Brief Life History of Martha
When Martha Sorensdatter was christened on 21 September 1732, in Røyken, Buskerud, Norway, her father, Søren Aslachsen, was 32 and her mother, Ingeborg Olsdatter, was 35.
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Family Time Line
Sources (1)
- Martha Jorensdatter, "Norway Baptisms, 1634-1927"
Parents and Siblings
World Events (3)
1736 · Confirmation & education
Law of 1736 legally established Confirmation in the Lutheran Church which led to organized education for all children. These became important records which the Pastor kept.
1739 · Universal schooling
First school law to begin universal schooling in Norway. They taught the subjects of Christianity, reading, writing, arithmetic. Compulsory schooling from the age of seven and at least until ten to twelve years old.
1801 · 1801 Norwegian Census
It listed all family members living on each farm. Also those living in the cities.
Name Meaning
New Testament name, of Aramaic rather than Hebrew origin, meaning ‘lady’. It was borne by the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (John 11:1). According to Luke 10:38, when Jesus visited the house of Mary and Martha, Mary sat at his feet, listening to him, while Martha ‘was cumbered about much serving’, so that she complained to Jesus, ‘Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?’ For this reason, the name Martha has always been associated with hard domestic work, as opposed to the contemplative life.
Dictionary of First Names © Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges 1990, 2003, 2006.
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