Maren Christensdatter Wear

Baptism Record for Maren (1800)Maren Christensdatter Wear was born on the 26 Oct 1800 along with her twin brother Hans to parents Christen Joensen Wear and Marthe Hansdatter. Hans’ Godparents were Kari Hansdatter Wear, Karine Andreasdatter Lund, Ingebret Joensen Wear, Hans Tollefsen Wear Sagen, Hans Joensen Lingsom and Maren’s Godparents were Oline Larsdatter Houg, Karen Hansdatter Houg, Anders Hansen Houg, Joen Arnesen Nygaard, Anders Larsen Flater.”⁵

Maren belonged to an old family line that's had roots on the Wear farm for more than 200 years. Her father was the son of Joen Ingebretsen Flater, born 1723,⁶ who descended from Ingebrigt Joensen, born 1687,⁷ who owned part of the Wear farm ca. 1700, and in 1777 dissolved into another part of the farm, he owned a total of 1 skp. 18-1/4 lispd.^A Joen's two sons Christen Joensen (Maren's father), born 1759, and Ingebret Joensen, born 1761, took over in 1789 after their father. In 1838, Hans Engebretsen, the son of Ingbret Johnsen, owned 12 lisp. As of 1900 there were still descendants of Ingebrigt Joensen on the farm.

*Since this was originally written, we have been able to trace the ancestors of Maren Wear back even further. Ingebrigt Joensen Flater, born in 1687 was the son of Joen Ingebregtsen, born 1649,⁸ and Joen's father was Ingebret Flater who is estimated to be born around 1610 based on the birth of his oldest known child. Ingebret died in 1656 where a court hearing his held on the 14th of May to establish guardianship of Ingebret's children Joen, Dorte & Karen.⁹

Maren's Confirmation (1817)On 27 Oct 1825, in Røyken church, Maren Christensdatter Wear married Gullik Petersen Loe "from Jarlsberg Verk”. Both Maren and Gullik had smallpox. “Gullik is physically scarred and Maren lost one eye^B from fighting smallpox,” is mentioned in the church book. Maren had as her best man, Hans Jonsen Lingsom from Royken, while Gullik had the clerk of Skoger, H.G. Allum.¹⁰ H.G. is described as the most famous clerk the village has had. He was a diligent writer, and states that he had more of a desire to write than keep up with school. He wrote a poem for the wedding.

His marriage record lists him as being from "Jarlsberg Verk". Since we know this was not actually his birthplace, we can assume it's where Gullik was living at the time of his marriage. "Jarlsberg Verk" was in Konnerud and official known as the “Jarlsbergske Silver, Lead and Copper Works”, which was once owned by the Earl of Jarlsberg. It has no great economic history, but we can assume Gullik's father moved here to work in the mines after relocating from the nearby Narverud mines.

The Loe-name occurs in several places in Konnerud of old, and when Gullik had this name, must reasonably be because he has had his childhood home in one of these places. A parcel of land by Veierud and Knatholt is still called Loe to this very day, probably after a Gudbrand Loe, who lived on Knatholt first in the 1700s. In 1847, Christen C. Loe is mentioned as one of the tenant farmers under Eikholt.

Marriage of Gullik & Maren (1825)It is certain that in 1826, the year after they married, Gullik and Maren lived under Eikholt in Konnerud where Gullik was working as a carpenter.¹¹ In 1828 he was listed as a farmer and again has the Loe farm name attached to his name, even though he was written as living under Eikholt.¹²

Eikholt fell under the general area of Jarlsberg Verk and going even further, Veierud and Knatholt fell under the area of Eikholt (based on the organization of government property registers). Gullik's father, Peter, is mentioned as owner of Veierud and Knatholt before 1827 in those registers, meaning the Loe land in Eikholt was Gullik and Maren's residence.^{13, C}

By report from written records, grandson Carl Christoffersen is quoted:

“There were enough wealthy farmhouse daughters from Røyken requiring his carpentry skills to earn grandfather the necessary money to buy a house, because when they married Gullik had nothing.” He had apparently operated as a house carpenter because he bought the farm. Gullik however had problems and he was not particularly frugal with his money. He would like to drink and play cards to the point of forgetting his responsibilities and gambling away the family's money. It all ended with the family having to leave the farm, stripped of everything and banished to the outskirts of town. They lived for a time at Bogen (under Hov) in Hurum while my grandfather was on looking for a suitable farm. Mother-in-law, Marthe Hansdatter Ovnerud in Royken, was so ashamed of the situation Gullik had gotten his family in that she had promised to go pull him money to help pay for a place of their own. He found a convenient place in Strommen (Svelvik), and here he bought some land under Sondre Myhre farm. The houses he built himself using resources from the nearby forest, and cleared some additional land to graze a cow. Otherwise, he worked as a skilled house carpenter. Among other things, he built a quarantine station / guard house during the cholera outbreak (cholera times) in Saltskjær (an island just south of Svelvik)."^D

Maren on 1865 Norway Census"About my grandmother (Maren), I do not know much to say. She eventually became blind in both eyes. The last eye she lost by an accident while living in Bogen (under Hov farm in Hurum). The youngest of her children were born after she had lost sight. She died several years after my grandfather."

The family came to Strommen on 3 Jul 1833 when Gullik purchased a portion of the Myhre farm between 1833 and 3 Apr 1834.^{14, E} ** Gullik can be found on 1st of March 1837, when we see Gullik in court,^F reconciling commission to a couple of dealers for an estate debt (seems a common theme). In the property register of 1838 he is among the tenant farmers under Myhre stated: Gullik Pedersen Loe, guilt, 12 shillings.¹⁵

Maren's Death record (1869)Gullik Petersen Loe died at Myre farm in Svelvik on 29 Feb 1856 and was buried on March 9th.¹⁶

On the 1865 census, Maren is living on the Myre farm in Strømmen as a widow. It stated that she is blind and 67 years old, a couple of years older than she should be, and none of the children were living in her house. The other occupants of the house on Myre were: carpenter, Christian Jorgensen from Hurum, his wife Helle of Sande, both for 30 year of age and their two year old daughter and one fourteen year old maid, Madssine Madsdatter from Hurum. It's stated that the property has a cow and that 1/4 tonne of wheat and 2-1/2 tonne of potatoes were planted on the farm.¹⁷

Maren Christensdatter Wear died at 71 years-old on 17 Dec 1869 at Myhre farm and was buried on December 26, most likely at Stromm church (now Svelvik). The cause of death is noted in the Hurum church book as old age.¹⁸

Of the children Gullik and Maren, we know there were 6:

PETRONELLE, born 5 Jun 1826. Sponsors: Johanne M. Abrahamsdatter, Gunnild Pedersdatter, tailor Abraham Larsen, bachelor Syvert Evensen, all of Eikholt, and Anders Stenersen Eskerud.¹¹ “Nelia”, as she was called, was married in Drammen to bookbinder Mads Pedersen.¹⁹ Together they had three children: Madsen Marie, who was said to have been a great beauty, Gustav and Lauritz. Petronelle died approx. 1902 in Strømsø nursing home.²⁰

CHRISTIAN AUGUST was next, born 12 Aug 1828. Sponsors: Johanne M. Abrahamsdatter, tailor Abraham Larsen, worker Anders Christophersen Thorud, bachelor Hans Moen Braaten, all of Eikholt.^{12, G}

MATHEA, born 21 Mar 1831. Mentors: Hellene Andersdatter, Gunnild Evensdatter, worker Peder Syvertsen, bachelor Christopher Evensen, and Cornelius Pedersen, all from Eikholt.²¹

EMANUEL, born 14 Feb 1835 22, was 13 year old at Rød farm in Hurum, disclosed in school register for Strømmen. Emanuel took to sea as a mate and married in Oslo with Marie Dorthea Johnsdatter.²³ Together they had three children: Inga Emilie, who married Ole Barthsen (see later), Johan worked at Langaards Tobaksfabrik and Kristian.

INGEBORG, born 22 Apr 1841 22 Apr 1843 in Strommen.²⁴

GUSTAVUS “GUSTAV”, born 1 Feb 1846 in Strommen.²⁵ He is listed in the 1865 census as living with his sister, Mathea in Svelvik. He was a sailor. Gustav died in England when he fell into the frigid waters between the dock and the vessel and drowned. He is depicted as a pretty handsome fellow. He was almost finished with mate school when he passed away (would have been around 20 based on similar relatives graduations from mate school).

Of the children, only Ingeborg we have real knowledge of. Ingeborg is described by her daughter, Ragna Gunnersen of Drammen, as a tall and beautiful woman. She entered service with the ship owner Borch in Drammen and on 2 Aug 1868 in Stromso married NILS RASMUSSEN,26 born in Royken, on the 6 Feb 1847.27 He was a chief engineer at Holmens Bruk for 45 years, and died 4 Nov 1923.28 Ingeborg died on the 16 Jan 1903.29 She was spent the last 20 years of her life suffering for a heart condition. They had the grief of losing their first four children as minors, namely Inga Marie, Gustava Anette, Reinert and Anna. This was followed by INGA, born 10 January 1876, (lives with her sister Ragna), GUSTAVA, born 29 July 1878, died on 27 January 1930, and RAGNA, born 18 January 1880.

Gustava married a master shoemaker (cobbler) Henrik Kristiansen in Drammen, born 2 May 1869, died 20 June 1940. Three children: Gudrun Jeanette, born 29 August 1902, “Reidar” Christoffer, born 29 April 1905, co-owner of Norløffs Hardware Business A/S, married Inger Eriksen, and Ella, born 18 December 1906, employed in the linen shop.

Ragna married 22 November 1901 with the carpenter Ole Sauthon Gunnersen, born 10 September 1882 in Sigdal. He died 29 January 1906. Two children: “Sigrun” Ingeborg, born 9 February 1903, married to the telegraphist Roar Jansen from Sundland pr. Drammen, and Erling “Gunnar”, born 18 September 1905, Office of shipowner Karl Bruusgaard, married Hard Olsrud, from Jevnaker.

Ragna Gunnersen, since her husband died, was employed as a cashier and bookkeeper. In the last 20 years she has been employed by Ad. Hægg, Gjaerfabrikken (Yeast Factory) and Danvik, where she still is. She has taken prominent part in society life in Drammen, including as chairman of the Drammen Female Commercial Association, as deputy chairman of the Professional Women's Club and as treasurer and secretary of Drammen's women's association.

After fact checking and research, I can say it's completely coincidence but, on the property that was once "Egholt" / Eikholt farm, there is now the Eikholt Center for the Blind ... Maren Christensdatter Wear also was blind in one eye while she lived at Eikholt and went completely blind shortly after she left.

The above is an amended and expanded translation from the book "Forfedrene Og Vi" by Sigfred L. Eier. Published in Svelvik, Norway in 1942. Sigfred was a freelance writer for the Svelviksposten local newspaper, a local historian for the towns of Svelvik & Strommen, a family historian, and a cousin.