Dedication & Acknowledgements
This database is Jim's legacy and while we're not currently updating the information we want to keep the information available to others.
The information gathered and presented on this site is the result of many years of research and the generous assistance of Jim and fellow family historians, who are too numerous to list here, especially for fear of leaving someone out. Most importantly, this site is dedicated to Harald Bøe (1942-2003), an energetic collaborator who had a driving interest in the history and genealogy of Valdres. Harald is missed by many of us who have benefited from his generosity and encouraged by his enthusiasm. He compiled a large database, which is included on this site as a somewhat edited version called "Valdres Slekt." This tree contains about 54,500 persons, most of whom lived in Valdres or had connections to Valdres through descendancy or marriage. Numerous Norwegian-American families have been added through collaboration with descendants of immigrants. Many Ellingbø/Ellingboe/Ellingbo families are included.
The publications that were certainly of greatest value to Harald and myself are the Valdres Bygdebøker for Vang and Slidre, authored by Anders Frøholm and Geir Beitrusten, respectively. The three volumes of "Gardar og Slekter i Vang" by Anders Frøholm are notable among the Bygdebøker of Norway because of the high standards of historical professionalism that the author brought to his task. Not to be forgotten is the earlier book by Tore Ey (pseudonym for Tore Ødegård) entitled "Vang og Slire," which was the resource many of us used until it was dog eared, before the publication of the Bygdebøker. Of course there are the many other publications of the Valdres Historielag, Valdres Samband and more recently the Vang Historielag. When I first delved into the historical records of Valdres, I had the privilege of using the original church books and other original documents in Hamar and Oslo, but copies of most of these have long been available on microfilm through the Family History Library (Internet "Family Search") of the Church of Latter Day Saints, and many records are now accessible on the Internet via the Digital Archives, from the University of Bergen and the National Archives of Norway (see "Links"). Increasingly, the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin, where most of the immigrants from Valdres settled, have made vital records available on the Internet. The U.S. Census records, land records, and the many other resources available from local government and historical societies have been invaluable. Many of these records are available online (usually for a fee) through companies such as Ancestry.Com. Many of the Internet-based resources can be accessed from the "Links" URLs at the top of each of these pages.
The publications that were certainly of greatest value to Harald and myself are the Valdres Bygdebøker for Vang and Slidre, authored by Anders Frøholm and Geir Beitrusten, respectively. The three volumes of "Gardar og Slekter i Vang" by Anders Frøholm are notable among the Bygdebøker of Norway because of the high standards of historical professionalism that the author brought to his task. Not to be forgotten is the earlier book by Tore Ey (pseudonym for Tore Ødegård) entitled "Vang og Slire," which was the resource many of us used until it was dog eared, before the publication of the Bygdebøker. Of course there are the many other publications of the Valdres Historielag, Valdres Samband and more recently the Vang Historielag. When I first delved into the historical records of Valdres, I had the privilege of using the original church books and other original documents in Hamar and Oslo, but copies of most of these have long been available on microfilm through the Family History Library (Internet "Family Search") of the Church of Latter Day Saints, and many records are now accessible on the Internet via the Digital Archives, from the University of Bergen and the National Archives of Norway (see "Links"). Increasingly, the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin, where most of the immigrants from Valdres settled, have made vital records available on the Internet. The U.S. Census records, land records, and the many other resources available from local government and historical societies have been invaluable. Many of these records are available online (usually for a fee) through companies such as Ancestry.Com. Many of the Internet-based resources can be accessed from the "Links" URLs at the top of each of these pages.