Dalaker, Norway

The following material on the Dalaker farm is a composite of material written by Rudolph L. Dalager, son of Nels Dalager, describing his trip to the Dalaker farm and the Sogndal area in Norway in the early 1930’s, and my trip with Phyllis to this same area in 1991. Rudolph and my father, Karl Dalager, were first cousins.

As we cross the Sognefjord we see the beautiful pine covered mountains and the many small hay meadows (click to see map). All tillable land is utilized. We land at Kaupanger which is on the north shore of the Sognefjord. As we take the road to Sogndal, it is not long before we see the old Kaupanger Church where Anfin, Hans, Nils, Brita and Lasse, the children of Guri & Sylfaest Dalager were baptized and confirmed. In the graveyard next to the church can be found the grave markers for Lasse, the brother who stayed in Norway and his son Andreas. In some unmarked grave lies the body of Solfest, the father and husband who died before Brita and Guri left for America.

As we traveled along the good black topped road on our way to Sogndal, we saw a sign pointing off to the right with the word ‘Dalaker’ (dal-valley, aker-cultivated fields). This would indicate that the tract of land was quite level and that the family was comfortably situated.

With the modern automobile, it did not take long for us to reach Dalaker. Rudolph described his path to Dalaker as a strenuous up-hill walk. The farm is located very high up and from it we have a magnificent view of the Sognefjord and the surrounding mountain peaks. The Dalaker farm is set amidst the beautiful Kaupang Forest.

When Rudolph visited the Dalaker farm in the 1930’s he found that the house was like the pictures he had seen with some modernization. It was not a large house but was strongly built. Rudolph was told that the doors and some of the furniture and inside conveniences dated back to his father Nils’ time. He could reflect that his grandparents, Solfest and Guri–whose maiden name was Hostager—had lived here and that all the children were born here except Lasse. Lasse, the one who remained in Norway, was born at Amla, which is closer to Kaupanger. It was Lasse’s children Guri and Olav who accompanied Rudolph to Dalaker and who he later visited in Olso.

When Phyllis and I visited in 1991 there were no Dalakers living at Dalaker; however, the buildings were in very good condition. We enjoyed a light lunch with the new owners and were able to experience the view that our ancestors were a part of every day of their lives. The Dalaker setti, which was located further up the mountains where the milkmaid stayed at night during the summer, is now a part of the area museum. The three pictures of the buildings on the Dalaker farm which accompany this piece were provided by Aasmund Dalaker, a grandson of Lasse Dalaker.

When Rudolph and his party returned to Kaupanger, they walked the road that our grandparents must have walked hundreds of times. Along the road they saw farms like Hostager (Guri’s maiden name), Olstad, Bjork, Holten. The father of Henry Holten of Glenwood, Minnesota, came from that farm. Henry Holten and Hans Dalager were 1st cousins. This was also the berry season and the walkers in Rudolph’s party enjoyed berries such as lingonberry as they walked. The walk to Kaupanger took about one hour.

In historic Norway, the eldest son would inherit the farm. Therefore, Sylfaest Lassesen must have been the oldest son of Lasse Bottolfsen Hagen. Sylfaest was born March 4, 1797 and baptized February 26, 1800. Sylfaest married Guri Anfindsdatter Hostager, baptized November 15, 1806, the daughter of Anfind Anfindson Hostager on March 19, 1833 . To this marriage five children were born: Anfin, born May 15, 1834; Lasse, born April 3, 1837; Hans Solfest, born November 5, 1842; Nils, born December 11, 1846; Brita, who became known as Betsy, born August 7, 1851. Solfest is the Americanized form of Sylfaest. However, records attach the name Dalaker to Guri’s family indicating that Guri may have inherited Dalaker farm where she and Sylfaest lived..

According to tradition, Anfin should have inherited the Dalaker farm. However, he decided to come to America to seek his fortune. Therefore the farm went to Lasse, the second oldest son. Anfin and Hans were the first from this family to come to America crossing the ocean in a sailing vessel in 1861.

After arriving at Quebec, Hans and Anfin made their way by river boat and wagon to Wisconsin