Ostrobothnia
Övermark
Land
Övermark is one of the few Swedish speaking parishes in Ostrobothnia that is land-locked. However, it shares the flat land, river and lakes as other Ostrobothian parishes.
This parish map dated 1938 displays on the HisKi project website. Because there is no direct link on this site to the Övermark parish, the parish is not highlighted on the map. Look up and to the right of Närpes to locate the Övermark parish.
Parish History
Övermark was part of the Närpes parish until 1871 when it became an independent parish. 3
Parish Records
Villages and farms of Övermark were recorded in T.W. Karsten’s work, Svesk Bygd I Osterbotten: Nu Och Fordom. 2 Övermark Parish Communion records were not used to confirm these findings.
Because parish Communion records are listed by farm name and because farm names often were used as a part of a person’s name, it is interesting to note the following farms.
To open a printable list of villages and farms (pdf), click here.
Historical villages
The historical villages within the Övermark parish are Övermark and Övertrask.
Farms
- Gullans
- Brommels
- Ragvals
- Kars
- Åbonde
- Ers
- Nisuls
- Bäcks
- Öist
- Smeds
- Brännars
- Perjus
- Grop
- Ersfolk
- Rovhök
- Bränn
- Gabbels
- Fratt
- Stortors
- Lilltors
- Martens
- Brännback
- Rävsbäck
- Rävså
- Granfors
- Norrback
- Pörtfors
- Valsberg
- Högmark
- Valsås
- Åstrand
- Stenfors
- Bodbacka
- Soderback
- Aspnas
- Soderholm
- Fronas
- Aspback
- Svartnas
Villages and farms are noted on the Övermark parish map dated 1947.
Parish Church
In 1674 a ‘reading or school cottage’ was used as a village church under the Närpes parish. 4,5
While the Tsar granted Övermark its independence to become a parish in 1871, construction of the church didn’t begin until 1874. The architect was Ernst Theodor Granstedt. Construction completed in 1878. 4,5
Granstedt gave direction that the church should be painted yellow and the roof painted with tar and red paint. In 1967 architect Krister Korpela gave the church a new look by choosing to paint it in two different shades of purple with white corners and greyish blue trim. 4
Övermark Lutheran Church. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication, Attribution: SeppVei
Närpes-Övermark Folk Dress
Until 1871, Närpes and Övermark were one parish. As such, they are represented by the one parish folk dress. Parish folk dress can be recognized by its style, colors and patterns.
Närpes-Övermark folk dress photos used with permission of the Brage costume agency.
References
- Genealogical Society of Finland, HisKi project, Övermark parish, no map currently displays in HisKi, Select a neighboring parish like Östermark to view the Övermark map
- Karsten T.W., Svesk Bygd I Osterbotten: Nu Och Fordom; Helingfors, 1923, Övermark, pages 46 – 50
- Närpes Forsamling; https://www.narpesforsamling.fi/sv/content/overmark-kyrka
- Övermark Church, https://www.visitnarpes.fi/en/övermark-church
- Övermark Church image, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ylimarkku_church.JPG
- Övermark Folk Dress image, Brage costume agency, see Närpes-Övermark,
Woman’s: https://www.brage.fi/sve/draktbyra/draktbyran/folkdrakter/view-163648-15,
Man’s: https://www.brage.fi/sve/draktbyra/draktbyran/folkdrakter/view-163648-12 - Övermark Kyrka, https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&u=https://www.narpesforsamling.fi/sv/content/overmark-kyrka&prev=search or https://www.narpesforsamling.fi/sv/content/overmark-kyrka and select translate to English
- Övermark Parish map, http://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/115826, [Övermark kommun], 1947 (Helsinki : Maanmittaushallituksen kivipaino)
