NORWEGIAN FARMS & HOMES "HUSI"
Thank you
to Erling Brauti, Kviteseid Norway, A Short Writing after T. Loftsgård Hytta - in Tunhovd
The Hytta property was in olden days the most northerly living place in Tunhovd neighborhood. The farm lies nicely in the sun slant toward the south with wide and free outlook over the fjord and toward the mountains in the south and west. Toward the north-west opens the wide Roung valley with hilly birch from where the mountains meet at the bottom of the valley. Hytta (which means The Cabin) is an old living place which they don’t know the beginning of. At one time a little house or hut had stood there, likely a sloop or a hunter’s place, which wasn’t built by a Tunhovder - because it lay too close to their homes. It must have been built by out of town hunters. The Tunhovd people put a name on that spot. Since then the people in Tunhovd have cleared it away and afterward it had grown into a solid living place, which no doubt from the first has been counted as the southern most farm or middle farm. The first time we found Hytta directly named in any papers was in the late 1730's. In 1783, widow Sigrid Olsdatter Medgarden sold out to her sisters, Gro and Guri. Gro had a share of an inheritance in the middle farm. Sister Guri got her share in Hytta which was assessed at $50. Gro Olsdatter Medgarden was married to Asle Clementsen in 1736. Gro Olsdatter Medgarden (Hytta) died in June 1766. Asle Clementsen lived a few more years. He had likely sold Hytta to Ole Knutsen Veslegard, but we don’t know of any title for the sale. In 1782, Ole Knutsen sold the place to Asle Knutsen Borgen from Skurdalen for $180. With this sale Hytta came into a whole new family, which through marriage became related to people at Hytta all the way to our days. Asle Knutsen Borgen got married to Bergit Gulliksdotter in 1749. It is not known if Asle Knutsen and his family came to live at Hytta because Asle wasn’t owner of Hytta. He sold Hytta again in 1784 to his son-in-law Kittil Bottolfsen for $169. It is possible that Kittil lived at Hytta for awhile after he got married, but in 1788 he bought Rotegård from one who was called Daniel Tovsen, and sold Hytta simultaneously to him for $120 and 64 shilling in yearly taxes to the main farm. Kittil Bottolfsen settled himself then in southern Rotegård and Daniel Tovsen came to Hytta. Daniel Tovsen died sometime before 1810. His widow, Angjer Olsdatter sold Hytta in 1810 to Knut Aslesen Borgen for $304 and requested some further income. The new owner was Asle Knutson Borgen’s son who had bought Hytta in 1782, accordingly he came back to his father’s farm and settled himself there. Knut Aslesen Borgen was married to Sigrid Syversdatter Rukke. Their children were -
Knut Aslesen and Sigrid were a long time at Hytta. In 1814 Knut Aslesen also bought Haga (which means upper garden) from Ole Larsen Smedsrud, Nes for $100. Afterward Knut Aslesen and family likely lived alternately at Hytta and Haga, and used both properties together when the taxes to Norway’s Bank was assessed in 1816/17. Knut Aslesen had to pay $2 in taxes, not a large sum but surely large enough. Knut Aslesen died in 1823 at age 60. To get an impression of what they had for furniture and equipment at a place like Hytta - we will take a summary of a registry and appraisal which was held at Hytta 12 December 1823: 1 bread grill with equipment, 1 frying pan, 2 axes, 1 grind stone with irons, 2 household pots and pans, 2 spinning wheels, 30 wooden plates for milk and cream, 6 milk containers (wooden), 1 horse harness, locks, sheepskin blankets, homespun pants, woven skirts, skin for boots. The animals at Hytta and Haga were; 1 pale horse, 1 red cow, 1 red female cow without horns, 1 red heifer, 1 two year old heifer, 1 two year old bull, 1 one year old heifer and 1 sow. Hytta and Haga had not had any debts, but under meeting of the beneficiaries and heirs in 16 July 1824, Hytta was able, under Medgarden and Haga and Sonstegard, to be assessed. Hytta was two thirds and Haga one third, afterward Hytta and Haga became appraised as a permanent house. On Hytta - 1 six-log living room building, 1 six-log storehouse, 2 houses on a dairy for Hytta. In all, Hytta then became (with house and land) assessed for $250. Sigrid Syversdatter, widow of Knut Aslesen Hytta became married again to Ole Kristiansen Garnås from Hallingdal in 1825. They had a daughter Guri. She married Kristian Levorsen Hallibakken from Nesbyen in 1845. Ole Kristiansen and Sigrid had many years at Hytta. From the national census in 1835, two families lived there - in all 8 people. Feeding at the farm was for 1 horse, 3 cattle, 4 sows and 2 goats. The old living room at Hytta was now poor, and in 1847 Ole Kristiansen and his son-in-law Kristian Levorsen built up the living room which still stands on the farm. (The living room got added onto at the turn of the century). The Storehouse, which is on one height with two rooms, was from 1761 and must have been set up in Asle Clemensten’s time. In 1855, Ole Kristiansen sold Hytta to his son-in-law Kristian Levorsen Hallien for $100 and pension for himself and his wife. Ole Kristiansen Hytta died in 1866 at 82 years old. His widow Sigrid Syversdatter died in 1878 at 95 years old. Then it was Kristian Levorsen’s turn to be owner at Hytta. In 1855 he bought the summer pasture - Myrestolen from Ole Svennsen Eidal, Nes, for $100. Myrestolen became the summer farm to Hytta. Otherwise the summer farm (the closet home) was sold from the farm in 1888 to Haraldset at Nes. Kristian Levorsen Hytta and Guri had these children -
With the National Census in 1865, we find Kristian Levorsen, 46 years old and Guri Olsdatter, 39 years old at Hytta with all six children and two people on pension - Ole Kristiansen and Sigrid Syversdatter. Preacher Stang in Nore tells in his diary that in July 1870 he was on a trip in Tunhovd, along with the grave digger Knut Kittlesen Eidsåen. People at the summer farm went to the mountains in the summer. He took his helper into the cabin of Kristian Levorsen, but he was at the summer farm so only the wife was at home. There the preacher got coffee with some cheese balls instead of sugar and milk - such was often used. So the preacher and Knut got to lay on the leaves in the loft. They had their clothes along, and they got to borrow a new Skirt from Guri to lay under the hay bed. Kristian Levorsen Hytta died in 1871 - 53.5 years old. Widow Guri Olsdatter still stayed at the property some years, but in 1875 she sold Hytta, with the summer farm Myrestollen, and the fishing rights in Rodungsoset to son Levor Kristiansen for $400 and pension. Guri Olsdatter Hytta died in 1895 at 68 years of age. The new owner, Levor Kristiansen was an unusually clever and versatile man with good understanding and skill for all kinds of work. He was a timber man, carpenter, blacksmith, plasterer and boat builder. He has made many rowboats and barges. They were known to be light rowing and good on the water. For that purpose he worked a fish hatchery - trout at Hytta. Levor Kristiansen, as was earlier mentioned, was married to Ingrid Knutsdotter Skarpåsen in 1874. The children were -
In the National Census in 1875 we find Levor Kristiansen, 29 years old and Ingrid Knutsdatter, 25 years old, along with their son Kristian. They had a hired boy and nursemaid. Otherwise Guri Olsdatter also lived at Hytta along with daughters Margit and Guri and son Ole Kristiansen. And Sigrid Syversdatter died at 95 years old. Their animals consisted of 1 horse, 7 cows, 2 heifers, 13 sheep and 1 goat. First in the year 1890, there was at one time school held for Tunhovd community in the living room of Hytta until the new school got built. Levor Hytta was owner and master at Hytta in the whole 53 years, and much was accomplished during those years. His wife, Ingrid died in 1902 - 51 years old. In 1928 Levor sold Hytta to his son Kristian. Levor died in 1929.
So, it was a new Kristian Levorsen that was owner and farmer at Hytta. He had in his youth gone to non-commissioned officer school and Police school. For 15 years he worked with the Oslo Police. Kristian Levorsen was an outstanding, active Policeman, and they are still telling about how strong he was and about the struggle he had with wandering brew-making sea men. But Kristian became tired of the life in the city, calm and quiet that he himself was. He came home and took over the farm. There he didn’t need to use his fists or power on anyone. In the home community he was made use of a lot in various places of trust and he was also with the township board for awhile. Kristian Levorsen Hytta became, as was earlier mentioned, married to Ingeborg Olsdatter Plassen from Tinn. Their children were -
The Tunhovd farms, in the years before 1936, they dealt with the heirs of the relatives that were entitled to the rights of the forest. Kristian died in 1948, 73 years old. His widow Ingeborg still lived on the farm along with the son Lidvard who has now taken over.
Haukom - An old free farm in Kviteseid
Of the hired man’s place which lay under the yard, one finds Lundeberg and Skovik - further Staland, Moslid and Orlid. On the west side of the river lays Homann, Hovet and Bergland. Many of these are now destroyed and lay there just memories. Along side the farm and olden time thoughts come to a man who in the year 1813 bought a farm from Jorgen Aall. This man is Ole Bjørn Bjørnsen who lived most of his life at Haukom, and has set his mind, not only on the farm but to the building as a whole. He was very interested in agriculture and has put a lot of work into the farm. He moved the house from the foundation and there they stand today. He built the living room in 1815. A shed from 1771 was moved down and likewise the hay shed from 1745 which had stood until 1942 when it was replaced with a new and more fitting hay shed. He cultivated 15 acres of ground - otherwise he was a foreman in farming. But it isn’t only in farming that he was known. He was also a teacher, song leader at church, sheriff, mediator and parliamentarian. Therefore it may be of interest to look a little closer at this man.
Teacher, Song Leader (and reader) and Sheriff He was born 22 December 1783 on the Hestehagen farm in Oyefjell. His father died when Ole was just 3 years old, and his mother moved then to Kviteseid. He was 17 years old when he was sent by the Reverend to Kristiansand to be educated for a teacher. At 18 he was ready to teach in Kviteseid and in 1808 as (Klokkar) son leader and reader in church. In 1825 he was commissioned as Sheriff in Nissedal and with this filled the position as mediator. After 10 years as Sheriff, he was one of three as representatives from Telemark to the first Parliament in 1815 and was again elected in 1836, 1839 and 1842. As song leader he was exceptional, with a loud voice which could be heard over everyone. "Deep as a church clock" said Henry Wergeland about him. It was said that one time near Brunkeberg Church that Miss Croger, who was then song instructor at Kasa School, wanted to lead the singing. Bjørnsen stood it for awhile, but then he started with such a voice they had never heard the likes of before and he got the people with him. If there was any event which was taking place they always got Ole Klokkar. When Prince Oscar inspected court official Lovenskjold at Fossum they brought Ole all the way from Kviteseid. He was a clever teacher and had good order in the school. Friendship with Zetlitz Ole Bjørnsen had a nice mild manner and happy in his home life - a happy husband and good father. It comes through from many of his letters. He had many good friends, but the best friend he had was poet Zetlitz. Before Zetlitz ever came to Kviteseid - one can, through letters, hear the friendship grow more and more, and Zetlitz meant for the friendship should last to the grave. One should not forget that Ole Bjørnsen was a poet. He wrote several songs. It is natural therefore that preacher Zetlitz wanted a soul brother. In other editions of his songbook he took six of Bjørnsen’s songs. But even if the friendship was ever so good, it happened that they came in disagreement with one another. It was well known that Zetlitz was a slob with little and much, and Bjørnsen was an orderly man. Bjørnsen’s poems never came out collectively. They mostly came in Zetlitz songbook or else in some papers. In all work, either in serious or practice, Ole Bjørnsen was a hard worker. Other than what has already been mentioned, he was at one time a vaccinator, municipal reeve and from 1835 he was postmaster. There was a new post office for all of West Telemark which came together and Kviteseid was go between for all the west and surrounding towns so the postmaster had much to do. At that time there were no postage stamps so that the mail costs could often be large.
Became Sick Ole Bjørnsen was, in the last years in poor health. Was plagued with a liver sickness. In the winter of 1845 the sickness took hold and he took to his bed. People took warning the last time he sang at Brunkeberg Church, the second day of Christmas. The candelabra burned on its last - one of the lights broke off in the middle - fell to the floor, but the stub burned just as good. People took it that the song leader was doomed and wouldn’t come to church anymore. He died at 61.5 years old. The funeral service was the largest that anyone had seen in Kviteseid. They tied 40 horses by the church. It is therefore no wonder that such a man lives in people’s memories and the soul today lays like one of them of Ole Bjørnsen over Haukom farm. After Ole Bjørnsen’s time the farm came out of ownership (Aslak Brauti owned it from 1909 to 1915) but in 1915 Sveinung Gotuholt, Ole Bjørnsen’s grandson bought it. He took on different kinds of crops of his grandfather and worked the farm prosperously. In 1920 he received the Tor Vas farm award. Sveinung’s oldest son Aslak Gotuholt took over in 1959 and run the farm until he died. He and his wife Birgit had three children, but none of them wanted to run the farm. So in 1994 Aslak’s younger brother Tarjei Gotuholt took over. He and his wife Ragnhild have four children and in 1995 Tarjei’s daughter Liv and her husband Oddvar Hauge took over. Liv and Oddvar Hauge are the owners of Haukom in 2001. Written by Harald Oppeboen
Huvestad was once a very big farm. In old days the farm included the farms RDmunddalen (2 parts), Homme, Stavdal, Hosum, Bjønntveit, Sjodal, Lrkslid, Tjrnnhei and Storlid. Most of these farms are today independent farms. But Huvestad is still a large farm, about 4000 "mDl" timber and 30-40 "mDl" cultivated field (2001). The farm lies in the upland between Kviteseid and Morgedal and there are no other farms near by. Today nobody is living at the farm, but the houses are still quite good and the owner uses them for vacation. The living-house was new in 1965 (after a fire) and 2 garages were built in 1975. The other houses are old. Two "stabbur" are from 1680 and 1790, a barn from 1810, a cow-house from 1780 and a stable from 1800. The name "Huvestad" probably connected to the name Hugin, Hugin`s place ("stad" means place). The farm is very old, probably from about the year 1000. The oldest written about the farm is from 1450. Liv Hakesdaughter lived in the year around 1600. She was first married to one Gunnar, latest to a Torjus Olavsson at Skare. She had a son Hake, Hake Huvestad with Gunnar and with Tarjus a son Knut. That we know so much we can thank Nikuls Berge, brother to Torjust Skare for that. He held that the inheritance that Torgus had gotten had wrung all feelings, lawsuits and judges. When Torjus was going to die he felt regret that he didn't get right with his brother. Knut Tarjusson certainly did come to Lardal - how it went Liv didn't hear anymore about it. Where Liv and Hakes name came from is unknown. But one finds the same name in Vinje, at Hylland;s and at Gjellhus, Gunnar Hakensson had a sister named Liv. Hake Hunnarsson paid workers and taxes at Huvestad in 1593-1620. In 1599 he bought two pieces of property from Svein Haukesson. That is Svein's own property. In 1611 he owned a tunne in neighbour Homme farm and two tunnar at Ljosdal in Hoydalsmo. A change at Huvestad in 1625. The farm was sold many times between 1600 and 1900. In 1905 Tor Vaa bought the farm. He had a lot of farms in West-Telemark from about 1900 to 1930. But he got bankrupt and the bank took over. In 1927 the family Berge, 8 brothers and sisters, bought the farm. One of the brothers was Hans Berge, married to Tone Brauti (a sister of my great grandfather). The son of Hans and Tone, Hallvard Berge took over in 1965 and in 1989 his son Hans took over. Hans Berge (born 1963) is the owner today (2001).
Fjågesund (Interpreted)
From the year around the Black Death, we have letters about Fjågesund and Kilen, about Bishop Oysten, Steinar Roarson and Nikuls Grjotgardsson. Steinar Roarson from Fjågesund is named in a case involving a local inquest between Ostena and Kilen in 1402. He lived before the Black Death. It could be that he was the Harde-Steinar in the collapse. We have no trace from Steinar up to Svein Kjetilsson in 1436. From Svein we can build up four leads from the year 1590. If it is father and son, in all leads is unknown. There as paper and tax roll give solid grounds we meet Steinar at Fjågesund. He is freeholder in 1611 and works off taxes from 1593-1620. Then comes Tor Steinarsson. There was a change after him and an enlightenment of all he owned as freeholder, farms, shared farms - in several townships from Heddal to Drangedal, in all about 36 tunnur of land - easily the richest farmer who is known in Kviteseid. He died about the year 1690. Ekkja, Birgit Rolvsdaughter married again to Aslak Sveinungsson Fossheim - policeman at Bo, and a large landowner at Fjågesund there is an old Jesper Brochmands book of sermons arranged according to the church year where the old family tree is written, spouse, children, date and year. Steinar Torsson is the 1st - Anno 1662 is my daughter Dorte Steenersdaughter born at Nordgården in Seljord - 8 children are listed. Of 13, two died. "God grant that Fornefnte - my children who now live, could therefore behave themselves in this world, so that we may meet in that everlasting gladness." Steener Tordsen Fjågesund
One finds out about Bjåland at the time of the Black Death, but one doesn’t find property owners and family holdings before 1555. That year Tore Egilsdaughter is named "property woman:". She sold land and dwelling place in Midbo, an old Bjåland’s part, to Olav Tormodsson at Kleiv. She is likely mother to Asbjørn who this family opened with.
Lønnegrav is near Vrådal (Vrådal), a district of Kviteseid, over the mountain from Kviteseid Old Church. It is a beautiful spot, fronting on Lake Nisser. From it one can not only see the lake, but also the mountains, hills and the village of Vrådal. Lonnegrav was originally a very large place with farm land and much timer, but much of it is now broken up into smaller places. The first of our ancestors to live on Lonnegrav is mentioned in the records of 1609; prior to this, they came from Flatland in Vrådal, (or may be Fyresdal or Setesdal) The name Lønnegrav mean "hidden grave", "hidden hollow" or "hidden cavity" or perhaps the name is connected to the Norwegian name of the tree "lønn" (known as the Maple tree in Canada). Tarran was named owner at Lonnegrav in 1593. In 1609 it was Torgier, 1619 he was gotten rid of, the same in 1628 so that he was impoverished. In 1664 he was 70 years old, one son Jorund is 18. Now Nils and Bjorulv came in as owners. Nils is a capable farmer and owner in 1658. This is probably Nils Hansson Øy, Jorunds brother. Nils was married to åshild Targesdotter, maybe of Flatland ancestry. From them came ancestry at Sporastaul. Nils and Jorund had a brother, Jens married to Kari Halvars daughter. They had a daughter, Sigrid who was married to Huskuld Leivsonn. Both Jens and Huskuld are documented (named) "Oen". Sigrid and Huskuld's daughter, Kristi, was married to ådne Gunnarsson Tveiten, and the line after ådne is Lonnegrav ancestry. Very little is known of Gunnar Tarsjesson's father. One story is that ådne was to have moved in from the west settlement, Sirdal or Setesdal. But documents in Fyresdal don't confirm that. At Tveiten in Fyresdal there is a one Torbjorg ådnes daughter. She was first married to Talleiv Eivindson (see Dale) along with Gunnar Targeisson. Veum says that Gunnar "really was from Vradal". There is reason to believe that he is of Flatland ancestry. ådne and Talleiv had a brother Targei. That is documented at Sanden 1767. The widow (Ekkja), Gunnbjorg Oddsdaughter didn't have any children. Brothers and half siblings will inherit. Afterward Veum revealed that Targei was married to Turid in Fyresdal and had three children - Anne, born 1736; Torgeir born 1739; åse, born 1743 - died at 18 weeks. That isn't mentioned in the documents. The children must then have died first. Kristi and Ådne Lønnegrav run the farm until 1788. Then their son Tarjei Lønnegrav married to Sigrid, took over and run the farm until 1815. So their son Gunnar Tarjeison Lønnegrav, married to Signe Jonsdotter Fjone, run the farm until 1842. They had 9 children: Tarjei, Sigrid, Bergit, Kristi, Jon (Brauti), Ådne, Rasmus, Signe and Sven. In 1842 the farm, with an area of about 15.000 mål, (1 Mål = 1000 square metre) was broken up into smaller farms. Lønnegrav lower went to the oldest son Tarjei. He emigrated to USA together with four of his children (1867), but his oldest son Gunnar took over Lønnegrav lower. Later on Gunnar also emigrate to USA (North Dakota) and he sold the farm to Aslak Findreng. He sold the farm to Sven (the uncle of Gunnar and youngest brother of Tarjei). Sven's son Gunnar then ran the farm until he also emigrate to USA. Gunnar sold the farm to Gunnar O. Dahle who was a clergyman or minister. He leave by will the farm to the Norwegian Mission Company in 1904. At the same time he gave away (for free) 3 hired mans places to the people who lived there; Kosi, Flaten and Bakkane. The Norwegian Mission Company are now the oweners. A lot of the timberland (about 6000 "mål") were sold away to Johan Strånd in 1916. Area today: 20 "mål" cultivated and about 250 "mål" timber. The upper part of Lønnegrav, including the part where the old farmhouse were placed, fell to Ådne Lønnegrav in 1842. He lived several years at a part of the farm called Steane. About 1882 Ådne changed farms with his son-in-law and moved to Midtsund in Kviteseid (Ådne from now used the family-name Midtsund). The son-in-law, Halvor Midtsund, later called Halvor Lønnegrav, run the farm for several years. Halvor's son Ådne took over, but changed farm (1922) to his brother Hans Lia (Later called Hans Lønnegrav). The son of Hans, Halvor Lønnegrav drown at whale-hunting in 1958 and Halvor's son Hans took over in 1975. He is the owner today, and as you see, he springs from "the old Lønnegravs". (To day they spell the name Lønnegraff) Area today: 30 "mål" cultivated and 1350 "mål" timber. The third part of Lønnegrav, Lønnemoen, went in 1842 to Jon Lønnegrav (later Jon Brauti), but he changed farms to his brother Rasmus about 1850.Rasmus Lønnegrav emigrated to USA in 1866 and sold the farm to Petter Bergland and Olav Nordbø. Later on the farm was broken up into smaller places and timber-lands. A part of the farm fell to the farm Øy and the rest has been sold many times. Today is the owner Jon and Brit Ingebretsen. Area left today: 10 "mål" cultivated and 40 "mål" timber. A fourth part of Lønnegrav, the western part, was sold from Lønnegrav lower in 1921. Gustav Lønnegraff bought this part and run it until his son Helge Jon Lønnegraff took over in 1982. Gustav was a brother of Ådne and Hans at Lønnegrav upper (grandsons of Ådne Lønnegrav, later Ådne Midtsund) and springs from the "old Lønnegrav`s". Area today: 20 "mål" cultivated and 1600 "mål" timber. Several hired mans places under Lønnegrav are today "independent". Among them are Juvland and several parts of Strånd. One part of Strånd is today Quality Strånd Hotel, one of the largest hotel in Telemark.
Torhild Aslaksdotter Utbøen, Jon Gunnarson Lonnegrav Brauti's wife, came from Utbøen; and her ancestors came from Norskog. Utbøen is a fairly large place, which lies south of Brauti and fronts on Bandak Lake. The first recorded tax statement was for the year 1593-94. Our ancestors came to Utbøen in the early 1700's. They owned a lot of land and several farms, among them Tveit, Heggtveit, Breidalen, Grave and, of course, Utbøen. In 1821 they moved to the Tveit (Tweed) farm, where Torhild Aslaksdotter Utbøen was born. Aslak sold the farm to the owner of the neighbour-farm Roeid, Marcus Henrik Florentz ("Gamle fut") in 1821. In 1866 his son Mathias Andreas Rye Florentz took over and then his widow Henritte Florentz (born Bruun) sold the farm to Jon Valebjørg in 1882. So the farm was sold to Olav Dalen and from him Olav Gravir (later Olav Utbøen) bought the farm in 1891. His son Petter Mandt-Utbøen (His older brother Torjus emigrate to USA) took over in 1931 and his son again Olav Mandt-Utbøen in 1974. Olav Mandt-Utbøen (born 1928) is the owner today. His is also the owner of the mountain-farm Tveit in Dalane in Kviteseid. (The Mandt-Utbøen family is not related to the Brauti-family) Area today: 60 "mål" cultivated and 1700 "mål" timber (included Tveit)
Torhild Aslaksdotter Tveit (Utbøen) was born at Tveit (Tweed) in 1824. (Note: Torhild would be my great great great grandmother.) She was daughter of Aslak (Olavson) Heggtveit (born 1798 at Utbøen, died 1873 at Heggtveit) and his first wife Gunnhild (Johannesdotter) Tveit ,(born at Tveit in 1781, died at Heggtveit at 1838 (Gunnhild had been married once before, two children from the first marriage)) Torhild's father Aslak was married twice, and had 19 children, many of them died young, but 12 of them lived until they were adults. Three of his sons were named Olav. Several of the children emigrated to USA. Tveit is probably the oldest farm in the district (Tveitgrend) and lies less than a mile north of Brauti. It is an old place with a wonderful view. The old Stabur has been moved to the outdoor museum near the Old Church. The farm was broken up into smaller places end farms, and in 1904 a new house was built at one of these new farms. (At Tveit Vestigard about 100 metres from the old farmhouse) While digging the cellar, they found two swords, a shield, a spear, several tools and hand implements of iron, and also some bronze items, all from about A.D. 1000 or earlier. Torhild's father Aslak, moved several times, apparently trying to decide which of his many farms he liked best. In Aslak's time the farm Tveit consist of many farms and hired places: Tveit Norigard,(the part where the old farmhouse were placed), Borgjordet, Nordjordet, Tveit Vestigard, Breidalen, Haugen, Heimdal, Heggtveit (2parts), Raukleiv, Nygård and Grave. All these farms are today "independent" farms. Several of them are owned by people who spring from Aslak Heggtveit. Erling Brauti was the owner from 1985 until January 2000 when his son Olav became the owner of three of these farms: Tveit Norigard (the old place), Nordjordet and Borgjordet. Also Breidalen, Heimdal, Heggtveit (one of them) and Grave are owned by people who spring from Aslak Heggtveit. Several of the houses at Tveit Norigard are very old and the same as when Aslak lived at Tveit and when Torhild was born. The living house (a part of it) is built about 1600, may be earlier. The barn is from the same time.
(Translated by Lill Ann Parry) Knut Torsteinsen Skarpås was a very useful man in district governing and we often find his name in the meeting books for the community council and local education council. In 1871 he was the school supervisor and district chariman in the Øygardsgrend local school district, and in 1878 he participated in working out the proposal for the new school organization for Nore. Additionally, in 1876 he was selected as one of those who were to negotiate with the people of Ytre Nore to decide where the new church was to be built. His son Torstein Knutsen was married to Kravik and lived there. He was a teacher and mayor in Nore for many years. In 1891 Knut Torsteinsen sold the farm to his youngest son, Knut Knutsen and took a life-estate arrangement for himself and his wife (dated 27/2 tgl. 28/2 1891). In the years 1900 to 1901 there were held changes between the owners of the common areas of north Øygardsgrend and the fishing rights in the same ownership excluding the fjord. (see mellom Loftsgarden.) In the tax records for 1904 it shows Knut Knutsen as the owner of south Skarpåsen - farm number 137/6 that at that time had a tax of 86 øre after the sections of the property were sold. In 1904 Ole Toresen from Hejulvgard obtained the deed for south Skarpåsen from Knut Knutsen (dated 3/10 tgl 4/10 1904). After the farm was sold, Knut Knutsen moved his entire family, including his elderly parents, to Vestfold and settled on the farm Grøun that he had purchased. His elderly father, the old Knut Torsteinsen, was destined for an unpleasant accident. He was cutting straw with a machine that was driven by horsepower outside the house. His hand got stuck in the machine and was cut into small pieces way up his arm before they were able to stop the machine. But he survived this also. Knut Knutsen worked the farm on Grøum for a while but then he stopped farming and was the cashier for the Indremission organization for about 13 years. The new owner of south Skapåsen, Ole Toresen Herjulvsgard, had previously owned Bjelldokken before he bought Skarpåsen. He was still unmarried and his ownership of Skarpåsen was neither very long. In 1908 he sold the farm to Knut Johnsen from Stordokk. Ole Toresen then moved out to Botne in Vestfold where he bought the farm Lakild by Hynås. He had then taken the name of Skarpås of his previous farm.
In 1752 there was a change at Nordskog in Strauman after Eirik ånundsson married Gunnhild Olavsdaughter. Both are dead. They didn’t have any children so the siblings inherited. Eirik had 5 siblings - among the brothers Gunnleik and Tov, Gunnhild had a sister åste. Gunnleik lives at Raundalen; åsmås in Tordal. It could be thought they came from that border. Tov stayed at upper farm Råmunddalen - at that time the place was upper Huvestad. It is the descendants of Tov that we shall look at here. We have not much knowledge of the others.
Flekstveit was one big farm until 1850. The owners were the family Lundevall from about 1650. In all these 200 years it was the same owner to both Flekstveit in LDrdal (Tokke) and Lundevall in Kviteseid, or it was father and son, or two brothers who were the owners. The Lundevall family also have another farms and were very rich. The area of the old farm was about 20.000 "mDl" (1 mDl = 1000 square metre) In 1809 the two brothers Knut and Aasmund Flekstveit inherit the farm from their father. (The oldest brother inherit the farm Lundevall in Kviteseid and another brother inherit the farm Tveit in Dalane in Kviteseid). The two brothers run the farm together, but in 1850 when they got old, the farm were shared into two parts, upper and lower Flekstveit. Upper part included the old buildings, but some of the buildings were moved to the lower part. It was a lot of buildings at Flekstveit, two living houses, several barns and small buildings and 5 "stabbur" (I dont`t think there are an English word meaning "stabbur" ??) 3 of the "stabbur" were moved to the lower part. The youngest brother Aasmund (1790-1860) got the upper part. He was not married and he sold the farm to the nephew Torjus Lundevall in 1854. Torjus run the farm in his lifetime, but later on a daughter Daardi took over and the farm was broken up into smaller parts and sold. Today only one part of the farm, a timber-land called "Midtfjellet" (Area about 700 "mDl") is owned by people who pring from the Lundevall’s. The owner of this part is Sveinung Srlverud. The largest part, including the place were the old buildings were placed, today belongs to Gunleik and Kari RDmunddalen. (Area about 7500 "mDl") Knut Flekstveit (1786-1858), the other brother, got the lower part. He was married to his niece Anne ("half-niece": grandchild of his father in his first marriage. Knut was from the second marriage) They had 3 children, a boy and two girls, but the boy, Torjus (1811-1827) died young. The daughter Egeleiv (1816-1837) married Vetle Juvland, but she died childless 2 years after marriage. The daughter Tone (1824-1850) married Aslak Gotuholt (grandfather of my great grandfather Jon Brauti) and got 3 children; a boy named Torjus who died 2 months old and two girls Egelev and Anne. Also Egelev and Anne died young (38 and 27 years old) Only Egelev had children, a daughter named Anna. All the people who spring from Knut and Anne was weak and died young, people thought the reason was the near relationship between Knut and Anne. When Knut died in 1858 all his children were dead and his grandchildren Anne and Egelev inherit, but the girls was so young that Knut`s son-in-law Aslak Gotuholt took over the farm. In 1870 he sold the farm to Gunnar Brauti who 3 years later became Aslak’s son-in-law when he married Aslak's daughter Tone. Tone died after childbirth at Flekstveit in 1874 and later on (1879) Gunnar married another daughter of Aslak, Dordi. Gunnar Flekstveit Brauti run the farm until he died. Three of his sons, Aslak, Einar og Toralf Brauti inherit the farm in 1906. Few years later they broke up the farm into smaller parts and sold most of them. To day it is about 35-40 different parts of Flekstveit (uppere and lower) Only 3 of the parts are today owned by people who spring from Gunnar Flekstveit Brauti; Halvor Nyland and Dagfinn Nyland (grandson and son of Signe, born Brauti) and Erling Brauti (grandson of Einar Gunnarson Brauti) are owners of about 4000 "mDl" of the old property. The owner of the part which includes the old buildings at the lower part is today (2001) Aslak A. Selstrl in LDrdal. He is the owner of the cultivated area which belonged to the lower part and some timber-land around it. The name Flekstveit probably mean a spot of thwaite. ("Flekk" mean spot, and "tveit" mean thwaite or a piece of cultivated field) In the old days Flekstveit was held to be one of the most valuable farms in the district (LDrdal). The area was huge and the farm had very good graze-land for the animals. The farm had a lot of hired man`s places, perhaps a number of 24. Most of this hired man’s places are today "independent" small farms along the lake Bandak. The farm had a lot of places with houses (15-20 places) were the cattle, horses and sheep could graze in the summer ("Stauler"). Some of this "stauler" still have houses, but today in use for hunting and vacation. All the buildings at Flekstveit (upper and lower) are today gone, except the living house and a barn at the lower part. In this same living house Gunnar Flekstveit Brauti`s firs wife, Tone Gotuholt, died after childbirth in 1874. Three (of five) "stabbur" is moved, one to the outdoor museum near the Kviteseid Old Church, one to Morgedal Hotel and one to the farm Straumen in VrDdal. A cowhouse and a barn are also moved to the outdoor museum near the Old Church in Kviteseid, but all the other houses are rotten down.
Gunnleik (Gullick) was named as Heggtveit farmer in about the year 1600. He owned the farm and also had land in Tordal and Drangedal: 2 tn in Lauvstad, 2 tn. in Vågsland and some in Voje, a good 10 tn altogether. It could be that he was from that area, or else it was property through marriage. Around 1640 there was no more landed property, especially in Rugtveit and Dale. There is a scarcity of letters and news about the farm in this time. One letter from 1605 which recognizes Gjelstad, reports that Torbjorg Tormodsdaughter (åse) is married to Gunnleik Tormodsson Heggtveit. But Tormods name has gone from the line that we can follow.
Omtveit, nordigard (earlier Aamtveit)
There is now several Omtveit farms in Brunkeberg in Kviteseid. Omtveit norigard and Omtveit nordre (uppigard) was divided into two farms in 1522. The old houses were placed a little south of Omtveit uppigard, between these two farms. In 1859 Søren Hakeson Råmunddalen bought the farm. He is the first of my family who is owner of the farm, but his wife Margit Lavransdotter born Håtveit ran from the family who was owners from about 1820. The oldest son Olav Sørenson Omtveit took over about 1890. He and his wife Tone had three daughters, Margit (born 1885), Gro (born 1887, my great grandmother) and Tone (born 1889). Margit married Halvor Verpe in Bø (4 sons), and Gro and Tone married the two brorhers Jon and Toralf Brauti. In 1914 the youngest daughter Tone and her husband Toralf Brauti took over. They ran the farm until their oldest son Gunnar Brauti Omtveit took over. He ran the farm to 1980, then his nephew Toralf Omtveit (son of Gunnars younger brother Olav) took over. Toralf Omtveit (born 1967) is the owner today (2001). The area of the farm is about 40 "mål" cultivated and 1100 "mål" timber-land. The farm has today two living-houses one from 1740 and one from 1948. The "stabbur" is from 1739 and the barn from 1740. The cow-house (or rather sheep-house) is from 1937 and the garage is from 1984. There is also a saw-house from 1990. The old houses has been modernized several times and are today very up-to-date.
One of the oldest farms in Kviteseid is Gotuholt. The name means a way or road railed in by grove, and has been written in different ways; Gattuholthe, Gutteholt, Gadeholt. They had found old tools of iron and bronze from about AD 800-1050. Ole Bjørnsen Haukom (1783- 1845) bought the farm in 1838. Dordi Gotuholt, the wife of Ole's oldest son Bjørn spring from the earlier owners of Gotuholt. Both Bjørn (Ole's son) and his wife Dordi lived at the farm before they owned it. Bjørn died at Gotuholt in 1840 and Dordi died at Gotuholt in 1842, and their only son Sveinung inherited the upper part of the farm from his grandfather in 1845. Perhaps Ole, who was rather well-to-do, bought the farm from Dordi's family with an eye to pass the farm to his sons. Dordi's family had financial problems and many of them emigrated to the USA. Ole was married three times. First to Tone Talleivsdotter Hemmestveit (born 1775) in 1806, but she died at Omtveit in 1807 probably after a childbirth. They had a daughter who died very young. Ole then married Egeleiv Aslaksdotter Kyrkjebø (born 1789) in 1811 and they got 6 children, but 3 died very young. The children who grow up were Bjørn (1812-1840), Aslak (1814-1895) and Tone (born 1821 died in USA) Bjørn and Aslak were born at Kviteseid farm (near the old church), but Tone was born at Haukom. Egeleiv died in 1823 and Ole then married her sister Tarjer (or Torgjerd) Aslaksdotter Kyrkjebø (born 1800) in 1824. They had 6 children; Egeleiv (born 1826), Sveinung (1829-1909 in USA), Olav (1832-1896), Birgit (1834 died in USA), Aslak (1837-1906, emigrate to USA but came back and died in Norway) and Aslaug (1841-1884). All these children were born at Haukom. When Ole Bjørnsen died in 1845 the farm Gotuholt was shared between Aslak and Bjørn's son Sveinung (Bjørn was already dead). Sveinung Bjørnson got the upper part, including the old buildings and Aslak the lower part. A part of the living house and a "stabbur" was moved to the lower part. In 1858 Sveinung sold the farm to Sveinung Groven. He and his sons Steffen and Aslak run the farm until 1889 when one of Aslak Gotuholts sons, Bjørn bought the farm. But already in 1892 he sold the farm to Tor Wrå. His son Hans took over in 1903 and now (2001) the two sons of Hans, Thor (born 1912) and Kristian Wrå (born 1918) are the owners. (The Wrå family are not related to the Gotuholt's) Area today: 50 "mål" cultivated and 2000 "mål" timberland. The lower part fell to Aslak Gotuholt in 1845. He lived all his time at Gotuholt where he died in 1895. Aslak married three times. First in 1842 to Tone Knutsdotter Flekstveit. He inherit also Flekstveit from his first father-in-law, but sold the farm shortly after to Gunnar Brauti (later on his son-in-law) (see Flekstveit) Aslak and Tone got 3 children, Torjus (died only 2 months old), Egeleiv and Anne. Tone died in 1850 and in 1852 Aslak married Gro Såvesdotter Vesterdal. He and Gro got 9 children; Tone, Dordi, Birgit, Olav, Såve, Knut, Aslaug, Bjørn and Gunhild. Gro died in 1887 and in 1888 Aslak married Hæge Jørundsdotter Øyan. (Aslak then was 74 years old). He and Hæge got 2 children; Sveinung and Gro. (Aslak was 79 years old when he got his child number 14 and 81 years when he died !!) In the 1880's Aslak's son Olav (born 1858) took over and run the farm until 1913. Olav was not married and his brother Sveinung (born 1889) bought the farm in 1913, but he changed farms to his nephew Aslak Brauti about 1915 (see Haukom). Aslak Brauti (grandson of Aslak Gotuholt, son of his daughter Dordi) run the farm until about 1922. Then Aslak had to sell to his cousin Sveinung Bjørnson (son of Bjørn Gotuholt) because the Norwegian law ("odelsloven") allowed the oldest son and his children to buy back family-farms. (Aslak was the son of Dordi who was older than Bjørn, Sveinung's father, but this time sons had better lawcourt/rights than daughters. Today sons and daughters have the same rights, it depends only of age) Sveinung Bjørnson (He did not use the family-name Gotuholt, but Bjørnson) run the farm until 1974 when his daughter Gunhild Bjørnson Berger took over. In 1987 her daughter again, Åse Kristin Bjørnson Berger took over and she is the owner today. Area today: 60 "mål" cultivated and 160 "mål" timber. In 1904, in Olav Gotuholts time, he sold a part of the farm, called Espeland to his brother Såve. Såve was not married and in 1917 his nephew Gunnar Bjørnson took over. (Gunnar was also son of Bjørn Gotuholt and brother of Sveinung Bjørnson). Gunnar's son Arne Bjørnson took over in 1951 and from 1998 his son Jan Rune Bjørnson is the owner. Area: 30 "mål" cultivated and about 1000 "mål" timber.
The Fjeldskål house was in the family for about 250 years. It was moved to the House Museum (Hordamuseet at Fana, a museum for local history) in Bergen in 1965. It was purchased for 2000-3000 Kroner ($500-600). It was dismantled at Fjeldskål and rebuilt at the Hordamuseet. It was made with wooden nails. It has a large stone fireplace with lefse griddle and huge cooking pot, two long tables and benches on each side of the main room, stove plate mounted on wall, three beds in one bedroom - beds were very short, straw for matress, cupboard in 2nd bedroom, three bunk style beds with carving in 2nd bedroom. Fjellskål was a small farm on an island called Osteroy (which is one of the greatest islands of the south-west coast of Norway).
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