Dagmar Gundersen was born on ØVALD in Eidanger, Telemark, Norway, which was the ancestral family home since the 1600's.
 |
| Eidanger kirke, built in 12th century |
The farm Øvald in Eidanger, Telemark, Norway had been in existence since the middle ages but lay vacant after the Black Death. In the 1600's it was cleared again as a small landholding. The bygdebok
Gårds og slektshistorie for Eidanger Fra 1814-1980 by Per Chr. Nagell Svendsen tells the story. A German noblewoman named Maria Lukretia von Boeselager, b. 1609 in Honeburg, Germany, moved with her daughter to the south of Norway after the death of her first husband. She married a Norwegian customs inspector named Peder Jacobsen and her daughter married the vicar of Eidanger Jon Lauritssøn Teiste. Maria and Peder were wealthy and bought three properties in Eidanger and one of those properties, Ødewald/Øvald, she gave as a christening gift to her granddaughter Sophie Jansdatter. Upon her death Maria was buried just outside the front entrance to the Eidanger church. The small farm became part of the Eidanger rectory, which was farm #43, Øvald being section #5. The section was leased by the year and a farmers male heir (female heir and her husband if a male heir did not survive to adulthood) had the first right to lease in his/her turn. The bygdebok, (above noted) and Norwegian National census' trace each generation on Øvald. Dagmar was the last of our family line to be born on the farm Øvald. Maria Lukretia von Boeselager had been her seventh great grandmother.
Øvald was in a lovely spot at the head of the Eidanger fjord. Dagmars great grandparents Johanne Elise Olsdatter and Nils Jensen were especially noted for their summer entertaining at Øvald. No one was noted as gracious as they and Johanna's cooking was well known. This home was built in 1860 during their time living and working Øvald.
Times were changing in Norway at the end of the 19th century and the small farm was separated from the vicarage and sold by the church. This must have been very difficult for the family that had lived and worked the farm since the 1600's but they were unable to buy the farm outright. Dagmars grandfather, Gunder Nilsen, spent his last years as a poor man on a neighboring farm. Today the property has the address Nystrandveien 184, Porsgrunn and "Norpost" is one of several companies at that location.
In 1925 Norwegian law required each family to adopt a permanent surname. Dagmar and her siblings became Gundersen, the patronymic of their father Nils. Dagmar's father Nils as
well as Nils’ son and grandson, along with others of the family, adopted Øvald as their surname. A sign of
respect for the historically family home. They certainly felt they
had that “right” as their family had worked the farm for 7-9
generations until it was sold out from under them.
The family gravestone in Nordre Gravlund, Skien, Norway. Kaptein Finn Øvald 1910-1946 (Dagmar's brother), Kaptein Nils Gundersen Øvald 1875-1961 (Dagmars father), hustru Gunhild 1875-1959 (Dagmar's mother), Margot Øvald 1912-1998 (Finn's wife) and below between the flowers Dagmar Sevald 1900-1991.
**clicking on photos or documents will enlarge them for easier viewing**
