Gotskalk Halvorsen Skjold

Gotskalk Halvorsen, 26 years old, came from Etne to Stord on the 1st of July 1865 to work for the newly built prison on Leirvik as their first prison guard. There he married on the 22th of september 1865 with Marie Jensdtr., at the start they lived together with the prison janitor and his family at Leirvik. But 10 years later they have their own house just above the prison, gnr. 27, bnr 29, and they have 3 daughters. Godstalk had the title carpenter. A diary from 1873 says he was arrested and "thrown into the hole that he had so many times before thrown others into." he was blamed of adultery with some women he was to supervise. It is not documented if he was charged, but that might be the reason why he quit his job as the prison guard. The old prison guard Godstalk Halvorsen who then became a carpenter later was in charge of and led the building of the prayer house at Leirvik, "Bethesda". The work started in the spring of 1889 and the house was finished in february 1890. Godtskalk also built gnr. 27, bnr. 28 Fløyen and then sold it to the sheriff. According to Stord farmbook vol. 3 p. 264 he was also a member of the first Men's chorus on Stord. He died in his home on Stord in 1893 of cancer. One source also says he went to America for some time.

Sources: Eimen frå historia 2016 I glede og sorg : Stord kyrkje 1857-2007

Etne-soga by Ståle Dyrvik, vol V "Folket. Grindheim sokn." Skjold p 136 item 6d moved to Stord in 1865 (then eventually emigrated to America according to Etnesoga entry above)

Stord farmbook vol. 2 page 323

Bnr. 29, Blåsenborg, was separated from bnr 16 in 1872 and sold to Godskalk Halvorsen. There was many owners after that. In 1930 Bernhard Tvedt was the owner. Now Leif Aga is the owner.

1865 marriage nr. 19

https://media.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/8304/107

living at Orninggaard, Stord (now Lervik) in 1875 occupation "Snedker, Gundeier" - carpenter,

1865 census https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/census/person/pf01038228001921

1875 census https://digitalarkivet.arkivverket.no/ft/person/pf01052269001322

1891 census https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/census/person/pf01052964001392#

In the Etne-Soga it is claimed that he emigrated to America, but in the norwegian archives it says he died in his home on Stord in 1893 by cancer. Maybe he was just visiting his family in America and later returned?

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/267/pg00000000900961