Family History

      It appears as if the Munson clan gathered in 1909 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the family's emigration in 1884. Judging from the ages of the children and the "typhoid" haricuts of Eleanor Bie and Josephine Munson Bie (as per Eleanor's daughter Ellie Carver) it was 1909, but a handwritten notation on the back of a photo indicates 1910. Presumably the notation was made later and is wrong. The pictures at the bottom of this page were taken then.

Here are the extracted and enhanced photos of the first two generations of the Munson family in America:

Lauritz Christian Andresen (Monsen) b January 22, 1840 Christiansand, Norway emigrated 1883 d August 17, 1922 Brooklyn

Josephine Pedersdatter (Halling) Monsen b September 16, 1844 Christiansand, Norway emigrated 1884 d March 18, 1914 Brooklyn

Lauritz and Josephine had nine children who survived (one adopted) ,their 6th child, (Kirsten) Agnes Monsen was no longer living (1875-1898) at the time of this celebration, the 8th child, Alfred died in infancy, and the 9th child, also Alfred Christian b. 1883-? (married Gertrude Stolschmidt) is not present

1. Andrew (Andreas) Munson, 1865- c.1922	2. Inga Munson  (Christiansen) 1867- 1949	3. Christian Munson,  1870- 1944	4. John Munson, 1872- 1939	5. (adopted) Josie Munson  (Bie) 1874- 1915	7. Lawrence J. Munson 1878- 1950	10. Gertrude Munson (Holte), 1888 -1969
Andrew's wife, Elivina Abramson Munson 1867-bef.1922	Inga's husband, Thorvald Christiansen, 1862-1925	not present, Christian's 2nd wife, Nina Thompson Munson	John's wife, Christine Pederson Munson	Josie's husband,  Oscar Bie 1866-1923	Lawrence's wife, Anna Lee Munson, 1884-1929	not present, Gertrude's future husband, (1924) Cleng Holte

Here are the two pictures from the celebration, first of the whole clan, then of just the descendants of Lauritz and Josephine. Notice the American flag. Click on either picture to see the large version

The photo on the left has, in addition to the people named above:
the standing women on the left are Inga Munson Christiansen's children, Louise Christiansen, Jane Christiansen, and Nancy Christiansen (Berg). The children in the bottom row are from the left ... Agnes Christiansen (Larkin - Dick's mother), Oscar Bie (holding a photo of Noel Munson), Margaret Bie, (holding a wedding photo of Uncle Alfred Munson and his wife Gertrude (?), the twins Anna and Ella Munson and ...? In the next row of children are perhaps Lt. Cmdr. Christian Thomas Christiansen, Martha Munson, Anna Munson, Eleanore Bie, Getrude Bie, and an unknown boy. The child held by Lawrence J is his son Alex and the child held by Josie must be Lawrence Joachim Bie, b February 22, 1909 and thus indicates the date of the picture.