Thorvald Martin Tandberg (1874-1970)

Thorvald Martin Tandberg (1874-1970) Restaurant and Hotel Worker (b. June 24, 1874, Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, USA - d. November 1970, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, 48227, USA) Social Security Number 363038387.

Ancestry
The Tandbergs were from East Prussia and the name was originally "Tannenberg". Because of the constant warfare in Prussia they emigrated to Norway in 1570, which at the time was under Danish rule. They settled in "Ringerrike".

Kristiania
From 1878 to 1924, Kristiania was the name used for Norway's capital Oslo. On January 01, 1925 the name was changed from Kristiania to Oslo.

Parents
Thorvald was the son of Andreas Tandberg (1846-1910) of Hønefos; and Valborg Margrethe Fisher (1848-1915) of Kristiania, Norway. Andreas was the son of Haakon Tandberg IV (1795-1865) and Janette Wold (1790-1859). Valborg was the daughter of Maren Christine Fischer (1821-?) who was a widow in 1865.

Birth
Thorvald was born on June 24, 1874 in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine. His family was coming to the United States through Canada.

Siblings:
Christian Tandberg (1872-before1960) who was born in Orangeville, Canada and lived in London; Valborg Tandberg (c1876) who may have died as an infant; Nils Jacob Tandberg (1878-before1960) of Kristiania, Oslo, Norway, who married Gemanda Fredrikke Hartmann (1880-?) of Soggendal, Norway; Erling August Norman Tandberg (1881-after1960), who had a twin that died; Biarje Tandberg who died as a youth; Gudrun Tandberg (1887-after1900) who died as a youth; and Ragnhild Tandberg (1887-after1960) who was a twin of Gudrun.

1875 Census
In 1875 they were living at Nedre Voldgade 11 in Kristiania, Norway. Andreas was working as a "handlende" and he was born in Hønefos. Living at home were: Christian Tandberg; and Thorvald Martin Tandberg.

Merchant seaman
He started as a wardroom boy and in three years he served on three different ships: the Woodbury Captian Phillips, the Dallas Captain Gabrielsen, and the Dexter Captain Congdon. At the end of his three years he was a quartermaster.

Marriage
He married Alvilde Marie Naess (1875-1933) aka Alvilde Marie Næss, of Norway in 1897.

Children
Ethel Valborg Alfrida Tandberg (1898-1995) who was born in Norway and married Clifford Edward Milner (1892-1980); Thorvald Martin Tandberg II who may have died as an infant; Ralph Christian Andreas Tandberg (1901-1995) aka Thoralph Tandberg, who was a safety engineer, who married Sigrid Andreassen (1905-1940) and after her death married Esther Ruth Clyde (1895-1973) and after a divorce married JoAnn Losey; Yolanda Christina Tandberg (1902-2003) who married Joseph Nathaniel French, who was an architect; Thordis Tandberg who died when she was 14 of spinal meningitis; and Carl Frederick Tandberg (1910-1988) who was born in Massachusetts, and was a bass guitar musician, who married Alice Gonyer (1909-1992). All the other children were born in Kristiania, Oslo, Norway. There were two children stillborn.

Portland, Maine:
In 1898 he volunteered for the Spanish-American War but was rejected for service. In 1899 he learned the hotel business at the Grand Hotel in Portland, Maine.

Kristiania, Oslo, Norway
In the 1900 Norway Census Thorvald and Alvide were living at Niels Juelsgade 39 in Kristiania, and Thorvald was listed as working as the "Inspectør [of the] Grand Hotel" in "Portland, [Maine] Amerika". They were listed as: "Thorvald Martin Tandberg" and "Alvilde Marie Tandberg". With them was their daughter, "Ethel V.A. Tandberg". His parents were living at Stolmagergaden 3 in Kristiania, Norway. Andreas was listed as working as a "fabrikeier mek værksted & jernsengfabr." Valborg Margrethe Fisher was listed as "Walborg Tandberg" and her mother, Maren Christine Ficher (1821-after1900), was living with them. The children at home were: Christian, who was working as a "portier & tolk"; Erling, who was working as a "bicyclearbeider"; Gudrun; and Ragnhild.

Holmenkollen Tourist Hotel
From 1899 to 1907 he was manager of the Holmenkollen Tourist Hotel where he met King Oscar of Norway and served him a drink of punch and seltzer. He quit because of the low pay and returned to the United States.

World War I
He lived at 778 Morton Street, Mattapan, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts in 1915 when Ethel married. He registered for the World War I draft while in Boston, but was too old to serve at age 46. He was indexed as "Thorbald Martin Tandberg". He served as senior warden for his district and after the war he was given a citation signed by the governor and the mayor.

Restaurant
In 1920 he was living at 351 Norfolk Street in Boston and managing a restaurant. The restaurant may have been called "Chasin's" or may have been called "Charlie Worth's" or "Jake Worth's". Ralph, Yolanda, and Carl were living at home, and Ralph and Yolanda were working as clerks in an office. Alvide is listed as emigrating in 1905 and the children were listed as emigrating in 1910.

Retire
He retired in 1960 at age 86 and wrote a one page family history.

Memoir of Thorvald Martin Tandberg
December 29, 1960. Dear Martha and Jarl. It was nice to hear from you. I remember one Sunday long ago when we went to your house when it was [still] a forest of two by fours and beginning to [take the] shape of a home. I [always] admired the location and Joe [French] and Yolanda [Tandberg] told me how nice it was when they visited you some time ago.

Memories of Thorvald Martin Tandberg

 * June Tandberg Baker said on May 12, 2006: Thorvald saw an ad to hire a cook on a yacht, and he took the job.


 * Pauline Dutton said on May 24, 2006: He was on the television show "You Bet Your Life" with Groucho Marx in the 1950s. Thorvald was upset when Groucho made fun of him. Thorvald would always sing the song "Little Old Lady Passing By" by Hoagy Carmichael.


 * Natalie French wrote on May 29, 2006: He used to memorize facts in his old age. He knew all the capitals of all the States and Countries of the world. He also could recite all the Greek mythology characters.

Molestation
Thorvald would touch his grandchildren in a sexual manner. Three of his grandchildren told stories of his touching.

Death
He died in November of 1970 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.