Historybio Eidsvollman Bio Talleiv Olavson (olsen ) Huve stad (1761-1847)
by Narve Fulsås (2001), Norsk Biografisk Leksikon (Norwegian Biographical Encyclopedia); translated by Erik Tøndevold.
name Talleiv Olavson (Olsen) Huvestad born 1761, Skafså
subparish (now Tokke municipality), Telemark die d 13 Jul 1847,
Eidsborg subparish (now Tokke) occupation s Farmer and
Eidsvollman parent s Farmer Olaf Tollefsen Storåsli (1724-
1778) and Thorbjør Gjermundsdotter Kjestveit (1734-1805)
spou se Married 7 Nov 1797 to Gjertrud Rasmusdotter Mandt
(26 Apr 1778-24 Dec 1845); daughter of silver smith and farmer
Rasmus Mandt (1731-1813) and Gunhild O. Håtveit (1741-1813).
biography Talleiv Huvestad was
Eidsvollman from Telemark and one
of the most active farmers in the
Constitution Convention.
Huvestad was born on the farm
Storåslid in Skafså, but moved to
Dalen in the nearby subparish
Eidsborg after his mother had
remarried Vetle T. Huvestad. Talleiv
took over the farm Huvestad after
his stepfather in 1794.
He got his first education in the
circulating school, and shortly
after his confirmation he himself
for some years was a circulation
schoolteacher. As a farmer he continued
to educate himself, especially
in old Norwegian history, health
and law. An educated farmer who
not only could read, but also write,
was outstanding, and Huvestad got
a central role in the upper part of Telemark in connection with literary
culture. In a large circumference he was used as an advisor, and
farmers sent their sons to him to be educated. He wrote most of the
legal papers in the district and was a leader in the work to rearrange
borders in order to make farming more efficient. At that time, forest
and pasture were still common land.
Huvestad was also central in the local “health system” being both
veterinarian and physician. Furthermore, he was in charge of smallpox
inoculation, which had been introduced 1801 in Denmark-
Norway and became obligatory in 1810. Elsewhere pastors were in
charge of this.
He was elected to the Constitution Convention at Eidsvoll 1814
as the third man from Bratsberg amt (now Telemark fylke),
after amt governor Severin
Løvenskiold and the bailiff
Peder Jørgen Cloumann.
Henrik Wergeland writes
about Huvestad in Norges
Konstitutions Historie: “an
excellent specimen among
those, especially in history,
literary Norwegian mountain
farmers, who frequently
surprise the tourist. He knew
Snorre (“Heimskringla”) very
well, and owned in the depth
of a most friendly manner,
under his Telemark overcoat,
a lot of knowledge about the
world’s history and geography. During a discussion about Napoleon’s
latest battles, the prince exclaimed that Norway had some
surprising farmers. Huvestad expressed himself—which at that
time was unusual among Norwegian farmers—also in writing both
correctly and clearly.”
In the question about the relationship with Sweden, Huvestad
followed his fellow Telemark Eidsvollman and Herman Wedel
Jarlsberg and the “Union Party”. This was opposite from most of
the other farmer Eidsvollsmen. However, he was with them in the
typical farmer questions, where he was the most active of them
all and the farmer with the greatest influence on the final
constitution. Two of his sponsored proposals, about free establishment
of saw mills and selling the church land in order to get capital
for a governmental bank, did not succeed. On the other hand,
the proposal to strengthen the “odelsrett” and include it in the constitution
was widely accepted. The wording of this proposal was
probably Huvestad’s. The ”odelsrett” had recently been under strong
attacks and was, after 1811, in the process of being abolished. Here,
the 1814 constitution represented a turning point.
Huvestad was elected as no. 2 from Telemark to the 1818 Parliament,
where he continued his farmer-friendly politics. The same year he
was in the deputation going to the coronation in Stockholm. In the
1821 and 1824 Parliaments, he was second reserve.
Preserving the lineage and spirit
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Continued >
Eidsvollman Huvestad’s signature
as it appears on Norway’s
Constitution. Signatures were followed
by a wax seal impressed with
the signee’s family crest or signet ring.
Talleiv Olsen Huvestad
(1761-1847)
Photo reprinted with
permission from the
Eidsvoll 1814 Museum.
Eidsvollman Bio Talleiv Olavson (olsen ) Huve stad (1761-1847) Continued from Page 1
erik’s notes
We have now collected a long list of Eidsvollman Huvestad’s
descendants, but it is not complete. The list is partly based on lists
from Gordon Lynn Felland (St. Paul, MN); Becky Johnson (Badger,
MN); James Lokken (Saskatoon, SK); and Thomas Henry Benson
(Appleton, MN). In the second generation, six persons emigrated, but
for three of them we have little information after immigration. Margit
Huvestad (1844-1910) emigrated in 1873 with her husband Knut
Felland (1851-1930) to Iowa. Gunhild Levardsdatter (1829-1893)
emigrated in 1867 with her husband Halvor Dalen (1828/29-1882)
to Minnesota and ended in Milan, Chippewa County. Else Bergland
(1836-1893) emigrated in 1867/68 with her husband Østen Jacobsen
(1821-1915) and ended in Swift County, MN. All three of these grandchildren
have many descendants. The most famous descendant is
Else’s grandson, Elmer Austin Benson (1895-1985), U.S. Senator and
Minnesota Governor. Also, many great-grandchildren emigrated.
A final note about Dovre (mentioned on the Huvestad monument)
as a Norwegian icon: Before leaving Eidsvoll the Eidsvollmen held
hands, saying, “Together and faithful until Dovre falls”. At that time,
few people knew about the area
(later baptized Jotunheimen) with
the highest mountains in Norway.
On the other hand, Dovre is mentioned
several places in Heimskringla.
The main route between
Eastern Norway and Trøndelag
passes on the eastern side of the
Dovre mountains.
editor’s note S
To see Talleiv Huvestad’s biography in its original Norwegian text, use the
following link:
http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Talleiv_Huvestad/utdypning
To see Talleiv Huvestad’s photo on page 1 in its original context, go to:
http://www.eidsvoll1814.no/?did=9045141&aid=9043784
Preserving the lineage and spirit
of Norway’s Founding Fathers™
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Norwegian inscription on front:
Her heve fagnafok
Fare or heimen
Her hev ein gild gut
Gjenge til kvila
Eidsvollmannen Talleiv
Olavson Huvestad
fødd paa Storaasli i
Skafsaa 1761
Død paa Huvestad i
Eidsbor g 1847.
Det høge dyre ord
Som vaare feder svo
Aa standa fast som fjell
Til gamle Dovre fell
Det ord lat søner sanna
In English:
Here have “fagna” people
Left their homes
Here has a “sterling” fellow
Gone t o rest
Eidsvollman Talleiv
Olavson Huvestad
Born at Storaasli in
Skafsaa 1761
Died at Huvestad in
Eidsbor g 1847
The high and mighty words
That our fathers swore
To stand solid like rock
Until old Dovre falls
Let our sons verify these words
Eidsborg Stave Church
and the Huvestad monument
Photos courtesy of Una Høydal,
Vest-Telemark Museum
Eidsborg, 3800 Dalen, Norway.
Norwegian insc ription on back:
Sjaa federne paa Eidsvoll stend
Med log dei land vil byggja
Men standa maa med sverd ved lend
For ufredssky vil skyggja
For Norigs nye dag dei vaaga maa
Eit slag fyr Norigs rett og fred
Men Gud du stod attved
Og fridomsve rket fremjad
Til minne om den einaste telebonden paa
rikstinget 1814 reiste telefolket denne bauta
17. mai 1901
In Eng lish:
See our fathers standing at Eidsvoll
With law they will build the land
But must stand with ready sword
Because threatening clouds will shadow
For Norway’s new day they must dare
A battle for Norway ’s right and peace
But God stood besides us
And supported our freedom
As a memorial for the only Telemark farmer
at the national convention 1814 the people of
Telemark erected this obelisk May 17th 1901
Copyright © 2010. ECONA. All rights reserved.
To view the Eidsborg Stave Church and Huvestad monument in summertime, visit:
http://www.heritagetelemark.no/eng/images/telemark_grouped_by_community/tokke/eidsborg_stave_church__1
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