Jenny and Rudolf
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Jenny Aagot and Otto Rudolf Andersen
"The angel from the beach"
Rudolf Andersen took over the forge when his father, Matthias Andersen, died in 1895. Mathias had gone bankrupt, and Rudolph had to buy the forge and the house from the bankruptcy estate in 1897 (see the deed below). He had 8-10 men at work in the forge, mostly her own relatives. Towards the end of the 20's, there were very bad times, but he still treated his employees well. The story goes that he bought a barrel of icelandic mutton to the employees. All his employees received mutton, and Rudolf split it up according to the number of the children of the employees had. In 1916, he sold his forge in Søgaden 7, and bought Strandgaden 16 of Laurvig Læderfabrik (leather factory). Here established his new forge, which eventually was Rudolf Andersen Mek. Verk (see photo further down).
Rudolf was called "the angel on the beach", and was, as the name implies, a very kind man. He was also active in the chapel (bedehuset), where he often played the violin. He died in 1932.
from "Larvik and omegns industri og næringsliv i tekst og bilder" by Aage Aagaard, 1900
Attest from the works manager at Akers Mek. Workshop in Oslo
The deed on the acquisition of Mathias' properties
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Strandgaden 26 and Mathias'/Rudolf's forge. Original photo from Per Nyhus, "Larvik før og nå"(Click for larger image)
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Jenny Aagot Katrine Jacobsen and Otto Rudolf Andersen (click to see larger images)
Jenny Aagot Kathrine Jacobsen was born 9. March 1865 in Tjølling. She married Rudolf in 18. April 1886 in Tjølling church. The marriage did not last more than 2 years, because already 21. april 1888 Jenny Aagot died of tuberculosis, only 23 years old.
Jenny is confirmed 5/10-1879, in Tjølling, together with her cousin Margit Ovidia.
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«Elverheim", Storgt 47 (House no. 24), Østre Halsen, the home of Jenny Aagot and her brother Johan Hartvig Detre (who later moved to South Africa). Her father Jacob was sea captain, and died in the 1870s of yellow fever in South America. The widow Elsebeth Pedersdtr was the owner of the "Elverheim" from 1870 until her death 4. June 1885. See the historical map of the Østre Halsen here.
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Jenny's and Rudolf's son Eilif was born in Christiania Fødselsstiftelse (Oslo) 17. February 1886 and baptized 3 days later in the same place. Fødselsstiftelsens purpose was a.o. to obtain the unmarried and poor pregnant women, midwifery, nursing and supervision. It was there Jenny Aagot gave birth to Eilif when she was 20 years old. It was unmarried and poor women from all over the Eastern part of Norway that came to Fødselsstiftelsen to give birth. Why, didn't she give birth at home, as was common at the time? Jenny Aagot lost her mother (Elsebeth) when she was 2 months pregnant with Eilif, and the house was sold at a forced auction. Jenny Aagot was thus at bar ground when her mother died, and had no home or close relative that could assist her in the birth. She probably subsisted herself as "tjenestepige" (servant), like many of the women who gave birth at Christiania Fødselsstiftelse. Why she and Rudolph did not marry before she gave birth to Eilif, we do not know.
In addition to Eilif, she and Rudolph got a son 21. January 1888 – Johan Rudolf. He died only two months old, 23. March.
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Watch that belonged to Jenny Aagot. On the back of the clock are written with pencil: Jenny Aagot Katrina Jacobsen, Østre Halsen pr. Laurvig, Norway, 20/3 1883. Jenny was 18 years old in 1883; where the clock comes from, and why she got it, is unknown. Her father (Jacob Chr.) was seacaptain, and died in 1870 in South America, so maybe the clock comes from abroad?
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Rudolf's 2. and 3. marriage
Rudolf married again in 1891 with Inga Othilie Hansen from Thorstrand. Inga was the sister of Hans Jørgen Thorsen, the daughter of Thor Jørgen Hansen and Christiane Jørgensdtr, and, therefore, the aunt of Anna Andersen (b. Thorsen).
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Rudolf Andersen
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Strandgt. 9, Larvik (see map here)
The picture is probably taken in 1901. It is the family of Otto Rudolph Andersen we see here. Rudolf (1862-1932) is standing on the right side of the flagpole; on the left side his wife Inga Thorsdatter (b. 1868, d. 1913) and possibly Gusta Marie. By the side of the bench is possibly Rudolf's sister Anna Marie (1866-1964) who had a room in the Strandgt. 9 at the time, and the daughter Randi (1892-1967); on the bench his son Thor (1894-1971), the son Rudolf (Lullen 1896-1963), the son Arnt (1900-1965), and daughter Ingrid (1898-1970) . The boy who leans to plum tree in the background is Rudolf's son from the first marriage: Eilif (1886-1978). The boy by the side of Eilif can be Thoralf Thorsen (b. 1889). Daughters Aagot and Astrid is not in the picture – they were not born. The house was approx. 40 years old then. It had solid bricks of grey stoneand a small basement with entrance. A fence separated the courtyard from the garden; the photographer has been in or at the gate on the street side (text from Hans Andersen).
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Strandgt 9 in 2005 (see map here)
Bordering the Strandgaden 9, there is a small mountain (fjellkolle); this is called the Andersen mountain after Rudolf Andersen, because the best access to Andersen mountain is via Rudolf Andersen's estate.
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Torstrand; original photo from Per Nyhus, "Larvik før og nå"(Click for larger image)
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Rudolf Anderson's family. The picture is probably taken by a photographer in Larvik around 1905. The smallest kid, Astrid, is here ca. 9 months old; she died in February 1906. In the first row from the left his wife Inga (1868-1913), Astrid 1905-1906, Aagot (1903-1970), Arnt (1900.1965), father Rudolf (1862-1932). Rear row: Randi (1892-1967), Thor (1894-1971), Ingrid (1898-1970; stands on a box), Rudolph ("Lullen"; 1896-1963), Eilif (from Rudolf's first marriage; 1886-1978).
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From the Census in 1910:
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Inga died already in 1913, only 45 years old. Rudolf married again in 1917 with Sara Sørensen. She was the daughter of Captain Anders Sørensen, b. 08.10.1840 in Klever Large, Brunlanes. He was married to Karoline Mathea Johannesdatter (b. 18.12.1842 Vaale, Vestfold. In the census of 1885 Karoline is listed as a widow. Anders Sørensen was, therefore, not exceeding 45 years. They had children Sara (1873-1956; married to Otto Rudolf 25.04.1917 in Oslo Cathedral), Karen (1875-1875), Karen (1876-1967), Lovise (1882-1974) and Anna Sørensen (f.1885). (Information about Sara's family from Bjørn Gulbrandsen).
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References
Slekten: Andersen Larvik, by Hans Andersen (1986)
[1] Tjølling : a local history, by Lorens Berg (1915)
[2] Tjølling local history, volume II by Jan W. Krohn-Holm (1970)
[3] Tjølling local history, volume III by Jan W. Krohn-Holm (1972)
English 
Norsk bokmål 