Helge Helgessen Aanestad

Born

• Notes as per Bill Aanestad. Grandson Ragnvald-80 lists the birthplace as Haa, Jaederen, Kristiansand, Norway. (Lois Thorstenson-82 (A-004) relates that the Aanestad area is south of Stavager, near the town of Varhaug. Descendants of Mathias, Helge's brother, still live on the old homestead near Varhaug.) PROBLEM: In (A-020-O) Henrietta lists the b. place as Haa Prestegjaeld, Norway. A-043 lists Hå, Jaederen, Norway. A-047 lists HÅ, Jæren, Norway. (HÅ is a larger area, similar to a county, Jæren is a district in HÅ and Varhaug is a town adjacent to Ånestad both within these larger areas. I am using the data from A-047. NOTE: In 1994, my wife Dorothy and I, brother Sam and Susan visited the Aanestad area in Norway. On the road heading south from Stavanger, and just before arriving at Varhaug is a sign pointing to Ånestad. It is a collection of farms all by the same name located between two rivers. Halvard Aanestad, who we visited in Varhaug took us out to the farm in Ånestad on which his half-brother, Svien and his wife, Olaug were still living and farming. At this time, Svien was remodeling the old farmhouse because his son, Morten (a newspaper reporter) and his wife Kristin were in the process of moving onto the farm and Svien and Anne were planning on retiring to a new house in a new housing development near the edge of the farm. We also visited this new house. The craftsmanship and wood interiors of both were simply beautiful. My outstanding memory of the new house was a walk-in refrigerator! Hanne Brit Sandsmark, who wonderfully compiled the Norwegian and American names into a published genealogy lives just up the road on the way to Stavanger. Our time was limited by the departure of our cruise ship so we were unable to try to see her and her family. Our immigrant ancestor, Helge (my great grandfather) was a brother of Karl (Hanna's great-grandfather) and also a brother of Mathias (Hallvard's grandfather). Hallvard is an electrical contractor in Vaurhaug. We had a very enjoyable meeting in his home and Mary served us lunch including lefse and we were made to feel very welcome. Hallvard explained that Aa or Å indicates a relative size of the area of land bordered by two rivers, so Aanestad gets its name from that idea. Interestingly, Hallvard spells it Aanestad while Svien spells it Å. Both continue to insist they have the preferred spelling!