The Berg and Larson Families

Before the mid 1800s, the nomenclature in Norway was very different than in America. Norwegians used their first name followed by their patronymic name or a name based on their relationship to their father. For example, Larson for the son of Lars or Larsdatter/Larsdotter for the daughter of Lars. This was followed by the name of the farm where they were living. However, this would change as the person moved to another farm. Thus, Sigur would be called Sigur Larson Hem at birth because his parents were living on the Hem farm and Sigur Larson Jonsaas when he died because he was living on the Jonsaas farm. Because the Norwegian names changed and therefore indicated where a person lived at a particular time, the exact name as recorded at the time of an event such as a birth, confirmation,  marriage, or death is included and italicized. Furthermore, there were various spellings for many names and farms and so the spelling used on each record is also reproduced exactly as it appeared.

Sigur was part of a rural community where everyone was associated with a farm in order to make a living. Since Sigur owned the Jonsaas farm, he was not only a farmer but also a landlord for the tenants, cotters, and laborers who resided there. The farmer and those who lived on his farm would all use the same surname which was the name of the farm. Tenants would pay rent or exchange labor for their home and small plot of land. Cotters were obligated to work for the farmer, but they had lifetime rights to their place since most of the cotters were sisters or younger brothers of the farmer. Laborers were paid but had no rights to any land. Together the farmer, tenants, cotters, and laborers were bound closely together and were expected to help each other first before helping those on other farms. If the farmer needed a man to cut timber, he would first hire those on his farm. Cotters were expected to be loyal to the farmer. The people on a farm would expect to help if asked and in fact, would feel disgraced if not asked. They could also expect help if needed for such things as replacing a sod roof or moving a log home or if they were sick or disabled.^[1]

Neighboring farms were joined together into grends. The people of a grend were part of a community with certain customs and obligations. There were unwritten rules about herding, paths in the forest, cooperative labor, etc. which were particular to each grend.

There was usually no class distinction while working on the farm or during festivities, but that was not the case in love and marriage. The farmer’s first son was expected to marry the daughter of another farmer. “It was a matter of realism that the oldest son would reduce both his own and the family’s strength and prestige by marrying a cotter’s daughter.”^[2]