Lars Eskeland

Eskeland was born at Stordøen Municipality (later spelled Stord) as the son of farmers Øystein Larsson Eskeland and Mari Larsdotter Vatna, and was a brother of Severin Eskeland. He married Marta Nerhus in 1893.^[1] He was uncle of Ivar Eskeland.

Eskeland co-founded the Voss Folk High School at Vossavangen in 1895, and served as long-term principal and teacher at this school. Among his students were several later well known writers, including Tarjei Vesaas, Sjur Bygd, Tore Ørjasæter, Olav Sletto and Ragnvald Vaage. He wrote a total of about sixty books or other publications. He was decorated Knight of the Order of St. Olav in 1935.^[2][1] In 1949 a statue of Eskeland was unveiled in Voss.^[2]