Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal (1772-1838)

Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal was born in 1772 on the Ovstedal farm, in the Voss parish of Evanger local parish, Hordaland county, Norway as the first child of Johannes Torkjelson Ovstedal and Brita Ivarsdtr Flatekval Modalen. He had seven siblings, namely: Ivar Johannesson, Ragnhild Johannesdatter, Agate Johannesdatter, Agate Johannesdatter, Dodfodt barn (a stillborn child), Lars Johannesson, and Synneva Johanneson.

Norway

We don’t know the exact date of his birth, but it was likely in August. He was baptized on the 12th Sunday of Trinity in 1772. A date as we are accustomed was not recorded, instead the records were kept with references to the liturgical calendar. According to the calendar of  Norway: Moveable Feast Days in 1772, the 12th Sunday in Trinity that year was 06 Sep 1772. Babies were usually baptized very young, a week or so after their birth, so we can guess that Torkjel was born in late August.

He was still living with his parents when the 1801 census was taken in Voss, Hordaland, Norway.

When he was 30, he married Guri Knutsdtr Horvei on 24 Jul 1803 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway.

Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal and Guri Knutsdtr Horvei had the following children:

1. Brita Torkjeldtr Ovstedal was born in 1804 in Norway. She died in Horvei, Voss, Norway. She married Knut Jonson Horvei in 1827 in Norway.
2. Johannes Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1806 in Norway. He died before 1836 in Norway.
3. Synneva Torkjeldtr Ovstedal was born in 1808 in Norway. She died in 1854 in Norway.
4. Johannes Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1810 in Norway. He died in 1811 in Norway.

Guri passed away, leaving Torkjel a widower. When he was 38, he married Marta Knudsdtr Horvei on 30 Jun 1811 in Voss, Evanger, Hordaland, Norway.

Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal and Marta Knutsdtr Horvei had the following children:

1. Guri Torkjelsdtr Ovstedal was born in 1812 in Norway. She married Nils Ivarson Ovestedal in 1838 in Norway. She died in Norway.
2. Johannes Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1813 in Norway. He married Ingeborg Ingebrigtsdtr Bolstad in 1844. He died in 1893 in Udolpho Township, Mower, Minnesota and was buried at Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church, Austin, Mower, Minnesota.
3. Maria Torkjelsdtr Ovstedal was born in 1814 in Norway. She died before 1854.
4. Ragnild Torkjelsdtr Ofstedal was born on 26 Aug 1816 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway (Aldal). She married Ole Knutson Aldahl on 02 Nov 1840 in Voss, Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. She died on 31 Aug 1880 in Voss, Evanger, Hordaland, Norway (Aldahl farm).
5. Knut Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1817 in Norway. He died in Berstad, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.
6. Ola Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1819 in Norway. He died in inner Ovstedal, Voss, Norway.
7. Ivar Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1821 in Norway. He died in Ridgeway, Winneshiek, Iowa, USA.
8. Torkjel Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1823 in Norway. He died in inner Ovstedal, Voss, Norway.
9. Johannes Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1825 in Norway. He died in USA.
10. Nils Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1827 in Norway. He died in USA (Said to have died a Confederate prisoner during the Civil War).
11. Brita Torkjelsdtr Ovstedal was born in 1829 in Norway. She died in 1849 in Norway.
12. Knut Torkjelson Ovstedal was born in 1831 in Norway. He died in Ridgeway, Winneshiek, Iowa, USA.

Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal died on 18 Jan 1838 at the Ovstedal farm. He was buried at Voss parish, Hordaland, Norway.

Where is he in the tree?

Selected Sources:

SAB, Voss Sokneprestembete, H/Haa: Parish register (official) no. A 8, 1752-1780, p. 392-393, Quick link: https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/kb20070104610206.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal baptism; 1772; (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070104610206.jpg : accessed 18 Mar 2018). SAB, Voss Sokneprestembete, H/Haa: Parish register (official) no. A 8, 1752-1780, p. 392-393
Quick link: https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/kb20070104610206; digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), RA, 1801 census for 1235P Voss, 1801, p. 737b-738a ( http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-ft20090807610512.jpg : accessed 29 Aug 2018), digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal – Guri Knutsdtr Horvei marriage; 24 Jul 1803 ( http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070524630345.jpg : accessed 29 Aug 2018),  digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Marriage of Marta Knutsdtr Horvei and Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedal at Evanger, Hordaland, Norway ( http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070524630427.jpg : accessed 12 May 2018), digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Torkjel Johannesson Ovstedall burial (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070524650025.jpg : accessed 29 Aug 2018); digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

“Norway: Moveable Feast Days in 1772,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Norway:_Moveable_Feast_Days_in_1772 : accessed 25 Apr 2018)