Perhaps the earliest recording of Lars Mandt is from the church records (kyrkebok) of Thisted, Denmark, dated April 15, 1692. It states that on this day Mickel (Mikkel), son of Lauritz (Lars) Rasmusson, Guldsmieds, and his wife Engel Mickelsdotter, was baptised.
Records from Kristiansand, Norway confirms that Lauridtz Manth (Lars Mandt), Guldsmed, resided there in 1697, 1698, and 1700. No dates have yet been found to document the deaths of Lars or Engel, and we can only assume that they are buried in Kristandsand. Several accounts state Lars originally came from Holstien, Germany, passing through Denmark, to Norway. Whether Engel was German or Danish, and their ages, have yet to be documented.
Mikkel therefore entered Norway in about his fifth year. was raised in Kristiansand. Many, many tales exist about Mikkel, making him a subject of legend and adventure. Rikard Berge in NORSK FOLKEKULTUR suggests some of the tallest tales…Mikkel was a soldier of fortune from Germany,
Denmark, or Sweden…a fugitive because he had deserted from the German Army, slain a man in self-defense, or in a fit of jealousy, or in a card game, or a street brawl… These dastardly deeds had taken place in Germany, Stockholm, or Copenhagen, where he learned the art of gold filigree…When imprisoned he escaped through a window making a rope from torn clothing, put his shoes on backward to confuse pursuers, and shod his horse in silver to take his assets with him! When questioned about leaving his “native land”, he was non-committal: “I stole a horse’; “My father was a Catholic priest.” Having done all that before his fifth birthday!
Much less colorful, but hopefully accurately, his story can be pieced from historical data. Mikkel learned the gold and silversmith trade from his father. He was a non-commissioned officer in the 1st Western Regiment, in the war against Karl XII of Sweden. Mikkel had regimental training in the Vinje area when he was a young soldier. It was also probably this military training that took him to Frederikstad, where he met Else Larsdotter Resen, daughter of Lars Christiansen Resen, a prominent merchant of Frederikstad. (Oddernes kyrkebook, near Kristiansand, states Else Larsdotter Resen stood as sponsor at a baptism May 19, 1716). Mikkel and Else were married, and lived in Kristiansand. Their first child, Lars Laurentius was born 1718. Lars died at the age of 14, and was the first Mandt buried in Vinje, in 1732. Their daughter Gjertrude Marie was born 1719, and Engelbret, named for his grandmother, in 1721. In 1722 Mikkel was listed as a goldsmith and watchmaker in the town of Skien. Peter Christian was born in 1724, and baptised in Gjerpen; Johanne Elizabeth was born 1726, and baptised in Solum, both of these towns being very near Skien.
By 1728 the family had moved to Vinje in Telemark, and Mikkel built a small house and workshop next to the Vinje kirke. He dug a pond, and had the first geese to be seen in Telemark. In 1728 Olav Rasmussen was born, followed by Rasmus in 1731, and Lars in 1733, who died in infancy. Some accounts place another son Knut, having been born to Mikkel in 1727. (The Vinje kyrkebook records Mikkel as a sponsor at the baptism of Knut, son of Knut Bringswærd, in 1727.)
Mikkel became known as a talented and innovative gold and silver craftsman. Not much of the Mandt silver remains, although several spoons dating from 1750 have been found. He made silver buckles, buttons, chains and broches. Mikkel traveled through Telemark, selling the jewelry he made. He is credited with starting the National Filigrans Arbeide. Mikkel taught his sons the craft, and they were known for their technical ability and creativity. Mikkel was lensmann (civic official) in Vinje, and a Klokker (sexton) for the parish. Else was said to be a pretty woman with a fiery temper, who could be both droll and sarcastic. She was an able and intelligent woman.
One legend states Mikkel became wealthy. Typically, the stories of how he became wealthy are varied: He tore down and old barn (house) and found a great deal of money in one of the rotten timbers…. when digging in an ancient grave mound, he unearthed a long-buried treasure. Regardless of these wishful tales, there is no record of Mikkel leaving any estate whatsoever. What he did leave behind was a family of inventive, artistic, and ambitious heirs.
Mikkel died peacefully at the home of his son, Peter Christian when he was 74 years old, Aug 4, 1766, and was buried in the Skafså churchyard. Else died at 99, March 19, 1795, also at Skafså. Gjertrud Marie was recorded as being a “legal sponsor” or notary in the town of Vinje in the years 1739, 1746, 1748, and 1752. In 1753 at 34 years of age, she married Frantz Johannesen Cudrio (1703-1758), a widowed goldsmith in Kragerø. Gjertrud died in Kragerø Mar 31, 1757, giving birth to a daughter, Anna Catrina. Frantz died in 1758, and baby Anna lived with her uncle Engelbret until her death just before her 3rd birthday. The Cudrio property was transferred to Engelbret Resen Mandt Dec. 14, 1761.
Engelbret (Engebret), (1721-1768) married Anne Catherine of Kragerø in 1743. Engebret was a colorful character with black hair, black eyes, who often wore a brown wig. He spoke German, Dutch, English, besides Norwegian. He was an excellent goldsmith, and traveled extensively in Norway and Europe marketing his wares. Amos Sollid wrote in Telemark Landsbruksselskap (Telemark Agriculture) 1777-1787, that Engebret was the first to bring potatoes into Norway. Engelbret died in England ca. 1768, possibly from a fall from his horse. Two nephews traveled to England at the news, to reclaim the 2,000 rigsdalars (an old Danish coin) he had been carrying. They found his grave, but the British authorities would not release the money as their documents listed him as “Engelbright” or “Ingebright.”
Peter Christian (1723-1782) married Åse Tarjeisdotter, Loftsgarden, Byrte (1731). He was a silversmith and lived in Åmli in Skafså. He was mayor of Fyresdal 1777-1779, and documented much of the history of that time. He had the only sawmill in West Telemark by royal privilege, and owned extensive forest lands. He farmed, and dealt in real estate, buying and selling property. His penmanship was clear, and Peter Christian prepared documents locally and in other areas. As lensmann in Fyresdal, he often spent 14 days without interruption holding court, often expressing regret at the number of persons brought to trial.
In 1759 he purchased the Eidsborg kirke at public auction, later turning it back to the people. His great grandson Mikkel Peterson Mandt painted the altar nearly 100 years later. The Eidsborg kirke contained a carved wooden image of St. Nicolaus of Bari, the patron saint of the church dating from the 11th century. In earlier times, on St. John’s Day, parishioners carried St. Nicolaus down the hill to a little lake, where they bathed him to free them of their sins and to insure good crops. By the mid-1800’s the custom was abandoned, but legend has it that Peter Mikkelson Mandt, grandson of Peter Christian, carried the carved image to Oslo, presenting it to the Oslo University Collection of Antiquities in 1850, where it is today. A replica rests in the kirke.
Johanne Elizabeth (1725-1811) married Wrål Tronnson Forstoyl of Hoydalsmo, and had many descendants.
Olav MIKKEL sen (1728-1814) married Juri Torgeirsdotter Reine (1738-1813), in 1756. Olav was also a gold and silversmith, known for his silverware. He carried his wares in a wooden box on his back.” This box is at Blikom. Olav was a corporal and a sergeant in the military 1748-1752. Olav purchased several large and successful farms (Eikland, Gåstjonn, and others). The story of how he obtained Eikland, a particularly fine place he had long admired is told: the owners of a saw mill offered 1,000 rigsdalars to anyone who could break a log jam. Olav accepted the challenge. He waited for the first flood, then with a crew of woodsmen felled pines on both banks of the river, piling trees and limbs into the water above the jam. The rushing stream carried them down into the obstruction, backing up water until it broke through, taking the logs downstream. In one day Olav earned 1,000 rigsdalars and bought Eikland for 900! Olav and Juri lived first at Reine, and in 1756 moved to Nord-Felland, ‘a place inherited by Juri. He also owned Rofshus in Mo. In 1790 he bought Gåstjønn with the farms Berge, Nersork and Mule, all in Skafså. He died at Eikland at 86, followed 9 years later by Juri, 85 years old.
Rasmus (1731-1813) married Tarann Midjas, but she died without children. He then married Gunhild Olavsdotter Håtveit (1741-1813), and had 11 children. Rasmus reportedly purchased Honstøylheii, one of the prettiest farms in Mo, by exchanging bridal jewelry he had made for the property. Rasmus was noted for his abilities of writing, drawing, and painting. He was talented with fine metals, and traded successfully at a very young age throughout Telemark. He lived in Nedrebo and Midjås in Mo.
Among the notable artists, politicians, writers, and civic leaders descended from the Mandt family are Anne Grimdalen, Dyre Vå, Aslaug Vå, Eivind Tveiten, Jarand Reffelbrekk, Halvor Norbø, Rikard Berge, Mikkel Mandt (artist), Vetle Visle, Gunnar Utsond, Olav Bakken, and Talleiv Huvestad, a signer of the Norwegian Declaration of Independance (Married Gjertrud, dau. of Rasmus). Olav Olsen Reine wrote a book of poems, making it the first book ever published by a Norwegian in America. T.G. Mandt designed the Mandt Wagon of Stoughton, Wis., Ira Tanner, Rev. Karl Schevenius, Bob Bergland, a US Secretary of Agriculture, and many more.
To read more fully about each ancestor, and the many generations that follow, read these works (to name a few) The First Mandts in Telemark, by Halvor Norbø; “Mandtætti” Lårdal sogn; an article by Oliver G. Algren 1980; Relatively Speaking, by Paul H. Mandt 1977; Mo, Fyresdal and Skafså parish books; Oak Openings, The Story of Stoughton; “A Little on the Mandt Relationships”, Olav L. Mandt; “The Felland, Reindahl and Mandt Families”, C.M. Felland 1940; Norsk Folkekultur, Rikkard Berge; Norsk Biografisk Leksikon; Telemark Husflidslag, 1974; and A Brief history of Norway, by John Midgaard, 1971. Norwegian Immigration to the United States, by George T Flom, 1909; Eminent Pioneers by Erling Ylvisker; History of Wisconsin from Exploration to Statehood; “The West Koshkonong Story”, and many more.
Histories of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota, parish and congregational records, and county records also provide much information on Mandt immigrants.