Overoien Farm History

The old picture shows the summer pasture ("Øverøien sæteren") in the Oien Valley ("Øydalen"). The Overoien farm belonged to the parents of Nikoline Jørgine Olsdatter until 1894. This year the farm was sold on a forclosure auction. Nils Mikkelsen Reinfjeld had the highest bid, 2419 kroner and bought the farm from his parents-in-law. He moved to the farm with his family from the Reinfjell farm the next year. Nils Mikkelsen Reinfjeld then sold the Reinfjeld farm in 1897 to Jørgen Herman Ingebrigtsen for 1339 kroner.

Before moving from the Reinfjell farm, nine children were born in the family, and living in Overoien, a 10th child, Josef Andreas, was born in 1896. The children of the family were:

• Mikal Alfred (1875-1953). He emmigrated to America in 1900
• Petra Amalie (1877-1946), who married Nils Nilsen Hagfors (1872-1948). Nils left Norway in 1914, and Petra and eight of their children emmigrated later, in 1919.
• Anna Olea Sofie (1879-1936), who married Nils Øybakken (1870-1954) in Vefsn
• Maren Dorthea (1882-1962), who married Birger Andreas Tverå in Mosjøen,
• Nils Normann (Norman Oien) (1884-1934). He emmigrated to America in 1902, and married Emma Dorothea Andersen from another farm in Øya. Emma had left Norway in 1903.
• Jørgine Kristine (Gina Oien) (1886-1954). She left Norway in 1906.
• Karoline Johanna (Caroline Oien) (1890-1962). She left Norway in 1911.
•  Othar Olaus (1890). Carolines twin, died the same year.
• Lars Mathias Zahl Øien (1893-1972). 
  Lars Øien succeded his father as farmer in Overoien after Nils died in 1922. Lars was married to Ingrid, a daughter of Jørgen Ingebrigtsen, who had bought the Reinfjell farm from Nils in 1897.
• Josef Andreas (Andrew Oien). He left Norway in 1914. In America he married Ellen Andersen from Øya, a niece of Emma Andersen. 

As a farmer at Overoien farm, Nils Mikkelsen Renfjeld (or "Nils på Øya") contributed to the modernisation of agriculture in Vefsn. Among other things, he started using a reaper during World War I.