Carla Kastet Bodette is an artist, writer and family historian. She is a descendant of emigrants from Ringerike, Norway (Ringeriking) and is researching her ancestors families from that area.
Her ancestors came from the Strømsoddbygda area of northern Krødsherad (Gulsvik) and Flå areas of Buskerud County, Norway. The Kastet family left Strømsoddbygda and Ringerike during the latter half of the 19th century. In 1867 her great great grandfather Ole Gjestsen Kastet (Norderhov 1832 - Minnesota 1905) left the Jonsrud farm he was living at and came to America with his his two young sons John (Johannes Olsen) Kastet (b. 1863), Helge (Olsen) Kastet (b. 1866) and his older sister Kristi (Christie Gust) Gjestsdatter (Laeknaes) Stromsod (b. 1828). Ole's wife Kjersti Halvorsdatter Aure-ie (b. 1842) apparently died in Norway and his sister Kristi came with them to care for his children. Ole was the son of Gjest Anderson Stromsod (ca. 1794 - 1871) and Kristi Kolbjornsdatter Haugen (Aure) (1795 - 1871).
In the years that followed two of the three sons of Ole's brother Andrew Gjesten Kastet (1829 -1900 Tonga) also came to America. John Anderson Kastet (1854 - 1937) and Christian Anderson Kastet (1860 - 1940) came to America with their wives, while their brother Herbrand Anderson Kastet stayed in Norway. Herbrand married Helene Pedersdatter Tistilbraaten and they lived at the farm Tistilbraaten. It is known they had two children Anton Herbrandsen (Lunder parish b. 1892) and Berte Herbrandsdatter (Lunder parish b. 1888) who married Elling Sindresen Flaskerud. Berte and Elling had one known daughter Helga Ellingsdatter who married Mr. Maribo.
Carla would very much like to get in contact with Ringerikinger or others who might know something about her ancestors or their descendants from the Kastet family of Strømsoddbygda. She'd particularly love to have contact with any living relatives of this family in Norway.
This is a picture of a valley which the city of Ringbu is located in the Buskerud area of Norway. It is similar in nature to the Strømsoddbygda area the Kastet's left to come to America. This rich mountainous area is known for it's timber industry.