Arent Solem
Encyclopedia
Arent Bjørnsen Solem was a Norwegian
merchant and haugean
. Born in Klæbu
, Søndre Trondhjems Amt
, he became a successful entrepreneur and trusted follower of Hans Nielsen Hauge
. He married Randi Nideng
(née
Lauvaas) in the beginning of the 19th century, with whom he maintained a hospitable home. Solem made success as a merchant and property investor in both Trøndelag
and Christiania
. After Hauge's death in 1824, Solem's connection with the Haugean movement was weakened. He returned to Trøndelag in 1840, where he died in 1857.
, Søndre Trondhjems Amt
to farmer Bjørn Olsen Solem (1742–1797) and his wife Magnhild Olsdatter (c.
1742–??). Although little is known about Solem's early life, it is known that he travelled to Trondheim
where he worked as a carpenter
. He later made success as a merchant and property investor in Trondheim, before he established a flax weavery in Moholt
. After advice from Hans Nielsen Hauge
, Solem bought the fishing and trade centre Sør-Gjæslingan in Sør-Trøndelag.
In 1825, Solem moved to Christiania
, where he bought the farms Sandaker
and Storo
and started a mill-and-saw enterprise at Bjølsen
. Solem and his wife lived at the Sandaker farm. The farm became a centre for Grundtvigianism. Solem also extended the mill at Bakke
Hauge earlier had built in 1815.
In 1840, Solem went home with his family to Trondheim, where he continued with his mercantile business. He established during this time a shipyard in Hommelvik
.
(1775–1859) at some point after 1800, although the exact year is disputed. His and her entry in Norsk biografisk leksikon
, both written by Andreas Aarflot
, state that the marriage occurred on 9 July 1805. Historian Sverre Røvik considers this less likely, as they both met in the Haugean network many years before.
Solem died at his farm in Strinda
in 1857 as a wealthy and respected businessman, two years before his wife. His son, Fredrik, committed suicide in 1861 after the revealing of a fraud in Trondheim.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
merchant and haugean
Haugean
Haugean was a pietistic state church reform movementintended to bring new life and vitality into a Norwegian State Church which had been often characterized by formalism and lethargy....
. Born in Klæbu
Klæbu
Klæbu is a village and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the southern part of the Trondheim Region, about south of the city of Trondheim. The administrative center is the village of Klæbu. The other major village in Klæbu is Tanem.The village of Klæbu is located...
, Søndre Trondhjems Amt
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
, he became a successful entrepreneur and trusted follower of Hans Nielsen Hauge
Hans Nielsen Hauge
Hans Nielsen Hauge was a noted revivalist Norwegian lay minister who spoke up against the Church establishment in Norway. Hauge is considered an influential personality in the industrialization of Norway...
. He married Randi Nideng
Randi Solem
Randi Andersdatter Solem née Randi Lauvaas was a religious organiser. She was married to the fellow Haugean Arent Bjørnsen Solem. She was born in Klæbu, Sør-Trøndelag to the farmer Anders Halvorsen Løvaas and his wife Maren Larsdatter Forsæt Randi Andersdatter Solem (b.1775, d.27 February 1859)...
(née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Lauvaas) in the beginning of the 19th century, with whom he maintained a hospitable home. Solem made success as a merchant and property investor in both Trøndelag
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
and Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. After Hauge's death in 1824, Solem's connection with the Haugean movement was weakened. He returned to Trøndelag in 1840, where he died in 1857.
Career
He was born in KlæbuKlæbu
Klæbu is a village and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the southern part of the Trondheim Region, about south of the city of Trondheim. The administrative center is the village of Klæbu. The other major village in Klæbu is Tanem.The village of Klæbu is located...
, Søndre Trondhjems Amt
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
to farmer Bjørn Olsen Solem (1742–1797) and his wife Magnhild Olsdatter (c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1742–??). Although little is known about Solem's early life, it is known that he travelled to Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
where he worked as a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
. He later made success as a merchant and property investor in Trondheim, before he established a flax weavery in Moholt
Moholt
Moholt is an area of Trondheim, Norway south of Tyholt and north of Loholt. The area is dominated by housing, including a lot of student housing. There are also some supermarkets and commercial enterprises in the area, primarily because of the proximity to European route E6...
. After advice from Hans Nielsen Hauge
Hans Nielsen Hauge
Hans Nielsen Hauge was a noted revivalist Norwegian lay minister who spoke up against the Church establishment in Norway. Hauge is considered an influential personality in the industrialization of Norway...
, Solem bought the fishing and trade centre Sør-Gjæslingan in Sør-Trøndelag.
In 1825, Solem moved to Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, where he bought the farms Sandaker
Sandåker
Sandåker is a village in Dønna municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located on the island Løkta, and has the postal code 8813 Kopardal, named after the neighboring village Koppardal....
and Storo
Storo, Norway
Storo is a neighborhood in the borough of Nordre Aker in Oslo, Norway. It is located east of Nydalen, south-west of Grefsen and north of Sandaker. In addition to block housing, it hosts the Storo Storsenter shopping center. There are also many car dealerships in the area...
and started a mill-and-saw enterprise at Bjølsen
Bjølsen
Bjølsen is a neighbourhood in the Sagene borough in central-northern Oslo, Norway. Originally a farm in the former Aker municipality, it was incorporated into Christiania in 1878.-References:...
. Solem and his wife lived at the Sandaker farm. The farm became a centre for Grundtvigianism. Solem also extended the mill at Bakke
Bakke, Norway
Bakke is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located along the eastern shore of Lundevatn along the Rogaland county border.-History:...
Hauge earlier had built in 1815.
In 1840, Solem went home with his family to Trondheim, where he continued with his mercantile business. He established during this time a shipyard in Hommelvik
Hommelvik
Hommelvik is a village and the administrative centre of the municipality of Malvik in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located at the end of the Hommelvika, a bay off of the Trondheimsfjord. It is about southwest of Muruvika, about southeast of Smiskaret, about east of Vikhammer,...
.
Marriage and death
Solem married Randi Andersdatter NidengRandi Solem
Randi Andersdatter Solem née Randi Lauvaas was a religious organiser. She was married to the fellow Haugean Arent Bjørnsen Solem. She was born in Klæbu, Sør-Trøndelag to the farmer Anders Halvorsen Løvaas and his wife Maren Larsdatter Forsæt Randi Andersdatter Solem (b.1775, d.27 February 1859)...
(1775–1859) at some point after 1800, although the exact year is disputed. His and her entry in Norsk biografisk leksikon
Norsk biografisk leksikon
Norsk biografisk leksikon is the largest Norwegian biographical encyclopedia.The first edition was issued between 1921 and 1983, including 19 volumes and 5,100 articles...
, both written by Andreas Aarflot
Andreas Aarflot
Andreas Aarflot is a Norwegian theologian and bishop emeritus in the Church of Norway.Aarflot was born in Yiyang, China where his mother and father served the Norwegian Missionary Company in the Hunan province....
, state that the marriage occurred on 9 July 1805. Historian Sverre Røvik considers this less likely, as they both met in the Haugean network many years before.
Solem died at his farm in Strinda
Strinda
Strinda is a former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The area encompassed the eastern part of the present-day municipality of Trondheim south and east of the main city center all the way southeast to the lake Jonsvatnet.-History:...
in 1857 as a wealthy and respected businessman, two years before his wife. His son, Fredrik, committed suicide in 1861 after the revealing of a fraud in Trondheim.