Bruk 2 : "Oppistov-Lægreid

Storyes about fish rights and bounderie fights
"Nedistov-Lægreid"
Between Årdalsfjorden and Årdalsvatnet lies Årdalseidet. On each side of the river between the lake and the fjord lie 2 farms. The one that was highest up was called Hæreid of heri, d.v.s. the one that lies highest, and on the other side of the river lies Lægreid of lærgi, the one that lies lower. Lægreid is an old farm. It was named in "Bjørgynjar Kalfskinn" from about 1330. It was called the high farmyard in Læghræidi, and so there must have been a lower farmyard, that we now call Prestgarden. One part of this highest farmyard in Lægreid borders on the priest's holdings in Årdal. In about 1500 it was named "Brødrejord" in Lægreid, and after was written Legree in 1522, Legrøø 1563, Legredt 1611, Leggret 1666 and Leigrei 1723.

Lægreid had in 1666 a land rent of 3 laupar, 18 mrk. butter, 1 hud and 12 mælar corn, or all together in butter rent: 4 1/2 laup. Prestgarden was not included in this account. It was a Birgitte Eiriksdtr. who owned most of Lægreid in 1645. The King owned something over 1 laup, a nobelman, Iver Vind 2 mælar corn. In 1672 the priest in Hafslo, Hans Paulsen, owned 2 ½ laup, and Bernt Nagel owned what the King had previously owned. Hans Paulsen's widow was married with priest Jens Ørbech of Hafslo, and it was Ørbech who owned most of Lægreid in the 1700 census. Later people who lived there owned the farm. It was told in an old letter from about 1500 that one Ingebrikt Toreson gave to Munkeliv kloster (monastery) 6 months food supplies from "Brødrejordi in læghræ in everlasting honor." This was later sold. From the first I see about the users on Lægreid was that 2 men had the farm.

In the tax record from 1622 there was a Tore who had that year paid a tax of "1 1/2 mark and 6 skill., itemized as 2 mrk., 4 skill. cash," and a Bjørn who paid 1 lodd silver and 1/2 laup butter. In 1563 there were 2 users: Eirik and Reiar. Later was Lægreid for a long time only 1 place, and from 1600 and up to now I can tell who were the users on the farm. In 1601 a Sven had the use of Lægreid. He was here until about 1610. Then came a Johannes who was here for only a short time until 1616, and then a Mogens until 1624. To this time he was on the farm the longest. The users changed often. As the population increased, the land became scarce, so the users thought it was best to stay on the places they had. The user after Mogens was named Oluf Robbertsen. His father's name indicates that he was from out of the district. He was on Lægreid until he died in 1658.

In 1649 the pastor, Erik Iversen Nordal on Leikanger, had visited in Årdal, and had been a guest o Oluf Lægreid. The pastor later told that he was "disturbed in his mind and hit at Hermund Botolvson Øvsttun, the son-in-law of Oluf Lægreid, and fell down by the bed. It had been maid that the pastor and his father had brought a legal suit against Hermund Øvsttun about the farm Holsæter, and because of this Hermund wanted to meet with the pastor. I have told the rest of this in my writing under Øvsttun. Oluf Robbertsen was bailiff in the district and owned in some land in Skjær and Nordre-Bjørkum in Lærdal, and Langvoll in Ardal. How long Oluf had Lægreid, I do not know, but I so know that in 1655 a new user had come to the farm: Ola Olson. Possibly he was the son of Olut, but I can not prove that. Of the other children of Oluf was a daughter married with Hermund Øvsttun, and daughter Ingeborg with Torstein Hæreid. About Ola Olson I know nothing of importance. He also was bailiff in the district, and that completes what I know.

He had a daughter who was married with Knut Kjørlog of Hafslo, and one who was married with Jon Øyri. And so at was the son Ola who got the farm. Ola Olson died in 1698. His wife had died before Ola Olson, number 2, was born 1677 and was married to Synneva Andersdtr. Kvam from Hafslo. It was not long after the marriage that he got in bad with the hired girl. The sentence he got was the usual for the offense, one half his belongings, and he was sentenced to 3 years work in the silver works in Kongsberg. He was pardoned from this work. His wife died in 1718, and he married Brita Justsdtr. Jæger, daughter to a shoemaker Just Jæger, who at one time had lived on Døsen in Luster. Brita Jæger had earlier been married with Ola Voldal. Brita's mother was a daughter of the priest's son Emanuel Sørenson Falk from Gudbrandsdalen, who had married to a farm user in Rønnei, Luster.

Ola Lægreids new wife didn't have anything good said about her. People gossiped her much about and Ola was always taking action for rights, for they had slandered his wife. There was also was a wife in the neighborhood that had used such a strong word as "ljugarteva"(lying bitch) about Brita Lægreid, and that her man could not put up with. Ola Lægreid died in 1730. With his first wife he had 5 children, but with Brita he had none. She was later remarried, first with Eirik Hauge and then with Anders Ytri, both in Luster. Of the children of Ola, Ola was on his father's farm; Ragnhild married to Hillestad in Hafslo; Inga married Tomas Olson Seim; Anna was married to Endre Holsæter; and Kristi with Einar Eirikson Moen. When their mother died, Ola Lægreid owned about 1/4 part of Lægreid, Tolsgard, and Langvoll, and the estate was worth 234 rdI. Ola Olsen, number 3, was born about 1708. When the father died, he bought most of Lægreid from Christoffer Munthe, who hid got it from his step-father Jens Ørbech. Ola had a good standing and backing from his step-father Hallvard Nilsson Øye who put up the money. Hallvard would have 1/2 of the farm for himself. After this time, about 1730, there have always been 2 places (bruks) on Lægreid.let us finish bruk 1

Ola Olson was married in about 1730 with Mari Hallvardsdtr. Øye, and about the same time they took the part of Lægreid called Bruk 1. The wife of Ola died early in 1740, and was survived by her husband and 2 children: Ola who got the place after his father: and Synneva who was married to Ola Kristofferson Lægreid, and they took a place on Arøy. A change came forward after Mari Lægreid died, her father, Hallvard, owned almost all of Lægreid because he had put up the money to buy it. But the son-in-law Ola arranged to find a new father-in-law who could help him out, and that was Tøger Nitter of Rønnei in Luster. In 1741 Ola Lægreid was married to Sofia Tøgersdtr. Nitter, who then was the widow of Kristoffer Skagen in Luster.

From Tøger Nitter Ola got mortgage money to pay off his first father-in-law, Hallvard, and so he got along, until his other wife died in 1749. Then it was over with him. He sold the farm to writer Hesselberg, and this included the half part of Tolsgard and Langvoll. Ola should get a pension, and as a pension man he was married to Lisbet Nilsdtr. Sørheim from Luster. Ola died in 1758. Of his children I know of a Mari he had with his first wife. She was married to Ola Asbjørnson who had a the place Hola under Lægreid. Ola who was also of the first marriage, came at last to Lægreid. And there was Synneva who married Ola Kristofferson Tolsgard. With his other wife he had Malena, who in 1765 was a servant of director Bleckfeldt in Sunnhordland; Inger, who married Albert Schriver Kramer who one time had Indre-Ofredal; and Tøger who went out of the district.

It seemed most possible that writer Hesselberg lived on Lægreid for 2 years, and then he sold the place to Zakarias Svabo, who had for a time been a merchant in Tangen. It was only half of the place that he bought. The other half went to the priest Christoffer Munthe of Hafslo under Portage. Munthe leased Bruk 1 in 1753 to Jens Christofferson Lemvig from Solvorn. But now a report on the family rights man, Ola Olson, number 4. He was the son of Ola Olson number 3 and grand son of Hallvard Øye. Hallvard was now dead, but Ola had an uncle, Nils Asperheim, to back him in his needs. It seemed that Jens Lemvig had the rights to the place, but Ola came in his place. Ola Olson number 4 was born 1733 and was married in 1759 to Brita Hallvardsdtr. Ornes from Hafslo.

She did not come entirely empty handed to the farm and all could have been good, but Ola died suddenly in 1764. His widow and daughter, Mari, survived him. The widow remarried Morten Nilsson Tønjum who took charge of the farm, until his step-daughter was old enough to take over for herself. In 1788 Mari married Anders Tomasson Ve who got the farm. Morten Nilsson went to Prestgarden where he rented for many years. Anders Tomasson was born 1751. He and Mari had 8 children, but only 4 grew up. It was Tomas who got the farm; Ingeborg married with Eirik Andersson Seim: Kari with Ola Endreson Hestetun; and Mari, married Tomas Olson Ve. Tomas Andersson was born 1802 and married in 1824 to Rannveig Tomasdtr. Ve. He had the place from 1821 until 1850. Tomas and his wife had 4 children: Anders, who got the farm; Tomas, who went to America in 1854: Johanna, married to Ola Henrikson Hestetun who later came to Nundal; and Mari, married Aslak Person Øvsttun. They went to America.

Tomas Andersson died late in 1853, but this wife lived until 1880. A picture of her shows us women's costumes of that time that fits in here. Anders Tomasson was born 1831 and married in 1853 to Barbra Nilsdtr. Jevnåkre. The had 5 children: Tomas, who got the farm; Nils, married Susanna Olsdtr. Ve, and lived under Lægreid; Durdei, married tradesman Karsten Anderssen in Bergen; Rannveig, who lived unmarried in Bergen; and Mari, who died unmarried.

Tomas Andersson was born 1854 and was married in 1882 to Kirsti Sjursdtr. Årebru. Their children were: Anders who got the farm; Sjur who became a sailor; Barbra, Susanna, Rannveig, and Tea who all were unmarried; and Stina married Ivar Berge in Luster. Anders Tomasson got the deed in 1924. Anders was born in 1882 and died in 1941.

Known persons from this place that emigrated to USA : Tomas Tomason lægreid 1854 age 18