Today is my grandfather’s 80th birthday (!) and my father and sister have flown to Stavanger (Norway) for the occasion. Yesterday, my dad sent me some lovely pictures from Stavanger city, which is situated on the West Coast. It’s a beautiful city that holds a lot of family history, with a street named after my ancestor Helmich Gabrielsen.

Helmich Gabrielsen (1752-1828) was my my great great great great grandfather and a successful businessman. At the age of twenty, he bought his own cargo boat.

He settled in Stavanger, started his own shipping company and eventually became one of the richest men in the city.

His business premises was situated by the water, where he had his boat house (the building above) and his home. My sister stands under the sign that reads “The Place of Helmich Gabrielsen”.

The Gabrielsen Family Tree

Speaking of family history, I’m fortunate to know the story of many of my ancestors. Helmich married Martha Kristensdatter (which means “daughter of Kristen) and had Lars; my great great great grandfather.

Lars Gabrielsen & his wife Martha (born Svendsen)

Lars Helmich Gabrielsen (1800-1887) was a successful businessman. He co-founded a brickyard, owned his own stone-cutting enterprise and was involved in the salted herring industry. He married Martha Svendsen, and had Martin; my great great grandfather.

Martin Gabrielsen and his wife Inger (born Jacobsen)

Martin Gabrielsen (1842-1912) become a pioneer within the Norwegian preserving industry. He traveled on family boats to French ports, where he got the idea of preserving fish. He left the sea, hired a house back in Norway and started experimenting, smoking and preserving fish in wooden boxes, a method previously unheard of in Norway. Martin’s achievements were adopted by the  Stavanger Preserving company, and eventually developed into preserving fish in tin boxes. Martin married Inger Jacobsen and had Arne Gabrielsen, my great grandfather.

Arne Gabrielsen and his wife Tilda (born Torgersen)

Arne Gabrielsen (1885-1960) had started his own business agency and a soft drink factory in Sandnes (just by Stavanger), when his older brother, who had emigrated to America, returned for a visit. Seeing that his younger brother had a talent for business, the older brother convinced Arne to come to America. There Arne met a young school teacher, Tilda Torgerson, whom he married. His mother however found it very hard to see both of her sons so far away from Norway, and tricked Arne to come back to Norway, making him believe she was close to her end. Arne’s American wife “Tilly” and their children followed a year later. Their youngest son Willie - my grandfather - grew up with an American-speaking mother, which explains his amazing language skills.

Willie Gabrielsen and his wife Rakel (born Vrålstad)

My grandfather Willie Garvi  married his great love Rakel, and they had two children. It was my grandparents who changed their last name to Garvi, taking the G from Gabrielsen, the A from my father’s name, the R from my grandmother, the V from Willie and the I from my aunt Inger Elisabeth. They are the first generation of the Garvi family, and I am of the third.

Arne Garvi and his wife Elisabeth (born Olsson), known as Bettan

To end the family tree, their son - my father - Arne married my mother Bettan from Sweden. They had three children (of which I am the youngest) and later moved to Africa, where the story continues.

Today, however, is all about Norway, as my youthful grandfather turns 80 years old!

That is reason for celebration and I am looking forward to seeing pictures soon! Sorry I couldn’t be there, Farfar! I’m looking forward to seeing you in the summer and hope you have a wonderful day!!

Warm greetings from your granddaughter in Africa,

Esther