By coincidence (?) Hans and Johanna lived on Fagerland Farm generations before 2GGF Ole Hanson, the one who “locked in” Fagerland as the family name.  They were Ole’s 2nd-great grandparents.  Our ancestors did not have a continuous presence on Fagerland in the intervening generations, though it’s very possible that their siblings and cousins were there all along.

This far back in history, records start to get a little uncertain.  We find notes like these:

“He may be the same as the Hans Johansen of Høynes Farm, Skudenes Parish, who is recognized in the naval census of February 10, 1707 as 46 years old, born in Ferkingstad parish, and a servant of Absalon Olsen.” ¹ If that’s a match, then Johanna was three decades younger than Hans, and was probably his second wife.  Or …. he could very well be a different guy with the same name! 

Hans and Johanna raised five or six children on Fagerland Farm, born from 1718 to 1735.  Lars was their second child, born in 1722.

A history book reveals a tiny nugget of detail about Hans’ life:  (My best translation) “He built half of the farm (No. 3) on Fagerland, Åkra from 1720 to 1745. This portion was legally separated from No. 1. In 1723 he sowed 2½ barrels of grain and harvested 14 barrels. He had 1 horse, 6 cattle and 6 sheep.”

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