Today is the day of the birth of my great grandfather Anders Sevaldsen. He was my grandfather Paul's father. Anders was born January 21, 1863 in Verdal, Nord Trondelag, Norway. He was baptised into the Norwegian state church March 22 of the same year. He was born on the farm Stuskin, the firstborn son of Sevald Andersen. The farm had been in his family from the time of his great-grandfather Jacob Andersen-Stuskin. As the firstborn he was in line to inherit the rights to the family farm. At some point he became a convert to the Seventh Day Adventist Movement in Norway. August 20, 1885 he denounced his baptism in the church of Norway and was baptised Seventh Day Adventist. He became a missionary for the church. He also turned his back on his rights as the firstborn son and the family farm went to his brother Ole. Ole's family and descendants live on that property to this day. I never knew the man nor did my grandfather ever speak of him. At least not to me. My grandmother said her father in law was a religious zealot who was quite cruel to his children. I don't know if he was on good terms with his extended family or not. I did meet his youngest daughter. My great aunt Stina was the half sister of my grandfather and spoke well of her father. She was very proud of him and his religious work. She said he was one of the first to baptize adults in Norway. I have no clue as to when he died, only that it was some time after 1915. Although I guess I should be thankful to him for the gift of my grandfather, who was a wonderful Christian man, I resent that he cheated my grandfather out of the inheritance that should have been his (my grandfather was HIS firstborn son). And even though I acknowledge that his times, culture and thoughts on raising children were quite different from mine I cannot forgive him for beating on my grandfather as a little boy. He deserved better.
