Hvaal family - Svarstad - Maukon

The Name
We assume that the name is from the old Norwegian word “høll” – which indicates something like a
“round hill”. In 1590 up to about 1670 the name was written Huall. Then we find the name Hvaell.
In newer time the name Hvaal is used – and the family we are engaged with, is using that name. On
some new maps, like the one given, the name is written Hvål.
The farm has since the middle of 1600 had 2 horses, 7 – 11 cattle and 8 – 25 sheep. Furthermore,
to the farm was a quite large forest. The number of people living on the farm was in the period 1700
– 1900 from 6 to 21 people.
Ownership
The farm has from old days been in private ownership. We know the owners and users of the farm
from about 1600. The family we discuss here came to the farm in 1864 when Johannes Halvorsen
and Anne Oline Evensdatter bought the farm from Hans Halvorsen Myre for 200 spciedaler (speciedaler
was the Norwegian current up to 1875). A speciedaler from that time is about 180 Norwegian
kroner (about 33 dollar). Ole Johannesen Hvaal handed over the farm to his son Ottar in 1910. It is
possible that he regretted this – he took the farm back within a year and sold it to Kristoffer Wergeland.
Then after 9 years Ottar again took over the farm on
“odel” (allod).
The owners of the farm since 1864:
1864 – 1878 Johannes Halvorsen
1878 – 1910 Ole Johannesen Hvaal
1910 – 1911 Ottar Hvaal
1911 – 1920 Kristoffer Wergeland (not in the family)
1920 – 1936 Ottar Hvaal
1936 – 1952 Hanna Solberg Hvaal (wife of Ottar)
1952 – 1984 Odd Hvaal
1984 – 2012 Othar Hvaal (son of Odd)
2012 – Solveig Beate Hvaal (daughter of Ottar)
The present owner Solveig Beate Hvaal
and may be the next owner; Martin Hvaal.
Photo 30. June 2013 at Svarstad church
after Martin was baptized
Previous owners of Hvaal
From left is Johannes Halvorsen (have no picture). Then follows Ole Johannesen Hvaal, Ottar Hvaal,
Hanna Hvaal (the wife and widow of Ottar), Odd Hvaal and Othar Johannes Hvaal. The present
owner Solveig Beate Hvaal is above.
4