Aasor Halstenson Groth papers, circa 1860-2001

The Groth family, Halsten Assorson Tufte Groth and his wife Ragnhild Kitilsdatter Mørk and their nine children, emigrated from Hol, Hallingdal, from years 1848 to 1852, most of them settling in Clay County, Iowa. Assor, one of the sons, joined the Clausen colony at St. Ansgar in 1854 and lived there until his death. He helped many Norwegians find a home in northern Iowa, in southern Minnesota, and in the Dakotas. 

The papers consist of a typed version of a diary and two volumes of letters (photocopies) compiled and arranged by Assor's grandsons, Conrad and Claire Groth. The 155-page diary provides almost daily but brief entries from 1881 to 1898. The letters fall into two categories: "Letters Written by Members of the Family," which in turn is subdivided according to writer. For example, headings such as from Assor, from the Halsten Groth family, from the Ole--- , Svend---, Syver---, Torkel Groth family, etc. 

The second overarching category is "Letters Written to the Family," which offers a long list of correspondents from many stations, including C. L. Clausen and Civil War soldiers. "The Story of Assor and Kjirsti Groth" (22 pages), by the Groth brothers, and "Groth Family Record, Including Hou, Gudbrandsgard, Hastenson-Groth and Nasby Branches" (422 pages) is an updated version of an earlier work by Anton C. Groth. For additional information, see Ollie L. Nasby's "Family History and Characteristics" in Norwegian Immigration Articles (NAHA Collection, P 287), which includes "Slegt fortelling af Assor O. Nasby, Petersburg, Minnesota, May 22, 1894" and J. J. Akre's "Gulbryllup: Assor og Astrid Nesby feirer femtiaars-dagen for sitt bryllup."