Asle Embrickson Torset was born in 1775 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway (Nørde Torset) as the seventh child of Engebret Hebrandson Torset and Margit Aslesdtr. He had ten siblings, namely: Herbrand, Asle, Nils, Nils, Ole, Hebrand, Anne, Margit, Margit, and Margit. You can tell by the reuse of names, that many of his siblings died young.

Asle Embrickson Torset was baptized on 20 Aug 1775 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. Babies were usually baptized shortly after birth, so it is likely that he was born in the summer.

As with all of our Norwegian ancestors, his name was spelled differently in different records and his ‘last name’ was the name of the farm on which he lived. While Asle seemed to be the common spelling for his first name, his patronymic name has been found as Embrickson and Engebretson and Embretson.

As a young adult, Asle was recorded in the 1801 Census of Norway. He lived with his parents and siblings on the Torset farm.

When he was about 36-years old, Asle married Barbo Ivarsdtr Kjednbard on 26 May 1811 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway.

Asle Embrickson Torset and Barbo Ivarsdtr Kjednbard had the following children:

1. Margit Asledtr Torset was born on 30 Mar 1812 and baptized 07 Jun 1812 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. She died in 1897 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway.
2. Engebret Asleson Torset was born on 16 Jul 1814 and baptized 14 Aug 1814 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. He married Berget Ingvalsdtr Grondal on 01 Apr 1847 in Gol, Buskerud, Norway. He died on 16 Jun 1885 in Newry, Freeborn, Minnesota.
3. Ivar Asleson Torset was born 21 Oct 1816 and baptized 03 Nov 1816 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. He died in 1898 in Norway.
4. Ole Asleson Torset was born 23 Jul 1819 and baptized 12 Sep 1819 in Torset, Hemsedal, Buskerud, Hallingdal, Norway. He died between 1819–1821.
5. Ole Asleson Torset was born 24 Nov 1820 and baptized 31 Dec 1820 in Torset, Hemsedal, Buskerud Hallingdal, Norway. He married Guri Olsdtr Sørbøl on 06 Nov 1853 in Buskerud, Norway. He died in 1878 in Norway.

Asle became a widow when Barbo died on 18 Dec 1821. He was left alone with four very young children. He soon remarried to Margit Knutsdtr Moslåttun.

Asle Embrickson Torset and Margit Knutsdtr Moslåttun had the following children:

1. Barbo Aslesdtr Torset was born 01 Sep 1823 and baptized 28 Sep 1823 in Torset, Hemsedal, Buskerud, Hallingdal, Norway. She died in 1909 in Norway. She married Sølve Ivarsen Mørken in Norway.
2. Knut Asleson Torset was born in 1827 in Torset, Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. He died in 1911 in Norway.
3. Herbrand Asleson Torset was born 04 Feb 1830 and baptized 28 Mar 1830 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway.
4. Nils Asleson Torset was born 11 Oct 1833 and baptized 03 Nov 1833 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. He died in USA.
5. Marte Aslesdtr Torset was born 09 Jun 1836 and baptized 31 Jul 1836 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. She died in 1917 in Norway. She married Ingvar Hustad in Norway.
6. A son who was born and died on 22 Jan 1842 in Buskerud, Norway.
7. A daughter who was born and died 14 Feb 1845 in Buskerud, Norway.

Asle lived at Torsetjordé, Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. In the book, “Hemsedals Slekthistorie,” by Hans Flaten and Ola Rudvin, Asle is mentioned as the first recorded inhabitant of the Torsetjordé farm. The book explains that he came from the “nørdre Torset” (north Torset) farm. He was originally a farmer on north Torset, but his brother Ole (Ola) took that farm. He took over a farm once called Jordé. Asle was tall and was called “Lange-Asle.”

It is really special to have been able to travel to Norway and experience the area where Asle and family lived some 200-years ago. We found this waterfall very magnificent, and Asle got to see it on an every day basis.

– Denise

This mortgage record from 19 Sep 1843 indicates that Asle turned the farm over to his son Engebret.

Asle Embrickson Torset died on 20 Aug 1852 in Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway. He was buried there on 28 Aug 1852. His death record listed his age as 84, but comparing his death date to his baptism date, he was about 77-years old when he died.

Where is he in the tree?

Selected Sources:

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Asle Embreckson baptism (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20060127050048.jpg : accessed 12 Jan 2020); digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), 26 May 1811 marriage; Hemsedal; Asle Embrickson Torset and Barbo Ivarsdtr Kjednbard (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20060127050461.jpg : accessed 12 Feb 2020); digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Hans Flaten and Ola Rudvin, Hemsedals Slektshistorie 1693-1975, (Hemsedal Kommune, 1976), pp 211-2.

Kartverket (https://www.norgeskart.no/?fbclid=IwAR0IXqrPcPROIBvtXtf0k8G3T5fpduec4iyEBTCpO3IITvKzL3bq6Lw_sFE#!?project=norgeskart&layers=1002&zoom=11&lat=6764239.84&lon=150067.67&markerLat=6762171.547577324&markerLon=151913.19005150575&panel=searchOptionsPanel&sok=Torset : accessed 12 Feb 2020).

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Engebret Hebrandson Torset, 1801 Census; RA, Census 1801 for 0616P Nes Parish, 1801, pp. 174b-175a (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-ft20090806630361.jpg : accessed 13 Feb 2020); digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Torset; mortgage record; SAKO, Hallingdal sorenskriveri, G/Gb/Gbi/L0001: Mortgage register no. IX 1, p. 246 (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-tl20071204520862.jpg : accessed 13 Feb 2020); digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Asle Embrickson death and burial; SAKO, Gol kirkebøker, G/Gb/L0003: Parish register (copy) no. II 3, 1844-1858, p. 146-147 (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20060410020173.jpg : accessed 13 Feb 2020); digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.