Birth of Gerda Maria Magdalena (Aug 14 1913)

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

I am trying to help an elderly fellow American woman locate the birth of her mother.  Her mother is Gerda Maria Magdalena Svensson born in Denmark on 14 Aug 1913, mother Hilda Svennson.  I found the birth of Gerda's brother, John Ivar Svensson, in 1910 at den kgl Føselsskiftelse but according to the København police records Hilda left Copenhagen in 1912.  In the manifest of 1923 where she went to Canada it lists a non-relative living in Aahus købstad as her contact in Denmark but only lists Gerda's place of birth as Denmark.

This may be a wild goose chase but I would love to help this woman.  I suspect that Gerda was born outside of wedlock.

Mange tak for din Hjælp.

Med venlig hilsen
Paul

[Gitte Johansen]

Hej Paul.

Århus, Hasle, Århus Sankt Johannes, 1910-1913, opslag 238, nr. 152.

[Gitte Johansen]

Århus, Hasle, Århus Domsogn, 1913-1921, opslag 299, nr 0, øverst.

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Bless you Gitte.  I know this is going to make one elderly woman very happy.

Med venlig amerikanske hilsener
Paul

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

One last request.  Would some one be so kind as to translate this record.  Tusind tak for din hjælp.

Med venlig hilsen
Paul

[Lissa Pedersen]

Hi Paul,

The mother was unmarried laundry worker .... born 9 October 1880, and I suppose that you have seen from the Police register where she came from in Sweden!? I think she was living at Sjællandsgade 32. It says Bolig = address.

In the Skt. Johannes it says that the name Gerda was added at the baptism. The mother named Gerda on 12 Dec 1914. It also says under notes that the child has no birthplace right in any municipality in Denmark - must be because her mother was not a Danish citizen!

Lissa

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Hej Lissa,

Once again thanks for the information.  I found the mother and two children in the 1916 census at Sjællandsgade 32 since I could make that out.  I will now send the translation to Virginia, Gerda's daughter.  She is thrilled to get all this information.

Med venlig hilsen
Paul

[Svend Aage Hansen]

Hi Paul,

A little more about your Swedish roots.
According to Kyrkhult AI:3 page 248 and 250.
Probably Hilda Svensson was born 9/10 1880 in Julanäs, Kyrkhult, Blekinge.
Parents:
Tailor Sven Jönsson born 24/5 1856 in Kyrkhult
Wife Anna Johnsdotter born 20/1 1859 in Kyrkhult. Dead 8/10 1912 in Julanäs, Kyrkhult, Blekinge.
Married 28/2 1880 in Kykhult.
Siblings to Hilda:
Ida born 22/4 1880
John Ivar born 1/8 1885. Dead 4/10 1907 in Asarum, Blekinge.
Anna born 6/1 1888. Vent to Amerika 20/4 1910.
Illegitim Gerda 23/1 1897

Sven Jönsson emigrated to Amerika 1888 and he died there.
He was declared dead 23/9 1930 by Listers Häredsrätt. (Jurisdictional judge)

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Many, many thanks Svend.  I will relay this information to the woman.  I know that she has been thrilled by the information we have found on her family.

Med venlig hilsen fra amerika til sverige
Paul

[Eva Morfiadakis]

An Anna Svensson (Svensson being her patronym) arrived in N.Y. on the Hellig Olav on May 18, 1910 from Copenhagen.

Her last residence in Sweden is "Hishult" (my remark: could be Kishult=Kyrkhult). Her nearest relative in Sweden is: Sven Jönsson, Lycket(?), Hishult/Kishult.

Perhaps her father came back to Sweden and returned to the US after 1910 where he died.

Eva M

Maybe it isn't her after all. There is a place called Hishult not close to Kyrkhult. It may be a coincidence.

Julanäs in Kyrkhult should probably be Jutanäs.

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Hej Eva,

Thanks for the information about Anna.  And now to the American records.  I know that Virginia is really enjoying all the information about her ancestors and she has really thanked everyone who has helped.

mvh
Paul

[Inge Nissen]

Hi

I went trough Sjællandsgade today - a street with old houses. Sjællandsgade 30 and 32 is now one house, but I think the buildings are the originaly from 1877. I will sent you some photos to your private mailaddres.

Venlig hilsen Inge, Århus

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Mange tusind tak Inge.  From letters that Gerda had saved we believe that her father's first name was Ninus, but I think it is almost impossible to find a Ninus in Aarhus at the time she got pregnant.  But perhaps we will get lucky.

Med venlig hilsen
Paul

[Eva Morfiadakis]

Are you sure about Ninus? Couldn't it be Linus which is a Swedish name? I don't really know if it is used in Denmark as well.

I saw that here are two gentlemen buried in Århus having the first name Aninus. It doesn't say when they were buried.

http://www.aarhus.dk/da/borger/sundhed-og-sygdom/Doedsfald/Aarhus-Kommunes-Kirkegaarde/Personsoegning.aspx


Eva M

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Hi Eva,

I am sure it is Ninus.  From letters that the woman has in the state of Washington that her grandmother received, Ninus was living in Odense in 1913 and in Esbjerg the year before.  The letters are quite moving.

Med venlig hilsen
Paul

[Eva Morfiadakis]

At the birth of the child mother Hilda lived at Frederiksbergs Torv 4 (Sankt Johannes, Århus, 1910-1913 image 238). When she named the child in 1914 she had moved to Sjaellandsgade 32. The child was baptized on 29 August 1915.
In FT 1921 Sj-gade 32 image 168 it is said that Hilda belonged to the Adventist Church.

Eva M

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Thanks for the information Eva.  Virginia asked me to post her letter of thanks to all who have helped her discover her past so here it is

      
Good morning Paul,

Well, it took me a little time to be able to catch my breath again, as I think you can understand.  So many emotions - a wave of them - elation, peace, sadness, relief, gratitude . . . and it seems with knowledge comes understanding, too, and Hilda's lifelong bitterness is explained somewhat.

I don't have the words to convey to you and to your wonderful friends my gratitude, Paul.  This has been the gift of a lifetime from all of you.

I'm going to mail out the translations to my sisters this morning and wish I could see THEIR faces when they read them!  (Neither of them is on a computer . . . )

Many, many thanks to you, Paul, and to your wonderful friends.  You've all made three old ladies (and their families) so very happy - and strangely, at least for me, relieved.

Most sincerely,  Virginia

PS  I just showed my husband the line from Ninus that says that you never really know a woman until you see her angry!   I think that line made Ninus more human to me . . .

PPS  Would you be willing to share this note with your friends?

And may I also add my thanks.

Med venlig hilsen
Paul

[Eva Morfiadakis]

Paul,

The father of John Ivar is coachman Kristen Valdemar Madsen, from Maribo. Hilda claims support for the child.

Look into Familieretlige sager in Copenhagen on AO:

Choose:
Aj journal 1910 case No 1687 (image 88) then
Bj journal 1911 case No 231 (image 248) and then
Bj journal 1912 case No 16 (image 10)

Hilda now says she is living in Overgade 29, Odense. There is probably a name within brackets which I can't read. To me it looks like Glaskemet??

Eva M

[Eva Morfiadakis]

Arkivinstitution:  Landsarkivet for Nørrejylland
Arkivskaber(e):  Århus Byfoged
Arkivserie:  Alimentationsjournal  1893-1919
Eksemplar:  Original, Papir m.m.
Indhold fra:  1913 
Indhold til:  1915 
Indhold beskrives med:  Bidragsperiode (Bidragsperiode, Alimentnavn)
Nr:  7244
   
Det valgte er i en fysisk enhed med etiketteksten:
Arkivnummer:
B-056
Arkivskaber:
, Århus Byfoged
Arkivserie:
Alimentationsprotokol
Indhold:
1913 - 1915

I don't know if Gerda's father can be found in the archive above.

Eva M

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Hej Eva,

Once again thank you for your expertise.  I will be sending this to Virginia as soon as I finish this post.  I have already looked at the 1911 and 1916 censuses for Ninus, but he is not at that address.  I know that it took you a long time to find the three records and both I and Virginia appreciate your help.

Med venlig amerikanske hilsener
Paul

P.S.  I notice Fåborg and Barløse at the bottom of your post.  My Løndahl side of the family has it roots in Fåborg and my oldest known ancestor, Jørgen Kjeldsen, father of Jørgen Jørgensen, has roots in Barløse.

[Eva Morfiadakis]

Paul,

my question is in what language did Hilda and Ninius communicate? If he was a Dane his letters must have been written in Danish. Are they written in Danish or in Swedish? Maybe he was a Swede?

I have found this Ninius. He is a Swede. I know it is far-fetched but you never know.

http://www.ellisisland.org/EIFile/popup_weif_5a.asp?src=%2Fcgi%2Dbin%2Ftif2gif%2Eexe%3FT%3D%5C%5C%5C%5C192%2E168%2E100%2E11%5C%5Cimages%5C%5CT715%2D3257%5C%5CT715%2D32570333%2ETIF%26S%3D%2E5&pID=602822110043&name=Ninius+Y%2E%26nbsp%3BFagerstroin&doa=Feb+20%2C+1923&port=Newport%2C+England&line=0012

Eva M

[Paul Løndahl-Smidt]

Hej Eva,

The letters from Ninus are in Danish.  In addition, there is a letter, apparently from Ninus's mother, apologizing for his irresponsible behavior.   It is also written in Danish.  Here is a transcription of parts of two letters from Ninus.  There are parts of the letters which no longer exist.

Odense den 7. =14.

Kære Hilda og Børn

Takke for Brev kan jeg ikke, da jeg ikke har hørt fra dig i lange, lange tider.  Jeg har ventet Brev hver Morgen og jeg tror ogsaa, at kan sige at der er ikke en Dag, uden jeg har gaaet Hjem om Eftermiddagen for at se efter om der ingen skulde være kommet, jeg forstaar dig ikke Hilda, du kan være sikker på, at der er ingen (eller noget) jeg tænker saa saa tidt eller meget paa som Eder, har du ikke et Eneste Ord tilovers for mig, det er vel nærmest forkert at skrive saadan, eftersom at du jo tidt nok i baade har skrevet og forbeholdt mig mine Forseelser i dine breve, men men derfor behøver vi da ikke helt glemme hinanden, lad mig høre lidt om hvordan det gaar. Jeg fik en Hilsen igaar fra en som fortalte, at han havde besøgt dig, det er en Humlehandler Holger Jensen her fra Odense, han har hos mig faaet adr. for snart et Aar siden i Esbjerg, det har hele tiden været min Mening at jeg vilde have sendt lidt Penge nu til Paaske, men det er saa smaat med dem, jeg skylder endnu 72 Kr. i Forretningen, jeg har ikke modtaget en Øre derfra iaar, det var en slemme Tur den i Fjor Efteraar – men som jeg før har skrevet skal jeg sende nu til Flyttedag, eller lige forinden, lad mig nu min Egen lille Hilda (det har du været, og for mit (resten af brevet mangler)

.......... som skrevet, nu inden Flyttedag.
Jeg haaber for din Egen Skyld Hilda at du slaar kold Vand i Blodet og giver dig Tid til at Trække Vejret regelmæssig, du kan rigtignok gid jeg tror det er, som en gamel Venmand har sagt, at Kvinden lærer ingen ikke at Kænde før hun er rigtig gal, saa kan man gennemskue dem, - aldrig havde jeg troet at du den stille og rolige Hilde kunde blive saadan, men ligemeget jeg holder af dig og det m.m. mere en jeg selv kan tro.
Jeg ønsker her som i Brev 1. at i alle har det rigtig godt og du bedes skrive inden ret længe (nu i Helligdagene)
Eders Ninus.

The letter from Odense was probably written 14 Jul 1914.

Thank you so much for your interest in this.

Med venlig hilsen
Paul

[Eva Morfiadakis]

Paul,

Couldn't Ninus be a nickname for Marinus? And the name after the adress is not a name but a title Glarmester?

Eva M

[Eva Morfiadakis]

År 1920 opsattes en løbebro i 1. sals højde mellem sidehusene, for glarmester C. M. Rasmussen. Allerede i 1899 blev facaden gennembrudt med den første »Speilglasrude« over 3 fag for den østre butik. Glarmester Rasmussen flyttede til ejendommen o. 1900, og glarmesterforretningen forblev i ejendommen til 1973, efter faderen overtaget af Ellen Rasmussen, som delte boligen over butikken med en søster, og boede her til sin død i 1979.

This is from Odensedatabasen. Information on Overgade 29. Glarmester Rasmussen lived there and had his shop from 1901.

Hilda was probably the maid of Glarmester Rasmussen. In the letter a Forrettning is mentioned.



http://www.odensedatabasen.dk/ejendom/detaljer?id=83


Eva

[Inger Toudal]

Couldn't Ninus be a nickname for Marinus? An the name after the adress is not a name but a title Glarmester?

Ninus sounds like a nickname to me.

If you mean the address Overgade 29, Odense, the text in the brackets is Vaskeriet (Laundry).

Best regards,
Inger Toudal

[Eva Morfiadakis]

Paul,

In FT 1911 there is a man living as a lodger at Overgade 29 whose name is Christ. Marinus Petersen b. 5 Sep. 1889 in Holstebro. He came from Holstebro in 1910. He is a bricklayer.

Se image 51 (ulige No.)
Eva M

[Eva Morfiadakis]

Paul and Inger,

So it is Vaskeriet but a Glarmester came in handy by coincidence, and so she didn't work at Glarmester Rasmussen.

The young man fits my theory of Ninus being a nickname for Marinus.

Inger where do you find a paternity/alimentation case? In Odense or in Århus? I looked in Odense Vor Frue to see if the birth had been recorded there as well if Hilda lived in Odense 10 months before giving birth.

Eva M

[Inger Toudal]

Inger where do you find a paternity/alimentation case? In Odense or in Århus?

Complicated - depends where the alleged father lived at the time, and whether he acknowledged the paternity, or not:

http://www.sa.dk/content/dk/mest_brugte_arkivalier/sadan_bruger_du_de_mest_brugte_arkivalier/faderskab_-_en_vejledning

BUT: I looked up the baptism of Gerda (Århus Domsogn 1913-1921, opslag 199) - guess what?

The first mentioned witness is Modelsnedker Marinus Bertelsen - is he the father?
Unfortunately, no address or place of living is mentioned.

Best regards,
Inger T.

[Inge Nissen]

Hej Paul

I have now sent the pictures also to the other mailaddres -

And something about the parishes in Aarhus:

Frederiksbjerg Torv, where Hilda lived, when Gerda was born, belongs to Skt. Paul, Sjællandsgade belongs to Aarhus Domkirke, where she was baptized. As her birth is also mentioned in the churchbook for Sct. Johannes it means that she was born in the Fødselsstiftelse ("birth-hospital", this building is today a part of the Aarhus University), which belonged to the parish of Sct. Johannes.

VH. Inge

[Eva Morfiadakis]

Now there are two Marinus. I would say that Marinus Bertelsen is more likely to be the father.
But where do we find him? In view of the letters he seems to have lived in Odense.

Of course there would be no record of the mother's whereabouts 10 months before since the child has no "føderet" in Denmark, the mother being Swedish.

Eva M

PS I get the feeling he is a younger man, still dependent on his mother. She is aware of his relationship with Hilda.