[#10358] Skjerven, Nes paa Hedemarken

[Gjest Katie Campbell]

Min oldefar Paul Alexander Skjerven ble fodt pa Skjerven i Nes i 1859. Foreldrene Nils Johannessen (f Ringsaker, 54 ar i 1865) og Marthe Larsdtr (f Nes, 38 ar i 1865) var selveiere. Kjenner noen til deres opprinnelse og forfedre?Regards Katie

[Gjest Per Håkon Christiansen]

Hei Katie.Det står utførlig om Marthe Larsdatters slekt i Nes Bygdebok bd 2 del 2, og Nils og Marthe i Bd 2 del 3. Såpass omfattende at det krever 'sneglepost' hvis du vil at jeg skal sende deg en kopi. (Min mailadresse: sasirkka@online.no ) Her er også bilde av Marthe Marie Balstad (1828-190) og hennes første mann Nils Skjerven (1812-1871) og barna Johannes f 1851, Lina f 1855, Paul f 1859 og Karl 1867. (Amalie (1853 - 1951) var allerede reist til Amerika.) Og av Marthe og hennes andre mann Martin Gjestvang.Marthe Balstads slekt etter B2 del 2: Tord Ballestadt som var blant de 12 lagrettemenn som skrev under fullmakten til utsendingen til kongehyllesten av Kristian 4de i 1591. Tore Balstad bruker av Balstad i 1612, sannsynligvis sønnen.Tord Toresen Balstad f ca 1595 bruker fra 1645, kones navn ukjent. 6 barn kjent, den femte er Lars f ca 1645, neste bruker.Lars Toresen Balstad f ca 1646 g Siri Syversdatter. Skifte etter Lars i 1700. 8 barn, hvor den 4de Tord Larsen Balstad overtok garden på bygsel etter enka i 1714. Han fikk skjøte i 1736 og 1745 og ble første selveier. Kone ukjent. 5 barn.Sønnen Lars Tordsen f 1716 d 1780 ble neste bruker, skjøtet garden fra faren for 800 SpD i 1746. Gift med Kari Frantsdatter Eik 1715-1813, datter av Frants Eriksen Skjelve og Kari Jørgensdatter Lie. De fikk fikk 9 barn, og hun flyttet inn på føderåd hos eldstesønnen Tor Larsen Bolstad (1743-1796) som senere ble g Gønner Pedersdatter (som etter mannens død g2 Erik Kristiansen Hoelstad.) Tor og Gønner fikk 5 barn (og senere fikk Gønner 3 til med Erik.)Eldstesønnen Lars Torsen Balstad (1783-1837) skjøtet i 1806 gården for 1800 riksdaler danske kuranter, underforutsetning avat han ikke skulle ta den i bruk før 1815. Lars g 1809 Marie Håkensdatter Nordre Kise. De fikk følgende barn:1. Thor Larsen Balstad (1813 - d 1888 i USA) medlem av den kjente Balstadmusikken. Kjent felespiller.2. Hans Larsen Balstad f 1815 - d 1858 g Anne Marie Andersdatter Trosterud, han var leder av Balstadmusikken.3 Gønner Larsdatter 1817 - 1856 g 1838 Tolle Torsen Bye Vestre. Alle deres barn reiste til Amerika.4 Halvor 1820 - ?? Til Kristiania?5. Elisabet Larsdatter 1823- ? g Johan Johansen Bjørnstad, baker i Kristiania (Oslo)6 Michel (1825-27)7 Marthe Marie g Nils Johansen Skjerven8 Kjerstine (Kristine) 1831-? g Andreas Dokken, Wilmar, Minnesota, USA9. Johannes f 1833 d ung.10. Johannes f 1834 - d i Utah, USA11. Lovise f og d 1837.Om Hans Balstad (1815-1858) står det i Jon Feiring (red) 'Fra Menuett til Masurka,' (Gjøvik Historielag 1999?) at 'Nes er kalt musikkbygda på Hedemarken. Denne betegnelsen ville bygda neppe hatt uten Balstad-musikken... som på det beste besto av Hans og broren Thor på førstefele, Gudbrand Årlien annenfele, Taale Staff, klarinett og Ole Texum bass. Balstadmusikken brukte 'fjorden' (dvs Mjøsa, m.k.) som ferdselsåre, og spilte like mye på vestsida av Mjøsa som på Hedemarken.' Det står videre at Hans var en usedvanlig begavet musiker, og folk som opplevde denne musikken glemte det aldri. Videre at han lærte å spille som smågutt av bondehøvdingen Halvor Hoel. Men som bonde og økonom gikk det dårlig med Hans, som døde bare 43 år gammel. Thor overtok ensamblet etter broren. 'Som broren hadde han et 'vekslende flott og henførende buestrøk'. Han utvandret tidlig til Amerika. Thor har også komponert... Hans liv i Amerika burde være en oppgave å forske på.' (Der har du en utfordring, Katie!) I denne boka er det gjengitt på noter 22 komposisjoner av Hans Balstad.Nils Johannesen Molstad (1812-1871) g Marthe Marie Larsdatter Balstad (som g2 furer Martin Gjestvang (1830-1907) og deres etterslekt har du vel (7 barn, Paul var no 5). De skjøtet Skjerven fra Ole Olsen i 1850. Martin solgte gården ut av familien i 1891, idet Martin og Marthe tok føderåd hos Marthes eneste barn som ble igjen i Norge, datteren Netta Marie (1870-1949) som g1 Ole Johnsen Taraldrud g2 Ole Pedersen Fjørkenstad på Skreia (Toten).Hører gjerne fra deg hvis du vil ha kopi fra bygdebøkene. Det virker som om de vet lite om etterslekten i USA, så mailadressen din ville vært fint å ha. Lykke til videre. Vennlig hilsen Per Håkon

[Gjest Katie Campbell]

Thanks for your reply. Sorry, I don't speak Norwegian -- I am able to follow the names and dates, but can't decipher the rest of your message. Can you translate to English?

[Gjest Per Håkon Christiansen]

I will. I was struck by your perfect norwegian, so it did not even occur to me that you could not read it (you fooled me there!) I am at the cottage for the weekend, following this debate through a 'smartphone' (yes, really a phone!). So I will probably have to wait till monday, when I can take a printout. Please be patient until then. PS: a mail giving me your postal address would be nice. Then I can send you the information I have, with at least a partial translation. :-) Per Håkon.

[Gjest Katie Campbell]

Thanks for your reply. My freind, Orlyn Kringstad will be visiting in Norway in the next few weeks. If you can send the information to Lars.Loberg@C2i.net that would be great. He will print it and Orlyn will bring back to the states!

[Gjest Per Håkon Christiansen]

Hello again Katie.I promised you a translation of my first reply to you. Sorry I did not guess that you did not read norwegian...Nes Historielag has issued a local history (Bygdebok), the first volume, part 1 and 2 was issued as far back as in 1944 (!) and volume 2 is in the process, part 1, 2 and 3 already published (1990, 1995, 2000) and the last, part 4 will be issued in a year or two, it is being said.There is a lot about Marthe Larsdatter's family and their lineage in Nes Bygdebok Vol 2 part 2, and about Nils and Marthe in Vol 2 part 3. There are many pages of farm history, and I would suggest that you send me your POST address (yes, old fashioned 'snail mail'!) to my mail adress: sasirkka@online.no , then I can send you photo copies with some comments in English.Here you also find photos of Marthe Marie Balstad (1828-190) and her first husband Nils Skjerven (1812-1871) and the children Johannes b 1851, Lina b 1855, Paul b 1859 og Karl b 1867. (Amalie (1853 - 1951) had already emigrated to Amerika when the photo was taken.) And you find photos of Marthe and her second husband Martin Gjestvang.Marthe Balstad's lineage according to Vol 2 part 2:Tord Ballestadt who was among the 12 court members who signed the document giving authority to the local representative when Kristian 4th was declared as legal heir to the throne in 1591.Tore Balstad user ('bruker')of Balstad i 1612, probably his son. ('Bruker' does not imply that he owns the farm.)Tord Toresen Balstad b ca 1595 user of the farm since 1645, wife's name unknown. 6 offspring known, No 5 is Lars Tordsen Balstad b ca 1645, the next user of the farm.Lars Toresen (or Tordsen) Balstad b ca 1646 m Siri Syversdatter. Probate record (indicating his recent death) after Lars in 1700. 8 children, the 4th, Tord Larsen Balstad took over (rented) the farm from the widow in 1714. He formalized his ownership in 1736 and 1745 and became the first 'selveier', i.e. the first to OWN the land. Wife's name unknown. 5 children.The son Lars Tordsen b 1716 d 1780 became the next user of the farm, he bought the farm from his father for 800 SpecieDaler in 1746. Married to Kari Frantsdatter Eik 1715-1813, daughter of Frants Eriksen Skjelve and Kari Jørgensdatter Lie. They had 9 children, and she moved at old age ('føderåd'), into the household of her oldest son Tor Larsen Bolstad (1743-1796) who later married Gønner Pedersdatter (who after her husbands death married again with Erik Kristiansen Hoelstad.) Tor and Gønner had 5 children (and later on Gønner had 3 more with Erik.)(I know no better word for 'føderåd' today than 'pension', but a private, but publicly binding 'pension' contract with her family, an obligation they often took on as a part of the contract of transferring the farm to the next generation. There was of course no public pensions at that time!)The oldest son Lars Torsen Balstad (1783-1837) in 1806 bought the farm for 1800 riksdaler Danish courants, under the condition that he should not take the farm in use before 1815. Lars m 1809 to Marie Håkensdatter Nordre Kise. They had the following children:1. Thor Larsen Balstad (1813 - d 1888 in USA) member of the well known Balstad (Folk music) Orchestra (Balstadmusikken). Reknown fiddeler.2. Hans Larsen Balstad b 1815 - d 1858 m Anne Marie Andersdatter Trosterud, leader of the Balstad Orchestra.3 Gønner Larsdatter 1817 - 1856 m 1838 Tolle Torsen Bye Vestre. All their children emigrated to Amerika.4 Halvor 1820 - ?? To Kristiania?5. Elisabet Larsdatter 1823- ? m Johan Johansen Bjørnstad, baker in Kristiania (Oslo)6 Michel Larsen (1825-27)7 Marthe Marie m Nils Johansen Skjerven8 Kjerstine (Kristine) 1831-? m Andreas Dokken, Wilmar, Minnesota, USA9. Johannes b 1833 d young.10. Johannes b 1834 - d in Utah, USA11. Lovise b and d 1837.About Hans Balstad (1815-1858) it is said in Jon Feiring (ed) 'Fra Menuett til Masurka,' (From Menuet to Masurka) (Gjøvik Historielag 1999?) that 'Nes is called the musical center of Hedemarken. It would be unlikely to be called this without the Balstad Orchestra... which at its peak consisted of Hans and his brother Thor, first fiddelers, Gudbrand Årlien second fiddle, Taale Staff, clarinet og Ole Texum bass. The Balstad Orchestra used the 'fjord' (i.e. Mjøsa, m.c.) as their travelling route, and played as much on the west side of Mjøsa as in Hedemarken.' Is further says that Hans was an unsually gifted musician, and people who heard the music never forgot it. Further that he was taught to play as a small boy by the Halvor Hoel, a very important man ('chieftain' is the word they use!)in Nes. But as a farmer, and economically it did not turn out well for Hans, who died only 43 years old. Thor took over the ensemble after his brother, also a splendid fiddeler. He early on emigrated to Amerika. Thor is also known as a composer. His life in Amerika ought to be researched upon by somebody!' (So there you have your challenge, Katie!) In this book is reproduced in notes 22 compositions by Hans Balstad.Nils Johannesen Molstad (1812-1871) m Marthe Marie Larsdatter Balstad (who m2 Martin Gjestvang (1830-1907), I suppose you have an overview of the children etc (7 children, Paul was no 5). They took over Skjerven from Ole Olsen in 1850. Martin sold the farm out of the family in 1891, as Martin og Marthe took 'føderåd' (se above) at the house of Marthe's sole child who remained in Norge, her daughter Netta Marie (1870-1949) who m1 Ole Johnsen Taraldrud m2 Ole Pedersen Fjørkenstad at Skreia (Toten).Please let me hear from you if you want photocopies from the books mentioned. It also seems that they know rather little about what happened to the many persons who emigrated to the US, so your mail address would nice to have. Good luck with your further resarch. I will write more in this forum when I come across more information. :-) Per Håkon

[Gjest Katie Campbell]

Thanks for the translation - My address is the states:Katie Campbell 7776 8th St SE Buffalo, MN 55313Yes, I would love photos - can I send $$ for postage costs?Paul Scherven, my great grandfather settled in Mpls, MN and was a musican, saloon keeper and quite the 'ladies man' - he married Sophie Jensen, a young Norwegian girl who came to the states with her two older sisters. See note 10359 for more information on her Norwegian family. Paul and Sophia had 6 children -- all have stayed in Minnesota.

[Gjest Per Håkon Christiansen]

Katie - please mail me, mailaddress: sasirkka@online.no , I have some information and an interesting address for you which need not be in this forum.And I am doing this out of interest, so you don't need to think about the expenses. I will make the photocopies in a couple of days, then I need some more time to write some comments/translations of the most vital parts of the text. Everything should be in your mailbox soon, just be a little patient. :-) Per Håkon