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NORWEGIAN EMIGRATION - THE DEBORA EXPEDITION
A Norwegian Colonisation Undertaking

SUMMARY

The Debora Expedition sailed from Bergen in 1879 to establish a Norwegian colony on an Indian Ocean atoll called Aldabra. The organisers endeavoured to find practical and Christian people to create a settlement based on the teachings of the Norwegian preacher Hans Nielsen Hauge (1771 -1824). The expedition was aborted in Madagascar - a few of the participants remained in Madagascar and the rest settled in the British colony of Port Natal (Durban). They were the first group of Norwegian emigrants to settle in Port Natal.

The forty-seven persons who took part in the Debora Expedition were:- Captain Tobiassen and wife, mate Berentsen and wife, mate Oftedal, A Olsen and wife, I Iversen and wife, O Heidalsvig and wife (Høidalsvig), J Finsen and wife, K Bang and wife with three children (Amanda, Severin and Knut), F Larsen and wife with six children (Angel, Emil, Sigvart, the three sons of the late Sivert Andersen Hordnes, and Petra, Ludvig and Karl), H Johnsen and wife with three children (Sina, Josefine and Karl), A Andreassen and wife with three children (I don't remember their names), R Andersen, R Rasmussen, K Jensen, Hesselberg, Grang, O Fosdal, E Eriksen, P Bang, E Ellingsen, widow Egelandsdal and Miss Serene Larsen. Two children were born on the voyage: a son to Mr and Mrs F Larsen and a son to Mr and Mrs Andreassen.

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The Natal Mercury photograph includes the Debora descendants Mrs Iversen and Mrs Wettergren (Wettergreen).

Mrs Iversen is most likely the widow of I Iversen who took part in the Debora Expedition.

Mrs Wettergren (Wettergreen) was Josefine Johnsen who married a Wettergreen.

H Johnsen and wife had three children (Sina, Josefine and Karl) were on the Debora.

Olaf Wettergreen's father died at sea whilst Olaf and his wife was on the way to Natal. Olaf's wife and his brother died shortly after he arrived in Durban. A few years after his wife died he became Christadelphian.

Wednesday, 26 December, 2001 - The South African Archive records show that Josefine Johnsen was married to a Wettergreen. 

     
DEPOT     NAB 
SOURCE    MSCE                                                                  
TYPE      LEER                                                                  
VOLUME_NO 00                                                                    
SYSTEM    01                                                                    
REFERENCE 1450/1946                                                             
PART      1                                                                     
DESCRIPTION
          WETTERGREEN, JOSEFINE. (BORN JOHNSEN) S.SP WETTERGREEN, PETER         
          BOYESEN (3849/74) PR.SP WETTERGREEN, OLAF (NO                        
STARTING  19460000                                                              
ENDING    19460000 

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