The Rove and Amundsen connection

In my article About notable Norwegian-Americans ... and Karl Rove published on Sunday 14 August, I wrote that "I have been told by a distant Norwegian relative of the late Louis C. Rove that also the explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) of South Pole 1911 fame descended from the same Rove family, but I have not got the details on exactly how he was related to the line mentioned above. As far as I understand it, and this must be taken with some reservation, it is not from Andreas Rove, so the connection must be further back."

When I was told about the Rove-Amundsen connection a couple of years ago, I didn't get too many details, so there was a good reason why I stressed that the information should be taken with some reservation. Yes, the Rove and Amundsen families are related, but Rove is not a common denominator in the agnatic line. The starting point is the Botne farm, also at Hvaler.

According to the booklet Vadholmslekten, part I, pp. 40-41, written by Tom S. Vadholm, the Rove and Amundsen lines descend from Jens Torchelsen Edholmen (b. appr. 1665) and Marthe Andersdatter Botne (b. appr. 1670)

The explorer Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen descend from Jens and Marthe through their daughter Kirsten Jensdatter Botne, b. 1707:

Kirsten Jensdatter Botne, b. 1707, m. (her first cousin) Niels Andersen Søndre Kile b. 1695 --> Oliana Nielsdatter Søndre Kile b. 1733 --> Anne Jonsdatter Søndre Kile b. 1762 --> Anne Kristine Jensdatter Gravning b. 1783 --> Jens Engebreth Amundsen b. 1820 --> Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (1872-1928).

The Rove line descends from another daughter, Mari Jensdatter Botne, b. 1709:

Mari Jensdatter Botne 1709, m. Ole Christophersen Botne-Havna b. 1715 --> Jacob Olsen Sandø Nordre brug b. 1738 --> Mari Jacobsdatter Sandø Nordre brug b. 1779 --> Andrias (Anders) Jacob Johannessen Rove b. 1800 (moved with his parents to Halden) --> Severin Marinius Rove b. 1830 (Halden) --> Olaf Julius Rove b. 1864 (emigrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin) --> Louis C. Rove Sr. (1895-1967) --> Louis C. Rove Jr. (1928-2004).

As told earlier Louis Jr. adopted Karl Christian Rove when he married his mother Rega Wood. The short outline above shows that Roald Amundsen was a fifth cousin to Olaf Julius Rove (1864-1940).