Early teachers in Sandefjord

Siffrt Jensen is described as “Skolemester” – School Master – in the register of probates for Larvik 1672 – 1812 that can be consulted at www.digitalarkivet.no.

He is described as the son of Jens Hansen, whose estate was finally closed 16.06.1676, and who is described as living in Sandefjord; whether the son, too, did so is not explicitly noted. In any case, the entry is evidence of the existence of a teacher in, if not Sandefjord itself, the neighbourhood as early as latter half of the 17^th century.

The ”1701-manntalet frå Larvik grevskap”, also from digitalarkivet, contains a record of Niels Bentzøn, described as “Skollemester” in Sandefjord.

According to the same above-mentioned register, in 1746, there was a “skoleholder” – someone who keeps a school and, presumably, teaches – in Sandefjord, glorying in the name of Christian Cassius. He was married to a woman called Anna Christina Ulrichsdtr Hassel of what seems to have been a family in Larvik.

In 1801, the teaching profession was somewhat expanded. In the census for Sandherred of that year we find Mathis Hansen Raastad living in Sandefjord, 24 years old and lodging with Mathis Gutormsen Berg in house 27 in Østre Gade, as well as Jens Pedersen Bøeg, 22 years old, living in the house of merchant and ship-owner Wilhelm Olsen Goen at house 14 in Væstre Gade. Described as “conditionerende”, his occupation is given as “Studiosus og informator”, which can easily be interpreted as a student who has come home, or gone somewhere, to make a few bob teaching privately. At any rate, probably a teacher of some description.

One might note, that in the surrounding Sandeherred parish, which contained Sandefjord at the time, there were an additional three individuals associated with the teaching profession: Lars, 21 years old and liv, is described as “Skoeleholder” at the age of 21; from the context it looks like he is son of Ditmng at From Søndreand Lasen, but that would have made his mother 48 when she gave birth. Possible, but perhaps not likely. The others were Ole Olsen , 34,living at Tuve, also “skoeleholder”, and “Skoelemester” Halvor Johnsen, aged 64, living at Houhem, and at this stage a widower.