Marie Andersen's father, Anders Pedersen, was a copyholder in Nørhå - a little village in the

middle of Thy, a few miles from the North Sea - and born there on April 7, 1825 and confirmed

on April 18, 1841. On December 7, 1851, he got married with Kirsten Jensdatter in Nørhå.

Where she was born is not known for sure, one place she is told to be born in Nørha (about

1823), but she is not found to be born according to some other papers. None of the spouses is

entered as dead there in the parish register for Nørhå. Their youngest child was Marie

Andersen, and she was born in Nørhå on August 4, 1865 and confirmed same place on October

5, 1879. She and Jens Larsen got married in the church of Snedsted on July 3, 1885.

Anders Pedersen was a son of Peder Andersen, who was a smallholder in Nørhå - I have not

been able to find out whether he was a copyholder or a freeholder. He was born in Nørhå on

February 23, 1792, and died at the same place on December 23, 1850 (i.e. The day before

Christmas Eve). His wife, Karen Nielsdatter was born in 1801.

Peder Andersen's father, Anders Madsen was also a smallholder in Nørhå, born there on

September 19, 1756. On February 13, 1783 he was engaged to Anne Villsdatter in Nørhå (It has

not been found out when they got married). She was christened in Nørhå on September 14,

1760, and her parents were Villads Jensen Hundborg (probably born in the neighbouring

parish Hundborg) and Inger Nielsdatter Søe. Their dates of birth and death are unknown, but

they got married on June 9, 1758.

Anders Madsen's father, Mads Pedersen was christened in Nørhå on February 2nd, 1731, and

married on August 20, 1756 with Dorthe Thorsdatter. She was a daughter of Thor Mikkelsen

and Maren Sørensdatter, who was born in Nørhå on July 12, 1752 and died on September 22,

1762, only 30 years old.

Mads Pedersen's parents were Peder Jensen Kaltoft, born on December 28, 1675, died on

October 18, 1761, and Anne or Johanne Simonsdatter, born 1700 and died in December 1770.

Her parents were Simon Jensen in Nørhå - he died on August 6, 1718, and Maren Nielsdatter.

Peder Jensen Kaltoft, Simon Jensen, and maybe Thor Mikkelsen too, were in all probability

copyholders under the estate of Faddersbøl in Hundborg parish, and it was surely under the

same estate that Marie Andersen's father was a copyholder. (In Denmark of today copyholding

has since long been replaced by freeholding).

As it will appear from the above, Marie Andersen's ancestors - in any case on the side of the

father - have mostly been 'settled' people, who, through the generations of whom we have

information, lived and died in the parish where they were born.

Furthermore, it will appear that the father's name as a family name is common for them all. It

was an old custom - particularly among the peasants - that survived up to modern time that the

children got their father's Christian name as a family name; as far as the sons were concerned

sen was added (which means son) and as far as the daughters were concerned datter was added

(which means daughter). If the name of the father was e.g. Anders, the son would be called

Andersen and the daughter Andersdatter. Round the middle of last century, this custom was

abandoned, the datter name disappeared for the women's part, and sen became the fixed family

name for both sexes. Marie Andersen, who was born in 1865 is called Andersen and not

Andersdatter. In many cases, there was added a name of place to the family name (the town or

region where the person in question or one of the ancestors was born, e.g. Villads Jensen

Hundborg). For some people their own profession or - more often - that of their father was

added, e.g. Smed (Smith), Hjulmand (Wheelwright), Degn (Clerk).

Dear Richard,

As far as your grandfather, Jens Larsen, is concerned, I regret to have but little information

about the early years of his childhood and adolescence, before he emigrated to the United

States in 1886. He was born at Aarup in the parish of Snedsted November 18, 1863, was at

school at Aarup, and was confirmed at Snedsted Church in 1877 (or 1878). In the subsequent

years, until he left Denmark, he was presumably, like other smallholders' children at that time,

engaged in farmwork and probably, throughout the years, in his native district; in the

census-paper for 1880, he was registered as a farmer's boy in the parish of Snedsted. He was

married at Snedsted church July 3, 1885, to Marie Andersen of Aarup. She was twenty years

old at that time.

It was in the days when the great emigration took place to the vast prairie districts of the

Middle West, and the rumors of all the fine and fertile soil that lay there waiting for its

exploitation, also reached Thy, and aroused a yearning and hope in many minds for a golden

future in happiness and wealth. Also Jens Larsen and Marie Andersen may have harbored a

longing to acquire a plot of land of their own to work at, and seeing that the prospects of this

were not very bright in Denmark at that time, they made up their minds to try their fortune in

the prairie. So in the year after the wedding they set out on the journey to the far west. And

America was very far from Denmark at that time, it was a long journey, not just a short trip of a

few hours as nowadays. Alone the approximately two hundred and fifty miles from Thy to

Copenhagen, to obtain a passage to New York, took two or three times as long as it takes to fly

from Copenhagen to New York today. And the Atlantic crossing might take several weeks. The

last family visit in the native place before the departure, was paid to your grandmother's sister,

Mrs. Mogens Larsen, at Thisted, where they spent the night before leaving for Copenhagen the

next day. (Whether they went by steamship or by the railroad that was opened four years

earlier through Thy, I do not know.) Your father's eldest brother, John Larsen, who was born in

Snedsted, and was six months old at that time, started here on the first and surely also the

longest journey in his life. Then followed the many years in the prairie, with the daily grind and

with the sorrows and pleasures which Providence allotted him. But about his life in those years

you surely know more than I.

There was no comprehensive correspondence between your grandfather and his sister

(Johanne Marie Larsen) in Denmark. Sometimes there were several years between their letters.

Neither of them was a friend of the writing pen, I believe. At any rate, my mother was not. She

always used the old-fashioned German hand when writing. That was what she was taught at

school. Your grandfather, who was three years younger that she, was more 'modern' using the

Italian script in his letters. I have in my possession some fractions of a letter he wrote to my

mother in reply to one she had sent to him. Of the letter, the beginning with the date and year,

among other things, is missing, but it appears from the contents that it was written in

1899, shortly after your grandmother's death. Between the lines of that letter, I can read that he

had passed through a mental crisis, but that he had pulled through by clinging to the faith of

his childhood. 'I put my trust in God,' he wrote, 'I don't care for the pleasures of the world any

longer, it will only be of little avail when once we shall meet Jesus in his Father's Glory, where

there will be no sorrow or distress but eternal joy and delight for ever. Isn't it wonderful, my

dear sister, that the Lord promised us such a place where we can meet some day if we will be

his children and not live like the children of this world.' It also appears from the letter how

troublesome it had been for a farmer with a family of many young children to be without a wife

and mother in the house, and how difficult it had been to get hold of a housekeeper out there in

the prairie. That job had to be done by his eldest daughter, your Aunt Clara, who was then

eleven years and a half, herself a child, but a mother to her young sisters and brothers.

As he grew older, he became a better correspondent, and it is quite a number of letters I

possess from him, always sent via air mail, and even in the years of war I received greetings

from him through the Red Cross. In spite of the many years abroad and the scarcely first-class

school teaching of a small village school, he wrote excellent Danish and used very few English

words in his letters. Upon the whole, he was surprisingly vital even to the last. In one of his

letters to me - he was then over ninety - he told me, as it were a little apologetically, that the

next summer he would not work quite so much in his garden as he used to do, only sow and

plant enough to cover his own requirements.

In contradiction to your grandfather, his father, Hans Lassen Nielsen, left nothing in writing,

but on the other hand, in the old archives which I have gone through to gather information

about him, he left considerably more data and 'milestones' than his son, thereby enabling me to

follow him, in broad outline, from the cradle to the grave. Furthermore, in all his life he was

firmly rooted in his native soil, always within sight; there is nothing to indicate that he was ever

out of Denmark or outside the boundaries of his native district, at all. He was born at

Skinnerup, a small village two or three miles from Thisted, the capital of Thy, on December 28,

1804. (Whether the date was his birthday or the day of his christening, is not definitely known

as the vicars used the day of christening just as often as the birthday on entering the names of

the little strangers in the church register; but there were seldom many days between the two

events.) The sponsors acting at the baptism were Jens Gade's wife, Else Nielsdatter, Thomas

Klit's wife, Maren, Chresten Terkelsen, Chresten Andersen and Villads Poulsen, all of them

'honest and well-reputed' country people residing at Skinnerup. To know the names of the

sponsors acting at a child's christening, is quite interesting, because in those remote days they

were mostly chosen people, picked from the circle of family and friends, who were entrusted

with the task of acting as godparents, and this provides an indication of the circle of associates

that were nearest to the child's parents. In exceptional cases, the sponsors were selected among

the dignitaries of the parish or district, who by their presence at the baptism lent lustre to the

ceremony and at the same time - so it might be hoped - contributed to raise the social

reputation of the child's parents in the eyes of the surrounding world.

As early as in the subsequent year, 1805, Hans Lassen Nielsen's name is found to have been

entered in the (military) register of the parish of Skinnerup. At that time, Denmark, by an

ordinance of 1788, was divided into six regions, each under its own land and war commissary;

the regions were subdivided into recruiting areas, and the superintendent of such an area kept

a register - a roll - where those liable for military service were registered as soon as they were

born, and their names remained on the roll until they completed their 36th year. Only men

belonging to the farmer class were liable for military service; not until the Constitution of 1849

was military service universal, i.e. Compulsory for all the citizens of the country. When Hans

Lassen reached the draft age, it can be seen that he was declared to be fit for service as a soldier

in the coast defenses, a local force which was established during the war with England in

1807-1814 to defend the country in case of attempted British landing, and which went into

action several times during the war - without Hans Lassen's co-operation, however, as he was

still too young. This militia was maintained for many years after the war ended.

How much school teaching he received, I do not know. Not until the great Education Act of

1814 was school attendance made compulsory for all children from their 7th to their 14th year.

Before that time, schools and schooling in rural districts were of a somewhat accidental nature,

and many children received no instruction whatever except a little religious knowledge now

and then. Still, he must be presumed to have been at school even before the passing of the new

Act; he belonged to an old family of parish clerks, who through three generations filled the

office of a parish clerk and schoolmaster at Skinnerup; when he was seven years old, it was his

father's brother, Poul Tilsted, who was schoolmaster, and he was succeeded in 1814 by his son,

Anders Tilsted, a cousin of Hans Lassen's.

After leaving school, he can be followed through military registers and census-papers up to his

marriage in 1836. In the intervening years, he seems to have lived partly at home, at Skinnerup,

and partly in the neighboring parish, the rural parish of Thisted. For a period he was in a

farmer's service at the village of Tingstrup in that parish, whose name was Anders Gade,

probably a son of his godmother's, Jean Gade's wife, Else Nielsdatter. He must also, in the

course of the years, have learned the bricklayer's craft, because, in the census-paper for the year

1834, he was registered as a master builder living with his mother and stepfather at Skinnerup.

On May 27, 1836, he was married the first time at Thisted church to Ane Kirstine Andersdatter

of Thisted, born in 1801. This marriage was childless (as far as I know). She died January 26,

1854, and as early as in the same year, August 6, 1854, he was married the second time at

Thisted church, to Kirsten Marie Jensdatter of Skinnerup, born October 11, 1831, the daughter

of a farmer, Jens Nielsen Bak. From the birthdays it will appear that there was a difference in

age of approximately 27 years between the husband and the wife. In May, 1857, the married

couple removed to Snedsted, where he was registered in the census-paper for February, 1860,

as a smallholder and mason. At that time, the couple had two children, Else Kirstine Larsen

born in 1855 at Thisted (died in 1915 at South Dakota as Mrs. Wonsbech) and Niels Jensen

Larsen, born in 1857 (died as a child).

Hans Lassen Nielsen died October 18, 1865. The following year, June 19, 1866, the widow

married Chresten Chrestensen (called Skinhoj), a small-holder of Snedsted. This marriage was

of only short duration. October 14, 1868, Kirsten Marie Jensdatter died.

Shortly afterwards, Chresten Chrestensen married again, for the second time, and at the census

in 1870 the family list was a follows:

Chresten Skinhoj, born 1840 at Snedsted.

Nette Larsen, his wife, born 1837 at Sundby, Morsö.

Else Kirstine Larsen, born 1855 at Thisted.

Else Kirstine Larsen (my mother), born 1860 at Snedsted.

Jens Larsen (your grandfather), born 1863 at Snedsted.

The family now consisted of two stepparents and three stepchildren, but according to what my

mother told me, this family composition caused no rupture of the unity of the family, nor was it

broken when, in 1873, the family was increased by a 'real' son, Anton Christensen. This son

migrated at an early age to the United States, but was killed in an accident shortly after his

arrival there.

Hans Lassen Nielsen's father was a smallholder at Skinnerup, Niels Andersen Degn. He was

christened at Skinnerup October 7, 1756. The sponsors acting at his baptism were carefully

selected, so called 'fine' people (none of whom can be presumed to have belonged to the

family). They were Jomfru Sophie Mehldahl, Jomfru Appolone Handrup, Seigneur Cruhl,

Seigneur Aaröe and Seigneur Niels Aars, all of them 'esteemed and well-connected people' of

the local aristocracy. To be styled 'Jomfru' (Miss) alone, was then, for a lady, conclusive

evidence of the fact that she stood high above the common people, and the title of 'Seigneur'

was likewise a proof of a person's high social standard. Seigneur Aaröe was head-clerk at the

inland revenue district office in Thisted, and Niels Aars was surely identical with the Niels Aars

who died in 1774 as 'kammerraad' (an obsolete title) and owner of the manor of Oland in the

parish of Harring, the church of which he presented with a 'chalice and paten' the year before

he died. Niels Andersen Degn was presumably named Degn (parish clerk) after his father's

occupation. On August 4, 1798, he married Else Mortensdatter, the daughter of skipper Morton

Anderson Søe of Klitmøller, and he died August 4, 1819, that is to say, on the 21st anniversary

of the marriage.

In addition to Hans Lassen Nielsen, Niels Andersen Degn and Else Mortensdatter had six

children: Maren, born 1799, Morten, born 1800, Anders Christian, born 1802, Johanne, born

1805, Mikkel Christian, born 1810, and Kirstine, born 1810.

On October 27, 1820, Else Mortensdatter was married the second time, to smallholder Jeppe

Christensen Vestergaard (born abt. 1788). They removed to Stagstrup in 1839 and to Gjersböl

in the parish of Snedsted in 1842, where she died a widow March 6, 1856.

Niels Andersen Degn's father was Anders Mikkelsen Tilsted christened at Thisted October 8,

1710. The sponsors at his baptism were Jens Mikkelsen Balle, Christen Andersen Tilsted

(presumably his mother's brother), Karen Thomasdatter, Maren Nielsdatter (possibly his

father's sister) and Sidsel Andersdatter (possibly his mother's sister).

In 1737, Anders Mikkelsen Tilsted took out a trade license as a store-keeper at Thisted. He was

not long in business, however. At that time, Thisted was a declining town with a stagnant trade,

so that the prospects of working up a business were rather bad. But there were other

possibilities of carving out a career. In the parish-of-ease, Skinnerup, where the duties of a

parish clerk and schoolmaster had hitherto been performed by senior pupils from the grammar

school of Thisted, the so called 'löbedegn' (running clerks), an office as parish clerk and

schoolmaster was established in 1739, and on April 23, 1740, Andersen Mikkelsen Tilsted took

over the job as parish clerk at Skinnerup.

He was married the first time to Dorthe Pedersdatter (around 1740 they had a son, Mikkel,

christened). On June 23, 1745, he was married the second time in Skinnerup, to Maren

Poulsdatter, christened at Skinnerup April 14, 1720, the daughter of Poul Nielsen and Else

Andersdatter. They had eight children, five of whom survived their parents, namely, besides

Niels Andersen Degn, three sons: Peder Degn (a farmer at Skinnerup), Hans Chr. Begtrup

(doubtlessly named after the vicar of the same name in the neighboring parish of Nors), who

died at the age of nineteen, Poul Tilsted, and a daughter, Else Dorthe Tilsted, who married and

lived at Skinnerup. Poul Tilsted, who was the eldest, born 1747, succeeded his father as parish

clerk and schoolmaster at Skinnerup, and continued the name of Tilsted.

In 1742, the rural dean, Mr. Rudbeck Humble, after his inspection at Skinnerup church, wrote

'Anders Tilsted is a good and capable parish clerk and also schoolmaster, and behaves well in

either capacity'. In 1747, the bishop of the diocese of Aalborg (to which the parish belonged),

Broder Brorson, was on episcopal visitation in the parish, and in his report he complained of

the school teaching and that things were not too good with the youth of the parish, it was not so

'good and advanced' as he had hoped and wished. However, Anders Tilsted received the

character from the Right Reverend that he was 'unpunishable in his office and conduct.' Also

the next time when the bishop was on visitation at Skinnerup, Mr. Anders was mentioned as a

good and capable parish clerk and schoolmaster; the youth, in the bishop's view, was tolerably'

satisfactory, and in 1758 it was even 'irreproachable.' However, despite the fact that the bishop

was 'tolerably' satisfied, there must, nevertheless, have been clouds in the sky, for in the same

year, Anders Tilsted was accused of 'remissness' by the parishioners and 'was therefore

punished and promised reformation'. Which duties he had neglected and how long the list of

his sins was and how severe the punishment he suffered, I have so far been unable to discover,

but his faults are not likely to have been very grave, for he continued in his office until he died,

February 1, 1774. His wife, Maren Poulsdatter, died in 1795, at the age of 75 years.

After Anders Tilsted's death, his son, Poul Tilsted, succeeded his father in the office. In a report

from the year 1800, when he had worked in the service of the school and the church for more

than 25 years, it is said of him that 'he is both parish clerk and schoolmaster, but weak and

consequently less capable than might be desired'. What his 'weakness' was, I do not know, but

in spite of that, he continued his job for 14 years until he retired in 1814, and was succeeded by

his son, Anders Poulsen Tilsted, born 1789, who was the third and last of the Tilsted family to

hold the post as parish clerk and schoolmaster at Skinnerup. On the latter I have found no

comments anywhere, so he must be supposed to have attended to his school and to his duties in

the church to the parishioners' and his superiors' satisfaction.

None of Anders Poulsen Tilsted's five children went in for teaching, but a daughter, Ane Marie

Andersdatter Tilsted, born in 1822, became a parish clerk's wife at Hillerslev, and with her,

according to the census-paper for the year 1860, her father lived as a 'widower and retired

schoolmaster'.

A son of Anders Poulsen Tilsted, Peter Andreas Thilsted, born in 1818, was a farmer and joiner

at Hansted. He was married to Sidsel Marie Jensdatter, born in 1822, who was the daughter of

farmer Jens Nielsen of Skinnerup and thus the sister of Hans Lassen Nielsen's wife, Kirsten

Marie Jensdatter.

Today many descendents of Poul Andersen Tilsted live in scattered places in Denmark. Several

of them, like Peter Andersen Thilsted, have an h in their name, whatever the reason may be for

this extravagance and increase in the number of letters in the old name of Tilsted. (By the way,

I do not know either why the name of Lassen was changed to Larsen.)

Anders Mikkelsen Tilsted's father was Mikkel Nielsen Markmand, christened at Thisted

December 31, 1686. His wife, Dorothe Andersdatter Tilsted, who was christened on March 6,

1681, at Thisted, was buried on April 12, 1734, and four days later Mikkel Markmand was

buried. So the husband and wife must have died within a short time of each other.

Mikkel Nielsen Markmand's father was Niels Christensen Markmand, who was buried at

Thisted on January 9, 1691. Where the name of Markmand came from, I have been unable to

find out, but it is very likely that the two bearers of the name were 'markmænd' (fieldmen),

meaning that they superintended the fields of the town, or one of their ancestors may have

been charged with this task. About Mikkel Markmand, it is stated in the church register that he

was 'a citizen of Thisted'.

Dorothe Andersdatter Tilsted was the daughter of Anders Pedersen Tilsted and Maren

Jensdatter. He was buried at Thisted on December 4, 1696. What his vocation was, I do not

know, but in the reports on the great 'demoniacal possession' and witches' trial at Thisted in

1696-1698, he is mentioned as a sheriff's officer. However, this post was not of long duration

seeing that he died before the end of the year 1696.

Thus, it was from his mother's father that the parish clerk, Anders Mikkelsen Tilsted, inherited,

or took, the family name of Tilsted, and through his descendents it has survived up to the

present time.

Tilsted's father, the names of Peder and Tilsted could induce one to think so, but absolute

certainty it is not, so Anders Pedersen Tilsted remains the eldest ancestor named Tilsted I have

been able to trace.

In my research into the ancestors of Jens Larsen on the male side I was able to reach as far

back as the two old inhabitants of Thisted, Niels Chrestensen Markmand and Anders Pedersen

Tilsted, who lived in the 17th century. I have tried in the following report to assemble all

possible information on the relatives of Hans Larsen Nielsen's mother, Else Mortensdatter Søe,

on her father's side. She was a descendent of two old, highly esteemed skippers and merchant

seamen in Klitmøller, Søe and Kløvborg, whose family histories can be traced three hundred

years back in time.

The framework surrounding the lives and business of these two families, the cause of their

social characteristics and - very important - the economic basis of their existence was the

merchant sea trade which until about a century ago was operated from the north of Jutland,

and the history of which can be traced through the records back to around 1600 but which

could no doubt be followed even further back in time. An indication of this theory is that

almost all the ships used in this trade bore saintly Catholic names, which would tend to show

that this form of mercantile trading was operated long before 1536, the year the Lutheran

Reformation broke, replacing Catholicism as the state religion in Denmark.

Mercantile trade practiced by the North Jutlanders of this time comprised both export and

import and depended upon a Royal proclamation permitting trade in certain goods,

particularly grain and timber. Trade routes were mainly across the Skagerak to south Norway

where the towns of Stavanger, Kristianssand, Arendal, Mandal, and Flekfjord were the major

ports. In the Jutland region of Thy, Klitmøller was the centre of this trade. It was to Klitmøller

that goods such as grain, pork, butter, slaughtered cattle were transported after purchase by

the merchant seamen or their agents from local farmers. And goods bought in Norway,

especially timber, were imported through Klitmøller and sold in the Danish hinterland. This

exchange of local products was of great importance both for Norway which was short of grain

and Thy which lacked timber.

The voyage from the beaches of Thy across to Norway was a remarkable, often dangerous trip.

On these crossings the 'Mølboerns' (Møl dwellers) as the people of Klitmøller were called,

defied the ravages of nature. Before them lay a coast that struck terror into every seaman in the

neighbourhood, and they faced a sea that could pound even the biggest, strongest ships to

matchwood if they ventured too close to coast. The vessels used to transport goods across this

swirlpool of Skagerak were called 'sand tubs', small open boats 40-45 feet in length and with a

draught of only 5-6 feet. Most of them were built in Norway and were so constructed as to

permit them even in roughest conditions to ground on the sandy beaches without suffering

damage. A vital factor of these vessels was their elasticity; they were built entirely of wood,

without the slightest piece of metal, and were assembled not with iron but with wooden pins

(trensils). As there were no such luxuries as harbours, loading and unloading of cargo was

carried out on the open sea with the aid of flat-bottom barges - tremendous work which needed

the labour of 30 -40 men per ship and depended on wind and weather. Should the sea suddenly

roughen and pitch, it became impossible to load or unload and frequently the cargo-carrying

vessel had to run for the open sea with only a half load. But once over the sand-bars and into

the open sea, these tiny 'tubs' held their own surprisingly well even in heavy weather, and there

are few reports of wrecks. During the season from early spring to autumn the hardy north

Jutland sailors made as many voyages as weather and circumstances would permit. The

number during any particular season could vary between three and eight. From Klitmøller to

the nearest Norwegian port of call is approximately 90 miles. In winter the ships were dragged

ashore. Riding a west wind, the 'sand tubs' were driving over the shallows and, broadside on

the billows, were carried by the pounding waves up to the highwater line and then manhandled

by means of rope, levers and sheer brute strength all the way up to the warehouses. Here again

it needed 30 -40 hands to accomplish this light job.

In spite of the considerable risk to life and limb (not to mention cargo) associated with this

trade, the merchant commerce was a great and regular source of income for Klitmøller, indeed

for the whole region. It is worth noting that these sand tubs were family concerns, in which an

individual had a share in the craft, some people might have a share in several craft but no single

man owned a complete vessel. On their voyages these sand tubs were manned by three or four

men, mostly four, and most frequently by share-holders themselves. It was seldom that

'outside' labour was employed aboard. The crew of one of these vessels had to measure up to

strict requirements, particularly the skipper. Apart from being a clever, experienced seaman he

had also to be an able, shrewd, merchant. It was a dangerous life, but invigorating and exciting

with a fascinating affect on young and old. Little real wonder that the people of Møl stuck - in

spite of the danger and the hard life - to their sea-going business, and that it was handed down

regularly through the years (both business and boats) from father to son. Hence the firm

establishment in Klitmøller of a number of outstanding boat-owning families, very much

engaged in the mercantile trading business and faithfully carrying on its traditions.

Klitmøller belonged in those days - as indeed it does today - to the extensive parish of Vester

Vandet; but during the period in which the merchant seamen flourished there was a distinct

difference between Klitmøller and the rest of the parish. From strictly geographic standpoint

there was a distinction between the commercial and maritime town of Klitmøller and the rural

town of Vester Vandet: the completely open, deserted stretches through which the traveller had

to pass to reach Klitmøller. But the respective businesses of the two towns and their ways of life

made even greater marks of distinction on the population. Whereas the Møl dwellers lived

almost exclusively from trade and seamenship, the rest of the parish had few such associations

and knew just as little of maritime trading as the Møl people knew about agriculture. And an

opposed to the steady farmers in the greater part of the parish who led a sober, down-to-earth

existence without any great connections with the world outside their parish, the Møl people

were much more extrovert in outlook, their voyages across the ocean to foreign shores widened

their horizons and gave them a higher cultural standard than was otherwise met in those years.

And on average their intelligence was above that of the surrounding farmers. Jorup, the priest,

has described conditions in Thy during the hay-day of the sailor-trader and refers to the

population of Klitmøller as 'the salt of the earth of Thisted county'. In the church at Vester

Vandet which served the whole parish (Klitmøller at this time had neither its own church nor

own priest) the Møl people had their own pews for the church service and they had their own

burial area in the churchyard.

But in spite of the apparent differences which existed between the two population groups in the

parish, the sailor-traders of Klitmøller in the year 1754 demonstrated a feeling of association

with the parish, or at any rate with the church to which they belonged. Their sentiment took the

form of a magnificent gift which they presented to Vester Vandet church that year. It was a

beautiful, large clock, four metres in height and having such heavy lead weights that a man

could scarcely lift them. This clock which today still ticks out the time in hours and minutes

was built by an extremely distinguished clock-maker of the day, Anders Christensen Hede,

Who had his workshop in the neighborouring parish of Øster Vandet. Nothing is known of the

motivating forces behind the generosity of the sailor-traders towards their church. There would

not appear to be any special occurrences in trading in the years previous to 1754 which could

justify the large and expensive gift to the church. By all accounts the mercantile trade for the

past several years had hit a steady, quiet period. But perhaps this is precisely what the doughty

seamen and skippers wished to express their thanks for. Combined maybe with a prayer to the

Powers for continued good fortune and happiness in their work. An inscription on the face of

the clock might well be regarded as a prayer which they wished the clock to pass on:

Let happiness reign while the clock chimes true,

That the ship may ride the weather through,

(Giv lykke i tide når klokken alåar,

At skibet må glide og lykkelig gås.)

But whatever the motive was for the sailor-traders spending their money on such a magnificent

clock, this expensive gift was a clear sign that the mercantile trading business was prosperous

and successful. In other ways, too, the sailor-traders and their kinsmen were willing to show

the world that they were well off and could afford luxury. Priest and author Knud Aagaard in

his 'Description of Thy' writes that 'no self-respecting man in Klitmøller went out without his

silk umbrella regardless whether it was raining hard or the sun shone brilliantly.'

By around 1850 the day of the sailor-merchantman was over and done. The Seven Year War

between Denmark and Britain (1807-1814) had reduced trade tremendously. And Nature took

care of the rest. The storm and flooding of February 3, 1825, washed away the narrow tongue of

land at Aggar which connected Thy with the southern part of the country, and within a few

years sailing conditions through the resultant canal (opened by nature and subsequently

improved by man) were good enough to permit even large steamers to pass into the Ilin Fjord

and shelter at Thisted and other coastal towns with harbour facilities. The tiny sand tubs

ceased to be a paying venture from the open, dangerous coastal beaches.

On a remembrance plaque hung in Vester Vandet church along-side the sailor-traders'

beautiful gift, the huge clock, one can read the names of the donators. It is evident that at time

there were 22 'tub' owners and skippers living in Klitmøller, all old, distinguished families who

through the generations have made the sea and trading their life. There are the families of

Broe, Møller, Frost, Brandi, Skinderup, Kløvborg, Krogh, Black, and Nes, each with a hearty

ring and a justifiable pride. To the surrounding population they were one huge clan, and

married to a large extent members of each other's families. It did on occasion happen that a

Møl man or woman chose his or her life's partner from another district, another society. Just

such a marriage took place between a daughter of Møl and a 'foreigner' on August 4, 1798,

when Skipper Morten Andersen Søe's second youngest child, his daughter Else Mortensdatter

Søe, at the age of 27 years married in Skinnerup Church Parish Clerk Anders Mikkelsen

Tilsted's son, Niels Andersen Degn. Else Mortensdatter was born on February 25, 1771, in

Klitmøller and baptised in Vester Vandet Church. The godparent's included Anne Andersdatter

(no doubt her father's sister), Peder Søe (no doubt her father's brother, tub owner Peder

Pedersen Søe), Mikkel Black of the Black family, and Thomas Thomsen (her mother's brother).

Her father, Morten Andersen Søe, was born inKlitmøller on May 19, 1727, and baptised on May

22nd. Among his godparents were his father's sister Karen Søe (married and living in Øster

Vandet), two boat-owners from the Black and Kløvborg families and a (probably unmarried)

woman from the Kløvborg family. Morten Søe was also one of the Møl folk who chose a bride

from 'outside'. On October 25, 1764, in Nors church he was wed to Johanne Nielsdatter of

Hinding in the parish of Nors. She was the daughter of Niels Thomsen and Ingeborg

Nielsdatter, married in the same church on October 23, 1726. Niels Thomsen was possibly a

farmer and had no doubt little idea of his son-in-law's trade.

On the memorial plaque in Vester Vandet Church (set up in 1754) Morten Søe is included as

skipper of the sand tub 'Sankt Tobias', co-owners being his father, Anders Pedersen Søe, and

brother, Peder Andersen Søe, and Chresten Chrestensen Black (of the Black family). Apart

from their daughter Else, Morten Søe and Johanna Nielsdatter had four other daughters:

Ingeborg Cathrine, Karen Marie, Maren and Bolle (Bodil?) Kirstine. Neither of the couple

(Morten Søe and Johanne Nielsdatter) reached old age; she died in Klitmøller on July 24, 1776,

aged on 43, and he passed away approximately six weeks later on 11th September at the age of

49 years.

Morten Andersen Søe's father, Anders Pedersen Søe, is entered in the parish register for Vester

Vandet as having died on February 9, 1755, at the age of 73 years, 9 months and 4 days, which

calculated correctly must mean that he was born around May 1, 1681. In the winding up of his

father's estate he is mentioned as being domiciled with his mother. At that time he was 36 years

old and at this stage a bachelor sailor. It was nine years later on September 25, 1726, that he

was bound by the chains of matrimony to Maren Mortensdatter Kløvborg, 24 years his junior

and born on February 16, 1705. She was a real dyed-in-the-wool Møl woman from an

old-established boat-owning family, daughter of boat-owner Morten Kløvborg. The year they

were married Andersen Søe bought a house in Klitmøller. According to the Landesting register

of deeds, he bought the house from 'his brother' Peder Pedersen Broe, which must be a

printer's error on the part of the register, since according to the perish register he had no

brother of that name. On the other hand a Peder Pedersen Broe is mentioned as the godfather

to his daughter Bodil Christine, and this Peder Broe was probably married with a sister of

Andersen and therefore his brother-in-law and not his brother. The sea-going family of Broe

bore that name because the family founder at one time lived in a house near a bridge (Danish:

bro) over the river at Klitmøller. This may have been the house into which Anders Søe and

Maren Kløvborg moved as newlyweds. As already mentioned, Anders Søe appeared on the 1754

memorial plaque as part-owner of the boat 'Sankt Tobias', skippered by his son Morten. I have

been unable to discover whether he sailed on this vessel until his death or whether he went

ashore at a younger age and then lived off his share in the boat. His wife, Maren Kløvborg,

survived him for a further 20 years and died in Klitmøller on 16th March, 1775.

Apart from Morten Søe, Anders Søe and Karen Kløvborg had four other sons, each of whom

had Peder as a Christian name. The oldest Peder was born on August 21, 1729, and baptised at

home on the 25th, but died the next day and was buried two days later. Witnesses at the home

christening were boat-owner Peder Skinderup's youngest daughter, Anne, and Jens Broe's

maid, Matte Mikkelsdatter. Peder no. 2 was born on November 10, 1730. It is he who in 1754

was mentioned as part-owner of the boat 'Sankt Tobias'. Peder no. 3 was buried, together with

a stillborn twin brother, on April 27, 1738, and before his early death had been baptised by the

midwife. The youngest Peder was born on April 3, 1743. I have not been able to trace anything

of his later life.

In addition to their sons, Anders Søe and Maren Kløvborg had three daughters of whom the

second, Dorothe Andersen Søe, born September 3, 1735, was married with a well-known, highly

respected skipper and boat-owner in Klitmøller, Peder Christensen Krogh (born in 1720). He

died around 1775 but his death is not mentioned in the parish register. Indications are that he

died at sea in a shipwreck, but no further details of his death are known. The same year (or the

previous year) a Klitmøller boat vanished on a trip to Norway and much would indicate that he

was skipper aboard this boat; but neither the vessel nor her crew were ever found. In March

1776 his widow, Dorothe Søe, w as permitted to wind up his estate and share it with the family,

so at this point he must have been considered dead. The same year Dorothe married seaman

Anders Christensen Krogh, 17 years her junior. Although he bore the same surname as her late

first husband, he belonged to another branch of the Krogh family.

Peder Christensen Krogh and Dorothe Søe had three sons. The oldest of these, Anders

Pedersen Krogh, in 1776 at the age of 17 years became skipper of the boat 'Jomfru Maria'

(Virgin Mary), the majority of which was owned by the Krogh family. Since the toddling stage

he had - just as the children of other boat-owners - been at home afloat, and at the early age of

17 years he was already experienced enough to take on the responsible position as skipper. At

the age of 18 he was married to the daughter of respected boat-owner Chresten Brandi, Kirsten

Chrestensdatter.

Five years later the parish register in Vester Vandet contained the following brief account:

'1782, on __ July Anders Pedersen Krogh's boat was wrecked with four hands on board,

namely Anders Pedersen Krogh, Anders Chrestensen Krogh, Peder Pedersen Krogh and

Chresten Odds'. More details of the shipwreck are to be found in the winding-up of the estate of

Anders Krogh which began on July 31, 1782, and was not completed until January 22, 1783.

This document holds some idea of what happened. The report states that the boat sank - not in

July as the parish register says - but on June 3rd. The document says nothing as to the cause of

the wreck, mentioning only that on June 4th 'Jomfru Maria' was driven ashore as a wreck

upside down near Madsbøl beach'. The disaster must have happened then in Vigns Bay not far

from the boat and crew's home village. The coast at this point is called Madsbøl beach and has

always been feared on account of the rocky approaches, called 'Bragarns' (the Breakers), which

stretch along the coast. The wreck and what remained of the cargo were sold on June 27, by

auction for the benefit of the heirs to the estate and brought in just over 146 rix-dollars, 129 of

which were paid for salvaged timber. All four members of the crew died in the wreck. The

parish register makes no mention of their burial, and as the parish registers in the district

surrounding the disaster area are also without mention of the four, indications are that the sea

has kept them prisoner and they can have been swept far, far away by the strong, surging

current. Perhaps they were washed ashore on some distant beach, far from their homeland and

buried as unknown victims of the sea in some strange churchyard.

Of the other three members of the crew apart from the skipper, Chresten Odde was an 'outside'

sailor signed on the ship. Peder Pedersen Krogh was a brother of the skipper. He was born on

June 20, 1766, and was thus barely 16 years old when he was drowned. In the winding-up of his

estate (not completed until August 26, 1783) it was stated that 'he died on the boat Jomfru

Maria which sank last year'. He owned a quarter share of the wrecked vessel but in spite of the

loss of this share he still managed to leave 267 rix-dollars in ready cash, quite a sum of money

in those days. Anders Christen Krogh who also died in the wreck was the skipper's stepfather

(he was, as mentioned earlier, married to the skipper's mother). Thus Dorothe Søe became a

widow a second time and in the disaster lost her husband and two sons.

In the case of Skipper Anders Pedersen Krogh the result of the winding-up of his estate was

such that the losses in the shipwreck were so great that - notwithstanding that he had been a

wealthy man before the accident - there was a deficit of 41 rix-dollars. This sad state of affairs is

commented upon in the register of deeds: 'So there is nothing left for distribution and sharing

among the widow and young children'. But the widow had a well-to-do father and was not put

in the poor house. Within a year of being widowed she married a boat-owner of the Dragsback

family and in this new marriage produced seven children. Her (and Anders Krogh's) eldest son,

Peder Andersen Krogh, was barely two years old when his father died and on growing up chose

like his forefathers to be a skipper and merchant seaman. When only 18 years old he began to

sail as skipper in his grandfather's boat, and from the age of 25 he had his own craft and also

married the daughter of a rich boat-owner, and in time himself became rich. During the Danish

war with Britain (1807-1814) he carried out a dangerous job of work as head of the government

grain transport from Klitmøller to starvation-threatened Norway. This transport of grain was

conducted in constant danger of being either sunk or captured by the British navy. Peder

Andersen Krogh occupied a number of public positions of trust and founded one or two

charitable foundations. He died in 1841 having - as is written on a memorial plaque in Vester

Vandet church - 'lived in this world for 61 years and 15 days'. His passing meant the loss of one

of the last great boat-owners and skippers in Klitmøller, the last of the family to operate as

merchant seamen from Klitmøller before this trade ground to a complete halt.

Following this study of the Krogh family, we return to the Søe family. Anders Pedersen Søe's

father was Peder Pedersen Søe. He too was a boat-owner in Klitmøller. According to the parish

register he died in Vester Vandet on March 10, 1717. He was at that time 86 years minus 12

weeks and two days old. Thus he had been born around June 1, 1631. He married Kirsten

Pedersdatter who died on June 15, 1724, at the age of 81 years minus 12 weeks and three days,

and was thus born early in September, 1643. They live 'near the mills' (ved Møller). In the old

days there were a number of mills (Danish: møllar) near the mouth of Klitmøller stream as it

ran through the sand dunes (Danish: klitteræ) into the sea; the village probably got its name

from these two features. In 1555 the priest of Vester Vandet stated that there were six mills.

The figure later dropped to three. The movement of the sandy beaches which in those centuries

harried Thy had interfered with the supply of water.

In 1683 one of the three mills, called Møllenmølle, was owned by boat-owners Peder Pedersen

Søe. The main mill building in described as a three-story affair containing a grindstone which is

operated by an underground water wheel. The mill received its water supply after this had

passed through Østermølle, and this water in turn was supplied by the lake of Vandet. The

Møllenmølle could only grind in spring and autumn as during the remainder of the year the

water supply was interrupted by sand drifting. But the mill had a large clientele both from

Vester Vandet parish and the neighbouring parishes. The paddock belonging to the mill could

supply three loads of hay and the nearby sand dunes could provide grazing for three head of

cattle. It looks as if in 1688 the capacity of the mill in on the wane. The millstones are smaller

in diameter than those of five years ago, and the mill can only operate when Østermølle is also

working. But the mill has still a good clientele, and it is noted that the mill itself is in a fairly

good state of repair. But the mill had almost certainly been only a secondary occupation for

Peder Søe. It had no doubt been the sea trading which brought the money into the house.

The estate of Peder Søe in 1717 mentions his and Kirsten Pedersdatter's children. The three

youngest all lived at home with the mother, namely 38 year old Jens Pedersen, 36 year old

(already mentioned) Anders Pedersen, and 33 year old Karen Pedersdatter who shortly after

the death of her father married the previously mentioned Peder Pedersen Broe, from whom

Anders Pedersen bought a house in 1726. A son of the same name as the father, Peder Pedersen

Søe (the younger) is stated as living 'near Klitmøller'. He and the two above mentioned

brothers, Jens and Anders, had doubtless been part-owners in or crew members of the father's

boat. Two daughters, Karen and Bodil, had both moved towards the east. Karen to Øster

Vandet where she married a Poul Pedersen, which in all probability means she became a

farmer's wife. Bodil had moved even farther east, all the way to Thisted, where she was married

to Anders Frost, who was no doubt of the Frost skipper family in Klitmøller. He was perhaps

the same Anders Mortensen Frost who, around 1740, was named as owner of a third share in

the boat 'Jomfru Marie'. The oldest of Peder Søe and Kirsten Pedersdatter's children, Peder

Pedersen Hassing, is entered in the estate documents as 'resident in Kristiansand (Norway)' It

was not uncommon that some boat-traders after a few trading trips to Norway remained in that

country and married Norwegian maids. Peder Hassing had no doubt been one of these. He is

probably the Peder Hassing who in 1705 is mentioned as owning a half share in a boat in

Klitmøller. The name Hassing is perhaps his mother's unmarried name. It was quite common

for a son to get his mother's surname as well as to be baptized with his father's surname.

Peder Pedersen Søe is the oldest member of the Søe family I have been able to trace. As

mentioned, his son Anders Pedersen Søe's wife, Maren Mortensdatter, was from the Kløvborg

family in Klitmøller. Her father, Morten Chrestensen Kløvborg, was born on July 12, 1659. On

December 19, 1693, he married Anne Chrestensdatter. Nothing is known of how she came into

the picture. The parish register says of Morten Kløvborg that he died on June 14, 1712, 'quickly

on the bench with a pain in his chest'. He had probably had a weak heart and had suddenly

suffered from a heart attack.

From 1705 until 1715 (i.e. until three years after his death) Morten Kløvborg is quoted as

owning a third share in the boat 'Jomfru Marie', the same boat in which his great-grandson

Anders Pedersen Krogh died - also in the month of June - in 1782.

Six months after that summer day that Morton Kløvborg gazed from the beach at Klitmøller

out across the sea towards the coast of Norway for the last time his widow had remarried, again

to a boat owner, Peder Nielsen, of the Skinnerup family, one of the oldest families of

boat-owners in Klitmøller. From 1716 he took over Morten Kløvborg's third share in 'Jomfru

Marie'.

Morten Chrestensen Kløvborg was the son of Chresten Mortensen Kløvborg who was born in

1625 and died in 1690. He was mentioned in the Customs and Excise accounts for Thisted

excise station in 1671 as being in charge of Chresten Black's boat. There are strong indications

that this boat was 'Jomfru Marie' on which his great-great-grandchild 111 years later was also

skipper.

Arriving at Chresten Kløvborg, my 'connection' with the Kløvborg family's past history ceases.

After the above was written I have again got 'connections' with our forefathers, Mr. Kløvberg

and family. In the estate accounts of Ørum county (Ørum or Grun? was an old castle in the

south part of Thy) from the years 1585 - 1660, is mentioned some houses in Vang parish

(neighbour parish to Klitmøller. The houses with adjoining fields, standing in the sandhills not

far from the North Sea, were crown-lands, _____ by Ørum county. In the houses lived

small-farmers who were living mostly by farming, and partly by fishing or other works. One of

these houses by name 'Kløvborg' lived in 1634 Morten Christensen. In 1645 is mentioned his

son Chresten Mortensen Kløvborg and in 1651 is mentioned Matte Christensensdatter in

Kløvborg who certainly is his mother, Morten Christensen's wife.

Still in 1664 is Chresten Kløvborg living in Kløvborg. But in 1671 he is mentioned (see above) as

being in charge of Chresten Black's boat. Whether he in this year was still sea-living in

Kløvborg or he was moved to the centre of the merchant sea-trade, Klitmøller. I know not. But

in the census-paper 1677 his name is found in Tvorup? parish south of Vang as copyholding in

a copyhold farm and he must have been well-to-do. When he pay a tax on three-fireplaces. One

fireplaces there was a tax on record and of this tax one can see the farmer's social position. The

usual practice was one fireplace in a small farm, two in a farm, but great-farm and particularly

wealthy people pay a tax on three fireplaces. Whether Chresten Klevborg, after he was farmer

in Tvorup?, still continued as sailor-trader or was living exclusively off farming, I know not.

In the estates for Vang Parish in 1683 the Kløvborg old home in Vang is mentioned as a

'deserted house' in the fields wasted of sand-drifts.

The records of the administration of estates in the counties of Dueholm, Ørum, and Vestervig

1705 -1720:

Folio 205a-09b: No. 2. F4. One rix-dollar. In the year 1717 on the April 9, which was the exact

thirtieth day according to the law, the administration and distribution of the estate left by the

deceased Peder Pedersen Søe, who lived and died at Klitmøller in the parish of Vester Vandet,

were undertaken between his surviving widow, Kirsten Pedersdatter, on the one part, and the

children, begotten together, of the marriage, namely, Peder Pedersen Hassing, a citizen and

inhabitant of Christians-Sand in Norway, Bodel Pedersdatter, the late Anders Frost's, residing

at Thisted, Peder Pedersen Søe, residing at Klitmøller, Karen Pedersdatter, who is the wedded

wife of the well-esteemed Poul Pedersen of Øster Vandet, Jens Pedersen in his 38th year,

Anders Pedersen in his 36th year, and Maren Pedersdatter, 33 years, who are every one of them

living at their aforementioned mother's home, all on the other part. Where then appeared to

undertake the administration of the estate the honorable, etc., Sr. Friederich Birkenbusch of

Thisted, His Royal Majesty's 'Counsellor of Law' and Governor of the counties of Dueholm,

Ørum and Vestervig, and two appointed appraisers, namely Jens Christensen Holder of Vester

Vandet and Niels Christensen Vestergaard of Øster Vandet, as well as the well-esteemed Poul

Pedersen of Øster Vandet, the widow's guardian, and the honorable and high-born Seigneur

Bertel Langbal of Nebbel, the daughter's Maren Pedersdatter's guardian, and the following

items were then, in the sight of everybody present, registered, appraised and dealt with,

namely:

Wooden Furniture and Utensils In the living room: 1 deal table with a foot 1 mark, 1 small stool

outside the table 4 skilling, 1 small oak casket with a lock and a key 1 mk. 4 sk., 1 sleeping bench

2 mk., 1 old post bed 3 mk./

In the small room: 1 old oak chest 4 mk., 1 old deal post bed 2 mk., 1 wooden chair 10 sk., 1

small deal stool 4 st./

In the kitchen: 1 old brewing vat with a half bottom 1 mk 8 sk., 1 deal ditto 3 mk., 1 smaller

ditto 1 mk. 8 sk., 2 small deal vessels 3 mk., 2 carrying vessels 1 mk. 4 sk., 3 deal buckets 3 mk.,

1 churn 14 sk., 1 cream tub 6 sk., 13 strainers at 3 sk. Each totalling 2 mk. 7 sk., 4 small troughs

1 mk 4 sk., 1 beer barrel 3 mk., 2 ditto 4 mk., 1 half beer barrel 2 mk., 2 spinning wheels 4 mk.,

2 yarn reels 6 sk., 1 bushel 3 mk., 1 sieve 8 sk., 2 riddles 12 sk., 3 boxes 8 sk., 1 mangling-board

and a roller 6 sk., 3 store barrels 3 mk., 1 pitch half-barrel 6 sk., 3 firkins 1 mk., 1 pitch firkin 4

sk., 1 old half pitcher 4 sk., 4 beer tankards 6 sk., 10 platters 10 sk. 8 spoons 4 sk., 1 ladder 8 sk.

In the yard: 1 old wooden carriage with runners and other accessories 2 rd. (Rix-dollars) 4 mk.,

1 wooden harrow 2 mk., 7 dung boards at 6 sk. Each totalling 2 mk. 10 sk., 1 chaff cutter and

bin 3 mk., 1/2 plough and accessories 4 mk., 1 hay knife and handle 3 mk., 2 barn forks 1 mk. 4

sk., 2 shovels 4 sk., 1 wheelstone with an iron axle 3 mk., 2 heather scythes 1 mk 4 sk., 2 spades

1 mk. 8 sk./

Copper: 1 old copper vessel in a pit holding approx. 30 gallons 6 rd., 1 smaller ditto in a pit

holding approx. 1 firkin 2 rd. 4 mk., 1 small boiler 1 rd. 2 mk., 1 tolling vessel 2 mk./

Brass: 1 brass candlestick with a large, round foot 2 mk., 1 older ditto 1 mk. 8 sk., 1 useless ditto

12 sk./

Pewter: 1 dish 2 mk. 8 sk., 1 butter jar 1 mk., 1 white stone mug with a pewter lid 10 sk., 1 red

ditto 1 mk./

Iron: 1 iron stove with two iron feet 5 rd., 1 steelyard 4 mk. 1 iron rod 1 mk. 8 sk., 1 saw 12 sk.,

fire pan 6 sk., 1 chopper 1 hammer and pincers 8 sk., 1 plane 4 sk., 4 millstone dressers 2 mk., 1

iron pot 3 mk., 1 trivet 1 mk. 4 sk., 1 grate 12 sk., 1 pair of tongs 8 sk., 1 lamp 4 sk./

Stoneware: 1 Dutch dish 8 sk., 4 stone dishes 10 sk., 2 old earthenware pots 4 sk., 2

earthenware mugs 2 sk., 1 pan 1 sk., 4 old vessels for bolted flour 4 sk./

Bedclothes: 1 home-made fustian elderdown with blue stripes and little feathers in it 2 rd., 1

ditto feather bed with black stripes and little stuffing 1 rd. 4 mk., 2 small pillows and cases 4

mk., 1 striped bedcover 2 mk., 1 black abb-wool fustian eiderdown 4 mk., 1 ditto feather bed 1

rd. 4 mk., 2 homespun pillows with cases 3 mk., 1 bedspread 2 mk., 1 old homespun eiderdown

1 mk., 2 small pillows 1 mk. 8 sk., 2 homespun blankets 2 mk., 2 old bedspreads 3 mk., 1 old

home-made fustian eiderdown 1 rd. 2 mk., 2 old pillows 1 mk., 1 old case 1 mk./

Linen: 1 drill table-cloth 1 rd., 1 old tow yarn table-cloth 1 mk. 8 sk., 3 linen sheets 1 rd. 3 mk., 1

tow yarn ditto 3 mk., 2 old towels 1 mk., 1 tow yarn pillow case 6 sk., 5 of the deceased man's

shirts 2 rd., 2 linen kerchiefs 12 sk./

Wearing Apparel: 1 old cloth kirtle 1 rd., 1 red undershirt 4 mk., 1 homespun dress 3 mk., 1 red,

homespun coat 1 mk. 4 sk., 1 green, woolen coat 2 mk., 1 pair of breeches of the same kind 2

mk., 1 pair of linen breeches 1 mk., 1 pair of leather breeches 4 mk., 4 pairs of stockings 2 mk., 1

lined cap 2 mk., 1 hat 1 ?, 1 pair of shoes 2 mk., 1 pair of slippers 1 mk./

Livestock: 1 blackish brown mare in her 8th year 10 rd., 1 brown ditto, 14 years old, 6 rd. 4 mk.,

1 black cow with a blaze, 10 years, 3 rd. 2 mk., 1 steer in his second year 4 rd., 1 raven-black

steer, 1 year old, 2 rd., 1 black heifer with a blaze, 1 year old, 1 rd., 1 sucking calf 2 mk., 6 sheep

2 rd., 2 ram 4 mk., 1 hog 1 rd. 1 mk., 1 sow 5 mk./

Grain: In the loft 4 'tønder' (approx. 15 bushels) of rye at 9 mk. Each totalling 6 rd., 2 'tønder'

(approx. 8 bushels) of barley at rural price 5 mk. 8 sk. Each totalling 1 rd. 5 mk., 2 'tønder' of

malt at 1 rd. Each totalling 2 rd./

The Mill itself is entered in the land register for 1 'tønder 2 skæpper 2 2/3 fjerdingkar' (about 5

bushels) 'hartkorn' (estimated productivity). However, the lower wheel, the inner wheel and

the lower millstone are much dilapidated, and badly need repairs, but it is otherwise, including

the building standing on the site, estimated at 136 rd. 4 mk. in its present state. In addition: 2

skæpper 2 1/3 fjerdingkar' (about 1 1/3 bushel) 'hartkorn' peasant tax, estimated according to

His Royal Majesty's most gracious Ordinance of January 31, 1691, at 13 rd. 2 mk. ( 1 td. - About

4 bushels) 'hartkorn': 40 rd./

In a sand boat, at Klitmøller, of 6 1/2 last burden, one fourth part belongs to the estate which,

in this way, is in partnership with the highly esteemed Sr. Bertel Langbal of Nebbel, Christen

Mikkelsen Black and Peder Pedersen Søe, both residing at Klitmøller. This same fourth part is

valued in its present state by Christen Christensen and Christen Andersen Skiægshoj, both

residing at Klitmøller, mentioned above, at 80 rd./

An old fishing boat, of which the estate owns one half, is valued by the aforementioned two

men at 2 rd. 4 mk./

In additon, there are two men's fishing tools consisting of a trap for catching cod and haddock

totalling 3 rd./

The Debts andLiabilities of the Peder Pedersen Søe Estate were listed as follows:

Royal Taxes: This year's war tax to the amount of 1 rd. 3 mk., Family tax in the settling period

of July 3 rd. 2 mk., The April quarterly peasant and mill tax 4 mk. 4 sk., In the July quarter

likewise 4 mk. 8 sk., The poll-tax of February 1, 1717, 4 rd., One half of this year's boat tax 8 mk

8 sk./

Wages: The boy Jens Andersen for a whole year 6 rd. 4 mk., The maid servant Sidsel

Nielsdatter likewise 4 rd/

For the repair of the houses, according to the appraisers' opinion, are required 7 loads of straw

for thatching and 2 sheaves at 3 mk. 8 sk. Per load: 4 rd. 2 mk. 14 sk., Wages for thatching and

straw bands 3 mk. 4 sk.

For the household have been used, from the beginning of the administration of the estate, 2

'tønder' (td.) of Rye at 1 rd. 3 mk., 3 td. Barley at 5 mk. 8 sk., Totalling 2 rd. 4 mk. 8 sk.

To cover funeral expenses, the widow demanded in advance to her deceased husband which the

heirs and the administrator considered reasonable 16 rd.

Cost of the administration of the estate: For 1 sheet of stamped paper for the original

administration document, for making fair copies of same on 16 sheets at 3 mk. Per sheet,

totalling 8 rd., For the registration on 4 sheets 1 rd., Two sheets of stamped papers for Jens

Pedersen's and Maren Pedersdatter's share tickets 1 rd., For writing same 3 mk., The

administrator out of the money of the estate and for carriage rent to and from the meeting

place 4 rd., The appraisers for their trouble 2 mk.

As now the aforementioned debts and liabilities, which correctly calculated amount to 64 rd. 5

mk. 14 sk., are deducted from the assets, which are previously stated to be 341 rd. 3 mk. 10 sk.,

it is clearly seen that 276 rd. 3 mk. 12 sk. is left for distribution among the heirs.