Christen Hansson Frette

Etne-soga by Ståle Dyrvik, vol V "Folket. Grindheim sokn." p 156 (27)

and from Etne-soga by Ståle Dyrvik, vol II Bygde- og gardssoge 1660-1800 ) page 431.

"Sheriff Christen Hansen Frette, born around 1720, married to a girl named Anna. Christen H. Frette descended from an old lineage of Sheriffs - most likely sheriffs and "sysselmenn" (whos job was to collect taxes for the king, and had important roles in the legal system). Christen H. Frette was sheriff in Etne, and had a farm at Frette. He was a decent sheriff and had high interests in road building in Etne. The roads he built for the authorities are still present."

"It can be noted that sheriff Christen H. Frette rode with horse from Frette to Åkra church once - most likely on a preaching sunday in Åkra. It was so cold that winter that the ice over the fjord Kyrping in Åkra could be walked on."

Christen had quite a few quarrels with his step-father, Nils, and they both ended up in court more than once in fights about land. Christen was said to have spoken freely on witchcraft and to have cursed accoring to Nils. Source: Etnesoga II.

"Christen is said to have been a good sheriff. Although he was accused of being too friendly with the bottle while visiting different farms while on the office's missions. But this was just rumors. More importantly he was a stand up guy who was liked by most people and he didn't abuse his position."

He got good pay and lived at a nice farm, and he is mentioned to have 1117 rdlr in 06/13/1788. He even got payed full pension after he left his job due to old age.

Source: Etnesoga II ( Etne-soga by Ståle Dyrvik, vol II Bygde- og gardssoge 1660-1800 ) page 431.

He had five daughters named Siri, atleast two died in a very young age while two others grew up.

Source: Etnesoga II page 432-3.

"Gotskalk Halvardsson, b. 1735 at Tveito, d. 1802 at Skjold. He received the deed to the farm for 32 rdlr., in 1752. In 1756 he got married and took over from Tor Frette. He was a very good bear hunter. At the council in l763 he collected a bounty of 2 rdlr., for a large bear he had killed on the Oyfjell (the Oy mountain). In 1766, he came back with two thick skins. In 1775, he received another 4 rdlr., for two bears he had killed. Together with bailiff Kristen Frette he engaged in horsetrading on the Roldal market, but got into a dispute with his partner in 1779"

On the origin of the name Frette: "Frétt is a word in norse religious practise that was used as a kind of prayer (to ask the gods for knowledge, to ask about the future or about the gods will) - (NG XI s.76). Olsen thinks the name Frette is connected to this word, and states that both Hellaugsvatnet and Frette have stories of norse rituals."

"...Christen Hansen who moved to Frette in a young age, around year 1725, and the farm - farm number 63 brn.nr.7 - has been in the family since." - Tørres Frette, Sunnhordland Avis

translated from Etnesoga II p 427 Frette

http://kittymunson.com/index.php?page=frette-farm-etnesoga-ii

"In the 1700s floods and avalanches damaged Frette several times. In 1743 the rivers dug out much of the farms best field. The river from Hellaug took out several bridges and destroyed the road to the summer farm. At the same time, two avalanches had come down by the so called Kleive-barn and destroyed both pasture and good hayfield. Both Klokkarteigen and Volme had damages from flooding, and several smaller avalanches had destroyed most of these hayfields. In 1747 this damage was so serious that the farms tax (the deserted farms included) was reduced from 6 to about 3 ½ laupar. The biggest reduction was on now part no 1-5. After the next accident in 1770 it was only Kristen Hansson on the other part who applied for reduction. The water had rissen so high that his fields and meadows along the waterfront were spoiled. An avalanche from Fretshovda had ended up in his home field. He now got a reduction so that the two parts of Frette were again equal. The total tax was now on the small side of 3 laupar. It was only the half of the tax the farm had gotten in 1667. The land rent was reduced accordingly."