All things Kragness

This is a forum for any and all stories, information and pictures related to the lives and descendants of Bersvend and Ingeborg Kragness who settled near Porter, Wergeland Township, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota.

Children of Bersvend and Ingeborg:
Nels - married Anna Gunderson
Ole - married Mary (Marie) Michaelson
Ingebright - married Mabel Steele
Anne - married Peter Sandlie
Anne - married Nels Eggen
Rannei (Randine) - married Nels Carlson
Elise (b America) - died at 1 year b America
Engebar Eliza (b America) - married Carl Skogen, Cyrus Shepard

Whats in a name?

Krangnes was a farm in Surnadal, More og Romsdal, Norway. It belonged to Ranes Parish. Krag was either an old forenavn (first name) or a spiny tree. 'Ness' is the portion of land that juts out into a river.

When Bersvend Nilsson Krangnes came to America, he went by the name Bersvend Nilsson on his homestead papers, but later settled on Kragness. Variant spellings used by the Kragness' are found among early census, land, and school records while they lived in Porter and include Crogness, Crangness and Krangnes.

Mo Church - Surnadal

Mo Church - Surnadal
Bersvend Krangnes was christened in this church around 1840. I was fortunate to witness a christening in this church when I visited Norway in 1984.

Ranes Church Surnadal

Ranes Church Surnadal
Ranes Church in Surnadal where Bersvend and Ingeborg 's children were christened. Photo from www.fosnaporten.no

Nels' Stock Watering Device

Nels' Stock Watering Device
Nels Kragness Stock Watering Device. Likely he filed the papers for copyright, but never completed the application. Nels was an inventor of sorts. He also invented a horse evenor.

Kragness Passenger Record

Kragness Passenger Record
Passenger List of the Kragness' to Philadelphia May 1879

Ship Ohio

Ship Ohio
The ship the Kragness' took from Liverpool to Philadelphia May 1879. The Ohio belonged to a fleet of ships run by the American Line.

Kragness Homestead

Kragness Homestead
This is the Kragness home located in Wergeland Township, Yellow Medicine County, MN. The Kragness homesteaded here in 1879.

Sandlie Homestead.

Sandlie Homestead.
This is the Sandlie Homestead about 1915. Anna applied for the homestead in 1914. It is located in T32, R37, Valley County, MT. It is about 10 miles north of Hinsdale and sits near Lime Creek. Anna Sandlie between house and car.

Peter and Anna Kragness Sandlie Homestead

Peter and Anna Kragness Sandlie Homestead
Sandlie Homestead 5-22-08. This site nearly approximates the vantage point of the historic photo above. Jerry Winkler is standing on the foundation of the house. All that is left are two foundations of the house, another outbuilding and the original well. Anna left the farm around 1926. The Homestead is recorded under Anna's name. Peter died of intestinal disease in 1915. This picture was taken on a six hour tour by a local lady who now rents the old Sandlie property as part of her and her son's 4000 acre ranch.

Anna Kragness Sandlie

Anna Kragness Sandlie
Anna Kragness, in front of the homestead house. Anna was born in 1863, the oldest of Bersvend and Ingeborg's children.

Leon Carlson Birth Record

Leon Carlson Birth Record
Leon was son of Nels Carlson and Randine Kragness, a sister to Nels Kragness and daughter of Bersvend and Ingeborg Kragness.

Thursday, February 7, 2008


This is a picture of Anna Gunderson Kragness that she had taken when she became a naturalized citizen. Amy Kragness O'Connor told me that she was very proud of achieving citizenship.
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Contributed by Kurt Kragness
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