PA 61st Inf Co A. Born 1 Dec (or 14 Dec) 1809 near Farsund, Vest Agder, Norway, son of Jeremias Frederick Friis and Oedel Bergithe Hansdattet. Worked as a sailor on ship “Enigheden”, carrying emigrants to America. Made nine trips on various ships, eventually becoming Captain of the “Tricolor” in 1846. On 30 Jul 1847, he entered America at New York, after sailing 86 days from Christiania, Norway. He went to Milwaukee where he became Captain of the ship “North Cape” on the Great Lakes. Married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Bertha Andrea Abrahamson on 4 Jul 1852. Moved to Muskego, Wisconsin, in 1854 and to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1863. Civil War: On 1 Sep 1863, he enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment, to serve three years. Private. He was severely wounded in the battle of Petersburg, a bullet through his right shoulder. He was discharged from the service 8 Jun 1865 for disability. He was then 53 years old. His discharge paper describes him as 5′ 8″, fair, gray eyes, dark hair and beard. He died 14 Aug 1886 and is buried at Muskego, Wisconsin. Sources: (“The First Chapter of Norwegian Immigration” by Rasmus B. Anderson. Publ. by the author at Madison, Wisconsin, 1906, p 360) (Naeseth ’47-166a) (“History of the Norwegian People in America” by O.M.Norlie, publ by Augsburg Publ. House, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1925, p 162) (Wisconsin Cemetery Records”)
