[#49851] OLUFF MOE, 1590/91

[Gjest Christian Larsen]

In the Bygdebok for Modalen on page 100, it says this:'1590/1591: I Jordeboki er førd Oluff Moe. Han brukar 1 1/2 L., smør og det her heile garden.'What does this mean? As near as I can tell, there is a book called 'Jordeboki' or 'earthbook' in which Oluff Moe is listed as using some butter. How close am I, and where can I find this Jordeboki (or is this another name for bygdebok, and if so why isn't it in the book I have)?Chris

[Gjest Kristian Hunskaar]

A jordebok was a book listing someones properties. Sometimes it also listed additional information, such as the names of the tenants. A lot of jordebøker (plural of jordebok) have survived, most of them are kept in different archives.This jordebok says that a person named Oluff was tenant at Moe in 1590/1591. He used 1 1/2 laup (a certain amount) butter, which was the whole farm. To 'use butter' must not be taken literally. 1 1/2 laup butter was the fee he had to pay the land owner every year.The farms were graded according to this fee, i.e. to use x laup butter equals to use a farm, which size corresponds to a yearly fee of x laup butter.

[Gjest Christian Larsen]

Thanks so much! I was able to determine what 1 1/2 laups of butter was, and knew that he didn't 'use' all that butter himself or it would have killed him! I'm very grateful for your help.