Ancestor Chart

Mikkel Svenkeson (1661 - 1748)

Mikkel Svenkeson was born in 1661 on Vallavik farm, Ulvik in Hardanger. He died in 1748 on Ytre Bjotveit farm, Kinsarvik in Hardanger. He was buried in Kinsarvik church. He was son of Svenke Knutson and an unknown mother. Mikkel married Gunnhild Gunnarsdatter on 25 April 1700. She came from Fryste farm in Ulvik, but they were living on Vallavik farm. His children from his first marriage:

1. Hans Mikkelson b. 1700, Vallavik. Hans was a soldier in 1720. He got a deed from his father and his brothers Svenke and Tolleiv May 19, 1734. Hans mortaged the farm, 2 pund butter with particular leasehold June 9, 1751 for 98 "riksdaler" silver dollars to Anve Hallanger. Hans was married to Ragna Endresdatter, Hallanger (1702 - 1760). They had 5 children.

2. Svenke Mikkelson, b. 1702, Vallavik. d. 1769 Vestrheim.

3. Gunnar Mikkelson b. 1704, Vallavik. He was living at Undeland in 1735.

4. Tolleiv Mikkelson (1705 - 1783)

5. Guro Mikkelsdatter b. 1706, Vallavik in Ulvik, d. 1742, Bjotveit in Kinsarvik. She married her halfbrother Eirik Hallgeirson, Bjotveit in 1741.

6. Sigvor Mikkelsdatter b. 1709, Vallavik. She was living at Undeland in 1736 and she was a widow in Bergen in 1748.

7. Brita Mikkelsdatter b. 1713, Vallavik, d. 1802, Vikane in Jondal. She was married to Mons Gauteson (1717 - 1802). They moved to Vikane farm in 1770.

Mikkel Svenkeson became the first "selveier" on Vallavik farm. A "selveier" (many censuses use the abbreviation 'S.') is a person who owns the farm land he or she is using, and who has a registered deed to prove the ownership. This deed is both a security and potential danger. It's a property, and in a bankruptcy it can get lost to the creditors.
Back in history the Norwegian farm land was owned by the church, the crown or other landowners, but as early as 1660 a fifth of the farm land in Southern Norway had a 'selveier'. The next century the 'selveier' share of the farm land increased, and the 'selveier' system spread to Western Norway and Trøndelag. In Northern Norway this transition took place after 1850.

Mikkel was able to buy Vallavik outright on Feb. 19, 1702, from a person with the unusual name of Kristense Miltzow Stud. Vallavik under Mikkel's management was a diversified and productive farm. The tax rolls of 1723 show the extent of his operations. Besides the main farm, which lay by the sea, he had a summer farm about 1 1/2 miles away, a water driven grist mill, a small piece of forest land and a water-driven sawmill capable of producing 200 boards a year. The farm land was not stony, swampy or hard to work. At the time Mikkel had four cows, two calves and 12 sheep and goats. He harvested 2 1/2 barrels each of barley and oats.

Mikkel married (2) the widow Brita Salomonsdatter in 1727. She was born on Ernes farm in Ullensvang. She had been married the first time in 1700 to Hallgeir Kristoferson, Y. Bjotveit farm (1648 - 1726). They had 4 children:

1. Åmund Hallgeirson (1701 - 1775).

2. Anna Hallgeirson (1704 - 1783). She married the widower Halldor Johannesson, I. Bu (1683 - 1750) in 1735. He was living on Indre Bjotveit farm after his first marriage and he had leased the farm in 1716. In his first marriage, he was married to Ragna Oddmundsdatter, Ringøy bnr. 3 (1697 - 1734) 1714. She was a sister to one of our ancestors, Brita Oddmundsdatter. They had 6 children. Halldor gave half of the farm to his eldest son in 1746. The other half he had for himselves and later his widow Anna until 1770. Anna and Halldor had 2 children.

3. Salomon Hallgeirson (1708 - ). He married Ingebjørg Snaresdatter, Sævartveit, Ulvik. The were living on Torblå farm in Ulvik.

4. Eirik Hallgeirson (1712 - 1790). He married his halfsister Guro Mikkelsdatter in 1741. Eirik got the lease on Bjotveit farm (after Mikkel) Nov. 8, 1741. They had a son, Hallgeir Eirikson (1742 - 1805). Eirik married (2) Tora Jakobsdatter, I. Instanes bnr. 4(1701 - 1778) in 1743. They had no children.

When Hallgeir died, Mikkel leased this half of the farm, bnr. 1, of Y. Bjotveit farm, July 17, 1728. When Mikkels daughter Guro married her halfbrother Eirik, Mikkel became stepfather to his son in law. Mikkel and Brita did not have any children. 1)

1) Bygdebok Ulvik, bind 2. page 499.
Olav Kolltveit : Odda, Ullensvang and Kinsarvik in old and new times (1960 - 1974)