The Story Of
Helfred Matson & Mary Garson
Of this family, we know the most about Ragnhild.  We know this because in researching
the genealogy of this side of the family, I found that Ragnhild was born outside of the
usual area of residence for our family.  I did not know where, but with assistance was
pointed to Aurdal (Ourdal), an area still in Oppland Fylke, but north of Ostre and Vestre
Toten. As you might imagine, ?birthing? Ragnhild in the records was difficult. But, in the
process of having to ?birth? this child, I learned a great deal about her family.

Ragnhild was born on 18 December 1811 in Nord Aurdal on the farm, BOSUM, and was
baptized 26 December 1811 in Northern Aurdal Parish.  Ragnild?s parents were Juel
Knudsen BAASUM (BOSUM) & Sigri Thoresdtr.

Juel Knudsen was born on BAASUM in 1773 to Knut Julson & Seborg Ingebretsdtr.
At the 1801 Norwegian census, now twenty-eight years old, Juel is still on the same farm,
unmarried. Juel?s father died in April 1801, before the census, and his widow and children
inherited his part of the farm. His widow, Seborg Ingebretsdtr., is listed as one of three
gaardbrugers for the larger farm, with whom we believe to be her brother, Ole
Ingebretsen, as the first gaardbruger and thus with overall responsbility for the larger
farm.

Juel Continued to operate their part of the farm until 1826, and in the process, married. He
sold his land to Ingebret Olsen who is a son of Ole Ingebretsen, and was about sixteen
years younger than Juel according to the 1801 census.

The sale of Juel?s part of the farm in 1826 may very well have sparked the out migration
of: Ragnhild and her older sister, Sebbjor in 1828, a brother, Knud, in 1826, and
another girl, Agata in 1830. The long standing family connection to BOSUM farm was
over. Ragnhild was on her way south, probably not knowing that she would become our
ancestor.

And so we have the proof that this Ragnhild Juulsdatter is our Ragnhild, mother of
Hellene Hansen Bjerkebakken. According to out-migration records for Nord Aurdal
Parish, Ragnhild migrated to Toten with her older sister, Sebbjor, at age 17 in 1828
when her sister was 19 years old.

From a record of marriages in Aurdal 1690-1760 we find the marriage of Juul Knuds.
BAASUM and Ronnoug Tollefsd. on 18 March 1743. These could be the grandparents
of Ragnhild?s father, Knut Julson.

The record in Norway for Hellene Olsdtr?s father, Ole Hansen, is sparse.  His birth is yet
to be determined but the marriage record indicates that Ragnhild was 19, and he was 21
years old. That puts his birth at about year 1811. At this time, we don?t know more about
Ole Hansen?s life in Norway.  We do know that he emigrated to America later in life after
the death of his wife, Ragnhild Juulsdatter who is buried in Norway somewhere.