Marta Knudsdtr Horvei was born in about July 1789 on the Horvei farm in Voss, Hordaland, Norway. Her parents were Knud Olssen and Marjo Berjesdatter. She had at least five siblings, namely: Brita, Guri, Synneva, Ole, and Marita.

Marta’s name had three parts. Marta (or Martha) was her given name. Knudsdtr (or Knudsdatter) came from her father’s given name. She was Knud’s daughter. Finally, Horvei was the name of the farm on which she lived, so it was used as a final name.

Marta was baptized on 26 July 1789 at Evanger Parish, Voss, Hordaland, Norway.

Marta’s life was recorded in records at Evanger Parish. Evanger is a parish church in the municipality of Voss. It’s now in Vestland county, but that is because Norway changed its county boundaries in 2020. Previously, it was in Hordaland county.

There has been a church at Evanger since the middle ages. Marta and family would have worshiped in a timber-framed church that was built in the 1600s to replace what was probably originally a stave church. The church that Marta attended was replaced in 1851 with a church that still remains today. While the building and roads have changed, the landscape surrounding it would have been similar in Marta’s time.

Marta’s father died in 1797 at the age of 52. Marta was only about eight-years old.

When the census was taken in 1801, Marta, indexed as Marita, was living with her widowed mother on the Horvei farm. There were lots of people living there, in several different households. In Marta’s household, her brother-in-law was the head of household.

Name	H. nr	Age	family Employment	Marital Status	Profession
001 Niels Christiansen	01	48	Huusbonde	Both in 1st marriage	peasant and farm inhabitants
002 Ingebor Olsdatter	01	39	His wife	Both in 1st marriage	–
003 Ole Nielsen	01	15	Their children	unmarried	–
004 Arne Nielsen	01	4	Their children	–	–
005 Anna Nielsdatter	01	1	Their children	–	–
006 Joen Haldorsen	01	31	Servants	unmarried	–
007 Brytteva Haldorsdatter	01	38	Servants	unmarried	–
008 Hendrich Nielsen	01	56	Manden	Married the 3rd time	Enjoy the stay of the farm
009 Both Torkelsdatter	01	57	His wife	Married 1st time	–
010 Anders Torkelsen	02	43	Huusbonde	Married 1st gave g	peasant and farm inhabitants
011 Ingebor Heljesdatter	02	39	His wife	Married the 2nd time	–
012 Lars Gulliksen	02	8	Their children	unmarried	–
013 Helje Gulliksen	02	6	Their children	–	–
014 Guro Gulliksdatter	02	11	Their children	–	–
015 Ole Pedersen	02	32	Servants	unmarried	National soldier
016 Kari Heljesdatter	02	32	Servants	unmarried	–
017 Lars Knudsen	02	32	–	unmarried	Enjoy the stay of the farm
018 Ole Knudsen	02	73	–	–	Lægdslem
019 Anders Johansen	03	50	Huusbonde	Both in 1st marriage	peasant and farm inhabitants
020 Agathe Philiphsdatter	03	47	His wife	Both in 1st marriage	–
021 Johannes Andersen	03	19	Their children	unmarried	–
022 Ole Andersen	03	3	Their children	–	–
023 Marita Andersdatter	03	15	Their children	–	–
024 Synneva Andersdatter	03	6	Their children	–	–
025 Ole Aschjeldsen	03	22	Servants	unmarried	–
026 Synneva Knudsdatter	03	27	Servants	unmarried	–
027 David Pedersen	03	28	innermost	unmarried	Go to daycare
028 Marita Knudsdatter	03	73	innermost	1st time widow	Enjoy alms of the parish
029 Johannes Andersen	03	69	Husband’s father	Both in 2nd marriage	Enjoy the stay of the farm
030 Ingebor Dogsdatter	03	64	His wife	Both in 2nd marriage	–
031 Halvor Magnes	04	38	Manden	Both in 1st marriage	Landless homemaker
032 Ingeborg Philiphsdatter	04	29	His wife	Both in 1st marriage	–
033 Isborg Halvorsdatter	04	3	Your daughter	unmarried	–
034 Joen Pedersen	05	35	Huusbonde	Both in 1st marriage	peasant and farm inhabitants
035 Brita Knudsdatter	05	29	His wife	Both in 1st marriage	–
036 Guri Knudsdatter	05	24	Service people	unmarried	–
037 Siur Pedersen	05	29	Service people	unmarried	–
038 Maria Berjesdatter	05	53	Wife	1st time widow	Enjoy the stay of the farm
039 Synneva Knudsdatter	05	15	Her children	unmarried	–
040 Marita Knudsdatter	05	11	Her children	–	–
041 Marita Knudsdatter	05	8	Her children	–	–
042 Ole Halversen	05	75	–	1st time widower	Enjoying retirement
043 Knud Larsen	06	69	Manden	Both in 1st marriage	Housekeeper with soil
044 Brita Knudsdatter	06	57	His wife	Both in 1st marriage	–
045 Brynjel Olsen	07	53	Huusbonde	Both in 1st marriage	peasant and farm inhabitants
046 Brita Berjesdatter	07	62	His wife	Both in 1st marriage	–
047 Ole Brynjelsen	07	30	Their children	unmarried	–
048 Knud Brynjelsen	07	24	Their children	unmarried	Post Dreng
049 Berje Brynjelsen	07	20	Their children	unmarried	Post Dreng
050 Randvei Brynjelsdatter	07	26	Their children	unmarried	–

Marta Knudsdtr Horvei was confirmed in 1804 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway.

When she was 22, Marta Knudsdtr Horvei married Torkjel Johannesson Øvstedal, son of Johannes Torkjelson Øvstedal and Brita Ivarsdtr Flatekval Modalen, on 30 Jun 1811 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway.

Torkjel was a widow when they married. His first wife, Guri Knudsdtr, was Marta’s older sister. Note that the 1801 census, shown above, for Horvei includes Guri, who was then 24-years old and working at a servant.

Torkjel Johannesson Øvstedal and Marta Knudsdtr Horvei had the following children:

1. Guri Torkjelsdtr Øvstedal was born about Feb 1812 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. She married Nils Ivarson Øvestedal in 1838 in Norway. She died in Norway.
2. Johannes Torkjelson Øvstedal was born on 10 Apr 1813 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. He married Ingeborg Ingebrigtsdtr Bolstad in 1844. He died on 20 Sep 1893 in Udolpho Township, Mower, Minnesota, USA.
3. Maria Torkjelsdtr Øvstedal was born about Oct 1814 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. She died before 1854.
4. Ragnild Torkjelsdtr Øfstedal 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 Øvstedal was born about Nov 1817 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. He married Marta Pedersdtr Edal in 1848 in Norway. He died on 02 Nov 1897 in Dane, Wisconsin.
6. Ola Torkjelson Øvstedal was born about May 1819 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. He married Anna Brynjulvsdtr Øvstedal in 1851 in Norway. He died in inner Ovstedal, Voss, Norway.
7. Ivar Torkjelson Øvstedal was born on 19 Jul 1821 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. He died on 03 Mar 1897 in Ridgeway, Winneshiek, Iowa, USA.
8. Torkjel Torkjelson Øvstedal was born on 01 Jan 1823 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. He married Anna Ivarsdtr Brunborg in 1843 in Norway. He died in inner Ovstedal, Voss, Norway.
9. Johannes Torkjelson Øvstedal was born on 17 Jun 1825 in Evanger, Hordaland, Norway. He married Ingeborg Brynjulvsdtr in 1856 in Norway. He died after 1880 in Windsor, Dane, Wisconsin.
10. Nils Torkjelson Øvstedal was born on 02 Sep 1827 in Voss, Hordaland, Norway. He died between 1861–1865 in USA (Died a Confederate prisoner in the Civil War).
11. Brita Torkjelsdtr Øvstedal was born on 10 Dec 1829 in Voss, Hordaland, Norway. She died on 29 Dec 1848 in Voss, Hordaland, Norway.
12. Knut Torkjelson Øvstedal was born on 29 Dec 1831 in Voss, Hordaland, Norway. He died in Ridgeway, Winneshiek, Iowa.

Marta and Torkjel lived on the Øvstedal farm. The following map shows the approximate locations of the Horvei farm, the Øvstedal farm, and Evanger, where they attended church.

Marta was widowed when her husband, Torkjel, died on 18 January 1838. Her youngest child was barely six-years old at the time. Life for a widow could be difficult. It was also probably bittersweet for her to see many of her children leave Norway for new opportunities in the United States.

It is presumed that Marta died in Norway. But when? Despite a lengthy search, her death record has not yet been located. It is possible that she immigrated to America to join one of her children, but no evidence of that has been found.

Where is she in the tree?

Selected Sources:

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Marta Knudsdtr Horvei, baptism, 1789, SAB, Voss Sokneprestembete, H/Haa: Parish register (official) no. A 9, 1780-1810, p. 80 (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070524630206.jpg : accessed 11 May 2020); digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), 0011 Horvei, Census 1801 for 1235 Voss Parish (https://www.digitalarkivet.no/census/person/pf01058378004609 : accessed 10 May 2020) and RA, Census 1801 for 1235P Voss Parish, 1801, pp. 738b-739a (http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-ft20090807610513.jpg : accessed 10 May 2020); digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Arkivverket Digitalarkivet (Norway), Marta Knutsdtr Horvei confirmation at Evanger, Hordaland, Norway, SAB, Voss Sokneprestembete, H/Haa: Parish register (official) no. A 9, 1780-1810, p. 227, https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/11769/229 ( http://urn.digitalarkivet.no/URN:NBN:no-a1450-kb20070524630354.jpg : accessed 13 May 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). Source information Archive reference SAB/A-79001/H/Haa Link to Arkivportalen Physical location Statsarkivet i Bergen Archive Voss Sokneprestembete Series and subseries H: Kyrkjelege handlingar Haa: Kyrkjebøker Piece/folder Source type Parish register (official) Protocol no./period no. A 10/1810 – 1821 Area Hordaland county Voss parish Voss local parish Evanger local parish Uppheim local parish Vinje local parish; digital images, Arkivverket Digitalarkivet.

Øvstedal med Røyrbakken, Gnr. 356 (5) 311 m.o.h., Evanger-Boka, Voss Bygdebokenund 1982, pp. 74-79. Copies of pages found posted on Ancestry.com by another Ancestry member.

Evanger Baka #1, Boss Bygdeboknemnd 1982, per Halver Stemson.

Map showing area where Horvei and Øvstedal reside, Norgeskart, (https://www.norgeskart.no/?fbclid=IwAR0IXqrPcPROIBvtXtf0k8G3T5fpduec4iyEBTCpO3IITvKzL3bq6Lw_sFE#!?project=norgeskart&layers=1002&zoom=11&lat=6758204.31&lon=8296.11&markerLat=6759642.939422876&markerLon=4121.276348267973&panel=searchOptionsPanel&sok=aldal : accessed 14 May 2020)

Ancestry.com, Norway, Select Baptisms, 1634-1927 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014), Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com.

Ancestry.com, Norway, Select Marriages, 1660-1926 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014), Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com.