My name is Renee Aust Hermanson. I have two ancestral families in Oppland. My maternal grandmother's family lived in Gudbrandsdal: Nor Fron and Sor Fron. They were husmen and miners, I suppose in the Espadalen mines. She was baptized in the Sodorp church. I have been able to trace her father's family (Hans Nilsen) back to his parents and siblings, but haven't tried to search further. Her mother's maiden name was given only as Marit Rinsted (which may have been Riestad?) but I haven't learned any more about her. My maternal grandfather (John Mortensen Molden) was also from a cotter family on one of the Molden farms in Gran, Hadeland. He worked as a stonecutter. A young man in Jevnaker, who is distantly related, has done extensive research on the family and so I have a lot of names on that list! I was able to visit him on my last trip to Norway. He found me through the Hadeland Lag, so I am a great believer in the benefits of Lag membership. This was a part of the family I could never have traced on my own because I had so little information to go on. My grandmother (Rena Nilsen) and grandfather emigrated separately in 1888 and went to Sioux City, IA. I'm still trying to learn if their siblings have living descendants and am making some slow progress. I look forward to sharing with this list. I have been on the Tronderlag list with Margit for quite a while and know the pleasure of sharing what someone has called our "incurable genealogical disease." Renee In San Antonio

Hi Renee, What was you grandmother's name and birthdate? Margit > My name is Renee Aust Hermanson. I have two ancestral families in > Oppland. My maternal grandmother's family lived in Gudbrandsdal: Nor Fron and > Sor > Fron. They were husmen and miners, I suppose in the Espadalen mines. She was > baptized in the Sodorp church. I have been able to trace her father's family > (Hans Nilsen) back to his parents and siblings, but haven't tried to search > further. Her mother's maiden name was given only as Marit Rinsted (which may > have > been Riestad?) but I haven't learned any more about her. > My maternal grandfather (John Mortensen Molden) was also from a cotter > family on one of the Molden farms in Gran, Hadeland. He worked as a > stonecutter. A young man in Jevnaker, who is distantly related, has done > extensive > research on the family and so I have a lot of names on that list! I was able > to > visit him on my last trip to Norway. He found me through the Hadeland Lag, so > I > am a great believer in the benefits of Lag membership. This was a part of the > family I could never have traced on my own because I had so little information > to go on. > My grandmother (Rena Nilsen) and grandfather emigrated separately in > 1888 and went to Sioux City, IA. I'm still trying to learn if their siblings > have > living descendants and am making some slow progress.