Ancestor Chart

Inga Torstensdatter (1753 - 1822)

Inga Torstensdatter was born in 1753 on Samland farm, Jondal in Hardanger , Hordaland County, Norway. She was christened on 17 Jun. 1753(# 13) in Jondal church. She died 67 years old, 28 Apr. 1822(# 8) on Røen farm, Tysnes in Sunnhordaland. She was daughter of Torsten Johannessen and Ragna Håvardsdatter. Inga married Thomas Tollefsen, from Ytre Vikane farm in Jondal, in 1775(# 5). They had 5 children:

1. Torsten Thomassen, b. 1776, d. May 26, 1837 m. July 02, 1807, Kari Mortensdatter, Malkenes Tysnes (1782 - Oct. 11, 1838). See Roots at Røo below.

2. Tollef Thomassen, b. 1778, d. 1778.

3. Tolleif (Thomassen) Thomsen, b. 1779, Røen farm, d. 1864, Engesund, Fitjar.

4. Ragna Thomasdatter, b. 1781, d. 1856.

5. Brithe Thomasdatter, b. 1794, d. 22 Des. 1840), m. 11 Nov. 1816, Jens Mortensen, Malkenes, Tysnes (1788 - 23 Sep. 1853).

Thomas and Inga bought Røen farm in 1775. The Tysnes bygdebok says that the people on Tysnes referred to Thomas as a son of Nils Svenkesen Røen, from Vestheim in Ulvik (ca. 1722 - 1776) m. Anna Kristoffersdatter, Djønno in Kinsarvik, (1723 - 1764) , but that they probably meant that he was a foster son. Actually Nils was a cousin of Thomas. Nils was a son of Gjøa Mikkelsdatter Lindebrekke (1701 - 1786) and Svenke Mikkelsen (1702 - 1769). Svenke was a brother of Tollef Mikkelsen.

Thomas and Inga leased half of Røen to Ola Salomonson, Gjersheim and his wife Vibeke Størksdatter, Sunda, probably because their sons Tolleif and Torsten left home early to travel. Tomas owned a spring herring net, and he preferred to make his living as a coastal fisherman. Thomas and Inga also built a new "sengebu" or "vilkårshus" - a dormitory or pension home at the farm. The Tysnes bygdebok says Thomas and Inga were "velstandsfolk" - wealthy people - and paid a churh tithe or tax of 2 specie (silver) dollars in 1816. Their son Torsten took over the farm in 1806.

Thomas is one of the few known "Haugianerne" in Tysnes. That means that Thomas and Inga were devout Christians and staunch supporters of an important preacher Hans Nilsen Hauge. When the evangelist toured the Hardanger Fjord area on his way to Bergen in early summer of 1799, he stopped at Lukksund, and he was invited to hold a revial meeting at Røen.

See also, Roots at Røo, by Keith Thomsen. 1)

1) Olav Kolltveit: «Jondal i gamal og ny tid», 1953.
Bygdebok Ulvik, bind 2. page 499 and 186.
Drange, Ernst Berge: Tysnes. Gards og ættesoge. 1991, Bind 3, page 801 - 802.
Keith Thomsen: Roots at Røo, revised.