Østen Danielsen 1641-1722 and Sofie Toresdtr 1662-1716
Østen was born about 1641. His parents came from Vikedal where Østein was born. He died in 1722 on Fosen Gard, Avaldsnes Parish (Karmøy), Norway.
Østen and his first wife lived for some years at Lervik Gard in Tysvær Parish before they moved back to Fosen. He took over Fosen farm from his mother and her third husband, probably in the early 1680's. He owned the farm from 1690 until his death in 1722.
He first married Sofie Toresdtr. They had 4 children. We are descended from Østen and Sofie. He married second to Ales Bårdsdtr. They had 2 sons.
Sofie was the daughter of Tore Knutson and Eli Johannesdtr. Tore was born in 1632. He was a forth generation member of a large and extensive Avaldsnes Parish family. Tore inherited Tuastad Gard from his father. In 1670 he owned farms in Avaldsnes, Torvastad and Åkra Parish. Tore was still alive in 1701. From 1662 to1665, he was an Avaldsnes Parish church warden. Eli was descended from an illustrious and wealthy family. She was likely literate, a rare skill set at that time, especially in a woman. She also had a sister of dubious renown. Eli was the sister of Turid Johannesdtr, another of our ancestors. Turid was accused of witchcraft. Turid was, of course, exonerated. The withcraft trial occurred in Skåre Parish during the 1670’s. …and the reason that I say that Eli was likely literate is because, during the witchcraft trial, Turid wrote a defense document. According to the historian, this was an amazing accomplishment for either a male or female of that time, but certainly a skill which would have been suspect in a female.
Østein was the sheriff of Hetland, the viking coastal defense unit from 1690 to 1711.
He owned Fosten Farm, Gismarvik Farm, Kallevik farm, and Vibrandsøy Farm. In 1706, the census said that Øystein Fosen loaned 300 silver coins to Halvor Skuleson, of Vibrandsøy Farm, towards the purchase of the mortgage deed of the island. Then Halvor died around 1710. His widow sold Vibrandsøy to Østein who gave it to his son-in-law.
When his son, Daniel, married, he was given half of Fosen farm, which is why the farm was divided.
In 1722, when both the Østein and his son, Daniel had died, Tore Tuastad (father-in-law of Østein's daughter, Malena), who was the witness, said that the whole farm required 10 buckets of seed and would harvest 60 barrels of grain. They fed 3 horses, 22 heifers and 20 sheep.
Tore Tuastad, the witness, was also Sofie’s father and Malena’s grandfather, because Malena had married her uncle, Knut Toreson.
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The contents of this story were gathered together from biographical sketches in several Bydgebok volumes. It was then translated into English and annotated. It is a summarized verion of the original biographical sketch.
Arnvid Lillehammer, Avaldsnes II, Bygdebokutvalget in Karmøy, 1993, pages 55, 380, 423.
Arne Langhelle, Svein Langhelle, Nils Olav Østrem, Gard og folk i Skåre, bind 2 , Haugesund Kommune, 1999, page 928.
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