Here is Vetti in front, to the left is Lauvhaugen, down below is Flaten

The name was written Wette in 1611, 1666. Wethe 1723. It is wrong that in "Norske Gardsnavne" is says that the name in 1603 was written Vedoen. It was probably Ve that had that name at the time.

The scholars are not in agreement as to what this name means. So I believe the meaning, as does professor Ryqh, that the root of the name is a river name. That is means Kjær (dear) is not to be considered here. He is convinced that the original name was Vettin, which was first vottr d.v.s.vott (mitten?). And he means that one part of the canyon Vettisgjeli can look like a mitten. Professor Magnus Olsen would prefer that the first meaning of the name is "vettr", a natural name, vette" (spirit?), and it is most suitable for those who have progressed through the Vetti ravine. In all cases must one believe that the name is a "vin" name. If the idea is good or wrong it is the people who live on Vetti who can best provide the name, based on their experience living on the place.

In any case the farm must have been very old, and for sometime may have been a summer pasture or have been deserted for a while, for it is first in the 1600 census that I see it mentioned as cleared. In 1601 it is named "Veting og Nødtorp" as an island farm, but there is no user named. This must be Vetti, since it is situated between Hjelle and Avdal. Vetti was likely crown property for the time that the farm laid idle, but came early into private ownership. In 1645 it is Torbein Ness of Luster who is the owner, but in 1657 the estate comes into the hands of the priest Mathias Lemmichen in Hafslo. Later the farm went from one Hafslo priest to another, in all 4 times, to Christoffer Munthe. So I can say that Vetti had been under priest ownership for 100 years, but I wonder if the power was kept by military force .of the renters all through the times I know of these:

From 1603 to 1625 there is an Eirik who is the user. The first years he was here, he paid neither land tax or rent, but 1 calfskin "in frelse" (free). "Frelse" in this case is freedom from tax, and the calfskin he had to contribute because he did not have ownership of the farm. In 1617 the farm had higher use and he was to pay 6 mrk. Tallow and 1 goat skin in rent, Probably in the same year he was assessed with a land tax of 1 laup butter. Later came a time when the land tax was increased to 1 laup butter and 1 buckskin, or in butter: 1 laup butter and 18 mark. But in 1658 the buckskin was taken away, because the farm had big damage due to a landslide.

                                                                            Eirik perhaps thought it was lonely on Vetti, and this was why he several times had a man with him and a user of the farm. In 1612 there was a Hallvard and in 1624 an Atle. In 1626 there came 2 new men to Vetti: Jens and Lars. Together they paid 2-mælar corn in King's tithe, and that should tell us that the grain yield was 6 tunnor. Jens and Lars were here only a short time. And in 1630 there were 2 new ones, and' both named Eirik. They also were here for only a short time,, and then came Torkjell in 1635, and after him Ivar from 1640. With him there came more control for the users. Ivar was here until about 1658,, and so came an Arnfinn until 1684. He was said to be 54 years old in 1666 and therefore should have been born in 1612. He had then one son, Tor, 7 years old. on the farm they could then produce "8 nød og 1 øk og så 2 tønder korn." Otherwise I do not know anything about Arnfinn other that he was there for so long. After Arnfinn came Ola Jakobson. He was born about 1652 and was in Vetti until he moved in 1692 to Mælheim. His brother, Gulbrand Jakobson, got Vetti after Ola. Later there was a lawsuit between the 2 brothers, it was that Gulbrand should have paid something to his brother for moving from Vetti, but later he would not keep his word.

                                                                            Gulbrand Jakobson was born about 1650 and was married to Ingeborg Rolandsdtr. Avdalen. They were also not long on Vetti. They wire here in 1701, but moved later to Avdalen, where Gulbrand died in 1722. After Gulbrand an Ola came to Vetti. About him I know nothing more. In 1714 Vetti went over to "fyremun" Arnfinn Arnfinnson. Arnfinn was probably the son of Arnfinn Botolvson who had a place under Øyri. The same year Arnfinn got Vetti he was married to an Ingrid Olsdtr. who it seems was the daughter of Ola Vetti. There is nothing recorded about either Arnfinn or his wife, so I do not know when they died. The priest had forgotten both about them and many other things. I know that Arnfinn was alive in 1748, and that his son leased Vetti in 1753. Of the children of Arnfinn I know of 'these: Arnfinn who got the place after his father; Ola was married to Hjelle; Sjur was married to a Brita Andersdtr.,, they went to Hardanger; Botolv came to Avdalen; and Sigrid was married to Johannes Olson Voldal.

                                                                            Arnfinn Arnfinnson was born in 1715 and married in 1745 to Elsa Jørgensdtr. Ornes, Hafslo. Arnfinn leased Vetti from the priest Christoffer Munthe 15 October 1753 and had the farm for 20 years, until he died in 1773. His wife died in 1811, and it was said that she was 96 years old. They had 10 children., and of these 9 were adults and married. The eldest son, Arnfinn, was married to a Kari Olsdtr .They lived in Årdal until 1789, when they went away from the district. Their children I see referred to later on the place Dike in Erdal, so perhaps that is where they moved. Jørgen got Vetti; Tomas had a place under Mjelde in lærdal; Anders a place under Lægreid; Ola on Mælheim in Årdal; Tomas d.y. (the younger) had a place under Hestetun; Ragnhild was married to Johannes Gjerde in Lærdal; Anna with a Johannes Johannesson under Øyri in Ardal; and Gjertrud was married to Lasse Hermundson Nundal, who was a tailor.

                                                                            Jørgen Arnfinnson was born in 1747. He was married in 1778 to Malena Olsdtr. Hestetun. She died about 1800, and Jorgen was married to an Anna Torsteinsdtr. If she was from out of the district, or if the priest had forgotten to record about her, I do not know. Jorgen died in 1808. He was lost in the river. He was called Jørqen Arnfinnson on Rønneisgarden, then he changed it when he had this holding. It is said that he moved down to Midtun in his older days.
Jørgen was the first sole owner on the estate. He bought Vetti in 1775 for 170 rdl., the deed was dated 16 December. The one who sold it was Adam Reutz who was married to Karen Munthe Rumohr, a grand daughter to the priest Munthe in Hafslo. With his first wife Jorgen had Jorgen who got the farm; Ola was married to Synneva Torsdtr. Ve. They went out from Ardal, so I know not more about them. Tomas had a place under Moen; Anna was married to Matias Tomasson Øvstetun. They had a place under Øvstetun. Ragnhild married Johannes Johannesson Øyri and had a place under Øyri; Elsa was married to Ola Andersson Moen; but Gjertrud I know no more about.With his other wife Jorgen had 2 children: Torstein and Malena. Torstein grew up and had a place under Øvstetun; but Malena must have died little.

                                                                           Arnfinn Jørgenson was born about 1778 and married in 1804 to Brita Andersdtr. Øvstetun. She died the same year, and Arnfinn was married to Kari Sjursdtr. Svalheim. Arnfinn died already in 1814. His wife and these children survived him: Jorgen, Sjur, and Brita. Of these Jorgen got the father's place; Sjur was married to Margreta Johannesdtr. Lægreid and they went to America; and Brita died as infant. Their mother, Kari, was married to Ola Olson Moen. With him, she had 2 children; Arnfin and 0la. Arnfinn fell to his death off the mountain in 1837, but Ola was married to Kirsti Olsdtr., Ve and had the place Røti under Ve. Ola Olson managed the farm until his stepson Jørgen was an adult. Kari died in 1820, and Ola Olson was married to the widow Malena Tomasdtr. Hestetun. She died in Vetti in 1836, and Ola in 1837. When Kari Vetti died in 1820, it was her son Jørgen that got the farm. Jørgen Arnfinnson was born 1809 and married in 1831 to Ingeborg Tomasdtr. Ve. They had 8 children: Arnfinn who got the farm; Johanna married Sjur Eldegard; Malena married Gudbrand Helgeson Ve (Naustet); Ingeborg married Hans Olson Ve and they went to America; Rannveig married teacher Ola Person Hæreid; Ola had the place Lauvhaugen under Vetti; and Søren came to Ornes in Hafslo.

                                                                            Arnfinn Jørgenson was born in 1835 and married in 1857 to Johanna Nilsdtr. Midtun, born 1837. Of Arnfinns children: Jorgen got his father's farm; Nils was married to Mari Vilkensdtr. Midtun; Malena with teacher Nils Olson Skåri; and Margreta with Søren Eyvindson Hjelle; Tomas married Barbra Tomasdtr. Holsæter who was a businessman in Farnes; and Søren married Mari Tomasdtr. Midtun and came to Flaten. Arnfinn had the farm until 1905, when he let it to his son Jørgen. Jørgen Arnfinnson was born in 1861 and was married in 1882 to Jørgina Eiriksdtr. Moen. In 1926 they deeded the farm to their son Arnfinn Jørgenson who was married to Margreta Torsteinsdtr. Hjelle.