I am researching my Bornholm, Denmark ancestors. My 3rd great grandfather Johannes Nielsen 1779- 183

Carl_Madsen

(my 2nd great grandmother) was born 22 FEB 1814, and baptized 23 MAR 1814 at the Holmens Church in Copenhagen. Johannes was married to Else C Møller (born 1783, in Rønne, Bornholm-died unknown).

In 1823 Johannes and Else had a daughter Andrea Christine Nielsen (Christened 7 SEP 1823, Allinge-Sandvig, Bornholm, Denmark), where the family remained.

How do I go about finding out what exactly a "skipper" was, whether he was in the Danish Royal Navy, and why he would have moved the family to Bornholm?

I am aware of the British shelling of Holmens, the Danish state bankruptcy of 1813, the British blockade of Norwegian Sea Lanes, the loss of Norway to Sweden by the Treaty of Kiel, which may all hint at the reasons for relocating in Bornholm, but I'm looking for something more concrete.

I've looked at the Lægdsruller and Søruller at the Danish Archives web site, but it might as well be in Greek. Are there ship's crew listings or anything similar from that period which would be primary sources for what Johannes Nielsen was doing?

Tanner Blair Tolman

I believe a skipper is the master of a smaller ship like a ferry ship. At least in 1711 and before that, Holmens parish was primarily occupied by the navy, their civilian employees, and their families. I don't know what percentage of the parishioners were connected to the navy a century later.

 

We have a class on lægdsruller and søruller. Those were made to record people who could be drafted. Copenhagen did not keep those until 1848, so you would have to find those for whatever parish he lived in before moving to Copenhagen. Bornholm has neither lægsruller or søruller.

 

There are records of those who were actually enlisted by the army or the navy, but I have not used them very much. I think the chances are high that he is in there, but those are extremely advanced records.

 

As to why he moved to Bornholm, I don't think you are going to find something more concrete than what you already have.

LegacyUser

Thanks!! This morning I found a record of a daughter Johanne Nicoline Nielsen who died 26 JAN 1813 at the age of 15 months and was buried at Holmens. His son Jørgen was christened at Allinge-Sandvig, Bornholm, Denmark 29 SEP 1816. With Caroline Elisabeth's birth in March, 1814, that leaves an event window of moving between March 1814 and September 1816. I haven't been able to find a birth or christening record for Johannes Nielsen or a marriage record for Johannes and Else. For now, it will remain a mystery.