Early Family History

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The Mandts of Upper Telemark

© Lorna Mandt Robertson

Lars Mandt, a gold and silversmith by trade, is believed to have originally come from Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.  His son Mikkel Mandt was baptized in Thisted, Denmark, on April 15, 1692. Records indicate the family had settled in Kristiansand, Norway by 1697.

Mikkel learned the gold and silversmith trade from his father.  He was a non-commissioned officer in the First Western Regiment in the war against Karl XII of Sweden.  Probably during military training he met Else Larsdtr Resen, daughter of a prominent merchant in Frederikstad. They were married and lived in Kristiansand. By 1722 Mikkel had moved his family to Skien, Telemark, where he was listed as a goldsmith and watchmaker.
     By 1728 the family had moved to Vinje, Telemark, where Mikkel built a small hou e and workshop. He dug a pond and is said to have had the first geese in Telemark! He died peacefully at the home of his son Peter at the age of 74 and was buried in the Skafsa churchyard.  Else, who was said to be an intelligent and beautiful woman with a fiery temper, died at age 99.

Olav Mandt was born in 1728. He, too, was a gold and silversmith. He served as a sargeant in the military from 1748-1752.  In 1756 he married Juri Torgeirsdtr Reine.  He owned many farms, one of 1500 acres. He admired a farm called Eikland.  The story is told that owners of a sawmill offered 1,000 rigsdolars to anyone who could break a log jam. Olav earned the 1,000 dollars and bought Eikland for 900 the same day! (In truth the farm cost 2500 rd.) He died there at age 86, followed 9 years later by Juri who was 85.

The Mandts could read and write, which was unusual in those times. In fact, Olav and his brothers were said to have very fine penmanship! As Lensmenn (the highest local officers) and  Klakkers (sexton) many Mandts served as keepers of local civil and church records. Mikkel is said to have introduced the art of silver filigree  into the folk costume jewelry used in Upper Telemark; a few of the gold and silver pieces made by the family still exist.  The box Olav used to carry his wares on his back was for many years in a museum in Blikom.  These men and their wives were intelligent, talented, and responsible -- but they also had great enthusiasm for life!