Hello!
For decades, my family has been searching for my great uncle's birth records, as he was born out of wedlock and later adopted. My grandmother and her siblings spent their entire lives not knowing that Carl had a different father, and learning the truth late in life has distressed them. We have been searching endlessly for years to find the truth, hoping to learn what happened to Carl and his mother to make her put him in an orphanage, and what relatives we may not know about. We have had no luck. I am praying that now, with websites like this, a kind soul in Denmark might be kind enough to help me find records that can bring peace to my mother.
I am looking for any or all of the following:
- Records of birth for Carl Vilhelm [surname unknown]. Who is his father?!?!
- Records of Carl's time in an orphanage
- Records of Carl's adoption by Hans Anton Rasmussen
- Information about Hans Anton Rasmussen's family (siblings, mother, father, cousins)
What we know already:
- Emma Johanssen (Johannson) born October or November 23, 1895 in Eskilstuna, Södermanland, Sweden to father Johan Fredrik Johannson (1855) and mother Maria Amalia Hansson (1860). They likely lived near Norra Strö in Skåne.
- On October 5, 1916, Emma gave birth out of wedlock to her son, Carl (Karl) Vilhelm (William), out of wedlock in Malmo, Sweden. His birth certificate lists the father as unknown, but it is believed that the father was a sailor that Emma had an affair with.
- Emma gave Carl to an orphanage, likely in the Malmo area for an unknown amount of time, and then returned to take custody of him again.
- Emma married Hans Anton Rasmussen (October 7, 1895 in Slaglille, Denmark. His father was Hans Christian Rasmussen, and his mother was Karen (Karin) Kirstine Jensen).
- On their records of immigrating to Canada, Emma and Hans listed Carl as being born in 1919. We believe this was done to make it seem as if Carl was born during their marriage, and was Hans' son, which would mean that they were married around 1919. They lived in Copenhagen.
- Hans adopted Carl as his son, likely in Denmark.
Please help! We are desperate for any answers we can find. Thank you!!
This seems to be the family in Copenhagen
http://www.politietsregisterblade.dk/component/sfup/?controller=politregisterblade&task=viewRegisterblad&id=2471827&searchname=polit_adv
Kind regards,
Jesper Skov
Marriage 17. apr. 1919 in Slagelse: https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/billedviser?bsid=156336#156336,26196146
Birth of son Hans Valdemar 17. okt. 1919 in Glostrup: https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/billedviser?bsid=150411#150411,24933364
Census 1921 in Rødovre: https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/billedviser?bsid=79183#79183,13549995
In this census Karl Vilhelm is present and listed as a relative.
Kind regards,
Jesper Skov
In the 1925 census he is listed as a foster child.
https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/billedviser?bsid=100402#100402,16004482
Kind regards,
Jesper Skov
Jesper, this is all incredible, thank you!!!! I see that Karl Vilhelm is listed in two of these documents as Karl Vilhelm Johansson, which we have never found before. Hopefully we can keep searching with this name to find more information! The 1925 census in particular is amazing. We have never been able to find ANY proof that he was not Hans Anton's biological father.
Thank you so much!
Were you able to find any more information about Hans Anton's family (siblings, parents, grandparents, etc.)? And/or any idea of orphanages in or around Malmo that Karl may have been left in?
Thank you again, so much. I can't believe you found so much so quickly!
Hi
No problem.
I can't find any suggestion that Hans Anton adopted Karl Vilhelm in Denmark. What nationality did Karl Vilhelm state when applying for Canadian citizenship? If he listed him self as Swedish then he wasn't adopted in Denmark.
The family left Denmark 28. mar. 1928.
I do not have access to Swedish records, so I can't help you with the Swedish questions. Maybe someone else can.
Hans Anton Rasmussens parents were Hans Rasmussen and Karen Kirstine Jensen.
The 1880 census for Slaglille shows two children at home:
Hans Rasmussen 37 Gift Gaarbestyer Gyrstinge Sogn Sorø Amt
Karen Kirstine Jensen 25 Gift Hans Quinde Snekkerup By, Viersted S., S. Amt
Katrine Kristine Marie Rasmussen 9 Ugift Datter Deres Barn Slaglille Sogn Sorø Amt
Ella Jensine Kirstine Rasmussen 1 Ugift Datter Deres Barn Slaglille Sogn Sorø Amt
Lars Kristian Povlsen 16 Ugift - Bjernede Sogn Sorø Amt
(Jens Pedersen) 65 Gift (Tømmer) Snekkerup By, Viersted S., S. Amt
Jens Pedersen 65 Gift Tømmer Snekkerup By, Viersted S., S. Amt
The 1901 census shows two other children (Hans Anton being one of them)
https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/billedviser?bsid=22235#22235,2385319
You can find the family further back by using the censusinformation on ddd.dda.dk
Kind regards,
Jesper Skov