New Database – Norway: Mormon Missionaries and Emigrants to America, 1886-1900

Leaving old home and friends – waving goodbyes to emigrants starting for America, Christiania, Norway circa 1905, by Elmer Underwood (1859-1947). Author Nasjonalbiblioteket / National Library of Norway, available under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

We are very happy to announce a new database today; Norway: Mormon Missionaries and Emigrants to America, 1886-1900.

This database contains the complete manuscript of Passport to Paradise from Christiania, Norway and Legacy of Sacrifice of Norwegian Missionaries (1886-1900) by Shauna C. Anderson Young, Susan Easton Black, and Ruth Ellen Maness. It provides a listing of approximately 650 Mormon emigrants, who boarded ships docked in Christiania (now Oslo) from 1886-1897 and journeyed to the British Isles and from there to America. This resource work gives names, gender, ages, marital status, occupations, place of residence, destinations of specific ships, European departure dates, and arrivals at US ports. In addition, the work presents biographical sketches of approximately 160 Latter-day Saints who served as missionaries in Scandinavia and some served as leaders aboard the ships carrying Norwegian emigrants. The records in this database are indexed to allow search by: the person’s name, year of the record, record type (Birth, Marriage, and Death), location, and spouse, mother and father names (where available).

This database is organized into 3 volumes, with over 400 pages, 2,000 records and 4,000 searchable names. Page 27 of the Introduction volume contains a very helpful description of the Norwegian alphabet and naming customs.

This new database is made possible by the invaluable efforts of our growing team of volunteers, including David Anderson. We genuinely appreciate their dedication. If you are interested in joining the team, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator rachel.adams@nehgs.org.

Please note: This database is available to Individual-level and above NEHGS members only. Consider membership.