Showing posts with label genealogy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label genealogy. Show all posts
Most Livable City in the World: Copenhagen
My obsession with Denmark marches on. During my summer trip to Iowa for my grandma's funeral, I spoke with a number of family members who are in touch with our cousins and relatives who still live there. Many of the people I spoke to have done more family history research than I've been able to do so far and I'm working on tracking down the data that I can. I still dream of an epic trip that retraces the lives of my family members and introduces me to my living Danish relatives. Until then, I watch videos like the one below, produced by Monocle, and I know that this is home...
Grandma's memorial #throwbackthursday
I'm in Iowa right now for my Grandma Marion's memorial service. It seems only appropriate that this Throwback Thursday post share my memories of her and share the beautiful obituary written by my aunt Nyle.
Marion was smart and sassy. My memory of her telling me about the courtship with my grandpa Otto says it all:
Love you, grandma.
me
Marion was smart and sassy. My memory of her telling me about the courtship with my grandpa Otto says it all:
When Otto proposed marriage... "I told him that I still wanted to teach. I liked to teach. He had two choices: Take it or leave it." Otto waited five years, courting her in the meantime, and helping her open the schoolhouse on early winter mornings to start the fire before the children came. Only when she decided she was done teaching did they get married in 1942. {read the full post here}
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| Jessen family farm in Iowa |
me
I was young | The Blog Dare Day 14
{PROMPT} I was young...
...in this photo. Happy Father's Day, J-man. I love you.
...in this photo. Happy Father's Day, J-man. I love you.
...and he was young in this one.
My Fearful Adventure: Conquering Denmark.
Public Service Announcement: Torre DeRoche wrote an awesome book. It launched earlier this month. Well, back up. I can't actually speak to the specific degree of awesomeness with any authority because I haven't read it yet...but seriously, watch this:
I mean, come on. Love with a Chance of Drowning. This is so my thing. I plan to read it as quickly as I can get my hands on it. So should you (details below).
Torre is enlisting bloggers to spread the word by drafting stories of their own Fearful Adventure(s). There are only three parameters for said posts: 1) It inspires you; 2) It scares you; 3) On some level, big or small, it will change your world.
Will. That's the operative word for me. I've experienced many an adventure in my lifetime, but it's the WILL change your world that triggered me. This implies my fearful adventure has yet to take place.
Folks, it's Denmark. Denmark is my WILL. That's my Fearful Adventure.
Clarification: Denmark itself? Not scary. Quite lovely, as a matter of fact. Traveling isn't scary for me, either. Travel inspires and excites me. Travel also changes my world every time I venture out. I do it a lot, in fact, like, really a lot. Moving to Denmark, as in for a substantial amount of time? Scares the shit out of me. But here's the thing, kids, it also inspires me endlessly. Moving to Denmark is my fearful adventure.
I have countless Evernote labels and snippets and sites and screen grabs and articles and gah! So much research and so much inspiration. Denmark is home. Sometimes, you just know. In an effort to focus my intention and energy, I've even made Denmark part of my 2013 Happiness Project. I've also been researching my Danish lineage, starting with my grandpa Otto who came to the states from Alslev when he was 23. A major bucket list goal for me is to retrace my family's steps, to find the churches, farms, roads, skies, and communities that cared for generation after generation.
With all the research, my travel savvy, the focused intention...why does moving to Denmark scare me so much? I'm an intelligent, accomplished professional and this really shouldn't be my Achilles. I travel alone constantly, both for work and for myself. Book a week in Hawai'i because I need a break from technology? Done. Four days in Ottawa because the leaves are pretty in the fall? Sure. I'm not one to need an entourage. So...what's up, Self? The answer to the question actually struck me as I watched Torre's book trailer. If I found myself in her position, I'm 87% sure I would've had little to no hesitation. Seriously. I'd totally do it. Ocean, sharks, hot guy, sailing in a scary little boat, whatever dude, I'm in. So why can't I move to Denmark?
With all the research, my travel savvy, the focused intention...why does moving to Denmark scare me so much? I'm an intelligent, accomplished professional and this really shouldn't be my Achilles. I travel alone constantly, both for work and for myself. Book a week in Hawai'i because I need a break from technology? Done. Four days in Ottawa because the leaves are pretty in the fall? Sure. I'm not one to need an entourage. So...what's up, Self? The answer to the question actually struck me as I watched Torre's book trailer. If I found myself in her position, I'm 87% sure I would've had little to no hesitation. Seriously. I'd totally do it. Ocean, sharks, hot guy, sailing in a scary little boat, whatever dude, I'm in. So why can't I move to Denmark?
Well, one major difference between Torre's situation and mine: Someone with whom to share the adventure and to love it and you and all the ups and downs and troubleshooting that comes with it. A partner in crime. Because - and shit's about to get real up in here - I'm stuck on thinking I can't possibly move to Denmark alone. Perhaps my fearful adventure is to become an expat and radically change my world...for me and by me. Period.
That could end up being my most fearless adventure of all.
love,
me
UPDATE:
Since writing this post, I've created a Denmark Pinterest board to continue to inspire me. Cheers to bucket lists.
love,
me
UPDATE:
Since writing this post, I've created a Denmark Pinterest board to continue to inspire me. Cheers to bucket lists.
This post is part of the My Fearful Adventure series, which is celebrating the launch of Torre DeRoche’s debut book Love with a Chance of Drowning, a true adventure story about one girl’s leap into the deep end of her fears.
"Wow, what a book. Exciting. Dramatic. Honest. Torre DeRoche is an author to follow." Australian Associated Press
"… a story about conquering the fears that keep you from living your dreams." Nomadicmatt.com
"In her debut, DeRoche has penned such a beautiful, thrilling story you’ll have to remind yourself it’s not fiction." Courier Mail
Digging Deeper: Three Danish Generations
My genealogical research trail left off with my grandpa Otto's parents, Christen Thomsen Jessen and Dorthea Marie Andersen. I went back to the library this weekend armed with a few different research questions to explore. The path of least resistance turned out to be the parents (and children) of Otto's father's father, my great-great grandfather.
One of the Nordic research consultants taught me about the patronymics governing Danish (and other culture's) names until 1857. Since great-great grandpa Christen's last name is Jessen, we know his father's name is Jes. To create the last name of the children, it's the father's name Jes followed by -sen ("son of") or -datter ("daughter of"). Off I went on the search for Jes...something. I found Christen's fødte kirekbøeger (church birth record) and learned his father's last name is Christensen. I also learned that Christen had two older sisters, but he was the first son. That means my great-great-great grandfather Jes Christensen named his first son after his own father. I also learned Jes was a farmer, as was his son, as was Otto.
Jes Christensen married Anne Maria Hansdatter (daughter of Hans, we would say Hansen). Anne Maria was born 30 October 1826 in Strellev, Øster Horne, Ribe, Denmark. Her father is Hans Jensen, her mother is Kirsten Marie Christendatter (Christensen). Anne Marie was 27 when she married Jes, who was 24. Church records show they posted their intent to marry on the church door in Strellev three times: 31 July, 07 August, and 14 August 1853. I kind of love that idea. The research assistant told me that was not only so people knew they were engaged, but it also gave anyone who felt the need to object a chance to do so. No one objected and they were married on 28 August 1853. I researched the tradition a bit more and this is what I found: "In 1582 a Danish-Norwegian ecclesiastical law was passed which provided that a legally binding trolovelse (engagement) was a prerequisite for marriage. This requirement lasted until 1799. Being a religious event, engagements were entered into the parish register. The engagement event was followed by the lysing (public announcements or banns)" (source). So even though the law/requirement was past by 54 years, they still followed the tradition. That's interesting to me.
After they married, they moved to nearby Gjødsvang, Tistrup, Øster Horne, Ribe (where Jes grew up and had his farm) on 02 October 1853.
Anne Marie and Jes had five children: Mette (14 March 1855, Anne was 29 and married two years at that point), Kristen Maria (19 December 1856), Christen Thomsen (16 August 1858, Otto's dad), Anna (15 June 1860), and Hans (31 August 1862, baptized at home 19 September (likely sick and/or premature) and then at the church 19 October). Anne Marie was 36 when she had Hans, her fifth and final child. All children were born in Gjødsvang while living on the farm.
Since I found Christen's parents, I now want to find Dorthea Marie's parents, or Otto's maternal grandparents. That's my goal next time and we'll see where it takes me.
Also, I'm kind of addicted to this. Also also, I'm already plotting my trip to Denmark. I want to visit all these parishes, photograph the now-romantic Strellev church door, and see the land in Gjødsvang that sustained my family.
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| I'm so lucky to have this massive international resource just blocks from my home. |
One of the Nordic research consultants taught me about the patronymics governing Danish (and other culture's) names until 1857. Since great-great grandpa Christen's last name is Jessen, we know his father's name is Jes. To create the last name of the children, it's the father's name Jes followed by -sen ("son of") or -datter ("daughter of"). Off I went on the search for Jes...something. I found Christen's fødte kirekbøeger (church birth record) and learned his father's last name is Christensen. I also learned that Christen had two older sisters, but he was the first son. That means my great-great-great grandfather Jes Christensen named his first son after his own father. I also learned Jes was a farmer, as was his son, as was Otto.
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| My great-great grandfather's birth record, 16 August 1858. |
Jes Christensen married Anne Maria Hansdatter (daughter of Hans, we would say Hansen). Anne Maria was born 30 October 1826 in Strellev, Øster Horne, Ribe, Denmark. Her father is Hans Jensen, her mother is Kirsten Marie Christendatter (Christensen). Anne Marie was 27 when she married Jes, who was 24. Church records show they posted their intent to marry on the church door in Strellev three times: 31 July, 07 August, and 14 August 1853. I kind of love that idea. The research assistant told me that was not only so people knew they were engaged, but it also gave anyone who felt the need to object a chance to do so. No one objected and they were married on 28 August 1853. I researched the tradition a bit more and this is what I found: "In 1582 a Danish-Norwegian ecclesiastical law was passed which provided that a legally binding trolovelse (engagement) was a prerequisite for marriage. This requirement lasted until 1799. Being a religious event, engagements were entered into the parish register. The engagement event was followed by the lysing (public announcements or banns)" (source). So even though the law/requirement was past by 54 years, they still followed the tradition. That's interesting to me.
After they married, they moved to nearby Gjødsvang, Tistrup, Øster Horne, Ribe (where Jes grew up and had his farm) on 02 October 1853.
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| Strellev parish records. |
Anne Marie and Jes had five children: Mette (14 March 1855, Anne was 29 and married two years at that point), Kristen Maria (19 December 1856), Christen Thomsen (16 August 1858, Otto's dad), Anna (15 June 1860), and Hans (31 August 1862, baptized at home 19 September (likely sick and/or premature) and then at the church 19 October). Anne Marie was 36 when she had Hans, her fifth and final child. All children were born in Gjødsvang while living on the farm.
Since I found Christen's parents, I now want to find Dorthea Marie's parents, or Otto's maternal grandparents. That's my goal next time and we'll see where it takes me.
Also, I'm kind of addicted to this. Also also, I'm already plotting my trip to Denmark. I want to visit all these parishes, photograph the now-romantic Strellev church door, and see the land in Gjødsvang that sustained my family.
Memories of Marion
generations of women
powerful
brave
waves of immigrants
voices in her hands
calloused hold the love
of stories rich lines tough skin
the american dream pulses
in her veins
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| Marion Janet Arthur Jessen, 01 December 1918 - 20 December 2012. |
November 2007 was the last time I saw my grandma (dad's mom). When I was in Europe in December I got an email from my dad telling me she passed away, shortly after turning 94, and 12 years after her husband Otto died at age 95 in 2000. I remembered a blog post I wrote five years ago reflecting on what I now realize was the last time I'd see her.
Then, as with now, standout memories for me include her stature. She was tiny at just over 5"3', but tough as nails and physically one of the strongest women I know. She was hyper pragmatic and rational, a savvy business woman, nonprofit Executive Director, a feminist before her time, a hostess and party organizer extraordinaire, and everything was straightforward with her. No fuss, just get it done. She was also incredibly sharp, intelligent with a dry humor. She cracked herself up the last time I saw her, at age 89, telling me this story: "One time a group of Missourians came down to Iowa to work on the farm and help bale hay. One of the women found out she was pregnant. She didn't even realize it. She must be a sound sleeper."
During that same visit, my then sister-in-law commented on my grandma's wedding ring, so Marion asked to see her ring. When they held their hands together, my grandma's face scrunched up and she looked around the room accusingly. "Hey," she persisted indignantly, "your ring is bigger than mine."
At my request she then told us my favorite story, the story of her courtship with my grandpa Otto. She was 19 years old, teaching grades K-8 in a one-room school house for $60 a month, when grandpa started coming around. At that time, she explained, female school teachers had to be single-not-married. When Otto proposed marriage... "I told him that I still wanted to teach. I liked to teach. He had two choices: Take it or leave it." Otto waited five years, courting her in the meantime, and helping her open the schoolhouse on early winter mornings to start the fire before the children came. Only when she decided she was done teaching did they get married in 1942.
Everyone in the family shares a memory of her infamous backseat narrations. To get anywhere in Iowa you drive for miles and miles and miles. She would take it upon herself to tell us who lived where, who was married to whom, what business existed, churches, schools, bus routes, anything. It wasn't just contemporary facts either, she would narrate 50 years of history about any particular place in the split second it took us to drive past it. When I was a teenager I didn't appreciate this gift. In the few times I saw her after college, I tried to make up the time I lost to being young and obnoxious, but I couldn't. This remains a signifiant regret for me. Particularly now as I'm delving into researching family history, I would give almost anything to have even just a few hours to talk to her.
Most of all I remember her hands. They're iconic to me. They're rough and arthritic and beautiful. The poem above is something I wrote while visiting her in 2007. I took the photo of her hands at that same time. I knew it's what I wanted to remember about her. A black and white print of that photo hangs in my living room where I see it every day.
My aunt Nyle wrote her obituary, posted in the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier on 23 December 2012.
Marion Janet Jessen was born December 1, 1918 in Aberdeen, South Dakota the daughter of Wilhelmina (Minnie) and Ray Arthur. The family moved to Waterloo, Iowa in 1919. She graduated from East High School in 1937. She attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa for 6 months. From September 1937 to May 1942, she taught in rural one room schools in Black Hawk County.
On July 12, 1942 she was united in marriage to Otto Jessen in Waterloo, Iowa. Together they owned a dairy farm and operated a retail dairy route with Otto’s brothers. In 1951 they bought a farm on Hammond Avenue in Orange Township. From 1941-1955 she volunteered for the Red Cross, Parents Teachers, and the American Red Cross. In 1955, she helped establish the American Cancer Society in Black Hawk County and became its executive director. On July 1, 1962 she bought her own business, Personal Gifts Company, a wholesale mail order business selling paper party supplies to retailers across the United States. In 1965, she bought a card and party shop in downtown Waterloo which was named The Paper Tree. In 1970, she leased a card and gift shop at the Crossroads Mall in Waterloo. She closed both stores in 1974 and operated the gift shop from the same location as Personal Gifts Company at 3306 Midway Drive, Waterloo.
She was a member of the South Waterloo- Brethern Church, American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, and the Danish Brotherhood. She was the family historian for many years and visited German-Russian relatives in Germany to study her family geneology. She volunteered at a daycare center where she loved rocking the babies. Her joys were having family get-togethers, taking trips, and helping others. She will always be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Survivors include sons, Tom (Nyle) of Iowa City, Jerry (Karin) of Orem, Utah and daughter, Lynet Lorenz (Randy) of Waterloo, 7 grandchildren: Kristine Hallaway (Steve) of Edina, Minnesota, Dawn Pawluk (Michael) of Arlington, Virginia, Gail Jessen of Salt Lake City, Utah, Ryan Jessen of New Orleans, Matthew Jessen (Heather White) of Waterloo, Patrick Berry of Waterloo and Derrick Berry (Jodi) of Guatamala City, Guatamala and 4 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are brothers Gene (Pat) Arthur of Waterloo, Dr. Jim Arthur (Shirley) of Villa Park ,California, Dick Arthur (Charlotte) of Foresthill, California, sister-in-law Helen Arthur of Tucson, Arizona and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Otto, and brother Ralph.
A memorial service will be held at a later time. Marion will be deeply missed by her family.
Exploring my Danish roots
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| expatriate daydreams |
My mom's dad's family is Swedish, full of Malmquists and Bjornbergs from Stockholm. Her mom's line is a common English/Irish/UK mix. My dad's maternal line is Russian and German. My genes go back to Chester A. Arthur - US President No.21, John Williams - advocate of religious freedom, freedom from religion, and founder of Providence, Rhode Island, a woman my gramma referred to only as "the Jewish gypsy" (love that), and other assorted characters I've yet to learn about.
However, for whatever reason, I feel most drawn to Denmark and to the experiences of my dad's dad, Otto Jessen. He came to the states at age 23 in 1929, from Alslev and then Ravnsbjerg, Denmark.
One of the lingering regrets of my life is that I didn't tune into this passion for Denmark until my grandpa Otto had already passed away in the spring semester of my freshman year at college. I wasted so many vacations in Iowa being a teenager and doing what teenagers do, which is waste time. If I could go back I would record every single story and word out of his mouth, I'd ask so many questions.
Part of My Happiness Project in 2013 is to research my Danish roots. Genealogy has to start somewhere and I'm starting with Otto and working my way back. A secondary reason I'm doing this, in addition to my primary desire to learn all about his life, is to generate energy around my goal to live in Denmark. Not to take a vacation. Not to enroll is whatever PhD will get me over there for a couple years. To live. Live for real. For a long time. I've researched expat websites and yes, even a few grueling doctoral program. I'm unclear for now as to how to make it happen. But again, even that has to start somewhere. In a small way, I feel like the three hours I spent at the Family History Library this weekend moved me in the right direction.
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| The Great Dane, per his declaration, grandpa Otto. |
Otto was born 28 September 1905 in Alslev (parish), Skast (district), Ribe (county).
He was child number seven for Kristen Thomsen Jessen and Dorthea Marie Andersen. Older siblings include: Karen Kristine (1891), Niels Paulsen (1896), Ane Katrine (1898), Anton Marinus (1899), Dagmar (1901), and Egner (1904). Herluf came after Otto in 1908.
Dorthea was 42 years old when she had Otto. In 1905. In farmland rural Denmark. And he was child number seven. The woman was not messing around. #vikingstock
Kristen, in some census records spelled Christen, and Dorthea Marie were born and christened (Lutheran) in the same parish of Tistrup (also in Ribe, the same county in which Otto was born). Kristen was a farmer, as was Otto once he made it to Iowa. Kristen was five years older than his wife. He passed away in July 1931, and Dorthea followed in April 1932, a couple years after Otto arrived in the United States.
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| It's a surreal feeling, to find something like this and actually see it on paper. |
I also found the passenger list for the ship that brought Otto to America. He said he was born in Alslev, but his last residence was in Ravnsbjerg. His travel visa was issued in September 1928, so I tried to find census records from Ravnsbjerg in 1925 (the last record before 1930, when he was already gone). That city doesn't exist in the census records. It's thrown me for a loop and I can't figure out why they wouldn't have done a census there. Google Earth circa 2013 shows all sorts of life and stuff going on in Ravnsbjerg, Denmark; but for some reason, 1925 census workers weren't keen on it. I need to know what county and district it's in (which I couldn't figure out online, but that would help).
At any rate, it was the first time I've ever done any research like this and I'm already looking forward to my next trip to the library. Granted many of the research sites are available to me online (i.e. the statens arkivers (Danish state archives at Arkivalieronline.dk), but the itty bitty Danish grandmother who works at the Scandinavian research desk does not get to come home with me. She was enthusiastic, excited by the double ss in my last name, and helpful in teaching me all sorts of useful words that will no doubt help me navigate Denmark once I arrive:
kirkebøger: church record
søg: search
opslag: page
folketælling: census
amt: county
sogn: parish
herred: district
landsogn: rural
fødte: birth
døbte: baptism
copulerede: marriage
døde: death
begravede: burials
Oh yeah, I'll be the hit of expat singles mixer. Just you wait, Denmark. Just you wait.
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