[#20970] Auen Bjørke , Søndre Bjørke, Hedrum c.a. 1600

[Gjest Jeff Erickson]

I am attempting to clarify who Auen Bjørke's parents were and where he was born. He married Sigrid Tjøstolvsdatter (From in Sandar) in about 1589.In a database given to me his father is shown as Auen Persen and his place of birth as From in Sandar. The database shows him born about 1564.Person number 6548 in the Bergene family tree (http://home.online.no/~oddthors/bergene.htm) Auen Pedersen shows that his son Auen Auensen married Sigrid Tjøstolvsdatter and that the son Auen Auensen was born at Bjørke Søndre Gnr 22 Brp 2 in Hedrum.This seems to be the same Auen Bjørke who owned and farmed Brukerpart 2 at Bjørke Søndre, Hedrum from 1610 - 1625. I understand the Hedrum bygebok shows he or possibly his brother Gaute owned part of Flataker under From in Sandar.Can some help me with who his parents were or where he was possibly born. Both of the above cannot be correct.

[Gjest Kristian Hunskaar]

There is a Peder Auensson mentioned at Bjørke about 1500, and an Auen in 1528.Then the sources are silent until 1591 when Gaute is mentioned, and 1610-1625 also Auen. They were *probably* brothers. Auen was not a common name, so it's likely that Auen is relateed to the persons mentioned 100 years earlier, but we have no information on how. He may be a son of Auen (1528), but grandson or even great-grandson would suit bether chronologically. Or - he may be a decendant through a daughter of Auen (1528). The possibilities are many (there are even more possibilities than I have mentioned here).Auen was undoubtly married to Sigrid Tjøstolvsdatter, but that they married 1589 is guesswork. The same goes for 1564 as his year of birth. Auen was by the way possibly married more than once.Sigrid was from From (funny combination of words), so I can't see why Auen should be born there. I guess he was born at Bjørke, but again - the sources provide no information.As I have stated a few times earlier: Dealing with ancestors who lived around 1600, is tracing ancestors at the brink of what's possible, given the scarcity of sources.

[Gjest Jeff Erickson]

Auen and his possible brother Gaut seem to have owned part of Flatåker in Sandar. Are there there any land records wguch might show how they cane to own Flatåker (or part)Sigrid came from FROM and i understabd that Flatåker was a subfarm.It seems logical that Auen could be from Flatåker and later moved to Hedrum ca 1610

[Gjest Kristian Hunskaar]

Auen came to own a part of Flatåker because his wife Sigrid Tjøstolvsdatter inherited the part from her father Tjøstolv. He didn't own it together with Gaute; that's a misinterpretation of the sources.Flatåker was a subfarm of From, possibly an independent farm in the Middle Ages, but then a part of From after 'The black death' of 1349/50. In the 16th century there were probably not even houses there.It's not logical at all that Auen was from Flatåker. In one way or another he must be related to the Auen Bjørke mentioned 1528. Moreover, it's likely that Auen and Gaute farmed Bjørke together from sometime around 1580, but the earliest tax-lists only mentions one farmer at each farm, although there were sometimes two.I have found a document in the Norwegian National Archive which pins Gaute to Bjørke in the year 1583, and the document gives information which implies that his family had owned Bjørke, or part of it, for a long time. This should underline the point of view that Gaute (and Auen) belonged to a family which had farmed Bjørke for some time. But again, sources which can tell how they were related to Auen (1528) are lacking.

[Gjest Jeff Erickson]

Does the Sandar bygdebok show a reference to Sigrid marrying and who she married?

[Gjest Kristian Hunskaar]

It states that she married Auen at Søndre Bjørke in Hedrum.