Tinius Olsen

The family of Tinius Olsens father, Ole Thorstensen.

Ole Thorstensen (Torsteinsson) was born at Nordre Grøtjorden, also known as Dyregryt, in Uvdal on the 28th March 1821.

Ole was the son of Torstein Olsson Grøtjorden and Guri Larsdatter Øylandet. The couple were married on the13th October 1820, so – not unusually for the period – Ole was already on the way at the time.  The family only lived at Dyregryt for two years, after which they moved to Liverudeie. Ole’s sister Turid was born here in 1823. Torstein’s 2 year older brother, Ole Olsson, took over the farm at Dyregryt/Grøtjorden.

Torstein held the mortgage on four holdings below Oslien across Fønnebøfjorden on the Nore (south) side of the fjord: Odden, Kåset, Syversplassen and Arnesgaard, of which Odden was largest and most important. In time he acquired all of them. The family lived first at Kåset, according to Loftsgard, and it was here that Ole Thorstensen, Tinius’ father, grew up. There was a timbered cottage with an additional room, a barn and a smithy. Ole’s siblings came to the world at Kåset: Lars b.1826, Anne b.1828, Torstein b.1831 d.1831, Torstein b.1836. Helge b.1840 (Helge is mentioned by Loftsgard, but not by Sønsterud)

In the winter of 1840, when Ole was 18 years of age, he moved to Kongsberg, to baker Dahl’s house in Masovngata. His mother Guri died 18 months later. It appears that Ole travelled home at that time, but returned to Kongsberg and the arms factory in the spring of 1842, this time together with his brother Lars.

Torstein married again in 1844, to Turid Larsdatter Grøtjordeie, and their son Halvor was born in 1850. He sold both Arnesgaard and Syverplassen, followed by Kåset in 1857, leaving him with only the farm Odden.

As we know, Tinius moved to America i 1869, but he was not the first in the family to emigrate thence. His aunt Turid Torsteinsdatter left as early as 1849, while in the same year as Tinius himself moved to America, his aunt Anne Torsteinsdatter also crossed the pond with her husband Ole Olsen Persgardseie. Not only that, Tinius’ paternal grandfather Torstein Olssøn, his new wife Turid and their son Halvor also moved over i 1870, after selling Odden.

We do not know if Tinius had any contact with his relatives in America, but they must have known of one another, so it is quite possible.

Ole’s brother Lars certainly lived together with Ole in Kongsberg between 1842 and 1844, but moved on to Kristiania, as it was known then.

Ole’s ancestors

Ole’s paternal grandparents were Ole Olsen Bringsrud and Turid Torsteinsdatter Grøtjorden, so his grandmother is the connection to Grøtjorden. Turid’s parents were Torstein Halvorsen Tufto, who bought Grøtjorden, and Astrid Steinarsdatter Rauland.

Ole’s maternal grandparents were Lars Holgesson and Anne Olsdatter.

References:

Loftsgard: Nore og Uvdal, volume 5 pages 2249-51.   Kåre Sønsterud: Nore og Uvdal Part II volume 3. pages1809-11(1998)

Translation: Peter Story