Interestingly, this story starts in France with the oldest known ancestor,Jan Michelsen Boveng: (aka Jean Bouvin) born 1632 in Bourdon, Gironde, France, died 1692 in Hagenes, Hedrum. Later, there was Andreas Børresen Bjerke, b.1757, a farmer in Hedrum in Lågendalen, married to Anna Sørensdatter Eftdal. Their son, Even Andreason Bjerke, b.1812 and pictured at right, married Olea Sørensdatter Vestby.

The Bjerke School In Horten: Even had a brother who was one year older. This brother should have taken over after his father, but he drowned as a seaman and so Even was to take over in his place. But, his fate changed again: the local priest said that he was a clever boy and the community sent him to Kristiania (Oslo) to study. Even graduated from Asker Seminary in 1841 and became a teacher when he came back. He got a job in Horten as a schoolmaster in 1853 when the navy built a Verftskolen, later named Bjerkeskolen after him. He was the school master from 1853-1889.

Even and Olea had one son, Captain Anders Kristian Bjerke, b.1844 died shortly before 1904, and a daughter, Sophie Bjerke. Capt. Bjerke married Hanna Helene Walløe, b.1849 and they had three children: Inge Nilsine b.1872, Eugenie b. 1875, and Elise Mathilde b.1878.

As to Capt. Bjerke, little is known to us about his life. We do know that he was to take his daughter, Elise, on a voyage to see the world before she settled down to a married life. But, just before they were to leave, he was struck down by a heart attack. She went on to make an abbreviated trip to America with two girlfriends and it was then that she met and married Hans Skalwold who had already emigrated from Horten to New York City.

Ironically, Capt. Bjerke's sister, Sophie, married Fredrik Hauf Walløe, a younger brother of Nils August Walløe b.1819. He had been married twice before. His second marriage was to Ingeborg Helene Walløe, b.1823, Nils August's widow and cousin of both men...but lets not get into that again.