From Bjerknæs (= Bjørknes) farm, Næs Romerike, Akershus, Norway.
Although his Christening record names him as "Lauris", he was known, both in Norway and New Zealand, as "Lauritz".
Lauritz left Nes (= Næs) parish on the 9th May 1871 for Texas, USA, but returned, then immigrated to New Zealand in 1873. (SOURCE: Personal Correspondence: Virginia KINLEY (Australia), eMail, 26 Sep 2006.)
Possibly emigrated to the United States around 03 May 1871.
Lauritz and Maren LARSEN immigrated to New Zealand with their 2 sons, Christian and Bernt. Among their family group was a "daughter" Maren Olava. However, Maren Olava was NOT a member of this family. She was Maren Olava THORVALDSDATTER (BERGERSEN), daughter of Thorvald BERGERSEN and Karen HANSDATTER.
Lauritz' grandaughter, Ethel THORPE (nee DUNNAGE) claims Lauritz and Maren's eldest son died on the ship, but have been unable to find any evidence to support this.
Barracks records at Hawkes Bay Museum show that he went to work for Mr GUNN, railway contractor, Te Aute, for 7 shillings a day. School records show their children attending Makaretu School from 04 Aug 1880 to about 1890 and, from then on, at Norsewood School. (SOURCE: Personal Correspondence: Gloy DEADMAN (New Zealand), letter, 16 Oct 2006.)
Lauris (Lauritz) LARSEN BJØRKNES (LARSEN) was related to other immigrant families that came to New Zealand. He was cousin to Lars LARSEN LØVNESET (LARSEN), Dorthea LARSDATTER LØVNESET, Hans LARSEN LØVNESET (LARSEN), Maren LARSDATTER LØVNESET, and Karelius LARSEN LØVNESET, who are all siblings. Lauritz' mother, Berthe TORSTENSDATTER HAVSJØMOEN, was sister to their father, Lars TORSTENSEN HAVSJØMOEN.
Lauris (Lauritz) LARSEN BJØRKNES (LARSEN) 's parents, Lars LARSEN BJØRKNES and Berthe TORSTENSDATTER HAVSJØMOEN, were cousins. (Lars' father, Lars BERGERSEN HAVSJØMOEN, and Berthe's father, Torsten BERGERSEN HAVSJØMOEN, were brothers.)
Lauris (Lauritz) LARSEN BJØRKNES (LARSEN), Lars LARSEN LØVNESET, Dorthea LARSDATTER LØVNESET, Hans LARSEN LØVNESET, Maren LARSDATTER LØVNESET, and Karelius LARSEN LØVNESET, Hans JAKOBSEN DAMMEN, Karen JAKOBSDATTER DAMMEN all had the same great grandparents, Berger LARSEN HAVSJØMOEN and Mette KRISTENSDATTER OVLIEN. Because of inter-marriage within the family, they were related in other (more distant) ways, too, but the above are the closest relationships.
There are several references in various newspapers to Maren LARSEN being interviewed through an interpreter, suggesting that she never learned to speak english fluently.
Listed in Alien records of 1917. (SOURCE: Personal Correspondence: Gloy DEADMAN (New Zealand), letter, 16 Oct 2006.)
Widowed 26 May 1890 with 7 children aged about 3 to 20 years. The family had only recently moved to Norsewood from Makaretu.
Maren had an illegitimate son, Alexander LARSEN, born more than 3 years after the death of her husband.
Maren's grandaughter, Ethel THORNE (nee DUNNAGE) remembered her as having "lovely eyes."
Of Ngamoko, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
