Both Marit and Niels belonged to families whose ancestors had lived in North Aurdal
ever since records were kept. They had been christened, confirmed and married in
Skrautvål Church.

Since Niels was not the first born son, he could not inherit the ancestral farm Saebu farm,
so he purchased the lower South Hong Farm in Gudbrandsdal and moved there with his
wife and daughter in June 1845. Their first born son drowned in a well and the following
year, Niels drowned when crossing the Laagen river with a cattle raft.

Her second husband, Johannes, was originally a kind neighbor who moved to South Hong
farm and helped Marit take care of the farm and the children - his step children as well as
his own. In 1860, Johannes died suddenly.

His death, along with the death of her son and first husband was more than Marit could
endure. She turned to religion for consolation and lost all interest in material things. Later
she became an invalid, unable to care for her children and her home.

Her children went to live with various relatives. Marit's brother, Knut E. Lyseng and his
family moved to Hong farm to take care of Marit and her farm. On November 10, 1864,
he sold the South Hong farm to Amund Madson Amodt with a contract that they, or their
heirs, would care for Marit to the end of her life.

Anna Hong. Our Norwegian Ancestors. P. 110