Throughout this ancestry project, I was so fortunate to not only have the assistance of my genealogist, Egil J. But there were so many “document whisperers” on the National Archives/Digitalarkivet Forum who helped us along when we got stuck on something.  

One of our biggest expert helpers, however, definitely stands out. And without his exhaustive research, it would have been a lot more difficult to find Arentzes in Norway.

As I noted in my last post, Egil wrote in his April email:

“Elsa Marie’s family can be traced back to the farm Sjøtun from early 1600’s.  In fact, the farm itself can be traced back to 900 AD. This I found in the book Gards- og ættesoge for Luster kommune – The Luster County farm and family history book. Vol. 10, which is a treasure trove of information. There’s also some valuable information about the Arentz, I will send you more in a separate mail, enclosing copies of pages from the book + links to places & other information.”

He was right: It was a treasure trove of information, particularly when it came to information about my 3^rd great grandfather, Samuel Christopher Arentz – the family ancestor who sent me backwards in time to Norway — as well as his sisters, Anna Christine (b. 1819), Birgitte Marie (b. 1822), Philipine Christopherine (b. 1825), and Petronelle Lovise (b. 1826) – all of whom also emigrated to America after Samuel. (One sister, Philipine, did return to Stavanger, Norway with her husband Johan Holfeldt in 1863).

The book Egil refers to is part of an anthology written by famed genealogist and researcher, Lars E. Øyane. He had planned to publish 12 volumes (!) of his genealogy research but sadly, Øyane passed away in July 2022 due to complications following heart surgery.

A bio of Øyane on Norway’s National Archive shares just the amazing scope and importance of his work:

“In his efforts to trace the destinies of some 6,500 emigrants from Luster County, Norway and following these emigrants down to the first generation born in America, Lars E. Øyane has transcribed numerous American records, basically church records and public vital records. Some of the church records have been computerized, and more will be in the future. Mr. Øyane would like to emphasize the importance that old Norwegian-American church records have in order to enable a more detailed and certain research into Norwegian-American relationships. Since there are still numerous records to be ‘done’, he has a hope that others will join him in this computerization activity. Every participant will add to everyone’s joy of solving emigration questions!”

Øyane was also a close friend of Egil, who I met on the National Archives Forum. Øyane was an active user and contributor to the Forum right up until his death, and at one point, reached out to his fellow genealogists on the Forum to ask about (and express his frustration) over my Arentz ancestors. In 2014, he posted a query on the forum titled: “The Arentz family and emigration from Stavanger 1840-1850? – is it possible to make sense of these people?”

There were so many times during our research we wished we could ask Lars something or tell him of our latest discoveries, some of which answered the very questions he had posted about the Arentzes, including information on when any of them had emigrated to the U.S. As Egil put it: “So, 10 years later we struggled with the same, but solved it in regards to DBA & daughters emigrating for sure 1850. Would have been cool to tell Lars!”

So, I just wanted to take a quick minute to acknowledge Lars E. Øyane and his tireless work, and to share a remembrance poem that Egil posted on the Forum:

We bow our heads in sorrow,

your pen and your voice are gone.

We will miss your presence,

we won’t get to experience Lars any more.

We bow our heads in reverence

For all that you were and all that you did.

You gave with generosity

Your thoughtfulness, wisdom and warmth.

We lift our heads in Joy

with memories of you and your work.

Your time among us is over,

but forever you live in our minds and hearts.