Ancestor Chart

Thomas Tollefsen (1753 - 1836)

Thomas Tollefsen was born in 1753 on Ytre Vikane farm, Jondal in Hardanger in Hordaland County, Norway. He was christened on 27 July 1853(# 15) in Jondal church. He died 83 years old, 14 June 1836(# 30) on Røen farm, Tysnes in Sunnhordaland. He was son of Tollef Michelsen and Brita Oddmundsdatter. Tomas married Inga Torstensdatter, in 1775(# 5) in Jondal church. They had 5 children:

1. Torstein Thomassen, b. 1776, d. 26 May 1837, m. 2 July 1807, Kari Mortensdatter, Malkenes Tysnes (1782 - Oct. 11, 1838). See Roots at Røo below.

2. Tollef Thomassen b. 1778, d. 1778. ( Burial Mar. 6 1778, 14 days old).

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(# 13), m. 11 Nov. 1816(# 23) 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 Svenkeson 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 first cousin of Tomas. Nils was a son of Gjøa Mikkelsdatter Lindebrekke (1701 - 1786) and Svenke Mikkelson (1702 - 1769). Svenke was a brother of Tollef Mikkelson.

Thomas and Inga leased half of Røen to Ola Salomonson, Gjersheim and his wife Vibeke Størksdatter, Sunda, probably because their sons Tolleif and Torstein 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 Torstein 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.
Hordaland fylke, Jondal i Strandebarm, Ministerialbok nr. A 3 /2 (1751-1787), Fødte og døpte 1753, side 33.
Hordaland fylke, Jondal i Strandebarm, Ministerialbok nr. A 3 /2 (1751-1787), Ekteviede 1771-1775, side 48.
Hordaland county, Tysnes, Parish register (official) nr. A 10 (1848-1859), Death and burial records 1857, page 323.
Hordaland fylke, Tysnes, Ministerialbok nr. A 5 (1762-1793), Fødte og døpte 1776, Dagregister 1776, side 49.