Marit Larsdatter's Ancestors

Click on a name to read more about the person or click for an Alphabetic List of all Names.

We wish to thank cousin Åse for sharing her research with us.

Dennis L. Haarsager has created both an information and a searchable database websites on Stadsbygd. Both have been very helpful in researching this line.

Lars Olsen was born about 1627 on the Trongen (also spelled Trang) farm in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. He was the eldest of three known children born to parents Oluf Sivertsen and his wife Randi Larsdatter. His father died and, in 1659, Lars took over the running of the farm. The Stadsbygdboka tells us he ran the farm well, owned his own gristmills for the cultivation of hops for beer production, and owned equipment and tools beyond the usual. In about 1663, Lars married Berit Atlesdatter and they had at least seven children together (see her bio for details).

On the 1665 Vicar's Census for the Fosen Deanery, Lars is listed as 38 year-old Lauritz living on the Trangn farm without sons (this census did not list young sons). Two males, aged 18 and 19 are listed as workers on the farm. The following year on the 1666 Vicar's Census, he is again listed as Lauritz, no age given, on the Trangn farm, but this time he has a 7 year-old son, Oluff Larson listed (according to the Bygdebok, Oluff/Ole should have been 2, not 7).

Lars’ wife Berit died about 1683, but he did not marry again. Lars Olsen died, unmarried, sometime prior to February 25, 1692, the date his probate was completed. On his probate index card, pictured right , he is listed as Lars Olsónn on the Trangan farm. (Mouse over and click on the Probate Index card image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) On his detailed probate papers, he is listed as Lars Ollson of Trange. The index card is much easier to read than the detailed probate papers and summarizes the detailed probate papers. The statement written under the estate valuation translates roughly to, “The list mentions a silver spoon. Present at the probate were the daughters men, Lars Flyten and Amund Aksnes, and the uncle, Knut Atlesonn Skei.” These men are ancestor Marit’s husband Lars Carlsen, daughter Ingeborg’s husband Amund and Lars Olsen’s deceased wife, Berit’s brother Knut. The detailed probated papers, seems to say that the three sons split the largest share of the estate, the eldest son got less than his younger brothers, but he inherited the farm. On the index card, the three sons are listed as having full authority. The older two daughters, who were listed as married on the index card, received very little, while the two younger, unmarried daughters, who were listed on the index card as babes, received a bit more than half of what the younger sons received, and six times more than the older daughters received. It looks as if he was trying to make sure his younger, unmarried children were well taken care of. 

Berit Atlesdatter was born about 1638, in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, the youngest of three known children born to Atle Olufsen and his wife Marit Knudsdatter. Some researchers believe she was born on the Trang/Trongen farm, others say the Myr/Myhr farm, where her mother was from. But they all agree it was in the Rissa Parrish, which doesn’t have records available to research for this time period, so we may never know.

Berit married Lars Olsen, who was 11 years older than she was, sometime prior to 1663. They had at least seven children together, all probably born on the Trongen farm — Ole, born about 1664, took over the Trongen farm upon his father’s death, but probably died before 1701; ancestor Marit; Atle, born about 1667-8, married Maritte Pedersdatter, and was running the Trongen farm in 1701; son Sivert was born between 1668 and 1670; Ingeborg, born about 1669, married Amund Halstensen Aksnes; Berit was born between 1670 and 1674; and daughter Ide, born between 1671 and 1676, married Niels Jonsen Aasen on July 3, 1701 in Stadsbygd.

Berit Atlesdatter died sometime prior to June 1, 1683, the date her probate was completed, leaving her husband with young children. What is interesting about her probate, is that she was worth more than her husband, and had far less debt. (Mouse over and click on image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.) The statement on her probate index card, pictured left, translates to “present at the probate of deceased was brother Knut Atlesónner Foss. In the inventory are 2 silver spoons.” The Stadsbygdboka tells us that her probate showed a relatively solid prosperity- there were equipment and tools beyond the usual, a little silverware, and luxury items in the inventory. After leaving the majority of her estate to her husband, she was fairly even in the amounts left to her children, the males getting just a bit more than the females.

Oluf Siversen was born about 1575, probably on the Trongen (Trang) farm in in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway , the son of Siver Olufsen and his unknown wife. Oluf’s surname is sometimes spelled Sivertsen. What we know of him comes from Kristoffer Rein’s book on Stadsbygd. Oluf married Randi Larsdatter, and they had at least three children together. Oluf was the first tenant farmer at Ranglia, which was one of 12 subdivisions of a larger property, and had five cows and a calf. It is assumed that the Ranglia farm was part of Trongen farm, as this researcher can not find this farm on the 1665 census or on Rein’s Stadsbygd farm list, including the abandoned cotter's places. After his father died, about 1629, Oluf took over the entire Trongen farm, and was one of a few men in Stadsbygd who owned their farms at the time. In 1647, The king of Denmark imposed a new tax in Norway. The farms were divided into full farms, that paid the full tax, half-farms paid half the tax, and deserted farms that paid a quarter of the tax. In Stadsbygd at this time, there were eight full farms, 39 semi-farms and 15 deserted farms.

The last year on record that we find Oluf on the Trongen farm was in 1658, when his livestock consisted of 2 horses, 12 cows, 8 goats, 12 sheep and a pig. Oluf Siversen died sometime in 1658, and before the end of 1659, most likely on the Trongen farm.

Randi Larsdatter’s birth year is uncertain, but she was most likely born on the Trongen (Trang) farm in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway. Her birth has been estimated between 1575 and 1607. 1575 seems unlikely, as that would make her too old to have children in the late 1620’s, when ancestor Lars was born. All we know of her ancestry is that her father’s given name was Lars. It is believed he was born about 1550, and died about 1625, and probably worked on the Trongen farm.

Randi met and married Oluf Sivertsen and they had at least three children together, all probably born on the Ranglia or Trongen farms — ancestor Lars, Jon, and Marit. They probably had more children, as one would have been named for her husband’s father, Siver, but none are documented. Only these three are mentioned in the Stadsbygd’s bygdebok. Nothing is known of these children, except it is assumed they were all born within 20 years of each other, Lars being one of the older males.

Unfortunately, it is not known when Randi Larsdatter died, but it was probably on the Trongen farm.

Atle Olufsen was born about 1603 in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, probably on the Håssaker farm, the son of at least five known children fathered by the sheriff, Oluf Atlesen. Atle’s mother’s name is unknown. What we know of him comes from volume 1 of Kristoffer Rein’s 2006 book Stadsbygd: a Book About the Village and the People from Distant Past to the 1980s. This book relates much of the history about the town hall and the farms. It also tells us that the name Atle, which was pronounced and partly written, All, is rarely found in other families in Stadsbygd.

It is recorded that Atle went fishing with Mads Olsen Rødberg every year for ten years, when the herring swam inward into Bjugn and the Stjørnfjorden. Sometime prior to, or in 1633, Atle met and married Marit Knutsdatter, and they had at least three children together (see Marit’s bio for details). Marit is believed to have been the daughter of the farmer who ran the Myr farm, the most prestigious farm in the area. This farm was owned by Jakob Jakobsen, who was not living there. Sometime after the marriage and after his father-in-law’s death, about 1634, Atle became the one who ran the Myr farm. The Stadsbygd book tells much of the Myr farm history during the years that Atle ran it, including that there were four families living on the farm. The Tydalsboka: Taxes and Other Charges, tell us that in 1657, Atle paid a tax for a horse, 6 oxen, 3 goats, 8 sheep and one pig. The tax was 8 shillings for each horse, 8 shillings for each cow, 1 shilling for each sheep, 2 shillings for each goat, 1 shillings for each pig. Of all the taxes imposed on farmers, the tithing tax was by far the hardest. An additional tax on top of all the other taxes (_1/10 part).

Researchers tell us that Atle Olufsen died in 1661 in Stadsbygd probably on the Myr farm. Unfortunately, there are no burial or probate records for this time period available for research.

Marit Knutsdatter was born about 1603 in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, probably on the Myr (sometimes spelled Myhr) farm, the only known child of Knut Myr and an unnamed mother. The Myr farm was called the chief seat and the royal farm in Volume 1 of Kristoffer Rein’s 2006 book Stadsbygd: a Book About the Village and the People from Distant Past to the 1980s.

Marit met and married Atle Olufsen and they had three children, all born in Stadsbygd — Ole born about 1633, became the next manager of the Myr farm, married Ingeborg Brynjulfsdatter, and ended up on the Tange farm where he died, sometime prior to July 26, 1712, the date his probate was completed; Knut was born about 1636, was called klokker, perhaps meaning he maintained the town clock, married Ellen Torgersdatter, lived on the Myr, Foss and Schei farms, was mentioned in his sister Berit’s probate papers, and died in 1696; and ancestor Berit, who may have been named after one of her parents mothers.

Unfortunately, it is not known when and where Marit Knutsdatter died, but it can be assumed she died on the Myr farm.

Siver Olufsen was born about 1550 in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, probably on the Trongen farm, one of five children born to the unnamed wife of Oluf Trange. What we know of him comes from Kristoffer Rein’s book on Stadsbygd. Siver married, but his wife’s name is unknown and they had at least two sons together, both probably born on the Trongen farm — ancestor Oluf; and Pouel, sometimes called Paul, who was born about 1590, married Ingeborg Siversdatter, managed the Grønning farm, was the priest's assistant from 1625, and in 1647 donated, to the church, a tin candlestick, which still exists today.

Upon his father’s death in about 1590, Siver inherited the Trongen farm, and was considered the homeowner. There were only four homeowners in the village, and no more than 19 in the whole of Fosen. Siver was also the first known sheriff in Stadsbygd, a position he held for most of his adult life. Because of his position as sheriff, he was exempt from most taxes, but he paid leidang, which seems to be a tax that only farm owners paid to supply vessels for expeditions and war. His tax was about 4 kg of butter and about 1 kg flour. Siver also ran Ranglia, which was an uninhabited farmhouse that was run together with another farm, assumed to be Trongen.

Siver’s position as sheriff ended in 1624 when another ancestor, Oluf Atlesen of the Håssaker farm took over the job. It is believed that Siver died five years later in 1629, and passed the Trongen farm to his son, ancestor Oluf Siversen.

Oluf Atlesen was born about 1570 in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, probably on the Håssaker farm, the only known son of Atle Erlendsen. What we know of Oluf comes from Kristoffer Rein’s book on Stadsbygd. In 1601 Oluf took over the Håssaker farm and paid the required first leasehold to the royal authorities. Another bit of information about him is that along with others, he violated strict moral regulations and paid a fine for it. Oluf had a mill on the Håssaker stream, for which he had to pay an extra tax.

Oluf eventually became a powerful man in the village. In 1624 he was appointed the royal sheriff, after another ancestor Siver Olufsen. Oluf served for the rest of his life as the king's sheriff, sometimes called bailiff and ombudsman (commissioner, grievance officer, judge, etc.). The sheriff's distinctive seal with the carver's marks, are found imprinted on the many documents in the national archives. Sheriffs only had to pay half the tax, so he enjoyed the significant tax breaks afforded the position. Oluf found it was not an easy task to represent the central government in the local community. He tried to please the rulers over Trondheimsfjorden, but it was quite difficult because the farmers thought they were exploited beyond the law and custom. In 1632 the farmers went to Åsen to strike, and Oluf chose to take their side. This was reported to the King, and Oluf was fined, and later dismissed from the position of sheriff. Kristoffer Overskott was appointed sheriff, but only two years later, Oluf was restored to the position. After his death, his youngest son Tore took over as sheriff.

Oluf’s wife’s name is unknown, but they had at least five children together, all probably born on the Håssaker farm. Unfortunately, birth years are uncertain and have been estimated by many and vary, so birth order is also uncertain. The children were — daughter Ragnhild, born about 1600, married Rolv Erichsen Rein, they were skilled farmers who ran the Lillerein farm, were actively involved in the construction of the new church in Stadsbygd, and paid a large part of the construction expenses for it themselves; ancestor Atle; Elling, born about 1605, married Ingleøff Lein, ran the Lein farm, and died about 1660; Anders, born about 1607, was a soldier, and died about 1685; and Tore who was born about 1615, married Anne, ran the Håssaker farm, became the next sheriff, and died in 1668, possibly in the fire that burned down a large part of the small, dense clustered wooden houses on the Håssaker farm. This fire caused a change in the way the people built their homes, they began to install larger windows in them.

Oluf Atlesen died about 1640 in Stadsbygd. Unfortunately, records in this time period are not available for research, so nothing else is known about him.

Knut Myr’s ancestry is unknown. What we know of him comes from volume 1 of Kristoffer Rein’s 2006 book Stadsbygd: a Book About the Village and the People from Distant Past to the 1980s. It is believed he was born about 1580, probably in Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway. He managed the Myr farm, that was owned by Jakob Jakobsen, the lord of Sten Villumsen Rosenvinges, bailiff of Reinskloster, who did not live on the Myr farm. This gave Knut a free hand in running the farm. Knut’s wife’s name is unknown, and the only child of his that is known, is his daughter, ancestor Marit.

Upon Knut’s death in 1633/4, his son-in-law, Marit’s husband, ancestor Atle Olufsen, took over the management of the farm. If Knut had a son, the running of the Myr farm would have been handed down to him, so we can assumed that Marit was his eldest daughter. (It would be interesting to know if Atle and Marit’s marriage took place before or after her father’s death.) Unfortunately, there are no records freely available for this research, so nothing more is known about Knut Myr.

Oluf Trange was born about 1525, possibly on the Trongen (Trang) farm in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway. His parentage is uncertain. What we know of him is from Kristoffer Rein’s book on Stadsbygd. He was the manager, and probably the owner of the Trongen farm in 1557. Rein tells us that in an Odelsjord (privately owned land) book in the Danish Kanselli (foreign ministry), it appears that Trongen at this time was farmed by the owner. The fact that his son is said to have inherited the farm, supports Oluf being the owner, not just a manager. But if Oluf inherited the farm, married into it, or bought it, is unknown. The previous owner, Asvor Trang, who managed the farm in 1520, could be Oluf’s father, father-in-law, an uncle, or not related at all.

Oluf and his unnamed wife had at least five children together, all probably born on the Trongen farm — ancestor Siver, Nils, Oluf and two unnamed daughters. The birth order of these children is not known and nothing more is known about them. It is believed Oluf Trange died about 1590, when his son Siver took over the farm, which supports Siver being the eldest surviving son.

Atle Erlendsen was born about 1540, probably on the Håssaker farm in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, the only known son of Erlend Erlendson and his unnamed wife. It should be noted that this farm’s name has been spelled many different ways including, Hassagher, Håssåker, Haassager, Haarsager, Hårsaker, just to name a few! Kristoffer Rein in his book Stadsbygd: A Book About the Village and the People From Distant Past to the 1980s, has little information about this Atle. Rein tells us that Atle managed the Håssaker farm at the end of the 1500’s, and when he died, in about 1600, left the operation to his son Oluf. He also states that Atle is probably the son of the previous manager, Erlend Erlendsen, but Atle could be a younger brother, but this is less likely.

Erlend Erlendsen was born about 1515 probably on the Håssaker farm in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, the only known son of Erlend and maybe Siri Håssaker. What we know of Erlend Erlendsen comes from Kristoffer Rein’s book on Stadsbygd, but the translation of some of it, leaves much to be desired. Erlend managed the Håssaker farm from 1548 to at least 1559. In 1548, Erlend paid a slaughtered bull, a sheep, a pound of butter and eight wool flour (sacks?) in land debt. It seems that he paid this amount to the king, who had taken over the farm, to get the king’s permission to manage the farm. Again the translation is difficult to understand, but it seems this was a common way to arrange taking over the management of a farm. The last we hear of Erlend Erlendsen is in 1559, when all farmers were taxed an additional amount, which Erlend paid. It is assumed that he managed the farm until his death, which is unknown, but has been estimated from 1559 to 1565.

Erlend and Siri Håssaker could have been married and the parents of ancestor Erlend Erlendson, but this relationship is unclear. Erlend Håssaker was born sometime between 1480 and 1490 and Siri’s estimated birth is as early as 1455. If this is correct, Siri could actually be Erlend’s mother! In Kristoffer Rein’s book on Stadsbygd, it is stated that Erlend farmed Håssaker from at least 1520 to about 1548. On the tax list for 1520, there are two managers on the Håssaker farm, Erlend and Syrid/Siri/Sigrid. Rein goes on to say that “if they were married or siblings is not known, so this researcher thinks they could have been mother and son. Rein gives us details about the tax record, which states, “they paid 7.5 and 6 marks of tax respectively. Since the average tax was about 3 marks, we can conclude that these two managers were among the wealthiest people in the village.”

Erlend’s death has been estimated anywhere from 1548 to 1565. Being that his son, who had the same given name, took the farm over in 1548, it seems more likely that Erlend, the father, died about then. The 1565 death date seems likely to have been confused with the son, Erlend’s, death date. Nothing more is known about Siri. It is likely that they both died on the Håssaker farm in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway.

Ancestral Farms of the Stadsbygd and Rissa Parishes

Dennis L. Haarsager tells us that: “Land ownership by farmers in Stadsbygd is relatively recent. King Harald Hárfagre (Fairhair or Finehair) Halvdansson (ca. 835-933) took ownership of the land in Stadsbygd away from the farmers in 870, and farmer ownership was not restored at Håssåker and Myr until 1769.  In the intervening nine centuries, all farmers were tenants.”  This is the reason why ancestor Siver Olufsen was only one of four farm owners in 1590. It would be very interesting to find out how Siver's father, Oluf Trange became a farm owner.

Many farms had sub-farms that belonged to them. Many of these sub-farms were split off from the main farm, rented, leased or sold. To make things even more confusing, the same farm name exists in both the Rissa and Stadsbygd Parishes. Being that the church records for both of these parishes were combinded into one book, makes knowing which farm the ancestors were associated with, much more difficult. Kristoffer Rein’s 2006 book, Stadsbygd: a Book About the Village and the People from Distant Past to the 1980s, is in three volumes and has 15 index pages of farm and spilt-off farm names. In about 1900, Oluf Rygh compiled a list of 61 farm names in the Stadsbygden Parish and 127 in the Rissen Parish in his Norwegian Farm Names books. Many of them had different names down through the years. The name variations on our ancestors farms that Rygh lists are as follows:

In the Current Stadsbygd Parish

Foss: Fos, Faass, and Fos.

Haarsaaker: Hoßacker, Haassager, Hosßager, Hoesagger, Haarsager and on this map it's called Håssåker.

Myr: Myre, Myrre, and Myr.

Sæter is a split off from the Trongen farm, and is not on Rygh's list, so it is probably a more modern farm.

Trangan: Tronge, Thrannge, Trange, and on this map it's called Trongen.

In the Current Rissa Parish:

Aasen indre: Ase, Aaßen, and Aasen.

Aasen ytre: Aa

Baustad: Bostad, Bodestadt, Budestad, Bostadt, and Budstad.ssen.

Berg: Berge, Bergh, and Bærg.

Fallin: Ffalle, Falle, Follde, and Fallum.

Flyten: Flýta, Ffrøtte, Fløtthe, Friithenn, Fløythe, Fløttenn, Fløytenn, Flottumb, Fløitenn, Flottum, Fløytthen, and Fløyten.

Foss was always called Foss.

Nøst: Naust, Naustom, Nausta, Nøste, Nosthe, and Naustar.

Rokset: Rogsetter, Rosetter, Rogdesether, Rugsetther, Rougsett, Rogsett, and Rochset.

Sæter:  Settre, Ewersetter, Settre, Setther, Setter, Zetter,  and Sætter .

Sollien: Sollydh, Sollie, Solliidt, and Solien.

Sund: Siind, Sundt, and Sund.

Although all or most of these farms were in the past in Stadsbygd, all of those in the northern half on this map are in current day Rissa, which was split off from Stadsbygd in 1860. We haven't been able to locate the Aasen and Sollien farms on the map. The locations, and current farm name spellings are taken from the Norway's Parishes website.