“As a little child, I pretended to be a Viking.” Carl Evensen, who is today a professor at the University of Hawaii, recalls that his father was very proud of his Norwegian heritage and made it come alive for his young son. Their Norwegian surname is a constant reminder of their Norwegian roots. Carl himself is one-quarter Norwegian.
Carl Evensen’s great-great-grandparents sailed to Hawaii on the Musca. They appear on the passenger list as follows: Andreas Evensen, age 31, from Skoger (Skouer); his wife, Gunhild Marie (Johannessen), age 35, from Bysætra i Rausjø, Enebakk; and their children: Johan, 9, Caroline Elise, 6, Christen, 4, and Carl Theodore, 2 years. It is sadly recorded that Elisa and baby Carl Theodore died on the voyage.
The oldest child, Johan (John) Evensen, married Hulda Elisabet Gundersen. She was four years old when she and her family were also passengers on that same Musca voyage to Hawaii. Her parents were Halvor Gundersen from Vestfossen and Elise Kathrine (Eriksen), born in Hof parrish. Hulda Elisabet lived until 1974, making her probably the last living Norwegian immigrant from the Beta and Musca at that time.
Carl is proud of his Norwegian heritage, but he is also proud of his other roots.
Carl’s father, Albert, was half Norwegian from his father and half German from his mother. Albert married Laura Elisabet Keali’ikaumealani, who was a mixture of Scottish, English, Cherokee Indian, and Hawaiian. Her ancestry can be traced back to both the religious leaders (Kahunas), as well as the royal families on the island of Hawaii (Alii). The lineage goes back several hundred years to Liloa, possibly the first king of Hawaii.
The Evensen family is also part of the Judd family. Gerrit Judd came to Hawaii as a missionary doctor in 1828. After working several years as a missionary doctor, he served in several central positions in the government in the 1840’s.
“Aloha from Forgotten Norwegians in Hawaii”
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