Nils Mikkelsen

   Other names for Nils were Nils Bakken, Nils Michelson ²²⁷⁰ and Nils Tufsingdals.¹⁵⁷⁵

  Research Notes:

Nils Mikkelsen
... ...
See his father's page for additional information. Nils Mikkelsen, 1797-1841, was my 4th great grandfather on my Mikkelson direct family line.

Nils Mikkelsen was likely born at Bakken farm/hut in Femundshytta area. His father was a worker with the Femunds Smelting House, likely at the complex itself. The term 'hytte' refers to the smelting hut that separated copper from ore or rock. Nils may have been one of many workers who worked in the mines in the area or worked at suppling wood and charcoal to the the smelting house. Nils Mikkelsen grew up at Femundshytta - his father also would likely have had a few cattle/sheep and hayed meadows.

Likely at a fairly early age, Nils would have started working with the smetling house or worked at suppling wood and charcoal to the smelting complex.

On the 19 Jan 1797 Nils Mikkelsen married Gjertrud Eriksdatter Moen [1763 - 1838] who was from the Tufsingdalen area of Tolga-Os parish. Gjertrud was the daughter of Erik Adamsen Moen and Sara Larsdatter Midtdal [1722-1804]. Sara Larsdtr Midtdal was the daughter of my 6th great grandfather, Lars Mikkelsen Østgaard [1682-1752]. This means, that I have a 'double relationship' with Nils Mikkelsen and Gjertrud Eriksdatter.

Nils Mikkelsen and Gjertrud Eriksdatter had at least 4 children, all born at Femundshytta.

There is no mention of Nils Mikkelsen in the Røros bygdebok. Nils is however, recorded in the 1801 Norway Census living at Fæmunds Hytteplads [smelting house place] in Røros parish. Recorded with Nils is his wife Gjertrud and son Mikkel. In addition to son Mikkel, we know that Nils and Gjertrud had at least 3 other children - Erik, Lars, and Simon. There is about 4 and half year gap between the birth of son Erik [born in 1801] and son Lars [born in 1807]. On 28 Jan 2025, I reviewed the birth/baptism volume for Røros parish between Jan 1802 and Jul 1806 and a few months on either side - there was no birth/baptism record for anyother children in the parish register. It is of course possible, that there could have a have a baptism recorded in the another parish, but it seems unlikely. No other source has indicated that Nils and Gjertrud had any other children. I had also reviewed Marie Tollan's transcription for births/baptisms, but there is no record any children.

There are a couple of mentions of Nils Mikkelsen in the Bygebok for Engerdal - see below, 1.b. and 1.c. The smetling house at Femundshytta closed in 1821, and a new smelting house/hut was built at Dresjø. The Bygebok for Engerdal suggests that Nils started to work at or for the Dresjø smetling house. And as indicated below, it is likely he and Gjertrud continue to have the house/cabin at Femundshytte, but spent time working on getting supplies for the smelting house at Drevsjø.

Nils Mikkelson died on 23 Jun 1841 and Gjertrud died on 28 Mar 1838. Both burial records record that they lived at Femunden, Røros. I believe this is still the house/cabin at Femundshytta but it could very well be referring to the general area of lake Femund [some references use, Femunden].

written by Rueben D. Grue, 31 Jan 2025


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1. previous source: www.worldconnect.rootsweb.com - Terrill Hayes; and Dale Rosten; (29 May 2005) .... no longer available

Terrill Hayes, FT on Ancestry ... Mikkelson - Hayes FT [Terrill Hays]; last access 13 Aug 2024
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/166913791/person/152165433701/facts
- link to Nils Mikkelsen, b 1765 .... names and year of birth of Erik, Lars and Simen - nothing else

geni.com FT .... https://www.geni.com/people/Nils-Midtdal/6000000007328972431?through=6000000007328972567
- records his name as Nils Mikkelsen Midtdal, b 1765
- wife as Gietrud Eriksdatter Moen, and her father as Erik Adamsen Moen, at Ytre Moen ... but actually Moen søndre
- above FT only records the names of Nils Mikkelsen's other children, but no dates etc


1. b. Bygebok for Engerdal, Vol 2 by Ottar Andersen, 1966 .... page 179 .... Femund Hytte or Gammel-hytta ... 18 Dec 2024

Femund cabin or hut [hytte = also is related to the "smelter" for separating copper ore; BUT also refers to 'smelting house'] was built by Røros works in 1739 to use the forests around Femund. The work used an enormous amount of coal, firewood and timber: thousands of fathoms of charcoal [kol=coal], hundreds of fathoms of firewood, and much It was especially Colonel Mangelsen and Thomas Angell, both of whom were major participants in the work, who pushed through the construction without asking the King. The work did not receive the right to use the forests at Femund until 1752.

and, pages 185/186

There is a mention of Nils Mikkelsen on page 184 ... It was probably a small community of its own over here in the wilderness - a hard struggle for existence. The church records tell several times about people, especially women, who have frozen to death up here, yes, even in the summer. Bente Jakobsdatter went on May 11, 1803 to get a sack of hay for her cattle from Nils Mikkelsen's farm west of Tufsingdal*. She did not return ... and later found frozen to death.
.... BUT Nils Mikkelsen, wife, son, and Nils' mother are recorded in the 1801 Census at the farm Fæmunds Hytteplads, Røros Parish
.... this Nils Mikkelsen likely had inherited or received or bought some land in Tufsingdal from his fater, Mikkel Larsen or grandfather, Lars Mikkelsen Østgaard, although I haven't found any reference.

"Most of those who worked at the cabin [hytte = smelter] [in 1821, with the closure of Femunds Hytte] now moved to the new cabin at Drevsjø" {14}. Nils Mikkelsen [Nils was about 56 years old in 1821]. His son Erik built the western Bakken vestre Drevsjø and his son Mikkel Nilsen went to Sylen, and was married there"
..... there is no other mention of Nils Mikkelsen in the Bygebok for Engerdal

.. BUT see son Erik Nilsen, page 389-391, Vol 1 ... Bakken vestre at Drevsjø ..
Nils Mikkelsen and his wife Gjertrud Eriksdatter live at Gammelhytta in 1820 ... both of their burial records note Røros parish and place as Femunden. [if the old smelting closed in 1821, what work did Nils Mikkelsen do? The above mention in 1820, suggests he worked at supplying wood and charcoal from the eastern side of Lake Femund, possibly to the newer smetling house at Drevsjø. This also suggests that either Gjertrud worked along side of Nils, possibly visiting/helping out with her son at Sylen or her son at Drevsjø. The comment also suggests that Nils and Gjertrud continued to maintain the house/cabin at Femundshytta

.. Bgyebok for Engerdal, vol 2, page 220

In the deed after Hans Embretsen's first wife in 1820* [Marit Eriksdatter], no children are mentioned, only Marit's 5 siblings. The youngest of these, Gjertrud Eriksdatter, was married to Nils Mikkelsen, Femund cabin. These are the parents of Erik Nilsen, the first user of V. Bakken at Drevsjø, who is the brother of Mikkel Nilsen who married Ingeborg Larsdatter Sylen.
* According to a Geni.com FT; Hans Embretsen, aka Hans Ingebretsen Båtstø, was married to Marit Eriksdatter whose father was Erik Adamsen Moen, Ytre. Marit's younger sister was Gjertrud Eriksdatter Moen and she married Nils Mikkelsen
link Geni.com FT .... https://www.geni.com/people/Marit-B%C3%A5tst%C3%B8/6000000007329467926?through=6000000007328972567

1. c. Bygebok for Engerdal Vol 1, pages 389-391 .. by Ottar Andersen, 1966

The following reference is in relation to Nil's son in Erik at Dresvjø [see my document for Erik Nilsen at vestre Bakken: ... father again, Nils Mikkelsen and his wife Gjertrud Eriksdatter live at Gammelhytta in 1820 as can be seen after a shift N. Båtstø at Elgå that year. She [Gjertrud] was born in 1763 and died in 1828. I think Båtstø is a just distance north of Elgå, but this is about 30 kms over fairly rugged terrain, but likely could take a boat.... and I think it was the site of a sawmill for the area, first at Femundshytta and later for Drevsj

1. d. John Midtdal's book, Tufsingdalen ... page 386, 387 ..... 21 Dec 2024

Nils Mikkelsen bap 4 Apr 1765 , d. 23 Jun 1841, m. 19 Jan 1797 Gjertrud Eriksdtr. Moen (south), b. 1763, d. 24 Mar 1838. Next users of Bakken, Femundshytten.
[this area was known Femundshytta and the location of the 'Femunds Smelting House' or the Femunds smelting complex - located on the western shore of lake Femund, about 1/3 of the way on the northern reaches of the lake. Farm/house name, "Bakken" and this is likely the place that Nils' father originally had. Using the comment below from John Midtdal, likely Nils used the "voll" which is likely means a bank or embankment and the meadow or grass land that was found there. The use of "Mikkjil" likely refers Nils' father, Mikkel Larsen. There is a record in the Norway Røros parish that refers to "Michel Backens son.....", that is the birth and death of Mikkel Larsen's first son Mikkel, 1758-1775]
.... Rueben D Grue, 27 Jan 2025

"It is preferable to believe that it is this Nils who owned and used the farm mound "Mikkjil-Nils-vollen", or "Mikkjil-vollen" as it was also called, in Storrøstlien. Judging by the name, it was probably set up by his father. It was located in the same area as Skrivarvollen and Ryvollen. Nearby were also some houses called Mofjøsene." [these are likely at the smetling house complex and surrounding village - see my doc and the pdf, Femundshytta [Grue ... ancestors of Lars M Mikkelson...Mikkel Larsen, b 1729 family ...]

Children we know about: [son Mikkel, not Nils Mikkeslen]

[1]. son Mikkel Nilsen, b 13 Dec 1797 d. 19 Feb 1869. m. 1826 Ingeborg Larsdtr Sylen b 1797, d. 4 Jan 1852 farmer at Sylen
Children we know about [children of Mikkel]
1] son Mikkel, b 1821, d. 1900 to Huskleppen [born outside of marriage]

2] daughter with Ingeborg Olsdtr Femundsenden [she was born 1798] [had a daughter born outside of marriage ]
Gjertrud, b 25 Mar 1824 d. 1 Sep 1892, m. 11 July 1842 to Rasmus Eriksen Moseng b 245 Jan 1811, d. 21 May 1891
.. see under Røsten **** also see notes re; Bygebok for Os ... [see text doc, Gjertrud Mikkelsdatter Tufsingdalen]

3] Lars Mikkelsen, b 1828 ? married Berit Sofie Mikkelsdatter Midtdal, b 14 Feb 1832 --- my great great grandparent
they left for Amerika in 1870

4] Ingeborg Anna, b 14 Mar 1834, d. 23 Jul 1921

5] Nils Mikkelsen, b 1837

** John Midtdal's book does not list the other children of Mikkel Nilsen and Ingeborg Larsdtr b 1797

are mentioned .... Bygebok for Engerdal, Vol 2 by Ottar Andersen, 1966

[2]. son, Erik Nilsen, b 25 Apr 1801 ..... re; see his page ....

[3]. son, Lars Nilsen, b 23 Mar 1807 m. 1832 to Sara Jonsdtr Elgåen b 16 Mar 1806, d. 14 May 1891 [as far as we know]
they lived on Bakken, Femundsytten in 1865 .. see his page for 1865 census record

[4]. son, Simen Nilsen f 22 Jun 1809 ... He worked at Alten Kobberverk in 1838
Note: I have found no more information on Simen ... not indexed on 1865 census, nor Digitarkivet person seach [28 Jan 2025]



2. 1801 Norway Census: farm Fæmunds Hytteplads, Rørass Parish, Sør-Trøndelag

Nils Michaelsen age 36 <1765> (Mand - man),
wife Gietrud Eriksdatter age <1765> (Hans Kone),
son Mikkel (spelled Michel) age 4 <1797>,
his mother Berret Nilsdtr, age 67 <1734> (Mandens Moder) l
link, https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/58444/25 page 4, no 5 on 2nd side [18 Dec 2024]

Nils and Giertrud Eriksdtr - both in first marriage (Begge i første ægteskab)
Nils - occupation - cottage or hut worker/workman (Hyttearbeider or hytte arbeider)
Berret Nilsdtr - Pension

Note: 1836 Norway Matrikkel
HedemarkensRøraas079200SylenSylenMikkel Nilsen0-1
FylkePrestegjeldMatr.nrLøpenrGårdsnavnBruksnavnEiers navn


3. Birth at : Femundshytten, Røros --- Femunds or Fæmunds hytten - likely means Fæmund's smelting house or hut or smelting compleex
- from Terrill Hayes --- Title: Baptismal Records: Roros, Sor-Trondelag, Norway
Text: 1765 040465 Niels E M Michel Tufsingdal K: Søn. Mor in trodus. 040465. 3 for Røros
(this is likely based on a microfilm from LDS, but is a bit different from the Ministerialbok at Digitalarkivet
- Parish register - Michel Tufsingdals son, Niels, bap 4 Apr

Note: one of the witnesses at the Nils' baptism in Apr 1765 was Ole Eriksen Langen .....
[see parish registers birth, ...]

4. Marriage --- from Terill Hayes -- Title: Marriage Records
Page: Roras, Norway Text: 9.10.1796 19.1.1797 Niels Michelsen Fæmund og Giertrud Erichsd. Tufsingdal


5. Death Digitalarkivet

- From Terill Hayes in Røros parish register, died 23 Jun 1841, page 644, line 26; burial 11 Jul 1841

- Niels Michelsen Femundsen; age 74 <1767>; residence, Femundsen [ handwriting difficult to read ]
BUT from the parish register, it is clear "Femunden" [no letter s] ... but what is not clear is where this actually is. Some maps shown the term Femunden as a general area on the west side of Lake Femund ... there is a place name 'Femundsen', at the southern edge of Lake Femund to the west of Dresjø .... or is Femunden referring to the site of the old smelting house, Femundhytta ....

link, https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/16224/500

6. Norwegian naming patterns:
son Mikkel - after paternal grandfather, ie, Mikkel Nilsen
son Erik - after matermal grandfather, ie, Erik Adamsen
son Lars - after parternal great grandfather, ie, Lars Mikkelsen ?
son Simen - after ???


from: https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~norway/na12.html ... John Follesdal
given names: first name was selected. The first name was not chosen at random, but followed a strict rule:
the oldest son was named after his paternal grandfather, and
the second son after his maternal grandfather.
Likewise, the oldest daughter was named after her paternal grandmother, and the second daughter after her maternal grandmother. When the names of the paternal and maternal grandparents had been used up, the great grandparents names were used, but in no particular order. ^{709,1571,2271,2272}

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Residence - 1801, 1801, Fæmunds Hytteplads, Rørass Parish, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. ²²⁷⁰

Nils married Gjertrud Eriksdtr Moen, daughter of Erik Adamsen Moen and Sara Larsdtr Midtdal, on 19 Jan 1797 in Røros, Sør Trondelag, Norway ¹⁵⁷¹.^,1572 (Gjertrud Eriksdtr Moen was born in 1763 in Tolga, Hedmark, Norway ¹⁵⁷¹ and died on 25 Mar 1838 in Røros, Sor-Trondelag, Norway ¹⁵⁷³.)

  Marriage Notes:

The Røros marriage record does not record the location of their marriage. It likely was at the Femunds hyyte area on the western side of lake Femund