Family Stories

Mrs. Asta Jensd Damm Losby

Ritchey and I have been in Nags Head, North Carolina, this past week – the Outer Banks.  Being at the ocean is one of the best stress relievers that can be found.  Enjoying the ocean breezes, listening to the sound of the waves and watching dolphin and crabs make all the worries of work fade away!  Thankfully we did not plan this week at the beach!  When we left Friday the waves were starting to roll in – quite different from the calm ocean we experienced through Thursday!

On the way home we stopped at several antique malls.  As luck would have it I found many old family photos – and rescued them!  Now I can share them with you!  Some have names on the back, some do not.  I have already posted two photos on my Kentucky Kindred Facebook page – check them out!  There are always more gravestone photos and family photos there than here – so always stop by and see what I’ve added!

This beautiful lady is Mrs. Asta Jensd Damm Losby.  The photo was taken at the studio of J. R. Snow in Mankato, Minnesota.  My guess is this is from the late 1890’s or early 1900’s.  Her dress is quite lovely – rather a jumper with a white blouse – and decorative embroidery.

Asta was born in Nittedal, Norway, March 12, 1864, and first came to the United States in 1885.  She made at least two trips back to Norway, one about 1892, when she departed Liverpool, England, on the ship Aurania, and arrived at New York on March 20, 1893, and another trip in 1911.  Perhaps she traveled home to visit family.  Asta became a naturalized citizen of the United States on January 6, 1897.

Asta Jensd Damm married Charles Losby on October 8, 1902.  According to the 1910 census they had one child who lived only a short time.  In 1928, per the city directory for Austin, Minnesota, Charles and Asta were living at 921 E. Water Street.

Asta Damm Losby died April 7, 1928, in Mower County, Minnesota.

Passport Application for Asta Losby

2 replies »

  1. ummm Asta is my ancestor. I am a bit in shock when I pulled this up. Thank you for posting it. How in the world did it end up there? I have few photos of the Damm family so I am thrilled.

Leave a Reply