Mari Hansdatter Flatmoen (1812 - 1897)

Links for Mari Hansdatter Flatmoen

Mari Hansdatter Flatmoen History

Mari Hansdatter was born 20 July 1815 to Beret Pedersdatter Høystad. Her father was Hans Andersen Flatmoen. Her parents were married 5 months after she was born. It is likely that she was born at the Høystad farm.

Mari was christened 30 July 1815 at the Ringebu Stave Church in Ringebu, Oppland county of Norway.

Mari Hansdatter christening ( source - #44 )

Ringebu Stave Church, Røros
Photo by Michael Baird, October 2014

Ringebu Stave Church Font
Photo October 2014 by Michael Baird

20 June 1839, Mari married Lars Christophersen of the Stigen farm. Their first child, Christopher, was born in March of 1837 at the Flatmoen farm a little over two years before they were married. On Christopher's christening record it notes that he is illegitimate and that this is the first out of wedlock relationship for both Lars and Mari. It is unclear if Lars and Mari were living apart or together at the Flatmoen farm or on the Stigen farm at the birth of Christopher.

Lars Christophersen - Mari Hansdatter Marriage ( source )

In 1839, Lars became the farmer for a portion of the Stigen Farm that was split off. This coincided with Lars and Mari getting married. This portion of the farm became known as the Upper Stigen farm. Lar's stepbrother Hans was the farmer for the Lower Stigen farm. The rest of Lars and Mari's children were born on one of the two Stigen farms but it is not exactly known when a house was built on the Upper Stigen farm and when Lars and his family began living on upper Stigen instead of lower Stigen. The upper Stigen farm house is about 100 yards from the lower Stigen farm house.

Upper Stigen Farm from Lower Stigen Farm
Photo December 2004 by Michael Baird

Lars and Mari had 8 children:

1837 - 1908 Christopher (emigrated to USA around 1870)
1839 - ???? Berthe
1842 - 1905 Hans (emigrated to USA in 1880)
1844 - 1918 Anna Larsdatter Stigen
1847 - ???? Karen
1850 - 1935 Amund (emigrated to USA around 1901)
1853 - 1876 Ole
1857 - ???? Laura

Lars died 5 June 1857 at the Stigen farm at the age of 45. The cause is not known. He was buried 18 June 1857. Mari was about 3 months pregnant with Laura when Lars passed away. When Laura was born in November 1857, Lars is listed as father with a residence of Mæhlumssveen farm. I'm not sure if this indicates that the family had moved to Mæhlumssveen prior to Lar's passing away or if after he passed away Mari was living at the Mæhlumssveen farm when Laura was born ( source ).

In the 1865 census Mari is living at the Gundstad Nedre farm ( 1865 Census ). Her position is listed as a "servant girl / maid". Of significance is that none of her children are listed with her on the Gunstad Nedre farm. Laura was 8 years old and Ole 12 years old. I have not been able to find them anywhere in this census. They were likely fostered out if not with their mother.

In the 1875 census Mari is living with her daughter Karen and son-in-law Hans Olsen at the Midtmoen farm in Ringebu ( 1875 Census ). Also with her is her son Amund.

In Ringebu Heim og folk, volume 2, page 175, Mari's death is listed as 1897 in Barlund. Barlund is near to Ringebu and is part the Sør-fron Parish. I have not been able to verify this.