Ole Christophersen's Ancestors

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

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Christopher Olsen was born in the early 1660’s, probably on the Krognes farm in Rissa, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway, the eldest of three known children born to Ole Christophersen and Maren Eskilsdatter. He is listed on the 1666 census as living on the Krognes farm, and his age is given as either 41/2 or 11/2, the writing is smudged and difficult to read. In 1685, he inherited part of his grandmother, Marit Jonsdatter’s estate. Sometime in the early 1690’s Christopher married a widow named Karen Olsdatter, who had four children from her previous marriage, with the surname of Mathiassen. Karen and Christopher had at least three additional children — Ole, born about 1694; Joen, whose baptismal record on November 24, 1700, indicates that they lived on the Fallin farm, died prior to the 1701 census; and a daughter named Marin. On the all male-census dated September 28, 1701, Christopher is listed as being 40 years old, with three Mathiassen sons and his 7 year-old son Ole. (Mouse over and click on 1701 census image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) Karen died on the Fallin farm sometime prior to August 25, 1714, her probate date. Only five children are listed on her probate papers, three Mathiassen children and her two surviving children she had with Christopher - Ole and Marin. She had a sizable estate with little debt. Sometime prior to 1721 (there are no records after 1708 up to 1721), Christopher married ancestor Magnild Berntsdatter, who was about 20 years younger than him. See her bio for details on the children.

The last record found for Christopher was on the 1723 Landed Property Index, where he is listed as running the Fallum farm with a man named Rasmus. Unfortunately, surnames and other family information are not given. Researchers say that Christopher died in 1733, but this researcher has not found any record of his death in the Rissa or Stadsbygd church records.

Magnild Berntsdatter was born about 1681, probably on the Dyrendahl farm in Rissa, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway, the eldest known daughter of Bernt Arntsen and Sigrid Christophersdatter.Her father died when she was about 14 years-old.Magnild married sometime prior to 1721, Christopher Olsen, who was about 20 years older than her, and had children and step children from a previous marriage. Christopher and Magnild had at least three children, all baptized while living on the Fallin farm — Kari, possibly named after her father’s deceased first wife, was baptized on May 3, 1722; and two sons named Ole, one being our ancestor and the other baptized on January 13, 1727. Researchers have assigned the earlier baptism to our ancestor, but it is possible the earlier Ole died and the second Ole is our ancestor. It should also be noted that it was not uncommon to baptize more than one child the same name, and both of them survived.

Magnild’s mother died and left a sizable estate, and in March of 1733, Magnild and her sister inherited half of what their brother did. Most researchers say that Magnild Berntsdatter died just five years later at the age of 57 and was buried on September 21, 1738. There is a difficult to read burial record in Stadsbygd for her name, but a farm is not stated. (Mouse over and click on her burial record image left to enlarge in a new window/tab.)

Ole Christophersen was born about 1635, possibly on the Nøst farm in Rissa, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway, one of nine children born to parents Christopher Vincentsen and Marit Jonsdatter.Not much is known about him, but we know he married Maren Eskildsdatter sometime around 1660 and they had at least two children (see his wife for details).On the all-male 1665 census, Ole is listed as 34 year-old Oluff on the Kragnas farm in-between the two Anderson boys, Erich and ancestor Jon (click here to view image in a new widow/tab). On the 1666 census, he is listed without an age, again as Oluff, this time with his surname and young son ancestor Christopher, living on the Kragnas farm (mouse over and click on image right to enlarge in a new window/tab). On the 1668 Landed Property Index, which is dated 23/1/1665, he is listed as Ole, on the Kronges farm.

It is not known when Ole Christophersen died, but it was probably in late 1668, when he was in his mid 30’s, as his wife Maren remarried and had a child in about 1668. The only documented proof of his death is his mother, Marit Jonsdatter’s 1685 probate record, where she leaves an inheritance to her grandchildren, the children of her deceased children, who are mentioned by name.

Maren Eskildsdatter is believed to be the daughter of Eskil Krognes and his second wife, name unknown, born about 1636 on the Kråknes farm in Rissa, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. Maren is probably the half sister of ancestor Karen Eskildsdatter, who is Eskil’s daughter from his first marriage.

Maren maried Ole Christophersen probably about 1660 and they had at least two children — ancestor Christopher; and son Eskil, born about 1665, who married Randi Erichsdatter Blomli. Both are named in their grandmother, Marit Jonsdatter’s, 1685 probate record.

Maren’s first husband Ole died and she married Ole Carlsen of the Ytteraasen farm, who was about ten years younger than her. Maren was now about 32 years-old, and they had at least two sons, both listed on the all male 1701 census — the first in 1668, whose name may be Povell, but it is very hard to read; and Ole, born about 1680. They probably had many daughters in-between these two boys. It is believed the family lived on the Ytteraasen farm.

Maren’s second husband Ole died and she married an even younger man named Hans Mikkelsen, sometime prior to the September 28, 1701 census. Maren was now about 65 years old, so no child was born of this marriage. On the 1701 census, 56 year-old Hans is listed on the Aasen Farm with four sons with the surname of Ollasen, but 40 year-old ancestor Christopher, is noted as living on the Fallum Farm.

Some researchers say that Hans died on November 1, 1705, but this researcher can not find a burial record for this date. If he did die in 1705, then Marin outlived all three of her husbands. Marin Eskildsdatter died at the age of 88 and was buried on July 14, 1724. Unfortunately a farm isn’t listed on the burial record, it simply says Ritzen. (Mouse over image left.)

Christopher Vincentsen was born about 1595, probably on the Hårberg farm in the Hasselvika Herred in Rissa, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, to Vincent Christophersen and his unknown wife. Christopher married Marit Jonsdatter, probably in the early 1620’s and they had eight or nine children together (see her bio for details). The Rissa farm book volume VI, tells us that they lived on the Naust (sometimes written as Nøst) farm from 1620 to 1652. They are listed under farm 21 (bottom of image), in the 1645 Koppskatt (tax book) for Fosen, under the subheading of Halffuegaardtzmend, which roughly translates from the Old Dutch as Men that own/rent half of the farm. (Mouse over and click on 1645 tax image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) He is listed as Christopher Nøst, under him is Marit’s name and then under that is the name Ingaborg Jonsdatter, who may be Marit’s sister. In the 1647 Skattematrikkelen (tax register) volume XIV for Sør Trøndelag, he is listed under the Foessen Lehnn, Ridtzen tinglaug as Christopher Nøest, with the following notation “til closterid 31/2 spd. 101/2 dr.” This does not translate well, but it seems to be a tax paid either in or on flour and butter. Click here to view the image in a new window or tab.

It is not known when Christopher Vincentsen died, but it is believed it was before 1665, as he is not listed on that census.

Marit Jonsdatter was born about 1600, one of three known children of parents Jon and Solveig Berg. Some researchers say she was born on the Øvre Fenstad farm in Stadsbygd, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway, others say on the Berg farm in Rissa in the same county.

Marit married Christopher Vincentsen, probably in the early 1620’s and they had eight or nine children together — Jon born about 1625, married twice, lived and died on the Dyrendal farm and was probated on April 16, 1690; his possible twin brother Henrik, who we know nothing about, but must have died before his mother; ancestor Ole; Vincent, who is believed to have died between 1685 and 1690; daughter Solve married twice, lived and died on the Stoan farm and whose estate was probated on July 30, 1712; Erik, who is believed to have stayed on the Nøst farm, and is believed to have died between 1685 and 1690; Ingeborg, who married a man named Elling and had two children with him, died before her mother; daughter Randi married a man named Anders and had three children with him and she also died before her mother; and lastly Inger, who was alive in 1685.

Marit’s husband Christopher died, probably before 1665, and Marit married Ole Ottersen. Ole was the brother of ancestor Arnt Ottersen, and the youngest son of ancestors Otter Arntsen and his wife Ingeborg, of the Dyrendahl farm. It is not known when they got married, but Ole was about 20 years younger than Marit, and she was too old by now to have children. The 1665 census shows a 46 year-old man named Oluff living on the Nøsten farm, with no children. The very next year he is listed on the same farm as Oluff Otter, but this time he has two young boys listed on the sønner (sons) column — a 10 year-old Christopher Christophersen and an 8 year-old Christopher Elling. It is possible that Marit could have had another child in 1656 with Christopher Vincentsen, but not probably. This researcher believes these are Marit’s grandchildren from her deceased daughters Randi who married an Anders and Ingerbord’s who married an Elling. It may be that the 10 year-old Christopher was an Andersen, and the surname of Christophersen was written in error.

Marit died on the Naust farm prior to July 3, 1685, the date her probate administration began. (Mouse over and click on the Probate Index card image right to view an enlarged image of both copies in a new window/tab.) Her Probate Index Card lists her widowed husband, Ole Ottesónn and the names of all of her living children by her first marriage in the following order —Jon Kristoffersónn, Vincens Kristoffersónn, Erik Kristoffersónn, Solve Kristoffersdatter, and Inger Kristoffersdatter. Next listed are her grandchildren from her deceased children in the following order — ancestor Ole’s two sons, Kristoffer and Eskell Olsónn; her daughter Ingeborg’s two children, Kristoffer Ellingsónn and Gjertrud Ellingsdatter; and her daughter Randi’s two children Anders Andersónn and Mali Andersdatter. Note that Henrik is not listed, which might mean he died young, without children, or he is not her son. She left a large estate with little debt, written over five pages. On the other side of the probate card it reads, “The list contains 4 silver spoons.” There is a Probate Index Card dated April 18, 1690, for her husband Ole Ottersónn, who died on the Naust farm. (Click here to view the card in a new window.) He was married to Guri Rasmusdatter, who since his death married someone else. Ole’s six siblings, were also listed. On the bottom of the card reads “Registration was made 9/4/1689 [April 9th]. Afterwards, four silver spoons were found among the property's property.” These must be the same four silver spoons listed in Marit’s probate records. The writing is hard to read, but it looks like after Ole Otterson’s 1689 probate was decided, a year later the silver spoons were found and Marit’s children were trying to get them back. Both Vincent Christophersen and ancestor Christopher Ollsőn’s names are clearly written in the probate administration papers, but the details of what it says are uncertain. It is interesting that two generations later, six silver spoons are found listed among the items in ancestor Sigrid Christophersdatter’s probate. Sigrid was married to Ole Ottersen’s brother’s son Bernt Arntsen.

Vincent Christophersen was born about 1570, possibly one of two known sons born to Christopher Pedersen and his unknown wife on the Hårberg farm near the Hasselvika village in Rissa, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway. The village is located along the Trondheimsfjord about 7 miles north of the center of Årnset. There were several Vincent Christophersen living in this area at this time and all are probably related. For example, on the 1647 Sør Trøndelag Tax Register, there is a Vinndtzenns Haarberg that, while not probable, could be him, but he’d be in his late 70’s, probably too old to be running a farm at that time. This Vinndtzenns was possibly the son of ancestors Christopher Vincentsen and Marit Jonsdatter, making him the grandson of Vincent who was born about 1570. Without more documentation it is almost impossible to tell who was who. Unfortunately, nothing more is known about him.

Jon and Solveig Berg are believed to be the parents of Marit Jonsdatter. There is no documented proof, but Marit did name two of her children with their names. Because vital records do not exist for this time period, not much is known about them. Researchers estimate Jon’s birth about 1575.

The only documentation for them is from tax records. Jon and Solveig Berg and two children are listed on the 1645 Koppskatt (tax) record book, under the subheading of Fuldegaardzmend, which roughly translates from the Old Dutch to Men that own/rent the whole farm. (Mouse over and click on the tax image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.) The first child’s name is short and unreadable, but the second clearly says Ingaborg, who could be the same person who is also listed on another page, on this same tax record book, living with her sister Marit on the Nøst farm. She may have been visiting her sister on the day the tax recorder came to their house. The only other record of Jon Berg, is the neatly transcribed typed version of the 1647 Skattematrikkelen (tax register) volume XIV for Sør Trøndelag, he is listed under the Foessen Lehnn, Ridtzen tinglaug as Joenn Berg, with the following notation “till Reins c(loster) 1 spd. 1 øre. 4dr.” This does not translate at all, but it seems to be a tax paid either in or on flour and butter.

Unfortunately, nothing more is known about Jon and Solveig Berg, including when or where they died.  

Christopher Pedersen was born about 1559, probably on the Hårberg farm near the Hasselvika village in Rissa, Sør-Trøndelag County, Norway to father Peder Haarberg. Some researchers say Christopher married Maren Christensdatter, but this doesn’t seem plausible. Whomever he married, they had at least two sons — ancestor Vincent; and Peder, born about 1584, who married Magnhild Andersdatter.

In volume 1 of Audun Dybdahl’s book on Rissa, in speaking of Rein, it states (translated), “The stave church was given a new bell in 1585. The clock bears the name of the four men who had made it casting in God's honor. It was the founder Anders Finnbo, Rein's sheriff, Anders Sevaldsen, Kirstoffer Pedersen on Hårberg and Bønel Andersen. This clock was moved to the timber church. When this church was torn, the clock was moved to the new church on Føl, where it still hangs.” It seems possible that this may be our Christopher Pedersen, even though Rein and Hårberg are far apart. Unfortunately, nothing else is known about him or his father Peder.

Peder Haarberg is estimated to have been born about 1534 to unknown parents. Nothing is known about him, but he is believed to be the father of ancestor Christopher Pedersen. On the Trondheim County Skipsskatten tax record for 1557-1559, under the section for Ffoxen Lenn (Fosen), his name is listed as Peder paa Horberg. Listed first on this farm is Oluff Jonßønn, then John, Gunder and Peder. Oluff could be the father and John and Gunder may be Peder’s brothers. (Mouse over and click on the tax record image right to enlarge in a new window/tab.)