Trondheim, Norway, died 8-3-1903 in LaCrosse, Wisconsin
Son: Johan (John) Didolf Wannebo, born 1875 in Namsos, Norway, died 10-31-1961 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Son: Alfred Wannebo, born 3-19-1877, died 2-26-1882
Daughter: Petra Bertha Wannebo, born 8-14-1878, died 11-14-1955
Daughter: Karoline (Calla) Wannebo, born 2-15-1880 in Trondheim, Norway, died 11-19-1953
Son: William Holm Wannebo, born 12-13-1881 in Namsos, Norway, died 2-23-1953 in Portland, Oregon.
Daughter: Alette (Alice) Jensine Wannebo, born 3-23-1884 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, died 5-29-1965 in Los Angeles, California
Son: Henry Gilbert Wannebo, born 5-13-1885 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, died 5-8-1946
Son: Otto Wannebo, born 12-14-1886 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, died 5-7-1888
Daughter: Otilla (Tillie) Wannebo, born 9-10-1888 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, died 1-31-1979
Son: Theodore (Ted) Wannebo, born 3-16-1890 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, died 10-12-1974
Daughter: Elvina (Ella) Wannebo, born 10-6-1891 in La Crosse, Wisconsin
Son: Arthur Berhanard Wannebo, born 4-4-1893 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, died 8-9-1894.
Son: Corald (Caroll) Wannebo, born 3-10-1896 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, died 5-25-1965.

It was the custom in Norway for the second name to reflect whose son or daughter you were. If Peter’s father was Jens, then Peter’s second name would be Jensen which means in English “son of Jens." A daughter of Jen would be called Jensdatter which means in English “daughter of Jens." The third name identified the place or farm where the family lived and was more an address than a name. Thus, if Peter was Jen’s son and came from the Vanebo farm, his name in Norwegian would be Peter Jensen Vanebo (it is not clear where Peter’s other name “Adolf” comes from).

Once immigrants arrived in America, they were required to follow the established male line surname conventions. Typically, the male patronymic (Jensen) or the name of the last farm on which he resided (Vanebo) was chosen as the immigrant’s last name. During the first few years in the country, immigrants might change their last name a few times (patronymic to farm name or farm name to patronymic), and Americanize a Norwegian spelling or pronunciation (Vanebo to Wannebo). For those who became citizens, the name that appeared on their citizenship documents became the family’s final and formal name.

Peter married Berntine Gurina Holm on October 24, 1875 in Namsos, Norway at the age of 20. They had 13 children, 10 of which reached adulthood. They immigrated from Norway to La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1883. Berntine died at the age of 48 from Tuberculosis in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1903.

Peter's Children

1) Johan (John) Didolf Wannebo (my great grandfather) was born in 1875 in Norway and died in 1961 in Minneapolis, MN. He married Emma Holte (1878 – 1956). They had 2 children (my great aunt and grandfather):

1. Ethel Viola Wannebo (1899 – 1983). She married John Robert Hawkins on September 26, 1925. They had two children (my mother’s first cousins): Naomi Audrey Hawkins and Johnny Hawkins. Naomi married Frank Johnson and had 4 children (my second cousins), Patricia, Nancy, Ellen, and Gary. Johnny had two children (my second cousins), Sheila and Russell.

2. Elmer Didolph Wannebo (see link for details).

2) Alfred Wannebo (1877 – 1882) died at the age of 5.

3) Petra (Bertha) Wannebo (1878 – 1955) married Ben Puent. They had 4 children (first cousins to my grandfather):

1. Arthur Puent

2. Auentin Puent

3. Florence Puent

4. Caroll Puent

4) Karoline (Calla) Wannebo (1880 – 1953) married Emil Guenther (1874 – 1950) on August 6, 1896 in La Crosse Wisconsin. Emil was a German immigrant. They had 4 children (first cousins to my grandfather):

1. Ester Luella Guenther (1897 – 1983)

2. Elise Frances Guenther (1899 – 1999)

3. Malinda Guenther (1903 – 1976)

4. Raymond Guenther (1906 – 1987)

5) William Holm Wannebo (1881 – 1953) married Minerva Jane York (1893 – 1928) on September 11, 1912. They had 5 children (first cousins to my grandfather):

1. Theodore Holm Wannebo (1913 – 1935)

2. William Carroll Wannebo (1915 – 1927)

3. Peter Ellsworth Wannebo

4. Caroline Tillie Wannebo (1920 – 1927)

5. Henry Harold Wannebo (1928 – 1985). Henry was born on July 1 and his mother died on July 20 of 1928.

6) Alette (Alice) Jensine Wannebo (1884 – 1965) married William Arthur Wadsworth (1876 – 1954). They had 3 children (first cousins to my grandfather):

1. Evelyn Wadsworth (1906 – )

2. Arthur Wadsworth (1907 – 1964)

3. Geraldine Wadsworth (1921 – )

7) Henry Gilbert Wannebo (1885 – 1946)

8) Otto Wannebo (1886 – 1888) died at the age of 1 from Bronchitis.

9) Ottilla (Tillie) Wannebo (1988 – 1979) married Oscar Zein (1885 – 1947). Oscar was a German immigrant.

10) Theodore (Ted) Wannebo (1890 – 1974) married Anetha. They had 9 children (first cousins to my grandfather):

1. Peter Wannebo

2. Anetha Wannebo

3. Bertha Wannebo

4. Joe Wannebo

5. Lenore Wannebo

6. Ted Wannebo

7. Monica Wannebo

8. Neila Wannebo

9. Theo Wannebo

11) Elvina (Ella) Wannebo (1891 – ) married William Ott. They had 2 children (first cousins to my grandfather):

1. Gwendolyn Ott

2. Willard Ott

12) Arthur Berhanard Wannebo (1893 – 1894) died at the age of 1.

13) Corald (Caroll) Wannebo (1896 – 1965)

Sons of Peter and Berntine Wannebo, from left to right:
Caroll, Ted, Henry, William, and John

Daughters of Peter and Berntine Wannebo, from left to right:
Bertha, Calla, Alice, Tillie, and Ella

Back row from left to right: Caroll, Ted, Henry, William, and John
Middle row from left to right: Tillie, Alice, Peter, Calla, and Bertha
Lower row (in front of Peter): Ella

Peter’s family were tenants on the Vanebo farm located in Beitstad, Norway, which today is a part of the municipality of Steinkjer. Peter’s first born son Johan (John) was born in Namsos, Norway, and Peter’s wife Berntine was born in Trondheim, Norway.