Goatherd

Holeby, Lolland, Denmark

Hans Jacobsen, of Holeby, Lolland, Denmark has seven children by his first wife, Abelone, who died after their children were grown.  Hans subsequently married Karen Dorthea, and they had twins on 1 March, 1857: Lars and Bodil Hansen.  (More on the Danish system for surnames here.)

Lars married Marie Hansen on April 6, 1883 in the Holeby Kirke.  Pastor Trojel officiated.

CC licence: Amateur photo by Anette Hansen, local resident of Holeby, som given here skrives consent til uploading of photograph here ("it is allright with me att you place the picture for common use on the Internet") dated June 1, 2006.
CC licence: Amateur photo by Anette Hansen, local resident of Holeby, som given here skrives consent til uploading of photograph here (“it is allright with me att you place the picture for common use on the Internet”) dated June 1, 2006.

On April 11th, they sailed on their “honeymoon” voyage to the U.S., planning to return in ten years.  They arrived in New York 3 weeks later and headed westward on the six day trip to Nelson, Minnesota.  They were met there by Lar’s older brother, Peder, who had settled on a farm in Belle River Township a number of years before.

Lars and Marie had six children, all born in a log house.

— extracted from the Lydia Hansen Bird papers