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Why did they leave Norway? The reasons are complex and we just begin to touch on them here.
This man perhaps summed it up best when he described his reasons for leaving for America - John Evensen Møli from Tinn.
We continue with this web site - Reasons for Leaving Norway.
Then we begin to explore The lot of the "Husmann". There is a sample Husmann's contract included in this section.
Birth order had a role too, as we see in Odelsrett, or right to inherit the farm.
Andres Svalstuen wrote "Tinns Emigrasjons Historie 1837-1907" and described the first party leaving Tinn, Telemark for America. The economic reasons and social conditions of the times are discussed. The Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA) has an english translation on-line.
One look at this picture of a cotter's cabin is worth 10,000 words in describing why our ancestors wished to seek a better destiny in America. A family of nine lived in this one-room cabin.
Did the pioneers ever return to visit Telemark? Yes, a small percentage did, often later in life, after the work of the pioneer was completed. Gene Estensen has written an article describing the return to Norway of his g-g-uncle Kjetil Tovsen Bøkasse. In America he was called simply Charles Austin.
In the end, the reason for coming to America may by summarized by this paragraph from The Industry Standard, February 26, 2001 by Jonathan Webb:
"The idea that everyone in America has an equal chance, that our fates are not determined by accidents of birth, is not only one of our core values but also the one that most powerfully distinguishes us from most other nations."
