Øvre Espelien
Sub-farms: Urberg, Kluftødegard, Gottenborg (northern),
Sveen (also called Muslerudsveen) Gaukerud, Brusveen, Kullengen,
Espelibråten, Evenrud, Haugen, Espelihagen, Engen, Southern
Espelien, Asplund, Huset, Espeliøygarden, Jordet, Nordengen
Øvre Espelien has been divided into many subfarms, but the
main farms are Øvre gården (upper farm) and Nerre gården
(lower farm).
Øvre Espelie is one of a handful of farms believed to have
been around during the Viking Period of the 9th to 11th centuries.
We are not sure at what point Espelie was divided into two
separate farms, possibly this occurred after the Black Death
went through the area in the 14th century.
Øvre Espelie was called Krongods until the 1770s when the
king sold it to Fredrik Werdelman. As a widower Margretha
Wilders sold the farm to her son-in-law Jens Leegaard. Jens
then sold Øvre Espelie to Ole Sveinson in 1795, who was the
first sjølveigaren of Øvre Espelie.
Some of the early settlers of Øvre Espelie were Peder Espelie
and Mikkel Larsson. Mikkel had at least two sons Halvor Mikkelson
and Lars Mikkelson.
The Espelien farms and subfarms make up the parish of Espelibygden
and are located a little uphill to the west of the Etna river,
in the middle of the valley. In addition there is much forestland
in the mountains above the farms.
Source: Gard og Bygde i Etnedal Book B, pages 304-305
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