The following short biographies were written by Olava Lommen Hammersland, certainly with the help of family records and the information that her parents relayed to her. Olava’s handwriting is completely without shaking, so I’m sure she wrote these at least 25 years ago. Excerpts from another document, recorded by Olava, are inserted where appropriate. (These entries were typed by A. Marie Hammersland Reyner in 1979).
“KLOSTER” (a word of explanation)
Looking at the map of Norway we find a few miles south of Bergen a good sized island named Stord Oen. Southeast of it is a smaller island named Kloster Holsnoy. (Mother called this Kloster Oen). On this island lived Anders and Ingeborg Kloster. To them were born three children: Ole Hegrines, Kari Kloster (Mrs. Amund Kloster); Methe Kloster Huglen.
Methe Kloster was married to Lars Huglen and then moved to Sor Huglo which was a tiny island that the map shows to be north of Kloster and east of Stord.
Methe was born December 22, 1820 and died February 23, 1901. The last 14 years of her life she lived with the Lommen’s near Ossian, Iowa. She was very skillful at sewing, spinning, weaving and other housework. In Norway, she made and sold both yarn and cloth. She also made the cloth and sewed suits for her husband and sons, as well as dresses for herself and daughter. She also did some baking for pay, especially before Christmas at which time it used to be customary to put in large supplies of flat brod and other good food. She had brown eyes and very nice hair. It was white when I remember it, but had been dark and she said it used to be so long she could sit on it.
THE HUGLENS
Helge Naustvik and wife Anna Margrethe (who lived to be almost 95 years) lived on a farm on Huglo Oen. To them were born five children.
1) Mons Naustvik was the oldest son and according to “Odels ret” (Norwegian law), had right to take over the place after his father. He also kept the name Naustvik. In those days the farms or places retained their names while the people changed which is reason brothers had different names. Mons had four children: Anna Margrethe, Helge, Siri, and Inger.
2) Ole Skaar had three girls and three boys (two of which were Arne and Helena).
3) Helge Egeland had three children: Helge, Anna Margrethe and Guro. Anna Margrethe was married to Hans Grovdahl and lived at Ossian. They had the following children: Helen-Mrs. Leo Smith, Seattle; Helga, Lawrence, Harry, Thea Woods, Gerda Gilbert, Selmer and Hanna – Mrs. Rolf Kvamme. Guro Hanson also lived in Ossian and had four children: Christian, Helmer, Mons and Lisa-Mrs. Nels Roarson.
4) Johannes Landa was the youngest and did not marry. He made two visits to America. On those trips he made his home here at Lommen’s, but visited all the relatives.
5) Lars Huglen – August 6, 1824- April 6, 1881—married Methe Kloster. The first three years of their married life they rented the Hagerup “gard” or farm. Here in a small house called “Borgstuen” the oldest boy was born. The oldest named Helge died in infancy. The second, Anders was born August 7, 1853 (and died Nov. 25, 1916).
They then moved to “Kjoregrav” in Sorhuglan which was a “husmandsplads”. Here the other children were born. Anna Margrethe (August 2, 1858-October 7, 1939), Helge (May 5, 1856-Nov. 4, 1925) and Lars Olai (March 23, 1863-October 27, 1889).
Grandfather (Lars) worked in mines in the summer time and did fishing in the winter. At first he worked in a sulphur mine on Stord Island. Then he would be gone all week. Later a mine was opened at Tvede on Hugler Oen (Huglo Island). Here Anders and Helge also worked and they came home nights. In a letter from grandfather written April 12, 1868 he wrote that they had 10 sheep, 1 cow and 1 calf.
In the spring of 1870 the whole family left Norway and came to America arriving at Ossian, Iowa June 12, 1870.
Anders Kloster, married to Anna Ness. He had a store and post office for many years at Huxley, Iowa. They had four children: Lars, Carrie, Hilda, and Sena.
Helge Huglen married Ellen Madson. At the time of his death he owned a small farm near Dalton, Minnesota (east of Fargo). They had nine children: Lars, Tillie, Clara Johnson, Henriette Norlund, Ida Loff, Laura Steen, Olai, Christine Garland Osa, Evelyn Gartland.
Olai Huglen was a druggist and worked for Blanshaine Drug Store, Ossian. He was only 26 years at the time of his death. He died from malaria.
Anna Margrethe Huglen (Mother) was married to Ole T. Lommen (Father) and they lived until their deaths on their farm 4-1/2 miles south of Ossian. To them were born seven children: Thora & Barbra (twins), Laura, Gulbrand Olai, Anna Olava, Agnes and Clara (died as infant).
1. Grandma Lommen (Anna Huglen) Early Memories of Norway