Page 80 and Page 81

Page 80:

Funerals

When a person died, the first step was to dress the deceased in a simple long heavy duty shirt. Once they were dressed, the body was placed in a room on what they called a stretcher. It was essentially two chairs with a pair of boards between them. On top of the boards they placed a few bushels of pure rye straw. When these specific bushels weren't used for such an occasion, then they were hung in the attic. Therefore it was quite possible that such a bushel would be used time and time again and could even be more than a hundred years old.

Next someone had to go see a builder or a carpenter to order a coffin. These coffins were made out of rough boards and treated with a mixture of soot and water. The handles were fashioned from rope and covered with black fabric. 

A request was then sent to the country offices asking for the certificate of death (burial permit) after which they needed a grave dug. 

Order the bell ringers, invite people to the funeral, speak to the priest about dropping dirt on the grave. Paying him for his services and asking him to give a speech at the funeral. 

The quality of the speech stood in direct correlation to the amount he was paid. They also had to request the presence of the headmaster of the school, because he had to come along and sing at the funeral. 

  

Page 81:

However, he was also in attendance in order to enjoy a good meal and perhaps even partake in a game of cards during the afternoon and into the evening. In the meantime, the coffin was ready and had been delivered. It was half full off of wood shavings and a head support had also been placed inside of it. A sheet was spread over it upon which the body then was lowered into the coffin. The sheet was then draped around the body and they would place a bit of lace over the face of the deceased. The came the headmaster along with another man who were supposed to act as witnesses and were to inspect the body of the deceased and clear them for burial. 

Usually 8-9 days would have passed by now and the invited guests had gathered because the funeral day had arrived. Those who had invited them to the funeral, of which there were twelve individuals, had gone ahead with picnic baskets and the likes in order to prepare lunch. The funeral procession set out, and there were no predetermined pallbearers so all of the men took turns. The men walked and the women drove in wagons behind them. Suddenly the procession came to halt and a wagon that had followed in the rear came up to the front where the coffin then was loaded onto it. It was by no means a proper hearse but rather a regular work wagon. Our community didn't have a hearse back then. We were now only a short distance from the church and once again everyone came to a halt. The bells began to ring and the body was unloaded from

Page 78 and page 79

Page 78:

I don't know if it was a law that children needed to be baptized by a certain age. However, more than once it so happened that after six weeks the priest would send a message to a given set of parents, reminding them not to forget to get their child baptized. Sometimes it so happened that the child was baptized in their home, but sooner or later they always ended up in church anyway and had to go through the ceremonies that went with a baptism. This is also why, at the beginning of a baptism, the priest would inquire as to whether or not the child had been baptized at home, to which the godmother would either respond yes or no. You could always tell who the godmother was, because she was the one who would be holding the baby. The first things that needed to be done in preparation for the baby shower and baptism was to choose a sort of "best woman." This woman's duty was to escort the mother of the child into the church. Another woman was chosen to carry the child and to hold them during the baptism. Yet another woman was needed to hold the bonnet, nurse the child if need be and to assist the godmother in the church. She was also required to loosen and retying the bonnet before and after the baptism. Two father's were also required to stand and observe the baptism in the capacity of witnesses. Now the father of the child was required to go out and invite everyone to a feast. His announcement might have sounded something like this; "Greetings from the mother and child. Would you please join us this Sunday at church 

Page 79:

and then come back to our house where you could enjoy some lunch or simply visit for a while."So the day before the party the girls had to run along with some milk, butter and cream which was meant to assist with the preparation of the feast. Then on Sunday the guests would gather for the feast and were met by musicians as they entered the courtyard at the farm. 

The godmother was also in attendance. She had dressed the child in clothes that she had acquired by buying the fabric, sowing the clothes herself and presenting them to the child as a gift. Now they were at the church and everyone went in except for the mother, the "best woman," the godmother and the wet nurse. They would remain in the entryway until the end of the first psalm, after which the priest came out and gave a small speech meant to usher the mother into the church. The priest then left again and the mother and her "best woman" entered. When the sermon was over the deacon went out and brought in the two other women who had the child with them and the proceeded with the baptism. The godmother would then hold the child while it received the sacrament after which she handed the child to the wet nurse so that she herself could go up and receive the sacrament. Then it was the mother's and her assistants turn and then everyone else's. Everyone would then head to the home of the parents where a wedding style party would commence.  

August Meeting Minutes

Members and Guests present: Allan J, Dane J, Amy A, Keri B, Tara B, Loraine L, Ada L, Katie L, and Mike B.

This was our annual bring your own dinner picnic at the park. We met at the Miner's Park in Negaunee and spent most of the evening visiting. Katie and Ada were visiting from downstate.

Dane brought a children's game, "Dyrene's Hotel" for us to play (Animal Hotel). The object of the game is to fill your hotel with all of the animals that are on the card. When you roll the dice you can end up with more animal cards, a chance to trade, or a "chance" card which can cause good or bad things to happen at your hotel. 

Ada enjoyed playing the game, especially because she won the first round! After a bit of play, she even tried reading some of the Danish on the cards. 

Our next meeting will take place on September 12 at Kris's house. We will send a reminder out prior to the meeting and let you know if you need to bring anything along! 

Page 76 and page 77

Page 76:

The dancing is temporarily suspended because it was now time to toast the happy couple. The best man sits down and fills the glasses with brandy, wine and other kinds of beverages, as the music slowly begins to wind down. People then pair up, one man and one woman and head over to the table for a glass. The man utters his toast and proceeds to clink glasses with their partner, they drink, put their glasses down and both leave some money meant for the musicians.

The various toasts that are uttered are primarily in honor of the newlywed, their parents and everyone in attendance. when they were all done the dancing would quickly commence. However, by now the bride had changed out of her traditional wedding gown and into a more simple dress. She was on the dance floor, dancing with all of the women. Dancing her way into womanhood. It was now past midnight and people were starting to head home. However, before leaving they were all offered a snack which consisted of leftovers like fish in mustard, bread and much more. The next day they gathered once more for lunch which was porridge left over from the day before and which this time had been reheated and mixed with beer. There was also fish along with an assortment of many other dishes. It was very much like the previous nights feast except no one was toasting. Sometimes, the immediate family was even invited to partake in a third day of celebrating.

Page 77:

Qvindestue

It wasn't unusual that a short while after the wedding, the young couple would be expecting an addition to their family. When something like this happened it was customary to hold what was referred to as "Qvindestue" (which meant that the father would go around to family and friends, informing them that they had gotten a baby. He would then invite them to join them for "Qvindestue" on that very day. However, the invite only extended for the parents of the various households. On said day, 10-20 families showed up, each of them bringing a large jar filled with sweet soup and some pancakes. They would all proceed to enjoy a happy day and night, socializing, playing cards and the likes. However, each woman would also bring on crown and placed it in the crib. They would then tell the mother that the money was to be spent on a book for the little one. 

At the time when a young mother was sowing the first outfit for their newborn, they would also sow their own funeral shroud which would be put away for safekeeping until she passed away.  

Page 74 and page 75

Page 74:

would play them on their way, Next they were in the church and a little later they were married. The young couple then goes up and present their offering to the priest and then to the deacon. The groomsmen follow suit, then the next of kin and then everyone else. Afterwards they headed back to the house where the band once again greeted them with music. The next door neighbors and those who lived near by went home where the men unhooked their horses and the women had an opportunity to change. Everyone then headed back to the party and as they entered the festivities they were greeted by a clarinet player. Once they all were gathered, all of the tables were decked out with rice pudding, dried fish, bread, butter, beer and brandy. As soon as the meal began, the band would start playing a piece of music that signified the newlywed couple entering the banquette room, and the same piece was played as they entered the barn. They went around like that two times, and as they started on their third round, the band leader would place a small plate on a table upon which both of them placed a bit of money to pay for the music. 

He takes the money and puts it in his pocket, thanks them and says; "Greetings from the bride and groom, as well as from our hosts. They would like to invite you all back here tomorrow for lunch." That signified the end of the meal and everyone shakes hands and gives thanks for the food. 

Page 75:

Everyone realizes that it's now time to make room for the servers to allow them to clear the tables, move things out of the way and sweeping the floor. It was now time for coffee and four of the most respected women were asked if they would be the ones that would sit at a predetermined table and pour the coffee. All the coffee cups and many pots of coffee are placed at one end of the table. The first of the four women pours the coffee. The second one pours in the cream while the third one is tasked with serving the coffee to the guests. Finally, the fourth woman walks around and collects used cups for the first woman to reuse, and so they kept going round and around. 

Now the dancing was about to begin and one of the best dancers at the party was chosen to dance with the bride for her first dance. The two would start with a single waltz followed by a Hamburg (Polka). After that the dance floor was open to everyone but as it became possible, each young man and woman would try to get a chance at dancing with the bride. The idea was that they collectively would dance har into womanhood. Now it's dinnertime but they only set the table that's in the livingroom with such things as bread, butter, cheese, meat, beer and brandy.

The dancing continues uninterrupted and the musicians have to take turns trying to get something to eat. Now it's about 10 or 11 and a singular table is placed in the middle of the dance floor and upon it they place bottles and glasses along with two chairs that were meant for the best men.

Page 72 and page 73

Page 72:

and the guests needed to be invited. However, that wasn't the responsibility of the groom. That particular job fell to the father of the bride or some other close relative. This person would then travel around and deliver greetings from Peer and Mette and inquire if they would honor them by joining them at the church on their wedding day.  Afterwards they were also invited back to the house for a party and a just all around good time. So on the morning of the day before the wedding each invited family was required to bring a big bucket of fresh milk, a large dish of butter and a bottle of cream which was meant to help feed all of the guests that would be in attendance. 

Meanwhile, the bride would have gotten her dress made, either by a professional seamstress or by some other woman, because the bride was under no circumstances allowed to sow her own dress, even if she herself was a seamstress. The wedding day was upon them and the seamstress, as well as the other upstanding ladies in the neighborhood, showed up to help get the bride dressed and bind her head. Only young girls got their heads wrapped, while widows didn't. The traditional bridal headdress consisted of a neck piece made of stiff paper about 8-10 inches across. It was rounded and covered in fine fabric which had been adorned with tight laying lines of pearls 

Page 73:

of all sizes and colors. It was fastened in the back of the neck, but not before her hair had been braided into pigtails. It was a tough job to get the hair just right because back then it wasn't customary for people to braid hair. You'd then gather every pearl that you could find, bead them all on string and wrap them around the neck piece. Then they would add bows, enough that they resembled a bushel of oats hanging down her back. 

Now the bride was ready and the musicians were out in the street greeting the arriving guests with a little song. A predetermined person would place a small stool by the wagons, assist people who were disembarking and bid them to come inside. The women were in the sitting room, while the men would congregate in the living room or in the barn, depending on where there was room. There were tables everywhere with trays of wheat cake that had been plated. This cake was accompanied by butter, beer and brandy. These aforementioned items were all that were served at such an event, and no one expected anything else. Now it was time to drive to the church, so everyone got in their wagons, and as soon as the procession started moving, the band    

Page 70 and Page 71

Page 70:

We then decided to have an action to get rig of everything that wasn't nailed down (personal belongings), which generated 200 crowns. So with a mere 1000 crowns in my pocket, the clothes on our backs, a bit of bedding and with our three children in tow we left our little home in Orup. We were headed out into the great big world where we would seek our fortune. 

It was the 24th of July 1871 when we held our little auction and that very same evening we moved in with Hans Jørgen in Vallebo. On the 25th I went to Roholte to liquidate my account with the co-op. On the 26th we were in Faxe at Lars Jensen's place, then on to Lars Hemmingsen's house in Taagerup and further on to Vibede Overdrev where we finally said goodbye to Hans Jensen and my sister Maria. 

On the 27th we packed our bags and on the 28th we had Hans Jørgen drive us to the Haslev station. We arrived in Copenhagen that very same day where we stayed until the 1st of August which was the day when we headed out to sea and bid farewell to the land of our birth.

Page 71:

Old customs

One of the oldest customs is of course the idea that people should get married and this was very much the case when I was still living in Denmark. However, back then there were a lot more ceremonies and rules that had to be observed. For example, when a couple had agreed to get married they couldn't just do it where ever they wanted. They had to have an earnest conversation with their parents about it and if no parents were available then they needed to approach some trustworthy friends who were willing to help them out. The first step was to find two witnesses and it was their responsibility to make sure that the young couple wasn't already married to each other or to anyone else for that matter. They simply had to make sure that there was nothing preventing them from forming this union. Then, on a predetermined date, the young man, while accompanied by his witnesses would visit the priest and ask him to publicly announce their desire to wed. 

So the following Sunday, after the sermon, the priest would read out loud; "I would like to announce the first time union of Peer Peersen and the girl Mette. If there is anyone who objects to their union speak now, or remain silent." The same procedure was repeated on the second and third Sunday after which the final wedding day was set. 

Page 68 and Page 69

Page 68:

Around Helsingør and into the Eastern Sea. It then got pushed into Køge Bay, across Feddet and all the way down to Præstø. It even went to Kallehave and further towards the islands where it caused much damage along the way. Hundreds of ships wrecked on shore, houses were washed away in the flood and many animals as well as people died.

America fever:

A work shortage spread among the peasants because by now they all had had their properties marled and drained. you couldn't even get a job digging a single hole. Making matters worse was the fact that most farmers now had their own threshing machines that were pulled by two horses. Where you before had enough work for one farmer, two farmhands and a boy, now you could make due with two boys and one girl, when threshing was done. Gone was the need for the really qualified workers, which is why more and more of them began looking to America as a land of opportunity. Many a man from our area journeyed to America and they all wrote back that it truly was a paradise on earth. My wife and myself were also swept up by the spreading America fever 

Page 69:

and we began looking into whether or not it was possible for us to part ways with good old Denmark. We got connected with Peer Hansen who was supposed to give us 800 crowns in return for us vacating our land. (Which means), he would give us 800 crowns for us to move out of the house after which he would approach the noble family about him taking over the house. 

I then had to go see Counsellor Nielsen in Vindbyholt, where I had to ask, in the humblest of manner, to be released from my land contract. "Released from your house! You have no house! That house belongs to his lordship. Here you're running around, wheeling and dealing with houses that you have absolutely no ownership in. Well, who is supposed to get the house from you?" 

I told him, to which he replied; "I see, and how much have you been offered in order to vacate?"

"800 crowns, really? That's more than the entire property is worth. I imagine it's probably Johan Hylsenberg was the one who wrote you from America. He probably told you that over there, grilled pigeons fly straight into your mouth as long as you open it wide enough. Whatever, I will ask his lordship what he thinks about the entire affair. Come back in a couple of days and I'll let you know what he has decided."

I agreed, and a few days later we received our 800 crowns.

Page 66 and Page 67

Page 66:

except for two, then these two remaining members should evenly divide whatever there might be left. It wouldn't surprise me if they had excluded Americans. It also wouldn't surprise me if there wasn't a substantial amount of money left for the final two, because all the guys joining were young men and the interest on the $1600 was probably more than enough to cover expenses for many years. 

I've carried and shaped a lot of large boulders and shale, and I've broken them down until they were only 10 inches thick after which they were delivered out to the country roads and placed every 1/4-1/2-1 fathoms. After which they were broken down further until they were 1 1/2 inches in size and were now called "skjærver"/ballast that were then used to resurface the road. 

I've crushed numerous fathoms of "skjærver."

I've cleaved and split many fathoms of boulders until they were six inches in size and were used for masonry.

Our little Lisbeth who was born on the 5th of February 1868, got croup and died when she was a little over a year old. The exact date escapes me, but I remember there being a lot of snow and we were driving sleighs across the fields. She was buried in the Roholte cemetary, just North of the church, about 20-25 feet from the North-East corner. I placed a     

Page 67:

ring of cement around her grave. On the ring itself we put a little inscription written in gilded letters. Furthermore, when we left the area we used a large share of our now liquidated belongings in Roholte to pay a woman to take care of the grave for us for as long as she lived. 

Fast forward to the 11th of December 1871 when Jørgen was born just before noon. That afternoon I went down to teacher Melow's house in Roholte to deliver the news. Melow noted how strange it was that I had gotten a son today since it was such a noteworthy day. It was "terminsdag" as well as the day when his wife had passed away. His statement was followed by him folding his hands together as if he was praying.

"Terminsdag"/due date, came around twice a year, on the 11th of June and the 11th of December. On these two days, which happened to be exactly six months apart, all interests, regardless of if it was owed or earned had to be settled before the end of the day. Even the banks wouldn't pay out interest except for on these two days, during what they referred to as the "dues period," and the days were referred to as the "due dates."Later, in the fall of 1872, the waters rose at a tremendous rate and we had a flood. It was a South-West wind that drove the waters in from Kattegat and into the North Sea

Page 64 and Page 65

Page 64:

which is why he ended up in the Horsens jail. The elder miller Johansen from Hauby, whom I have mentioned previously, created the insurance company in his younger years, and it was a shame that his son later would get in trouble because of it. However, greed is the root of all evil. During my time in Orup I was one of the founding members of an association, a cooperative store and I remained a member until I moved to America. 

I was also one of the founding members of an insurance company for farmers where they could insure their livestock. I was the president of the organization from its conception and until I ventured to America. 

I was also part of creating a health insurance association for farmers and residents in the parish of Roholte. I remained on the board until I left........

I was also a member of an association promoting better conditions for farmers as well as general laborers and I remained the district president for the entire time I was there. This organization was spreading in several areas across the country before it came to our area but it ended up covering almost all of Zealand. There were counts, barons and

Page 65:

other learned folk who began to realize that the less fortunate could benefit from their council. These land owners gave us free seed for gardening, instructions on how to tend to the plants as well as handing out rewards for gardening. We had to pay a small sum to assist with the writing and printing of publications which was taken care of primarily by the lords in lieu of them only being passive members. Then, as the association had operated for a number of years, and the nobility could see that it had done a lot of good, a meeting was called at the industrial building near the Rønned Inn. Count Molke from Sydstrup was the chairman and during this meeting they informed us that they had no more advice to give us. To be truthful it wasn't needed anymore since we were up and running now. Their recommendation was that we should go ahead and disband the association, which we did. However, at that point in time we had 1600 crowns in our treasury which we converted into a grant to be watched over by Count Molke from Sydstrup. He was to receive the money for safekeeping, and each time one of our members died, he was to pay their next of kin 5 crowns as long as there was money available. However, when all the members had passed away,  

Page 62 and Page 63

Page 62:

civil engineering. It was of course necessary for water to keep running through the pipes, and this job required an engineer. That was exactly what I thought I'd be good at. So I leveled the field, and if I could muster more then I would lay some pipe. The only tool that I had to help me level the area was a 20 foot long board which had a piece of wood attached to one edge. It was 18 inches tall and had a rope with a lead weight attached to one end. This made me the Superintendent of drainage for may of the local farmer's fields, which made me approximately 1 thaler a day. 

I have put in many hundred square fathoms of stone on bridges. It was extremely hard on the knees and while you were afforded a one-legged stool to sit on, one knee was always on the ground, getting wet and cold. I have done carpentry, thatched roofs, bricked a lot of houses and done a lot of work with cement. I have dug and bricked a lot of wells. Carving out several wells that were over 100 yards deep, and it was all done by hand, which took time and was very difficult. I set up and designed several gardens, I have tended to and cut ligustrum/hedges for local peasants/the women as well as making "høkasser" for them to cook lunch in as soon  

Page 63:

Veterinarian

as they made breakfast. At this point, I was already a rather well known veterinarian who was kept rather busy and actually managed to earn a little bit here and there. However, they didn't always have a lot of money everywhere I went, but people would pay me by giving me cheese, a loaf of bread , some snuff, butter, bacon, malt or other kinds of merchandise. 

It wasn't until a few years after my confirmation that I developed a desire to read and write. Above all else I spent time studying the art of veterinary sciences. After all, my father was a veterinarian, a quack if you will. He left several books behind that contained information both about how to identify animal illnesses as well as what medicines to administer. They also contained information regarding what the medicines should contain, such as herbs, roots and bark. Also, there was information about many other things that gave me much opportunity for studying, reading and writing. 

When I was seventeen years of age, I subscribed to the Faxe newspaper which was a brand new enterprise back then. In order to satisfy my thirst for knowledge I joined a sort of reading club where I received books in exchange for a small fee. When I was eighteen years old I had all of my clothes and belongings insured for $100 and I did so in the very financial institution that miller Johansen from Orup sent into bankruptcy

July 11, 2016 Meeting Minutes

Members and Guests Present: Allan J, Dane J, Amy A, Chelsea B, Loraine L, Kerry B, Ginger B, Kris G, David G.

Our meeting convened on the deck of Sol Azteca in downtown Marquette. We spent much of our evening socializing and catching up with one another.

Kris has taken over as the treasurer and reported that we are all caught up on our paperwork. Both she and Allan are on the account at the bank now. (Treasurer and President).

Allan reported that he has been in contact with a sister from another lodge after the information about the blog and translation were printed in the Danish Sisterhood Newsletter. We have all been encouraged to mark our calendars for the second week in June of next year to attend Danish Days in New York :).

Amy mentioned having semi-regular contact with Karin from the national board since attending the MOO District convention. We discussed how the National Board could help support us as a lodge or what might be helpful. Members noted that focusing on the benefits of becoming a member would be helpful in addition to providing links or more information for members in regard to culture.

It was noted that we have not had any contacts from our posters yet. Loraine knows of a couple of potential new members and suggested that we invite them out for dinner to introduce ourselves and the organization to them.

We discussed our meeting locations, and noted that it is difficult sometimes to hear, and to do activities when we are meeting at various restaurants. Perhaps we could mix it up a bit and include more meetings in other locations?  This is the tentative meeting schedule we have come up with:

August 1, Miner's Park 6:30 pm (bring your own dinner- a week early to accommodate schedules)

September 12 - Kris's house
October 10 - Loraine's house
November 14 - Keri's house
December 15 - Allan's house

More details on the meal plan and confirmation of these locations will come at a later date.

Some of the potential options for activities we discussed are: more paper cutting/folding, games, reading novels by a Danish author....

Our Facebook page is getting some traffic, as is the blog. Allan is still posting the translation of the Hemmingsen diary on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays.  Amy is posting photos to the Facebook page every Tuesday (random photos from various trips to Danmark). On Thursdays, we are posting short video/audio translations for words/phrases. Are there any words/phrases you would like to see included? It was suggested that perhaps some slang would be helpful.  (If you have any ideas please do not hesitate to share them or ask!) We are open to ideas and suggestions for any other types of posts to the page! Feel free to pass any information along!

We also discussed that not all of our members are utilizing our email list serve or Facebook page for information. Amy recommended that we mail out letters or invest in more postcards in order to keep members who are not connected via the internet in the loop. (The last set of postcards were free, but we have run out of them). This time around, a letter will be sent to all members.

Allan has not yet had an opportunity to go back to the Hemmingsen gravesite and memorial to powerwash the stone, but he still plans to. It has been a busy month!

Hope to see everyone next month when we picnic at the park! 

Page 60 and Page 61

Page 60:

During those four years we harvested 32 loads of hay and it benefited our fields greatly. However, once I was done digging marl I no longer had any more use for the horse, which by this time was very old. 

It so happened that there was a butcher in town who had a sick horse that he wanted me to take a look at, I was a veterinarian after all. I saw immediately that the horse wouldn't make it much longer so I offered him my horse in trade. So we traded and I received an additional 5 thaler which is what I thought both horses were worth combined. So I was allowed to take my new horse home with me and the butcher came along to get his horse. However, the next day my horse lay dead in the barn, and Skytter the miller ended up getting fat for his dogs. So I went ahead and gave Hans Petersen his wagon back. Furthermore, I also split any monies, groceries and whatever else we had left between myself, Hans Jørgen and Hans Petersen after which we went our separate ways.

I was once again looking for a business opportunity and once again I had Hans Petersen advising me and this time it went much better than the last time we were partners. He said; "You who are good with your hands, you should pick up a trade. Then you'll be asked to sit next to our father at the end of the table and receive two glasses of schnapps. Unlike the thresher who only gets one." After this time I took on many sorts of different jobs.

Page 61:

I accepted a job where I had to clear trees trees in a local forest and saw them into boards as well as other sorts of building lumber. Turning wood into lumber and chopping firewood in the forest. It was cut into pieces that were two feet long and stacked in piles that were six feet long and six feet high 

- so 72 cubic feet to one fathom. We cut clearings in the forest by cutting the crawling underbrush in places where it had taken over and placed it into big heaps, the equivalent of one wagon load in each pile. When we were done clearing and thinning out an area we proceeded to cut the larger trees into rafters and the likes. Those trees we simply let fall where ever, as long as they didn't fall and damage the nice ones that we were trying to leave standing. So next to every 5,6,7 trees, which we called a load, we'd place a wedge/stick and we'd refer to it as a split number. Among the logs was a beech that the forest ranger had gauged would yield 18 loads of wood, with another 15 loads from the rest of the branches. There were oak treet that were 6-7 feet across. They were rarely very tall and it was even rarer that you'd get a piece of oak more than 20 feet long, but it didn't matter because oak timber was extremely durable. 

I would dig up marl but it was very hard work. I would dig drainage ditches which was almost worse, but back then people knew little about

Velbekomme

Saying Thank You for the Food is customary in Denmark, and the typical response is "Velbekomme"  which can be translated as you are welcome or may the food sit well with you.  It is also customary to say velbekomme if you walk into a room where people are eating, in which case the best translation would be enjoy your meal. 

Please click on the video for pronunciation.

Prosit

When someone sneezes it is customary to say bless you! 

Please click on the video for pronunciation.

Page 58 and Page 59

Page 58:

My neighbors who did have permission to make such transactions were left more than a little cross by me doing this and they reported me to the authorities. So it went that one Sunday as the bowling alley was up and running that I got a visit from Otto Hansen, who was the magistrate from Roholte i.e. the police. He demanded half a beer, which I proceeded to serve him, but when he tried to pay for it I merely replied that it didn't cost anything and that nothing here was for sale. "That's what I thought!" he replied. "I know the law and taking money for the beer would be a violation. I'll tell why I'm here, you have been reported for the illegal sale of beverages and I advice you to stop immediately before you get yourself into a heap of trouble." I thanked him for his kind consideration and the respect he showed in dealing with me. I then proceeded to tell everyone who was present what was going on and asked them to stop bowling immediately. The following day I drove to Storeheddinge and sought permission for me to build a bowling alley in my yard. The police chief there told me that no one could tell me that I wasn't allowed to cover my entire yard in bowling lanes, which was just fine. I then inquired if it was possible for me to get permission (license) to sell beverages on sight. "Oohh, I thought that might be what this was all about!" So he proceeded to inquire as to how far I was from the nearest

Page 59:

inn or other establishment where one could purchase a drink. I told him the truth and he let me know that there was no way I could secure such a permission. So I returned home and the very next day I dismantled the bowling alley to ensure that I couldn't get into any more trouble. So then I was done with the whole mercantile bit, or rather I made the decision for me to be done because I could see it wouldn't have worked out in the long run. I was now left with a substantial amount of unsold beverages in my house which I was afraid to sell. So I made an arrangement with the authorities and got permission to hold a dance in my yard. During that day, and the following night I sold 80 crowns worth of drinks. There I was, having to feed a horse that wasn't doing me any good. So I began digging marl and used the horse to help me spread it all over the property. There was also a large piece that was rather marshy which I filled in. Later on I drained the entire lot which left the property in tip top shape. The last year I harvested I got 36 barrels of seed which was a lot compared to the four I got the first year. Another thing that greatly helped the further improvement of the condition of the property was that my father-in-law was a road worker for two years. I then went and replaced him in his position for another two. We were to cover 3/4 of a Danish mile in our district and it was our responsibility to keep the grass and shrubs at bay. From the side of the road, and into the ditches we were allowed to keep everything we removed.  

Page 56 and Page 57

Page 56:

a year. Those 28 days would consist of every Monday and Tuesday in each of the fourteen weeks between Midsummer Day and Michaelsmas. St. Hansdag - 24th of June, Mikkelsdag - 29th of September. This agreement stood fast for ten years but then discourse grew between us and out of an act of revenge he demanded that from here on out I owed him 34 days a year. I flat out refused and that was that. 

The last few years that I was in Orup I lacked a permanent plowman, which is what we used to call it. However, I managed to get my driving done through my various jobs and it was cheaper than it used to be. Meanwhile, we arrived at the 11th of February 1865 which was when Maria was born. During the winter I just worked my butt off as one might say. It has to be understood that for every 24 barrels of germ we threshed, we received one barrel of seed. However, after a few years it changed and we each ended up getting ten barrels. One winter I threshed for twelve Schilling a day but it didn't work out. Then one day my brother in law tells me I should become a merchant. Which was all good and fine, but how would it work since I had no money. Then Hans Petersen tells me:"I have a horse and a wagon which you can get on credit if your brother Hans Jørgen then could lend you 100 crowns. Then I'd lend you what you would need

Page 57:

of the one hundred after the horse and the wagon had been deducted. So I managed to get the 100 crowns from H. Jørgen and forty from H Petersen. That's how I started out as a chicken peddler. I bought all the things that the peasants were selling, with the exception of seed, and drove everything to Copenhagen whenever I had a full load. Everything probably would have been just fine had I only stuck to selling nothing but chickens. However, I was hoping to make some real money so I also started selling general mercantile wares (groceries). When I had sold all of my load in Copenhagen I would spend all the money on groceries that mother then sold out of our house. It so happened that I got all of my money tied up in too much merchandise that wasn't selling quickly enough. This resulted in me not having enough cash on hand to do business. Another thing setting me back was the fact that mother wasn't feeling well for a long time and I wasn't able to leave her side. However, then on the 5th of February 1868 Lisbeth was born and mother recovered. By that time the business was pretty much at a standstill and by the time summer rolled around I had given up completely. I had set up a bowling alley in my backyard, and the young people in the area were putting it to good use. It so happened that during the use of said bowling alley I saw an opportunity to sell a lot of Bavarian beer, as well as brandy (which was illegal). 

Farvel or Mojn

A more formal way to say goodbye is to say Farvel, 

but in the southern part of Jylland, it is common to say mojn! 

Please click on the video for pronunciation. 

Page 54 and Page 55

Page 54:

because it was the third time I had come down with this ailment. However, I recovered again, Spring came and I managed to get most of the materials together allowing me to begin construction that summer. I did all the work myself, the carpentry, thatching and the masonry, although it should be mentioned that Stine help me when ever she could. She would wield the planer while I sanded boards for the ceiling and floors. All along Hans was on the floor crawling around in the wood shavings and sawdust. I went to Copenhagen to see a man who sold building materials second hand and from him I bought windows, as well as hinges and locks for the doors. 

I dug a whole just outside the kitchen door and I used the clay from that hole to fashion homemade bricks which were to be used for the back wall of the chimney as well as for the dividing wall inside the house. Every step of the way I continued to do all of the masonry work all by myself. 

I continued to dig the hole deeper and deeper while lining the inside of ti with rocks turning it into a rather nice well. I thatched the roof with rye straw which I had collected by hand. However, I didn't have enough and so I borrowed some from a few of our neighbors and I took great care to repay them for their kindness the following year. I went and got limestone from Faxe which was to cover the interior walls, and I only had to pay what it cost to break it free at the quarry. The limestone I acquired from the lime stone kiln in Vindbyholdt and for which I paid full price, ten mark per barrel, The wood framing, which consisted of the bases, posts, transoms and support beams were all made out of oak which I got 

Page 55:

from our landlords free of charge. The lord, under whom I served was Baron Ritz Thott out of Gavnø (Reedtz-Thott) and the man managing his affairs was councilor Nielsen from Vindbyholt. I placed a solid foundation under the house before I built it and I was painted, wallpapered and furnished in every way imaginable. The outbuilding, which also was in pretty rough shape was raised onto a new foundation where it got new baseboards and all other necessary repairs in order to make it like new. The yard was rearranged in such a way that there now was a small flower garden under the window on the South side of the house. There were also a lot of fruit trees in the yard and there was literally no rime or reason to their placement which left very little usable space. I moved some of the existing once and planted new ones as well all along the edge of the yard so that I could plow the area. I dug a marl pit in one of the back corners of the yard and used my wheelbarrow to spread marl all over the yard. I also drained the entire thing which would work to my benefit. I made a deal with Hans Jørgen Petersen, who was a farmer from Orup, that I would be able to use his horses and farming tools in order fro me to work my land, as well as using the horses for transportation. In return I was to work 28 days 

Page 52 and Page 53

Page 52:

So when he noticed that I had gotten almost no plowing done I had no choice but to tell the truth. He told me that the womenfolk had absolutely no jurisdiction over me or the horses when he was out of town. He then left again and things got a bit better for a while before they reverted to business as usual. So whether or not he actually spoke to them about the matter I really couldn't say. 

I had been there for a year and a half when it so happened that a short while before I left there, the miller's eighteen year old son was crushed to death. We were having lunch one day while he was at the top of the mill attempting to grease some gears when his clothes got caught in the machinery. While I can't say for sure, he probably died in under a minute. That same evening I drove to Præstø where I was supposed to get a coffin for him. At the same time I took the opportunity to by myself a fine silk hat for when I would get married. I placed both in the carriage and headed back. 

My mother passed away on the first day of Pentecost in the year 1860. She had been the one washing and mending all of my clothes and now with her gone I had to hire a woman to do this for me. I hired such a woman and paid her six thaler a year for services relating to washing and mending. I was also required to buy wool, which she spun and turned into stockings for me, but for these I had to pay separately, 

Page 53:

Marriage:

and it ate up a rather large portion of my wages. At this point in time I was 25 years of age and I was becoming fed up with the constant moving from place to place. So I made the concrete decision to permanently tie myself to the little girl whom I had referred to on page seven of this very book. I moved in with her on the first of November of 1861 and on the fifth of said month we had our wedding where we were married by Pastor Heise in the town of Roholte. At the same time, my new wife and I became the new lifelong leaseholders of her father's property. The land consisted of a parcel of about 3 1/2 acres which had a small grove of trees as well as a garden occupying about 1/2 an acre. We also agreed to supply Stine's dad with whatever he might need for the rest of his life. I paid 100 crowns for the deed and also 30 crowns to each of Stine's three brothers, Niels, Jørgen and Lars in lieu of an inheritance. Furthermore, I also had to pay at least four times as much in annual fees in excess of what had already been paid. However, nothing was too much as long as I got to be with Stine and we had a place we could call home. 

The house was very old and in poor condition and I immediately began collecting materials for a new one. Time passed and on the 7th of February 1863 we welcomed our son Christian. Shortly after that I became ill with pneumonia which nearly robbed me of all of my courage,

Page 50 and Page 51

Page 50:

A little later a spinner from Faxe arrived by the name of Jens Larsen and he wanted to go into business with me. He wanted us to either buy or build a carousel, travel the world and make lots of money. However, I soon realized that my money was supposed to buy everything. Furthermore, I knew him to be a lazy guy and I managed to talk my way out of that deal.

Meanwhile, my clog making business wasn't going as well as I had hoped. To be honest, I was never quite able to get them just right, and my earnings suffered because of it. Also, I had entirely too many opportunities to get distracted and realized that I couldn't keep up the work, so I chose to give it all up. I then bound myself to miller Johansen at Hauby mill. From the first of May 1860 and for the amount of 60 Dollars for one year. I was supposed to be his right hand man as well as his coachman. The miller was a member of parliament and spent most of his time in Copenhagen so I had to take care of almost everything at his estate. On my first day there the miller informed me as to what was left to sow. He asked me to go plough and sow seed in  

Page 51:

the soil I had cultivated the day before. So while I was out in the field sowing, the miller sent his former right hand man out to see if I knew what I was doing or if he had to step in and take over.

He had been the miller's right hand man for 26 years and was now instead put in charge of all of the large animals. When he came to see me he informed me of his business there but went immediately on to saying that he didn't think that he could sow as well as me, which was exactly what he reported back to the miller. A few days later the miller returned to Copenhagen, but not before giving me instructions as to what he wanted me to do in his absence. However, as soon as he had left I figured out exactly who was in charge. His wife was, as well as his two daughters who were around my age and very fond of going on outings. They used to tell me how happy they were finally having a young coachman. The had been stuck with old Lars for too long. So I had to drive them around almost every single day and these trips often times went into the night resulting in me not getting my ploughing done, or anything else for that matter.

So a short while later the miller returned home unexpectedly and I'm sure that I wasn't the only one who was on his toes.

Tak for Mad

It is customary to say Thank you for the food when you have finished a meal in Denmark. 

In response to the photos we have created on the Facebook page, we are now making them as short videos in order to add the audio! Enjoy! 

Page 48 and Page 49

Page 48:

as Johanne the Bank, made us some fresh coffee. This, in so many ways, signified the end of my apprenticeship. That same morning I had gotten a pint of cream from Trine Hans Jørgens which we had along with our coffee.

It was around New Years in 1857 when I was all set to be able to place my two feet under my very own table in the form of an apartment of my own. It so happened that H. Jørgen had a shed, which as a matter of fact is the same shed as the one depicted in the drawing of the farm on page one and which is labelled as "spare space." It used to be part of one of the barns and now it was given to me to be used as an apartment. The room was six feet in width and sixteen feet in length. At one ned of the room is where I set up my things which consisted of a bed and my trunk. I crafted a table which was one foot wide and two feet long. I mounted it on the wall directly across from the bed so that I could sit on the edge of the bed while eating at the table. The table was fastened to the wall with leather straps so it was therefore possible to either have the table down or up. When it was down and in use I used to put a piece of wood under it as support. At the other end of the room was where I had my work station which was where I usually had 1 1/2 or 3 foot lengths of clog making wood, along with my chopping block, hollowing block, carving bench, tools and much more. My kitchen 

Page 49:

consisted of a small box which sat under the bed. That is , as long as I had remembered to do the dishes and to put everything away.

My food consisted of an eight pound loaf of rye bread, a one pound sausage, one pound of cheese as well as receiving a cup of coffee from Trine H. Jørgensen every day at the price of four schilling per day. I lived on this diet for sixteen months, except for one day where I was working for one of the peasants. Two young men who were dancing instructors came to town during this time and I, as well as many of the other young people in the area, signed up for lessons. They covered three towns and offered lessons two nights in each town every week, so they were busy seven days a week.

Myself, as well as several others, went even if they were giving lessons out of town which allowed us to get a rather good grasp on it. The entire course cost us each ten Mark and when we were done with the dancing in the evenings we'd play cards for the rest of the night. Upon completing the course, I came upon a guy named Mads who wanted the two of us to hit the open road as dancing instructors. However, I didn't think that Mads was a very good dancer and I managed to talk myself out of that situation. I can only assume that he chose me because he admired my dancing skills.  

June 13, 2016 Meeting Minutes

June 13, 2016

Members Present: Amy A, Allan J, Dane J, Loraine L, Keri B, Kristine G, (Chelsea B joined us later)


Our meeting started with a trip to the Negaunee Cemetery to visit the grave site and memorial for Christine Hemmingsen, our organization's founder. Our visit was brief as the mosquitoes were quite ferocious! However, we did notice that the stone needs to cleaned. Allan volunteered to attempt to clean it with a power washer. If this is not successful, we will ask for it to be professionally cleaned.

After the visit to the memorial, we continued our meeting at Keri's house. We had a number of business issues to discuss and a wonderful dinner! (Pasties, veggie try, coleslaw, raspberry layered dessert and Turkish Delight candy!)

1). Cheryl F recently resigned as treasurer. After a bit of discussion it was decided that both the treasurer and the president will be placed on the bank account. Kris volunteered to be our treasurer and she was unanimously approved as the new treasurer. President-Allan, and newly elected Treasurer-Kris will be in touch with Cheryl in order to be added to the account and obtain the financial records.

2). Amy made some fliers to post up around town with small Danish hearts to help get the word out about our organization and to assist in recruiting new members. There was some discussion in regard to the message from our national president(in the June newsletter) about the possibility of having male members being referred to as brothers (rather than mister sisters) in our organization and the potential to either join with us, or to form a Viking Lodge. (Many of us have males in our families or have male friends of Danish Heritage that may be interested in this) Members took copies of the fliers to post in various locations, and a few thoughts were shared in regard to potential new members.

3). The June Edition of the Danish Sisterhood Newsletter is now available online in full color! There is a page and a half about the work Allan has been doing on the blog with the translation of the Hemmingsen Diary. We spent some time discussing some of the entries Allan had translated and talked a bit about some of the events that were described. (The newsletter will still be mailed, the online version is just a bonus!)

4). We also discussed some of the ideas Amy and Allan have been sharing with Karin from the National Board. Some of which include a resource pack for marketing and promotion and a podcast.

5). Our Facebook Page is growing! We have had many more likes and folks coming to see and share our posts! Amy and Allan have been trying to keep the page busy with things like links to the translated pages on the blog, photos from their various trips to Denmark, Small Translations, videos,and recipes! If you have anything you would like to see or share on the page, please do not hesitate to contribute or to pass it along to be posted!

6). We discussed the option of joining a district.  We talked about our options to join the Michigan-Ontario-Ohio District or to look at the district connected with Wisconsin. The members who spent time at the MOO District convention shared their experiences, and we talked about the benefits of being part of a district. Members were in agreement that we feel that joining the MOO District would be advantageous as we are a part of Michigan and many of our members live downstate. The convention and members from the other lodges were wonderful to connect with, and we feel having that closer connection to other lodges is important. We decided to join the district, but with the start of the new year as we did not want to try to collect dues mid year, and will request membership beginning with the new year. District Dues of $2/person will be added to the cost of next year's dues.

7) We were sad to hear of the resignation of some of our members. 4 members have decided to no longer participate for various personal reasons. Loraine noted that we may need to have their resignation in writing for the national board, and Kris/Allan will look into the details that need to be followed in order to process those requests.

Our members at the grate site and Memorial for Christine Hemmingsen

Our next meeting will be held at 6:30 pm on Monday, July 11th at Sol Azteca in Marquette. 

Respectfully Submitted, Amy A- Secretary.