Name: Gudrun Sæbjørnsdtr NORD-TALGJE1
Sex: Female
Father: Sæbjørn
Torson Nord TALGJE (1510 - after 1578) (Son of Tore Sæbjørnson Nord-Talgje & N.N. Torgilsdtr AGA,
he"was one of the richest men in western Norway in the mid 1500's and was probably considered a
member of the landed gentry." He probably descended from royal/noble
families on both his father's and mother's lines)
Mother: NN
Jonsdtr AUKLAND (bef 1515 - aft 1540) (Daughter of Jon Tollakson AUKLAND who
most probably "descended from a powerful or even noble family."
Individual Facts
Birth abt
1538 Nord-Talgje,
Sjernary, Rogaland, NORWAY
Death abt
1617 (age 79) Randa,
Fister, Hjelmeland, Rogaland, NORWAY
Marriages/Children
1. Halvor
Marriage abt
1603 ? (age 65)
Children Torbjørn
Halvorson RANDA ( - after 1627)
Knut Halvorson
RANDA (bef 1580 - )
Torbjørg
(Torborg) Halvarsdtr RANDA IN FISTER (1580 -
) married Holger Olavsen
Koll SkiftuN and lived at Lindanger.
2. Olav Knutson HÅLAND (He was a "a local leader in rural Ryfylke in the
late 1500's.")
Marriage bef 1580 ? (age 42)2
Children Alv Olavson Håland
Sissel
Olavsdtr. Håland
Marite
Olavsdtr. Håland
3. Olav TORSON
Marriage ("This
was a childless and unhappy marriage.")
Notes (Individual)
General: Gudrun
was an extremely wealthy woman who owned property at 11 farms in
Rogaland and Hordaland, which had a combined annual income of over 15 laupar
smør (old measurement of value).
She was married three times, but only had children with her
first two husbands. It is unknown where
she and her first husband lived. Gudrun
would have moved to Håland in Erfjord when she married Olav Knutsson Håland. After he died, she appears to have been
living at Randa in Fister where she inherited about 2 laupar smør from
her uncle. She operated this farm from
about 1603 until at least 1613. Between
1611 and 1613, Gudrun was involved in a messy divorce action against her third
husband, Olav Torson. The case was
heard at the domkapital (Chapter House) of the Stavanger diocese. Olav complained that Gudrun had left him and
taken their property out of his control.
She answered that she wouldn't live with him because he had taken away
her keys to the house, which she as the mistress of the household should have,
and besides he had physically abused her.
Despite the serious complaints from both sides, the case ended with reconciliation. The Domkapital admonished them to
live together as good married folk and established a "marriage
contract" for them. But there was
no peace between them and Gudrun returned to court the following year. She complained that Olav was behaving as
before and stated that she could no longer live with him as she feared for her
life. She asked the Domkapital
to grant a divorce so she could live secure and happy in her old age. Olav admitted that he had hit her once, but
that was because she had assaulted him with his own dagger. But it was her word against his and neither
had any witnesses. The Domkapital
then realized that they could not live together in peace, so it was decreed
that they should live apart for one year.
It was hoped that after this time they would come to their senses and be
reconciled. The financial arrangements
of this separation were left to the civil court. After the year was up, Olav petitioned the Domkapital to
order Gudrun to return to him, but she refused. Their reciprocal complaints were once more brought up, but this
time Gudrun had lensmann (sheriff) Erik Byre testify that he had seen
her bleeding after an assault by her husband.
Olav answered that Gudrun had inflicted the damage herself and even
given him a black eye, which the parish priest could confirm. Again the court ordered a separation, but
this time for two more years. Here the
story ends and there is no record that the feuding couple ever reconciled.
Gudrun's estate was probated on 23 April 1617, but some of her
heirs were dissatisfied with the outcome and another probate had to be held on
9 December 1621 to settle the estate.
Sources
1. Nag, Lars Asbjørn (E-mail:
lnag@email.com). GEDCOM file imported
on 28 Dec 2000 furnished by Lars Asbjørn Nag via e-mail dated 28 Dec 2000. Helland, 4120 TAU, Norway: Dec 2000.
2. Sjernarøy bygdebok. p. 64.
Prepared by:
O. Keith Wheeler
Mad River, CA 95552
(707) 574-6595
