Paul Mathisen was a freighter, living in Kragerø. Later he moved to Fredrikstad. Among his sons were one who disappeared and one who was a solider who participated in the Napoleonic wars, and one who returned to Norway with Karl Johan’s troops. By fate he happened to be stationed in Fredrikstad with his own brother, my great grandfather, when Fredrikstad Fort was invaded by the Swedes. But when he came back to his country with weapons in his hands, the two brothers did not talk to each other, except like strangers. One does not know what happened to him. Supposedly he died in Sweden.

Mathias Paulsen, (born 1767, died 1830) my great-grandfather, was raised in a priest's household, and was meant to study, but due to unexpected circumstances, he had to learn a trade and became a shoemaker. He had his little business (next to the chief of police)? in Eastern Fredrikstad, where he owned two houses. One of the houses is still in use. The other was put on fire by a run away slave in …. (Here is something missing). This is described by the local historian Plonnecke in a newspaper. He (Mathias) was married May 21st, 1793 to Anne Marie Otterbeck from Tønsberg, who came from a highly respected family. There were 12 children in this marriage (the names are listed in the old letter that he wrote).  From this marriage, it was supposedly only my grandmother who lived. There was Anne.

Elisbeth Paulsen, married to John Stillaugsen 1831, who  was a ship carpenter, and went to sea almost all his life. Han (John) was raised by his aunt (father’s sister), Barbro, at Aasgaard. John Stillaugsen's father was also a ship carpenter. There is a beautiful story about him and his wife both dying together at the same time, hand in hand. They had five children; two of them emigrated. Besides aunt Barbro at Aasgaard, grandfather Stillaugsen also had a sister who was a housewife on the farm Stor-Enus. They had relatives on several farms at Onsø (today Onsøy) and adjacent areas. The farm Hauge at Græsvik (today: Gressvik) had been in the family (meaning for a long time), and they also had family on the farms Ørbeck and Aale, etc.  He was a widower when he married grandmother. He had a daughter, Stina, from the first marriage. She was married to a brewery foreman, Johan Larsen, in Oslo. Children: Jakob, married to Anna Larsen? Pedersen, living in Oslo. Their only daughter died in 1914. Anna, married to a Mr. Bodding, died around 1905. They had a son, Johannes, who died without being married, Marie (Maja), living in Oslo, unmarried.
Amalie Claudia, born July 25, 1838. 13 children, who all died, except Miss Caroline Johansen, Fredrikstad, not married (she was blind). Haakon, living in Decorah, Iowa. Had many children, (Ragnar, oldest son, married, living in Chicago). Aunt Amalies husband, Karentsius Johansen, Stuer. The oldest son, Captain Karl J., left behind a family with many children.

Frederikke Marie Mathea, born in Fredrikstad May 26, 1836, married October 15, 1857 to Martinius Mathisen Ager. Died November 4, 1913 in Chicago. Children: Johan, married to Allida Hansen, Chicago in 1882. Children: John, born September 12, 1883, Martha, born February 17, 1885 (died…..), Esther, born March 31, 1887, May, born 1889 (died 2 years old), Lillie, born January 1891 (died 11 years old), Rosie, born May 22, 1892, Georg, born December 1894, Frances, born May 8 1898, Einar, born February 1901 (Johan was born March 13, 1869, and died 1923).
Anne, born in Oslo February 17, 1862. Died same year at Hov from scarlet fever.
Waldemar, born in Oslo April 5, 1864, died in an accident when he was 1 year and 9 months old.
Camilla, born October 6, 1866 in Fredrikstad, married to Hans Christensen from Risør, Chicago (sounds strange) 1886. Daughter Hannah, born 1887, married to Arthur Sylvester, living in Saint Petersburg, Florida. They had three girls and two boys. Hans Christensen died 7 weeks after he was married in Chicago.
Anna, born May 27, 1871 died while a baby. Græsvik.
Anna, born September 9, Græsvik, 1872.  Died a few days old.
Ferdinans Julius, born Græsvik, May 17, 1874, died Chicago December 1884.

Waldemar Theodor, born in Fredrikstad March 23, 1869.