Hello!
My great-great-great grandfather's name was Jens Andreas Jensen, born 13 May 1845 in Ugilt parish, Vennebjerg, Hjørring, Denmark. His birth record (page 85 of the appropriate church record book) lists his father as "Jens Pedersen tjenende i Frederikshavn" ("serving in Frederikshavn", correct?). His mother, Ane Madsine Christensdatter, had at least 4 more children with that same Jens Pedersen between 1850 and 1858, and in each case the birth record has a simpler, but similar annotation: "Jens Pedersen af Frederikshavn".
During this time period, Ane Madsine Christensdatter lived in Ugilt parish. The 1850 census shows her living with her son Jens Andreas and nobody else. The other children show up as expected in the 1855 and 1860 censuses, with the curious addition of a much older man by the name of Jens Christian Jørgensen —as far as I can tell, he wasn't a blood relative, but was born in Elling parish just like she was. I'm not sure what to make of that —perhaps he was an old family friend who came to help her take care of the children.
The childrens' father, Jens Pedersen, has proven very difficult to track down. Based on their birth records, he lived in Frederikshavn the whole time. Jens Andreas's 1859 confirmation record does suggest that both parents were unmarried and living in Ugilt parish, but that's the only hint that he ever lived there —everything else says Frederikshavn (even a later daughter's 1869 confirmation record). All evidence suggests that they were unmarried, and that he was out of the picture.
Ane Madsine did eventually marry another man, Niels Jensen, in 1861 (two years after the birth of her final child with Jens Pedersen), and they had three children together.
I am really hoping to learn more about Jens Pedersen, as he is my earliest known paternal ancestor. I have a few questions I was hoping someone here could answer, and maybe help me find my way on this:
- It seems very unusual to me that a couple would have so many children together over such a long period of time without ever marrying or even living together. Was this common?
- Does the phrase "tjenende i Frederikshavn" ("serving in Frederikshavn") indicate any particular type of service? Military, perhaps?
- Jens Andreas's 1859 confirmation record hints that Jens Pedersen was living in Ugilt at the time, but there are no other records that show that —everything else from 1845 to 1869 lists him in Frederikshavn. Why would he have been living in Ugilt for just that one year?
- And am I asking the right questions? :)
Thanks for any help you can provide; I'd love to figure out who he was and keep tracing my ancestry back further!
Thanks,
Adam Jensen
Hjørring, Vennebjerg, Ugilt, Linderum bye, Vester Smørkrog en gaard, 21, FT-1845, B5305
Name: Age: Marital status: Position in household: Occupation: Birthplace:
Ane Madsine Christensdatter 23 Ugift Inderste* lever af spinden og binden Elling sogn Hjørring amt * tenant
Christen Christian Hansen 2 Ugift Hendes søn Elling sogn Hjørring amt
1845 Census, Ugilt: https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/cid5310550
Hjørring, Vennebjerg, Ugilt, Glimsholt bye, Melbek en gaard, 68, FT-1845, B5305
Name: Age: Marital status: Position in household: Occupation: Birthplace:
Jens Christian Jørgensen 61 Gift Gaardmand Elling sogn Hjørring amt
Magrethe Jensdatter 63 Gift Hans kone Taars sogn Hjørring amt
Jørgen Carl Jensen 29 Ugift Deres børn Heri sognet
Christiane Jensdatter 21 Ugift Deres børn Heri sognet
Christen Simonsen 19 Ugift Tjenestekarl Heri sognet
Birth of Jens Andreas: https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/sogn437/churchbook/source137305/opslag14949557 - No 10
- Jens Christian Jørgensen and Jørgen Carl Jensen of Meelbek are among the witnesses.
1850 Census, Ugilt: https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/cid7812790 - see Original source
- Ane Madsine is living as a tenant in a house in Boholt. Jens Christian Jørgensen is living with wife and children at a farm in Melbek.
Hjørring, Vennebjerg, Ugilt, Boholt, Et huus, 3, FT-1855, D7019
Name: Age: Marital status: Position in household: Occupation: Birthplace:
Jens Chr. Jørgensen 73 Gift Jordbruger. huusfader Elling Sogn
Ane Marine Christensdatter 33 Ugift Huusholderske* Elling Sogn *housekeeper
Jens And. Jensen 10 Ugift Sidstnævntes børn Her i Sognet
Jens Severin Jensen 5 Ugift Sidstnævntes børn Her i Sognet
Elsine Elisabeth Jensen 2 Ugift Sidstnævntes børn Her i Sognet
Hjørring, Vennebjerg, Ugilt, Melbæk, En gaard, 2.2, FT-1855, D7019
Name: Age: Marital status: Position in household: Occupation: Birthplace:
Magrethe Jensdatter 74 Gift Aftægtskone Taars Sogn
Christiane Jensdatter 31 Ugift Hendes datter Her i Sognet
1855 Census, Ugilt: https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/cid15890215 - see Original Source
- JCJ and AMC are living in a house in Boholt, JCJ's wife at a farm in Melbæk.
Hjørring, Vennebjerg, Ugilt, Boholt, Et Huus, 86, FT-1860, D4523
Name: Age: Marital status: Position in household: Occupation: Birthplace:
Jens Christian Jørgensen 80 G Huusmand, Huusfader Elling Sogn Her i Amtet
Ane Madsine Christensen 41 U Hans Huusholder Do [Elling Sogn Her i Amtet]
Jens Severin Jensen 10 U Hendes Børn Her i Sognet
Caroline Elise Jensen 7 U Hendes Børn Do [Her i Sognet]
Charlotte Christiane Jensen 5 U Hendes Børn Do [Her i Sognet]
Niels Christian Jensen 2 U Hendes Børn Do [Her i Sognet]
1860 Census, Ugilt: https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/cid14975968
Venlig hilsen
Inger Toudal
Thanks for looking into this! I had not yet found Jens Christian Jørgensen in the 1850 census, so it was very interesting to see that he and his wife and children were listed just a few lines earlier on the same page as Ane Madsine and Jens Andreas that year. And then later on, in 1855, she's listed as his housekeeper.
Incidentally, I have a picture of Jens Andreas with an older woman (presumably his mother, although the picture wasn't labeled) and a much older man. I suspect it's Ane Madsine, Jens Andreas, and Jens Christian Jørgensen (though the only one I'm absolutely certain of is Jens Andreas): https://www.geni.com/photo/view/6000000078296394863?photo_id=6000000087157826846
Do you have any suggestions on how I can find out where Jens Andreas's father Jens Pedersen was at that time? It's difficult to determine which Jens Pedersen he was, since there's no record of them living together or marrying, and the childrens' birth records don't include anything but a name and a place of residence.
Thanks!
I have no idea who this servant Jens Pedersen could be. I cannot find such a person in the censuses for Frederikshavn.
The son born in Elling 17 Feb. 1843: https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/sogn395/churchbook/source141859/opslag15754433 - No 9
- the alleged father is bachelor Hans Jensen of Copenhagen. Remark: reported to the vicar in Frederikshavn.
His birth is also registered in Frederikshavn: https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/sogn398/churchbook/source140020/opslag15430074 - between 6 and 7
- this is because the mother was staying in Frederikshavn 10 months prior to giving birth.
I don't see a similar remark in Ugilt in connection with Jens Andreas' birth.
Ane Madsine leaves Elling with destination Copenhagen 3 Jul. 1843:
https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/sogn395/churchbook/source141859/opslag15754599 - No 1 in 1843
1860 Census, Ugilt: https://www.danishfamilysearch.com/cid14975968 - see Original Source
- deres hendes Børn: 'their her children'
An important piece of information?
Venlig hilsen
Inger
It's probably just an error made by the young school teacher P. Thirup, who took the 1860 Census in Linderum School District, Ugilt parish:
https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?bsid=9850#9850,236489
Hjørring, Vennebjerg, Ugilt, Linderum Bye - Linderum Skole, En Skole, 98, FT-1860, D4523
Name: Age: Marital status: Position in household: Occupation: Birthplace:
Peder Pedersen Thirup 27 G Skolelærer, Huusfader Skallerup Sogn Her i Amtet
Ane Margrethe f. Sørensen 27 G Hans Kone Do [Skallerup Sogn Her i Amtet]
Jens Johannes Thirup 3 U Deres Søn Her i Sognet
Inger Marie Pedersen 16 U Tjenestepige Lendum Sogn Hjørring Amt
Venlig hilsen
Inger