In 1813 Samuel Michael Matras, sheriff for the northern islands and Royal tenant of the Uppistova farm in Norðoyri, started to register various data related to the operation of the farm in a journal, such as sheep taken in the outfield, haymaking, grain and potato growing. When Samuel died in 1857, his son Albert Josias Michael (1815–89) took over and continued the journals until his death. Finally, his son Samuel Michael continued the diaries for three more years until 1892. These journals (the "Matrasdagbøkur") have been preserved and give an unprecedented insight in faroese farming during a large part of the 19th century (1813–1892).