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CHILDHOOD

(Skien, Norway, where Gunnar was born)

Gunnar(1) Olsen Solwald was born at Kragfeet farm in Holdeus Parishian, Skien(2), on December 18th, 1846. His parents were Ole(3) Pedersen Solwald and Andrea(4) Brigitte Ostendatter Eidshaug. His father traveled a great deal when he was young in his work as a timber cruiser(5), so his mother was the one in charge of the house. Gunnar and his brothers and sisters had a happy childhood. They went to school in the farmers house for twelve weeks per year when they were old enough, learning about Bible history and reading from the New Testament.


In the summer, he and the other “small guys” from his town herded animals and played on rafts in the lake. As the years passed, his older brothers got jobs and moved away. Peder(6) was married and worked as a priest’s assistant, Olaf(7) worked as a painter’s apprentice, and Andreas got a job as a schoolteacher.
 

Gunnar’s father died after a second case of tuberculosis(8) on a barge on Lake Bandak as his wife Andrea and son Peder tried to get him home. He was honored with a 21 gun salute. Gunnar was 16 at the time of his father’s death, and his younger siblings George and Inger Bertine were 11 and 6, respectively.

Footnotes

1 “Gunnar” is from the old Norse name “Gunnarr,” derived from “gunnr”--war, and “arr”--warrior. 
Campbell, Mike. “Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Gunnar.” Behind the Name. Accessed November 29, 2019. https://www.behindthename.com/name/gunnar.


2 The name “Skien” most likely originated from the Scottish dagger, “sgan,” or “skene.” 
“Skiens Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms.” HouseOfNames. Accessed November 29, 2019. https://www.houseofnames.com/skiens-family-crest.


3 “Ole” is a Danish and Norwegian male given name that means “ancestor’s descendant” 
“Ole (Name).” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, April 27, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ole_(name).


4 In Dutch, Norwegian’s sister language, the name Andrea is used for girls, but the root “andr” is typically used to denote masculine things. 
“Andrea.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, November 27, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea.


5 Moving harvested timber by barge from the backcountry to the sawmill, as explained by another document in my family’s possession about the Solwalds.


6 “Peder” is a variant of “Per,” which means “rock.” 
“Peder.” Wiktionary. Accessed November 29, 2019. “Peder.” Wiktionary. Accessed November 29, 2019. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Peder#Norwegian.


7 “Olaf” is from the same root as “Ole.” 
Campbell, Mike. “Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Olaf.” Behind the Name. Accessed November 29, 2019. https://www.behindthename.com/name/olaf.


8 Tuberculosis is a bacteria-caused disease that mostly affects the lungs. 
“Tuberculosis (TB).” World Health Organization. World Health Organization. Accessed November 29, 2019. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis.

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