Søvde history 1851-1991

Introduction of the farm Søvde, Solhaug.

Søvde farm or Solhaug as it also was named, is situated ca 1 km away from the main road and Årnes in Sauherad community. Søvde farm  has a prospective view down on the Årnes farms, across  the lake of Norsjø and view to the farms of Lindheim and Nes church.

In good visibility you can see across  to Valebø,  Noragutu and the mountains right up from the church of Sauherad.

Søvde consists of many «husmannsplasser» (small farms which the people there did not possess by themselves), and our people came to «Plassen» no 96/6 before 1815. Plassen was built in the hillside southwest on the ground belonging to Årnes farm early on the 19. Century. This «Plassen» was from old time belonging to North Årnes and South Årnes farms, but after the separation of acres, the houses was built on the ground which belonged to South Årnes.

Ingebret Søvde bought Plassen in 1889. He had earlier in 1883 bought 95/3 Plassen from 95/1 and in 1887 Solhaug 95/3. In 1895 he bought Haugbakken and Hauginnleggen 95/6 and 1896 a forest 96/11, all right north and west to Plassen.

Søvde farm has its border in west and north to Kåsa and Haugen, in south and east to the Årnes farms. It covers 10 acres of land and 40 acres of forest.

Ingebret Søvde built new houses some way higher up from Plassen. In 1950 - 60 you could still watch the big apple tree standing on the farmyard where the old Plassen was.

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Preface.

The Søvde family history starts with Bjørgulv Arentsson born ca 1685 who is g.g.g.grand father to Ingebret Søvde. The history follows the line right up to Ingebret and Kari Søvde with comments to the female branches. These tabulars are written back in the book.

From the descendants of Ingebret and Kari Søvde, the history is made complete up today.

It is not difficult to follow the presentation as the history starts with the oldest child and follows his branch complete. Then the next eldest child in the same way. There is not written separate signs or figures in order to distinguish between generations as the presentation tries to make that clear and easy to grasp.

I do hope that this book does not contain too much wrong information but that the book can be of pleasure to our people living today and our descendents.

Råde 24.nov.1991

Harald Søvde

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Our family name Søvde starts with Ingebret Olsen Søvde and Kari Høljesdatter Søvde from Årnes in Telemark. The name Søvde was in use ca 1880 and is mentioned in the church book first time at the baptize of Hølje (Holly) March 10. 1882

The name Søvde has its background from the period when Ingebret Olsen Søvde was educated in the military where he got the name Saude derived from the name of the community (Søfde, Søvde were old names of Saude) he came from. By a mistake this name was written Søvde, but Ingebret thought this name was as good as Saude. Therefore Søvde became the family name and has been adopted as the family name by their descendants.  Kari and Ingebret had many children. Therefore there are many who carry the Søvde name, although it is a rare name.

Our family from Ingebret’s line comes from Roheim in Bø community, and the first person we can trace is Bjørgulv Arentsson born ca 1685 died 1772. We do not know anything about his parents. The name Arents is unknown in Bø and he can be a person who has come from outside. But in the church records the name Bjørgulv Arnesson is also used, so there are too many uncertain things before we can conclude any definite where he might come from.

Bjørgulv was «husmann» at Roheimsetra. This place was belonging to Lindheim farm from 1737. He was married to Mari Taraldsdatter and they had 9 children.

·      1. Kittil Bjørgulvsson ca 1730- 1799 married in 1755 with Mari Hansdatter from Bø, 2.   time in 1765 with the widow Åse Gunnarsdatter 1738-1789. They took over Roheimsetra  and had 8 children.

·      2.Aslaug Bjørgulvsdatter ca 1733-1813,  married 1760 to Halvor Tollefsson Orebakken in Bø.

·      3. Dead born  child in 1737

·      4. Jon ca 1740-1812 married in 1768 to Maren Kristensdatter from  Gvarv. She was born in 1746. They settled down at  Myrjord, a small farm under  Vestgarden close to Belatjønn lake. Jon was the first «husmann» here. He broke up the land in the perode of 1750-1800.

·      5-6 Tarald and Margit born and died in 1742.

·      7. Olav died in 1784, married to Marte Jonsdatter Haugen at Setersbø. Olav and Marte had 7 children and  dwelled in Torekåsa as «husmann». Torekåsa is close to Lifjellveggen below Kytelia and was a place under Østerli.

·      8. Tarald baptised in Nes 30. May 1745 and died 31.October 1804, married in Heddal Church 2.May 1768 to Mette Abrahamsdatter Morgenstjerne. She was born ca 1747 and died 19.March 1812.  See later.

·      Gunnar born 1748, died young.

Tarald Bjørgulvsson and Mette Arahamsdatter Morgenstjerne.

It is Tarald and Mette who give birth to our branch. Tarald came as a young servant to the clergyman  Claus Peterson Cloumann in Heddal stavechurch. Mette was from childhood  fostered in that  host family.

She was said to be the daugter of Abraham and Kirsten and came from Helgeland  where the father was a priest. Mette named herself Morgenstjerne and was said to come from a nobel family.

There is a romantic tradition connected to Tarald and Mette:

Tarald  came  as  young  servant to  the  clergyman’s farm in  Heddal. He soon came to know the  young and vital Mette Abrahamsdatter from the family  of  Morgenstjerne. She was foster daughter to the family of the priest. Tarald  and Mette fell in love with each other. But marriage could not be possible. He came from a pour family  and she was a noble daughter of a  high class family. They understood very soon that the clergyman Clauman was against such marriage. Tarald  was of the meaning  that they had to give up any idea of marriage. But this was contrary to what Mette had in mind. She worked out a strategy. Late at night she climbed up in one of the big thick trees along the road up to the priest’s farm and covered herself with a white sheet.She knew that Tarald would come this way that night. And she knew  also that he and the priest were superstitious. After some time she heard Tarald  walking. As he was right under the tree, she cried: Tarald! Tarald stopped and listened. Tarald. Listen! I’m an angle from Heaven! Tarald looked up into the trees and watched a white creature in the top. He cried out with a shivering voice: Yes, Lord, what do you want me? You shall go and marry Mette who live on the priest’s farm, came the answer from the tree. Yes, yes, Tarald answered. And on a  sudden he rushed right in to the priest’s office  and told excitedly about what he had experienced. The clergyman was a fatuous man and did not dare to do anything but give them his sanction.

And the wedding was held in Heddal 2.May 1768 with Torbjørn and Andreas Ryen as the best men.  The couple moved to Roheimheia and settled down at Solbjørg, some place between Roheim and the lake of Solbjørg. Solbjørg was from old time a «seter» belonging to Ågetveit, but from 1801 this «seter»is  registered under Askilt. They lived there as long as Tarald was alive.

Happiness followed them. Hard workers and skilled were both. Mette was always in good spirit. Tarald  was occupied as a «coal burner» in the woods around. They digged out ground and built houses, were breeding cattle  and children and lead a good life in their poverty. Mette was working on the farms, especially  in the daytime. She was swift and  hard worker in all her doing, and in the evening after her work on the farm, she hastened up the mountain side towards Solbjørg. As she came to a small place south of  Fiskebekkhøva, she took a dance and then sat down on a flat berg  to rest on a rock which looks like a bride’s stool. This rock is later called Mette’s rock  or stone. Some call it also  Mette’s stool. As she had sit there a while, glanced over the parish and dreamt her dreams, she took the track up the hillside, home to Solbjørg. She was kind and passionate for the well being to people and animals ,  also to  poor  people and helped many, tells the «saga.»

When Tarald died in 1804, she moved from Solbjørg. She lived 8 years after Tarald and died  19.March 1812.

Mette and Tarald had 5 children:

1. Margit Taraldsdatter, 1770-1813, married to Hellek Hansson Langreud at Skjelbrei 1770-1838. Langerud is situated above Skjelbrei in the hillside towards Åseelva, not far from the school house. Margit got rather a short life and died only 43 years. Margit and Hellek got 4 children:

1. Hans born 11.11.1796, married to Gunhild Gunnarsdatter Hegna under Sisjord.

2. Mette, born 21.07.1799, died 1839.

3. Tarald, born married to Martha Hansdatter, Frette i Etne.

4. Halvor born 18.04.1808

We know \very little about the children to Margit. We know that Tarald took work in Upper Telemark as was much done in these days, especially in the seasons. He moved westwards and  came to West Norway  and settled  down in Etne. He married  Martha Hansdatter in Frette in Etne and became the father to the two priests Tor and Gunnar Frette.

Halvor got a rather heavy fate. He suffered from physical disability. They called him Halvor Krylt and he made a living  for him and his family  by making  «kjessur» baskets.. He lived a short period in Langerud around 1850, but moved up to a  poor place in Årmotedalen which was called Krylteholet. It was in this place people found his wife Tore Gregorsdatter dead in her bed with a small child around her.

2. Hans Taraldsson, born 1775, died 05.04.1828, married 15.08.1801 to Kari Sakariasdatter  born 1779, from Setre in Nes. They settled down on a farm Nedre Roem under Vestre Lindem. Hans was «coal burner» as his father. They had 9 children.

1. Torbjørg Hansdatter, baptised 10.01.1810, married 21.11.1828 to Olav Anundsson, Kirkestuen.

2.Mette Hansdatter, baptised 10.06.1804. buried at Nes church 13.08.1809.

3.Ingerid Hansdatter, baptised 05.01.1806, buried  20.04.1806

4. Margit Hansdatter, baptised 03.05.1807, married to  Herleiksson Hestekåsa.

5.Tarald Hansson,born 06.08.1810, died by   12.02.1851, married to Mari Jensdatter, Slåtta eller Brekka in Heddal.

6. Mette Handsomer, born 02.01.1813, married in Nes church 05.01.1840 to Andrea’s Henriksson Liabakken.

7. Jon Hansson, born 19.01.1816, died before 1835.

8. Ingerid Hansdatter, born 21.01.1819, married in Nes church 27.10.1843 to Amund Anundsson Holtan, born 1821.

9 Kari Hansdatter, born 30.07.1822, married to Lars Kittilsson Kaasa in Nes, 27.12.1843.

3. Andres Taraldsson, born 1778, married 1802 to Åste Pedersdatter, Vinbekk, born 1777, died 1824. Anders and Åste, moved to Myre soon after the wedding. Andres married 2.  time to Kari Halvorsdatter from Gjernes.

Andres and Åste had 6 children:

1. Peder Buskrønningen, born 01.04.1803, married to Kjersti Kittilsdatter, Moen.

2. Mette, born 14.11.1805

3. Åste, born 4.11.1807 died 1897, married to Gert Årmote. They had no children.

4. Tore, born 19.10.1811,married to Olav Tomasson,Krosshaug.

5. Ingeborg, born 06.07.1815, married to Olav Gunnarsson Heldal

6. Jon, born 30.10.1817.

4. Bjørgulv Taraldsson, born 1780, died 14.02.1864, married in Nes church 02.01.1807 to Liv Olsdatter,Glakoll under Kise. See later.

5. Kjersti,born 1784, died 1872, married 16.04.1811 to Olav Nilsson Simonsbekk, born 1778. Around 1820 they settled  down at Simonsbekk and got  6 children.

1. Gunhild, born 11.10.1812.

2.Mette, born 15.01.1815 married 1.time to Erland Hegne, 2.time to Kittil Hegna.

3. Margit, born 15.06.1816

4. Nils, born 18.07.1819, died 1819.

5. Nils, born 06.09.1820, married to Inger Torsdatter, Smedstad.

6. Olav, born 28.06.1823- to America.

Bjørgulv Taraldson and Liv Olsdatter Glakoll.

Bjørgulv was the 4. child and next youngest child to Tarald and Mette. From the the 1801...