The Thirty-Two: Part B - Ancestors of Louise Nelson

This is the second of four installments regarding my 32 great great great grandparents. Finding the 32 was a challenge proposed at our local DNA for Genealogy interest group. Part A (John Bardahl ancestors) can be found through this link.

B. Ancestors of Louise Nelson

My grandmother Louise Nelson Bardahl was born in Minnesota in 1881 and lived to the age of 103, dying in 1985 in Calgary, Alberta. The following is a brief description of her 8 great grandparents in Buskerud, Norway. Despite having a family tree for Louise dating back into the 1400's, very little detail can be found for these 8 people. Probably most were farmers. Most of their lives centered around the Viker Lutheran Church in Norderhov Prestegjeld, Buskerud.

Viker church (Viker kirke), a church built in 1702, in Ringerike, Buskerud, Norway.

Photo by Tove Frøvoll Thoresen on Wikimedia Commons 

An old stave church had existed in the area since the 15th century but was too small for the congregation's needs by the early 1700's. The baptismal font in the church dates from 1728 and most likely would have been used in the baptisms of this entire group of Louise Nelson's ancestors.

Location of Viker Church in the forested area near Sperillen Lake, Norway. Google Earth image.

9. Ole Nielsen and 10. Beret Olsdatter

Ole was born about 1782 in Viker, Norderhov, Norway. The banns for Ole's marriage to Beret Olsdatter were published in the Viker church on 2 July 1805 prior to their marriage on 21 July.

Second entry on the page is for the banns and marriage of Ole and Beret in 1805

No other record has as yet been found for either Ole or Beret. Further searches in the Viker church records are required but, without dates to narrow the search, this is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. 

11. Lars Nielsen Skarud

Lars was born to Niels Larson Skarud and his wife Kjersti Joensdatter Haugerud in Viker, Norderhov, Buskerud, Norway and baptized in the Viker Kirke on 15 September 1776. He was confirmed in the same church on 5 March 1797 at the age of 20.

1797 Confirmation record for Lars Nielsen Skarud

Two years later he married Kirsti Knutsdatter and lived on the Elsrud farm, Adal, Norderhov, Buskerud. The couple had six children born between 1800 and 1815, but lost the first two at or near birth. Not much is known of the others except for our ancestor Guri Larsdatter who was born in 1807 and lived to the age of 93.

The most distant ancestor in Louise Nelson's tree is an 11th great grandmother of Lars: Ingebjorg Helgesdatter Frøvoll born about 1458.

12. Kjersti (Kirsten) Knutsdatter

Kjersti's parents were Knut Knutsen Braaten/rustandeie and his wife Ingeborg Gudbrandsdatter Rustand. She was baptized at Viker Kirke on 22 October 1774, the same day as 7 people were buried there.

22 October 1774 Baptism of Kirsten middle of the page - followed by 7 burials

As distant cousins, Lars and Kirsten descend from two sons of Harald Ostensen Sørum who was born by 1570 and died in 1639.

13. Torger Hanson and 14. Sonev Nilsdatter

Torger was born about 1766. He married Sonev Nilsdatter (born 1768) on 15 May 1795 and had at least three children with her, including our ancestor Nils Torgerson (1806-1898). 

15. Soren Sorenson and 16. Anne Tragh

All that is known of Soren and his wife Anne is that they were living at Høle, Norderhov, Buskerud when daughter Olea was born there on Trinity Sunday 5 June 1803. 

Baptism of Soren and Anne's daughter Olea

(For those who think I must have long-since completed my family tree, it should be obvious that the dearth of information on this branch of the family clearly calls out for many more hours of research in the Norwegian kirkebøker and bygdebøker records. The fun never ends!)