[#58252] Marith Jonsdatter

[Gjest Ron Thorstad]

I know, I know, a very common name, but I need helping finding info on my great grandmother Marith Johnsdatter. All we know about her is that she married Nils Nielsen Tørstad at the Høre Stave Church (I think that was the church) in Vang, Valdres on April 3, 1857. I have lots of information about Nils from Vang, but almost nothing on Marith. There was a mention of the Nefstad farm in some family correspondence, her possible birth farm, but that is unconfirmed. She even remained a mystery after emigrating with Nils to the Sacred Heart, MN area.I'm a complete novice at 'internet genealogy,' so any help would be greatly appreciated!!ronthorstad@hotmail.com

[Gjest Ottar Solberg]

I found a marriage between Marith Johnsdatter and Niels Endresen Brækken on 3 April 1857. Marith parents was John Knudsen Nebstad and Marith Hansdatter. They married on July 21, 1835. John Knudsen was 57 y. and Marith Hansdtr. 34 y. Marith Johnsdatter was born June 24, 1836. [url="http://www.arkivverket.no/URN:kb_read?idx_kildeid=8998&idx_id=8998&uid=ny&idx_side=-132>Lenke

[Gjest Ron Thorstad]

Wow, this is interesting. I thought my great grandfather, Niels Endresen was from the Tørstad farm, which was the name (Thorstad) that he and Marith took here in America. Perhaps after their marriage they moved from the Brækken to the Tørstad farm and then emigrated from there? Also, why do you suppose Marith's farm name is also Brækken at the time of their marriage?

[Gjest Ron Thorstad]

I just noticed that Utflytta fra Valdres 1816-1867 shows the family (husband Nils Endresen, wife Marith Johnsdatter, and daughter Marith Nilsdatter) leaving for America on April 5, 1861. It shows their farm name as 'Brækken.' This is a huge surprise since their American name became 'Thorstad.'Thoughts anyone?

[Gjest Ottar Solberg]

You have found the record when Nils and Marith and their daughter left for America (April 5, 1861). Their daughter, Marith Nilsdtr., was born Sep. 11, 1860. LenkeWhen she was born 7 months before they left for America, they were staying at Remmensbrækken farm: Nils was 'hmd' = husmann = cottager. The name Remmensbrækken is probably a more exact name than Brækken.When a new law came in 1923 everyone had to use a surname. Before that the farm name could be used like a surname, but it was rather an idenfication of a person. When they moved to another farm they used the name of the new farm. A cottager could use the name of the tenant farm, but he could also use the name of the farm. When the emigraters came to America they had to state a given name and a surname. Some of them used the fathers name (patronym) as a surname, some of them used the name of the farm they left and some of them used the name of the tenant farm.I can not explain why Nils and Marith used the name Thorstad (Tørstad farm) when they came to America. As you suggested - could they have been a very short time at Tørstad farm between Sept. 11, 1860 and April 5, 1861?By the way, Nils, he was a widower when he married Marith.

[Gjest Ron Thorstad]

Ottar,Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it. Family stories indicate that Nils' father Endre Nielsen emigrated to America before his son did. I wonder if Endre took the American name Thorstad first (because he lived on the Tørstad farm at the time of his departure) and then when his son arrived sometime later, he too used the same name for convenience. What do you think of that theory?By the way, you can email me directly if you like.