General Notes

Children:
1. Jon Perersen Skaland
2. Sven "Hothead" Pedersen Skaland b. 1640, killed a relative, Gunnar in his youth, Sven Pedersen. Skåland First named in 1611 records. Owned 54 bm in Steinberg in 1617. Inherited from his father. In 1622 or 1623 he killed his uncle,Gunnar Steinberg, In 1623, struck his nephew, Peder Atlaksen.
Most likely lost farm to pay fines and moved to Skåland.
In 1639, killed Brynild Moi and was executed.
3. Stale Pedersen Navrestad/Jendal, Jon Pedersen Skåland
First named in 1611 records. Was Juror at that time. Was  live in 1617, living on parcel 9 of Steinberg. In 1624, son, Sigbjørn, had taken over the land.
4. Atlak Pedersen  Steinberg, All we know is that he is the son of Peder and that he died young, before 1610.

The following accounts come from the Lund History Book of Norway. They concern several incidents
that happened during the 1600's in Norway. They all involve our Great Grandparents on the
Sherpe/Østrem side. They have been translated from the Norwegian language by Bjarne Breilid of the
Vesterheim Geneological Society in Madison, Wisconsin.
Too often the only thing we know or can find out about our ancestors are birth or death dates and
perhaps who their parents or children were. It is interesting to read accounts of their lives and try to
imagine what they were like, how they lived and events that took place in their lives. The information
found in these accounts certainly do that. However, it uncovers events that perhaps some people would
feel better left uncovered. Specifically it tells of one of our Great Grandparents, Sven Pederson Skåland,
being executed for the murder of another of our Great Grandparents, Brynild Nilsen Omdal (Moi). The
sheriff of Lund at that time was Asbjørn Brynildsen Haukland/Hove, also one of our Great
Grandfathers. His daughter, Randi Asbjørnsdatter, was married to Sven Pedersen Skåland. Asbjørn had
to sentence and order the execution, most likely by beheading, of his own son-in-law. We can only try to
imagine the drama and agony involved in this entire story. This was a small community where everyone
knew each other and most were related in one way or another. Almost all of the people named in these
accounts are our relatives. Many are our Great Grandparents. I think it is an important and fascinating
piece of our family history.
I will begin the story of Sven with an account of his ancestry. Very little is known about the earliest
people known to be at Steinberg. We have been able to determine that his great grandfather was Ståle
Steinberg, named in 1519 records. He had one son that is known. Atlak Steinberg. It is believed that a
daughter was married to Tarald Steinberg. Both are named in 1563 records. Atlak was Sven’s grandfather.
From studying all the sources, I believe Atlak had two sons that we know of. One is Peder
Atlaksen Skåland, named in 1591 records. On his seal are the initials P.A. He had property in
Steinberg. Peder is the father of Sven “Hothead” Pedersen Skåland. Atlak’s second son is Gunnar
Steinberg. On page 566 of the Lund History it says he is the son of Atlak. This would make Gunnar,
Sven’s uncle. As the first account will mention, Sven killed a relative, Gunnar, in his youth. There is
also a Reier Steinberg named in 1591 records. He was dead before 1617. Reier was most likely a son
of Tarald Steinberg. Tarald Steinberg, a son of Reier, then took over his father’s farm in 1624. Tarald
then had a son also named Gunnar Steinberg, mentioned in 1645 Steinberg records. Now back to
Peder Atlaksen Steinberg, listed above. In addition to his son, Sven, he had three other sons that are
known. Jon Pedersen Skåland, Ståle Pedersen Navrestad/Jendal and Atlak Pedersen Steinberg.
Atlak had a son, Peder Atlaksen Steinberg, who bought Tarald Reiersen’s farm in 1624. This all
sounds confusing, and it is. You can see from the above names that there are duplicates from one generation
to the next, and this was very confusing until all the information came together.
This should give you a little background to some of the people involved in this story and their relationship
to each other. They will all play a part in explaining why there was friction between the families,
and led to Sven killing Gunnar Atlaksen and attacking Peder Atlaksen. Not knowing the deatails,
we can only speculate that the fighting was over land.
On the following pages you will find the translated text from the Lund History book, as it relates to
the families and farms involved in this story. I also include a Steinberg/Skåland family chart to better
explain what I beleive happened, after piecing together all the accounts.
We will begin with the translated account of the Skaland farm history and on the following
page you will find more information on Peder Atlaksen Skåland, father of “Hothead Sven”:
1
STEINBERG
We know of a number of names from Steinberg around 1500-1600, but the trick is placing them in
the right order. I am trying. The basis for the arrangement is the property circumstances on the farm and
the names that are used. Tarald is probably Ståle’s son-in-law because he owned the smaller section in
comparison to the other one. The family relationship between Steinberg and Skåland is an interesting
one. Jon P. Skåland was a juror in 1610, and he was to seal and sign (documents), but he didn’t have a
seal, and so he used his brother’s with the initials A.P. (This was most likely Atlak Pedersen).
Atlak’s son, Gunnar, was killed by Sven Pedersen Skåland, and the latter paid a whopping fine and
was set free. He would not have gotten away that easily if the court had not been made to believe that it
was self-defense. What could these close relatives have to fight about?
Questions about inheritance. Greed for land. These are at all times apt to provoke passionate feelings.
(I believe the author of the Lund History book was right about the cause of the fight. –H.S.).
Reier called (named) his oldest son Tarald, and Tarald follows with Gunnar.
In 1617 Sven Skåland owned 54 bm, Gunnar Steinberg 54 bm and Reier’s widow 54 bm.

http://vikjavev.no/omvik/?spr=nl Hove Farm information