What does Lægdsbarn mean?
In the 1865 census an ancestor is living with a family that is not his own. He is 13 years old and listed as Lægdsbarn. I threw that into Google Translate and it translated to 'Lay child'. But what does that mean? His parents were still alive and his five younger siblings were with their parents. His two older siblings, a girl and a boy, were also living with another family in the same area, but I have no idea why. They are not listed as workers. Perhaps this word will help to clarify what was going on with the family.
So what does Lægdsbarn mean?
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Poor people who could not support themselves (especially children, the disabled and the elderly) were placed on a farm, ie they were to live and get food for a short time on each of the farms in the village according to a system. One who went on legd (lægd) was a legdslem.
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so, a way of caring for poor people? Did the government pay money to the family who took in the poor person?
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Yes it was usually decided at the parish meeting who's turn it was to take on the person.
No, the government wasn't involved at that time.
(In 1845 it was decided that the community should care for the poor.)
Instead the person had to work (at the best of their ability), for example on the farm.
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Ah, Thank you so much for your explanation. It helps immensely!
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Oohh! one other thought...would the things discussed at this parish meeting have been written down and have these records been preserved like the christenings, marriages & burials?
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Actually I haven't seen it at Digitalarkivet. They may just not have been scanned yet.
The church books in Norway and Sweden are very similar and in the Swedish archives you can read the minutes and notes of the parish meetings.
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That will be awesome when those are available! Thank you so much for your help!
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