Bratrud

All our ancestors were born at Bagn, Valdres, South Aurdal, Norway. Our father (Harold O. Bong) grand-parents on his fathers side are Halsten (north) Bratrud and Beret Garthus. They were born about 1780? and 1790? This Beret Garthus was a great talker. They had three children.

1. Harald Bratrud was born in 1811 and died in June 1899. (He died when our father was back to Norway for a visit.) His wife's name was Kari and they lived on the home place. They had six children.
   • Halsten. Halsten married Olea and they lived on the home place.
   • Ole. Ole and his brother Halsten divided the home place and he built up a new set of buildings on his part of the farm. He married Guri Trondrud (and she is sister to Ole Rood of Minneapolis). Their children were:
     • Harald, he left for America and is now dead.
     • Kari, she also came to America and she is now dead.
     • Ole, he married Anne (south) Bratrud (and she is a sister to Harry and Eric Lunda of Minneapolis). They lived on his father's farm.
     • Dorthea, she came to America and married Anton Nybraaten of Argyle Wisconsin.
     • Beret, she also came to America, but died at the age of 22 years.
   • Harald. Harald married Siri Dyvesatren [sp? -Peter] and she is cousin to Sigrid and Anne Smedsrud.
   • Beret. Beret married Ivar Stensrudpladsen and they had one son Harald.
   • Marit. We don't know anything about her.
   • Jören. We don't know anything about him.
2. Ole H. Listerudbakken was our grand-father. See Listerudbakken.
3. Anne Bratrud married one by the name of Ödegaard of Rienli parish. They had one daughter and she married Lars Branden who was a school teacher, lay-preacher and poet.

1. Halsten Thorsrud. His wife's name was Marit. She was so stout that she had to go sideways through the doors. They lived in (south) Thorsrud. They had no children, but adopted a twin girl and named her Marie. Our father worked for his uncle Halsten Thorsrud before he came to America and they wanted our father to be their heir. But he thought the farm was too small to make a living both for himself and them.
2. Sigrid. She married Lars (south) Lundene. They had three children.
   • Anne Lundene married Hans Sörflaten. He was a tailor and he owned the first sewing machine in the parish. He carried the sewing machine on his back when he went from house to another to do the sewing. One of their children drowned in the Begna river.
   • Beret Lundene married Eric Dalen. He is cousin to Karoline Dyven's husband and to the Dalis [sp? -Peter] in Minneapolis.
   • Harald Lundene did not marry.