Nordic Word assistance

My brother and I were looking at a picture of our Great Grand Mother taken
about 1940. We remember that she was called (here is the phonetic spelling)
BEST AH MORE. Is this Norwegian? How would this be spelled and what does it

Dave Hinz...

Bestemor. Grand Mother. Bestefar would be Grandather.

mean?

Dave Hinz...

Sometimes it'd be listed as "farmor" (father's mother) or "mormor"
(mother's mother). You can also find morbror (mother's brother), and so
on. Quite helpful if used.

Her name was Josephine Hansen
Born Nov. 11, 1860 in Dramen, Norway
Died May 13, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois

Dave Hinz...

If you have a middle name that could help immensely. 1860 was a time
when they may have used Hansen as a patronym, or as a family name.
Being female and "sen", her dad was probably the son of Hans. (If this
was in a region still using patronyms in 1860, she'd be Josephine
Hansdatter).

Married Hans M. Gronwold (Gronvold) on September 25, 1881 in Chicago,
Illinois

Dave Hinz...

If you know what that "M" stands for that is very significant.

Hans was born October 22, 1857 in Dramen, Norway
Died March 6, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois

Hans' parents were:
Christian Gronwold (Gronvold)
and
Camilla Olsen

I would be very interested to find out how to verify the Birth records of
Hans, Josephine, Christian and Camilla.

Dave Hinz...

Have you checked, for instance, the 1865 census of Norway? Let me know
what you've checked and we can come up with suggestions.

Duane Gronwold