Vaksdal Bygdebok Band III, Elvik Farm
[In 1814, after several centuries of Danish control, Norway was transferred to Sweden. All during the 1800's this had a marked effect on the Norwegian language as the Norwegian people attempted to diminish the Danish language influence and also to throw off Swedish control. Eventually two separate languages (Bokmål and Nynorsk) evolved, but in many areas regional dialects also remained. That seems to be the case here. Many of the words used, if put into the Google search engine, produce links only to the Bygdeboks from this region that are online, indicating that this is the only place they were used. Many of these words also are not in a standard Norsk/Engelsk dictionary. This has made translating this text very difficult, especially since my knowledge of the language is rudimentary at best. So please bear this in mind when reading it. The exact interpretation is not guaranteed. I certainly welcome any suggestions for corrections. I can be reached at this email address: neilel@aol.com
Eigarar is the term used to specify an owner. Brukarar seems to indicate the one who lives on the property and manages it, so could be either an owner or renter. Therefore I have translated brukarar as user, which could specify either an owner or renter. This is the same term used by the automated translations online.
The text highlighted in red indicates persons in my direct line. Text enclosed in brackets [ ] indicates information added by me and was not in the original. The text highlighted in green indicates the line of descent for the family of Knut Elvik and his sister, Inga (Elvik) Orvik, who lived in Nelson County, North Dakota at the same time my family did.]
The above photo is from the Vaksdal Bygdebok. The photo was probably taken in the early 1960's
Farm 31. Elvik
Elvik borders Mostraum and Mellesdal. Mostraum lies across the county line in the county of Modalen.
The oldest written records of the farm are from 1303. In 1567 the land lay deserted and had probably been so since the Black Death. Around 1600 the farm was occupied again. To begin with there was only one user, but in 1657 there were three. But if this source is correct (tax records from 1657) it must have been only for a short time. In 1660 there was only one resident. In 1716 the farmer leased half of the farm to his stepson. This did not last long. After 1730 the farm was probably back to a single user. After 1786 there were two. At first the farms were of equal size. One was farmed by the owner and the other was leased. From 1792 the leased portion was only 1/3 of the land. That ratio remained even after the bruk 2 owner returned in the 1800’s. In 1924 another small farm was spun off from bruk 1 and was known as bruk 3. [Bjorkeli, for 27 øre.] This had been the smaller of the previously divided portion of land. The land that was taken up around 1887 was called Steinbogen. Another place, Gjelæ, was taken up in 1840, and was in use until the 1850’s. The owner lets his brother, Johannes Olsson and his wife, lease two uncultivated fields, Olderhola and Steinbogen. They were employed at Kvåstad in 1952 and later a crofter named Anders lived here. Gjelæ lay on the fields of br. 1 right below Steinbogen in South Hallet. See places Gjalae below.
In 1839 by mutual consent the land plots were changed around.
In 1945 boundaries were established between br. 1 and 2 of Elvik and Mellesdal.
On the hill where the house for bruk 2 stands there were originally two houses close together. The house for bruk 2 was in the foremost location. Replacement for the house for bruk 1 was started in 1897, but the move was not completed until 1902 or 1903. The reason was that Jakob, born on this farm in 1860, was in America for some time. He left in 1895, but did not return until 1899. From 1895 to 1900 Martinus Haukøy from Hosanger leased the farm. Jakob displaced him when he took over the family farm.
The special old house was not left in the farmyard. The farmhouse in the new location felt just like home before the move.
The mill lay in the river, on high ground by the yard to br. 2. Vikjæ is the name of the boathouse site.
There are some remnants of stone walls that the elders here say were the remains of a sawmill, but it was so long ago the people on the farm now barely remember.
There are fields of flat land that stretch down to the sea. In 1863 there were 11¼ mål (1 mål equals 0.247 acres) of cultivated land. 4½ mål were good. 2 were intermediate, and the rest was of poor quality. Bøen [fenced in meadow] was 48¼ mål. 10 4/5 measure was good Bø, just under 9½ mål, intermediate, and the rest was of poor quality. 1863: other issues on the farm. Some of the grain needs to be harvested by [?large Høe] and the fields are difficult. And 1661: There is no grove of trees convenient for getting firewood for the household. In 1723 there is a path for transporting wood to the household and they sometimes sell lumber and firewood for 13 spd profit annually [1 speciedolar = 4 kroner]. There are two hayfields, at Burkjeliæ and in the valley. There is a barn in each location, Fossabotnen and Glyfso Nakkaløo, and also at the main buildings. Hay from these fields was taken home on [vetraføre - ?wagons]. There were also fields in Knutsbotnen, Almbotnen, Asketonæ, Nesset, Djupedalen and Tonæ. Hay from these eight fields was brought home for drying. The people living at Elvik at this time described this as working well.
The forest land was divided and each user tended their own plots. From the river valley Dyraliæand Byrkjeliæ the timber was perhaps dragged to the trail and then down to the meadow. The wood is transported further on a log slide. The wood hewn along the coast is usually brought home to the boathouse by row boat. About the pasture in 1863: Summer pasture is barely adequate. [The next sentence “<Skinlændt samt en meget vanskelig Klev for Creaturene til Havnegangen.> is very difficult and remains untranslated as of this time.]
Saetre [mountain farm] is located north of the yard, between Snøjen and Dyrokslæ. Saetre is also mentioned in 1723. Sæter road is hard and steep. Both had used quartzite sæterhus [sæter house]. They have not been in use since 1946.
There was a place in the forest that had been used in common. This parcel was called Hopatødna. It was later divided. Fields in some of the forest land lay in proximity to the neighboring farm. On bruk 1 a sawmill had been used in previous times. Fishing is hardly mentioned in written sources. In 1723 it was mentioned that there was no fishing. But in recent times there was fishing for salmon. It was probably started in the 1890’s. It was accepted permanently after 1921, and now is considered the main industry besides farming. Fishing rights are divided as 2/3 for bruk 1 and 1/3 for bruk 2.
Owners
In 1565 it was reported in Copenhagen that Erik Rosenkrantz wanted to acquire some farms in Arna skipreide [skipreide –this is an historical term for a coastal shipbuilding region during the Viking period.] These farms were Cardigans, Upper Eide, Elvik and Valestrand. It is unclear whether this meant Elvik Stamnes. In 1626 it was reported that the farm belonged to Gidskegodset, [this is the name of a particular estate.] the same as reported in 1648. A part of this farm in Ytre-Bruvik and half in Straume was disputed but in 1655 and 1661 it is reported that it belongs to the Apostle Elvik estate. In the late 1600’s the farm was sold several times. In 1689 the owner was Mons Kirsofersen Hjermand.
In 1692 the owner was the widow of Jonas Lillienschiold. In 1694 it was fru Zitzell Kaas. In 1706 she gave the land to the user. For the later owner see the user story.
In 1303 in a letter concerning the transfer of land to Munkeliv Monastery, Mark in Elluiik is mentioned as the brother to Jon Lodinson. The letter gives no more information about Mark than mentioned here. From 1603-1620 the user was Jens. In 1611 there was a farmer here named Knut. In 1630-31 the user was Johannes. From 1638-1655 it was Hans Knutsson. Kona Marite and a girl are people mentioned in the poll tax of 1645. They were the only adults in Elvik at this time, but in 1657 there appear to be 3 users. The user Olav had livestock [technically winter feeding domestic animals] of 1 horse, 5 cows, 1 heifer, 12 goats and 12 sheep and paid 5½ mark 4 sk in livestock tax. The user Baste had a horse, a bull, 6 cows, 1 heifer, 100 goats, 12 sheep, and paid 6½ mark 4 sk. in livestock tax. This information should be viewed with some skepticism because there appear to be some errors in transcription. In 1661 there was only one user, Olav Sjursson b. about 1630 m. Brita Olsddatter 1664. They had a hussman Nils Diriksson b. about 1642 and a crofter, Johannes Basteson b. 1603. Helge Hansson b. about 1652 and according to the census appears as a son to Olav. He must be a stepson.
Olav and Brita had these children:
| Sjur f. 1689 g. 1712 m. Brita Andersdatter Eikefet, Hosanger. Olav b. 1691. User here. Magne b. 1696. Martha, d. 1702. Siri b. 1699 m. 1733 m widower Mons Johannesson Feten, Hosanger. Settled on Eikefet, Hosanger 1734. |
Olav [b. 1630 d. 1701] died in 1701, and his widow Brita married Nils Eysteinsson Ratveit b. 1668 d. 1744.
1706, he was living on the farm and was the first known skølveigande [The only translation of this word I could find was “actual.” Maybe it refers to a renter.] on the farm here. Brita b. 1655 d. 1741. They had a son Olav b. 1702.
1716 Olav Olsson leased half of the farm from the father Nils Eysteinsson. Olav b. 1691 d. 1741 was married to Marie Gudmundsdatter Eikefet b. 1717 [sic. I think must be an error. It probably indicates the marriage date]. When Olav was dead she moved to Bukkstein and married widower Olav Olsson userbruk 1.
|
Born: Olav b. 1718. User here. Johannes b. 1719. Brita b. 1723 m. Mons Hekland. See Hekland bruk 2. Anna b. 1724. Gudmund b. 1725. Resident in Holo Veo. See Veo bruk 5-7. Martha b. 1751 m. 1727 vs. Johannes Olsson Moldvik. Guri b. 1731 m. Knut B. Meland, Bukkstein bruk 1. Inga b. 1737 m. Helge Larsson Dale Hekland bruk 2. Sjur b. 1738. User at Bukkstein BNR. 2. Besides these children there were five children who died young. |
Nils b. 1746. |
| Brita b. 1757 married the next user. Ragnhild b. 1758 d. 1771. Ingeborg b. 1762 d. 1763. Johannes b. 1768. See below. Olav b. 1764. User here, at bruk 1. |
1786 Gudmund Jakobson Kaland leased half of the farm. Gudmund b. 1757 d. 1791 was married to Brita Jakobsdatter b. 1757. She had a small interest in the farm for 9/10 mark butter, which she had inherited from half sister Brita Olsdatter. Gudmund was juror [possisble mistranslation, but the word lagrettemann translates as juror] 1790. In 1791 his estate was settled and the net was over 98 rdl.[1 rigsdaler = 6 mark] Land for the 9/10 mark butter was made available to the widow. The second part was inherited by Knut b. 1786. He settled in 1820 Strusshamn. Brita married older generation here. See below under br.2.
Bruk 1
1791 Transfer to Olav Jakobsson from his father and brother Johannes. Olav himself had inherited part of the farm, and eight no 1 pound 3 / 10 mark butter, valuation of 160 rdl. Kårbrev the parents were reading items at once about the transfer. Olav b. 1764 d. 1845 married Martha Knutsdatter Simenes in 1793 She was b. 1768 d. 1848.Born. Marta b. 1793 m. Johannes Olsson Moldvik. Resided Skår. |
Born: Husfolk: Widow Brita was married a second time to Anders Olsson Skjelde, widower; Hosanger. They had no children. |
| Born: Ragnhild b. 1848 m. Ole Nilsson Remme, Alversund. Knut b. 1851 resided here. Marie b. 1853 m. Nils J. Kallestad br. 2. Jakob b. 1860. resided here Ole b. 1865 resided in USA 4 born and died young. |
Knut died in 1869. He drowned at Elvikaskjeret, where the boat sways in strong east wind. Knut had been on an errand to Grøsvik. Settling the estate for the widow brought 450 spd. Marta f. 1827 d. 1908 married a second time to Mons Magneson Kallestad br. 2 b. 1844 d. 1898. They had a son, Knut, b. and d. 1870.
1873 Transferred to Knut Knutsson from stepfather for 178 spd. and conditions. Knut was born 1851 m. Guri Johannesdatter Kallestad br. 2 b. 1842 d. 1907. They settled later in Vimmelvik, Haus.Born: |
1895 Transferred to Jakob Knutsson for 3.300 kr. Jakob b. 1860 d. 1932 was m. to Anna Knutsdatter Romarheim f. 1865 d. 1954.
| Born: Kalmar b. 1898 m. Inga Nilsdatter Farestveit. Owner, resided Remme, Alverstraumen. 3 born. Klara Marie b. 1899 m. road inspecter Mons Sandal, Kallestad. Minni Signora b. 1901 m. farmer & builder Ragnvald Morken, Manger. Later resided U.S.A. Melvin Reinhart b. 1904 Road construction worker m. Ingeborg J. Toskedal br. 2. Road worker. Resided Mellesdal. m. Hildur Steinsland b. 1915. Oskar Johannes b. 1908. Skogsarb. [skog = forest or wood; arb =worker] Resided Gammersvik. Alvilde Emelie b. 1912 m. next user. |
| Born: Ester Andbjørg b. 1936, m. Knut Heimvik, Hosanger. Åshildl Borgny b. 1941, m. Magnus Kleiveland, Hosanger. Jakob Andreas b. 1945. Agnar Kåre b. 1949. |
Bruk 2
1805 Transferred to Nils Johannesson Leiro from his father et al. Nils was the son of Marie Olsdatter Elvik. Marie married Johannes Nilsson Leiro. She had inherited ¼ of the farm, & 9 measures of butter production from her father and another ¼ of the farm from her sister, Brita, who died in 1773, and in 1792 she had Johannes [actually 1791]. The 9/16 interest in the butter production was then purchased from the widow Brita Jakobsdatter Elvik. When Marie’s estate was settled in 1797 12 measures of butter was made available to the widower and 3 sons. Then the transfer was given to the heir, Nils, in 1805. When he took possession as the user we do not know, but probably it was in 1816, the same year that was stipulated in the settlement with the widow Brita Jakobsdatter. Nils b. 1791 d. 1846, m. Marie Eiriksdatter Eide br. 1 b.1791 d. 1864. During the time that Nils was the user the valuation of the farm changed from 190 spd. to 267 spd. 3 children died young, and the others were:
| Johannes b. 1819. see below Eirik b. 1822. User here. Marie b. 1823. see below Gjertrud b. 1826. Olav b. 1831 d. 1848 (accident) Kari b. 1832 had a son Johannes b. 1863. Father, Knut Jakobsson Eide br. 2 b. 1837 d. 1865. |
1847 Johannes Nilssson was replaced as user for 190 spd. Johannes was residing in Farestveit and did not run the farm himself.
1847 Leased by Eirick Nilsson, the same year specified by his mother’s conditions. Eirik was married to Brita Knutsdatter Mellesdal br. 1 b. 1823. In 1857 he bought the farm that Brita was from and then moved to Mellesdal. Born: See Mellesdal br. 1.
Around 1857 the farm was rented by Hans Jakobson Otterstad b. 1829 and his wife Marie Nilsdatter b. here in 1823.Born: Jakob b. 1853 d. 1954, resided Otterstad, Modalen, br. 4 |
| Born: Johannes, resided U.S.A. Inga b. 1881 d. 1882. |
| Born: Inga b. 1889. See below. Erik b. 1891 d. 1923. Ole b. 1893 d. 1895 Erik drowned in Eidsfjord in 1923 together with Nils Gammersvik and Olav Mellesdal. |
Bruk 3
It had previously been called Steinbogen. About 1887 Ole Eiriksson and his wife Helene Askjelsdatter came here from Gammersvik. They had available from her butt people Porsmyr, and house that stood there, was now set up at Steinbogen. Ole was born in Sandalen on Kallestad 1857 d. 1945, Helen b. 1851 d. 1936 had the following children:| Sigrid b. 1880, married sailor Edvard Håland from Hamre. Resided in Bergen Brita b. 1881, married Nils L. Gammersvik, br 3, d. 1911 Anna Gurine b. 1884. Resided in Bergen. Askild b. 1886. Farmer in U.S.A., d. 1918. Johanna b. 1889, married Anders Håland from Hamre. Resided in Oslo. 2 born . Erik f. 1891. Owner here. Henrik b. 1894. Emigrated to U.S.A, 1915. Fell as an American soldier in France 1918. Brita b. 1881 and Hans Takvam had a daughter, Ida b. 1900 (see Ytre Bruvik br. 35, 36 and37) m. Anton Bruvik. |
| Born: Aslaug b. 1924. Factory worker. Bergen, married H. Gravdal. Målfrid b. 1927, married ship's officer Nils Økland, resided Bergen. Olav Henry b. 1928, ship's officer, married Cesilia Askeland, Haus. resided Bergen. |
Place Gjelæ
Johannes Olsson Elvik, br. 1, b. 1805 and his wife Kari Andersdatter Dyvik, br. 1, came from Mo, St. in 1940. Johannes had leased two outlying fields, Olderholo and Steinbogen, from his brother, Knut Olsson (br. 1). These places are called the Gjelæ. In 1852 Johannes with his household to move to Kvåstad br. 2. Stein Bogen was later resumed, see br. 3.
Husfolk
Around 1830 Sjur Davidson Skauge from Lindås and his wife Marie Olsdatter Grøsvik lived here. She was b. 1803 here but came from br. 3, Grøsvik. They moved later to Lindås.| Born: David b. 1830. Martha b. 1831, g. 1868 m. Halvor Olsson Leivestad. |
1851 Haldor Jakobson Salhus married Anna Knutsdatter Elvik br. 1 b. 1829 d. 1854. They had a son, Knut, b. 1852.
Hans Jakobson Elvik lived and died here in 1871, 44 years old.
Jon Andersson Myr from Lindås and wife Gunbjørg Ivarsdatter Eide br. 3 b. 1830 lived here and had children, Ivar b. 1852, and Anders b. 1853.
Ole Olson Kleiveland and Kari Jakobsdatter Myster br. 3 b. 1867 had a son, Jakob, b. 1886. Kari married Magne Johannesson, Salhus.
Gulleik Monsson Stamnes br. 2 b. 1831. As an old man he lived in a room that stood on the north side of Elvik-bay, close to the sea. He was a peddler, and for a few years ran a good shellfish trade with us. Shellac [couldn’t find translation for this word] he bought in Stamnes. He bought leather in Finnmark and sold in Trondheim. Gulleik died unmarried in 1910. There was an estate auction after he died and the house, which had been built with salvaged ship's timber, was bought by Johannes Leiren and set up in Kallvik br. 2, where it is in use yet.