Danish West Indies genealogy help
Before knowing about this group, I posted the above thread in the Denmark forum. This one has a lot more members, so I was wondering if anyone could provide some feedback on it. Apologies for the cross-post.
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The Danish National Archives (Rigsarkivet) has these records available for the West Indies: https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/en/other/other-collection/13.
To use these records, it may be useful to become acquainted with the Family Search Danish Wiki page here: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Denmark_Genealogy
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There are several churches in the "Dansk Vestindiske Øer" (as it was called) back in those day.
The Islands were in Danish called Sankt Thomas, Sankt Jan and Sankt Croix.
Jayme most be the Spanish variant of english James, which in Danish could be Jacob/Jakob.
So we should likely look for a Jacob Brink.
So I have found one with the name early in the 1800's.....
Newspaper from Vestindien: The St. Croix Gazette (1808-1813)
For instance several of a "H. Brink" renting out rooms in Sankt Croix in 1812!
Dansk Vestindisk Regierings Avis (1815-1843):
D. 22. Maj 1823.
Died on Monday last night Mr. H. H. Brink aged 46 years.
Guvernementets St. Croix Afdeling: Menighedsindberetninger om døde (1805 - 1909):
Died in Christiansted 1823 (on Sankt Croix).
Died: 20. Maj 1823: Kjøbmand Brink.
Source (page 175, mid): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17241571#209978,39606350
Newspaper 1815.
Hans H. Brink, late of the "Burgher Company".
Married 24. Juli 1804 in the "Den Evangeliske Menighed på Sankt Croix" [Danish Lutheran Church]:
Herr. Kjøbmand Hans Hansen Brinch med enken Carolina ?M? Petersen.
Forlovere vare Købmand Höfner og Planter Gyblich.
Source (page 22, second row): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17116762#152841,25448080
D. 13. August 1802.
H. H. Brink had his store (No. 3) under Mr. Keilow's tavern on the Wharf.
So maybe we can find a probate from 1823?
Christiansted Byfoged.
Kronologisk fortegnelse over skifter.
Sadly doesn't seem to be any after Hans Hansen Brinck here in 1823.
Source (page 164): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=20201443#291508,58439963
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Hans Hansen Brink (possible relative) goes bankrupt in 1812 (during the British occupation under the Napoleonic War).
Here mentioned in the London Gazette: https://books.google.dk/books?id=_zRKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1685&lpg=PA1685&dq=%22Hans+Brink%22+sankt+croix&source=bl&ots=2GxtyIk05Z&sig=ACfU3U15VFxHQEdy8rf60zm0o928V-CMaA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwim-Mqjktn9AhUIQfEDHYzzBh4Q6AF6BAglEAM#v=onepage&q=%22Hans%20Brink%22%20sankt%20croix&f=false
So you have "skifteforretning" 10. & 12. May 1812 where his belongings are listed (to be sold to pay creditors).
Christiansted Byfoged
Registrerings- og vurderingsprotokoller for alle stænder (BII 1807-1815):
Pages (137-138): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=20200837#289696,57765909
When he died in 20. May 1823 it is informed the 23. May 1823, that he died without leaving any belonging - so no "skifte" is performed, so sadly no informations about possible family members.
Christiansted Byfoged
Registrerings- og vurderingsprotokoller for alle stænder (D 1821-1829).
Page (40, right mid): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=20200837#291468,58426546
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Christiansted Byfoged: Dødsanmeldelser til skifterretten (1803 - 1847):
C.B. Petersen reports on his mother's behalf that his stepfather Hans Hansen Brink has died 20. May 1823
Source (page 751, right): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=20205045#296144,60594212
Here is the identification of C.B.Petersen = Christian Boas Petersen/Pedersen.
Københavns skiftekommission.
Hof- og Stadsretten.
3. klasse: Gejstlige, samt kirken, universitetet, skoler og hospitaler tilhørende personer.
[Probate summeries by Erik Brejl]
Nr.1298
[Probate after deceased law student] Johannes Carl Pedersen, stud. jur. i København. 21.4.1825, side 87, no.46.
Arvinger:
1) mor [= Mother] Caroline Magdalene Brinck på Sankt Croix i Vestindien
2) bror [brother] Christian Boas Pedersen, på Sankt Croix.
Desuden nævnes afdødes tante [=aunt] Anne Christine Brinck.
Afdøde døde 20.4.1825.
NB: So Hans Hansen Brink had no sons with the Brink surname.
Johannes Carl & Christian Boas are thus his stepsons after his wife's previous marriage [with a Petersen/Pedersen].
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Census 1841: Vestindien. Sankt Croix. Christiansted. Hill Street 56-58. Owner: Petersen C. B. Cancelliraad.
Christian Boas Petersen Mand 43 1798 Gift Cancelliraad Government'S Secretary And Stampmaster
Amelia Louise Heyliger Petersen Kvinde 29 1812 Gift
Emma Wilhelmine Petersen Kvinde 11 1830 Ugift
Frederik Augustus Petersen Mand 7 1834 Ugift
Edward Schøn Petersen Mand 4 1837 Ugift
Judith Caroline Augusta Petersen Kvinde 2 1839 Ugift
Unnamed Infant Mand 1 1840 Ugift
Caroline Magdalene Grutsmann Brink [formerly married Petersen] Kvinde 65 1776 Enke
Anne Maria Charlotta Benners Heyliger Kvinde 64 1777 Enke
Henry Alfred Heyliger Mand 24 1817 Ugift Lame And Unable To Do Anything
Marie Elizabeth Schmalz (Miss) Kvinde 26 1815 Ugift Housekeeping Assistant
Sophia Mathilde Nully Kvinde 50 1791 Ugift Nurse
Robert Simmons Mand 36 1805 Ugift Coachman
Jane Louise Kvinde 17 1824 House Servant
Hanne Elizabeth Brink Kvinde 64 1777 Enke Cook [widow to another Brink?]
Juliane Lena Kvinde 58 1783 Gift Washer
Maria Ruthia Edwardine Haysel Kvinde 17 1824 Ugift House Servant
Anthony Mand 24 1817 Ugift House Servant
Maria Juliet Kvinde 14 1827 House Servant
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Christiansted Byfoged
Kopiskiftebreve, kronologisk ordnede (1800-1855):
Skiftebrev No. 298: Hans Henrik Brinck. Fallitboe.
Hus No. 9 på hjørnet af Hospitals og Hummer Gade.
Source (page 460-477 ): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=20200845#291499,58436230
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Thank you both very much for your responses. I saw the archive @Norm Baker posted here in another thread. There are a lot of entries for Brink, but I didn't seem to find any related to my genealogy. There are some for Jacob Brink too:
Regarding the line you posted here, I haven't found anything concrete tying it to my tree yet. I'll dump all the information I have on it in case it's useful to someone else researching it, but certain file types aren't supported here. One of the Hanne Elizabeth Brink or Anne Christine Brink you listed could be his mother plus finding their maiden names would confirm that. It's noteworthy that the only child from Carlos Brink's second marriage was Monserrate Carolina Narcisa Brink Y Ortiz a.k.a. Carolina, too.
Carolina Magdalena Grutsman's first husband was Thomas Petersen. I have this in a document from vifamilies.org that is no longer active. This is the FS URL of the census @Niels Just Rasmussen transcribed, which was on visharoots.org as well (dead now also):
"Virgin Islands US, Census Records, 1841-1911", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-F3ZM-1QPP?cc=4109619 : 13 February 2023), > image 1 of 1.
Here are the rest of the images I had saved, many of which were referenced above already:
I have most of the passenger lists from Rootsweb archived too, but I don't remember seeing anything in them. It's strange that there are no records of my ancestors on all the various archives. All this is quite interesting, however, and perhaps one day I'll be able to connect with it.
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There are quite a lot of Brink's in Denmark and Norway, but very few with proven connections to St. Croix.
It is so unfortunate Hans Hansen Brink dies in 1823, since the Danish Lutheran Churchbook gives age and place of origin until 1822. The Churchbook 1822-1860 lacks deaths and burials for some reason. The death report of him in 1823 does not list age nor origin.
A Wolle Jessen Brink was mate and later skipper on the merchant Tutein's ship "Seeman" which travelled back and forth from Denmark and St. Croix between 1801-1804.
I have checked for birth in the Danish Lutheran Church on St. Croix, but no marriages or children from him.
Hanna Elisabeth Brink is in the Census 1841 under ufrie [unfree] on Bjerggade [Hill Street] 56.
She is belonging to Madame Brink and is born on the Guinea Coast. Age 64 years old.
Baptised Lutheran in 1804.
She is a widow with 1 child !!!! [Now that is promising!]
Employment as a cook with good moral character and never punished.
Source (page 34): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17308427#475143,84873903
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I think I got it !!!!
Missionsmenigheden på Sankt Croix
Enesteministerialbog for missionsmenigheden på Skt. Croix (1788-1818):
Den 6. Maj [1805] Hedningen [the (adult) pagan] Hanna i Daaben fik det navn Anna Elisabeth.
Dåb samme dato [6. Maj 1805] et drengebarn [boy-child] i Daaben kaldet Hans Jacob af moderen Anna Elisabeth.
Owner: Kiöbmand Brink. [could he also be the father, as he is also a sponsor, but his wife isn't?!].
Faddere [sponsors]:
Hr. Brink.
Christian [?Boas?] Petersen.
Thomas Petersen.
Anna M. Schot.
Source (page 132, left last two baptism entries): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17116774#296653,60753112
So [H]Anna Elisabeth had herself and her son baptised at the same time!
A child with the danish name of Jacob is precisely what we were looking for; as Jacob is in english James and spanish Jayme.
Speculation:
Since the mother get's the surname Brink it could be suspected that Hans Hansen Brink is the father. In the census she is the only servant with the name Brink in the household; and the child gets the name Hans!
If so then the son could call himself Hans Jacob Brink.
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Missionsmenigheden på Sankt Croix
Enesteministerialbog for missionsmenigheden på Skt. Croix (1788-1818):
Sadly I could not find the confirmation of Hans Jacob Brink as this churchbook ends in 1818.
The confirmation reports to the governmentship first starts in 1830.
So sadly a gap of 12 years with no records preserved.
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Another break.
Guvernementets St. Croix Afdeling: Gruppeordnede sager 9. Sociale og kulturelle forhold (1744 - 1911).
Borgeredsprotokoller 1799 - Borgeredsprotokoller 1911:
[Signed] Hans Hansen Brink.
1804, July 24. H. H. Brink. Nyt Di [= Ditto -> Borgerskab] som Kiøbmand.
Født i Hadersleben [the german name for danish Haderslev].
Source (40, right secondlast entry): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=20196424#287660,56829837
NB: So he is a merchant from 1804 in Christiansted (as it requires "borgerskab" to set up your own shop).
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I wonder if this could be his family?!
Census 1803: Haderslev Amt. Haderslev Herred. Haderslev Købstad. Hauptstrasse No. 15.
Hans Brinck Mand 69 1734 Gift Husfader Bürger und Schustermeister
Maria Dues Kvinde 51 1752 Gift Hans kone
Johann Brinck Mand 29 1774 Ugift Deres barn Schustermeister
Anna Kiestine Brinck Kvinde 26 1777 Ugift Deres barn
Maria Cathrine Brinck Kvinde 24 1779 Ugift Deres barn
Johann Hinrich Rick Mand 25 1778 Ugift Schustergesell
Hinrich Peter Senbeck Mand 17 1786 Ugift Lehrbursche Lernen die Schusterprofession
Nis Möller Mand 11 1792 Ugift Lehrbursche Lernen die Schusterprofession
Karen Timsen Kvinde 17 1786 Ugift Dienstmagd
Source: https://www.danishfamilysearch.dk/cid1935881
This Hans Brinck with "Bürgerschaft" and Shoemaker-master could possibly be the father of Hans Hansen Brink.
It looks very likely we have "our man"!
Born 25. Marts 1777 in Haderslev Vor Frue Sogn.
Name: Hans [Hansen Brink].
Father: Bürgers & Schuster Hans Brink.
Mother: Maria geboren Due.
Source (page 57, top left): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17216425#201545,38187453
Confirmed 1793 in Haderslev Vor Frue Sogn.
nr 3: Hans Brinck.
Age: 16 years old
Source (page 12): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17216387#201521,38174100
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So it was the family of "our" Hans Hansen Brink.
Died 18. Januar 1811 in Haderslev Vor Frue Sogn.
Name: Hans Brink. B[ürger] und Amtsschuster.
Father: Johann Brink.
Mother: Anna Christina, geboren Aastrup.
Wife: Maria, geboren Due.
Children:
Johann Erich.
Anna Christina. [= the (step-)aunt Anne Christine Brink from the probate of Johannes Carl Pedersen/Petersen in Copenhagen 1825]
Maria Catharina, Married Weidemann.
Hans Hansen Brink, kaufmann auf St. Croix. [The final proof].
Age: 76 years old
Source (page 240, top right): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17216425#201549,38188541
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Brother Johann Erich Brinck died 2. Februar 1819 in Haderslev Vor Frue Sogn.
Source (page 141, bottom right): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=22045437#455421,81467271
Sister Maria Catharina Wiedemann (née Brink) died 26. Februar 1836 in Haderslev Vor Frue Sogn
Was married to Gottfried Christian Wiedemann.
Source (page 31, bottom left): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=22045437#455427,81467979
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Found Hans Jacob in the Census of 1846 in Christiansted, St. Croix with his mother.
Census 1846: St. Croix. Christiansted. Bjerggade (Hill Street) 56-58. Unfree.
Hanna [= (H)Anna Elisabeth Brink]. Belonging to Mrs. C.M.Brinck. Age 75. Born Guinea.
Baptised: Danish Lutheran Church. Unmarried.
TwoOne child alive. Invalid. Good moral. Never Punished.Hans Jacob. Belonging to Mrs. C.M. Brinck. Age 43 [So born in 1803!]. Born St. Croix. Unmarried.
Baptised: 6. May. 1805 Danish Lutheran Church. House Servant. Moral now good. Punished: Har by judgement been in Public Slavery fra 1825 indtil 1845 when he was pardoned by his Majesty the King ?...? Resolution. [text a mix of Danish and English]
Source (page 32): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17447703#220145,41458125
So Hans Hansen Brink & (H)Anna Elisabeth got Hans Jacob in 1803 BEFORE he married Carolina Magdalena Petersen (née Grützmann). Both Hanna and Hans Jacob is then baptised 6. May 1805 as Danish Lutherans.
So it seem Hans Jacob did some crime in 1825 which ended up in him becoming a "public slave" from 1825-1845! But after this he has been of good morals.
Anyways Governor-General Peter Carl Frederik von Scholten emancipated all the slaves the 3rd of July 1848 in Frederikssted (doing it on his own accord, without any orders from the Danish King - ballsy move, but it did result him having a nervous breakdown).
So from July 1848 Hans Jacob Brink was free to leave St. Croix and then in 1849 you have found him in Puerto Rico!
It is also the case that Hans Jacob is the only living child of Hanna! [two was crossed out, so she might have have one more OR it is a scribal error).
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That's interesting, @Niels Just Rasmussen, for sure, and your investigation is top-notch. There's no way I would have found all this and I thank you greatly for it. However, I'm unsure these are my direct ancestors since the marriages of Carlos Brink don't match this timeline, the parents have different names, and he was white. These are the FS links for his marriages:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSF3-Z9N9-S?i=1133&cat=338486 (1828-12-29)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSF3-Z98T-L?i=1217&cat=338486 (1839-11-27)
In Fajardo, PUERTO RICO, at the time, births, marriages, and deaths were separated by race: whites (blancos), triracials (pardos - admixture of whites/natives/slaves), and slaves (Africans). You can see on image 1116 of either link (they're listed in the same volume) his marriages are in the whites' book. If he were mulatto, assuming the marriage were permitted, he would have been in the pardos' book.
Also, I have a picture of his second son of his first wife, my 3GGF, Juán (Spanish for Hans, male variant of mother's name, maternal grandfather's name) Bautista Brink Y Betancourt, and he doesn't look quadroon. He's transparent almost. My 3GGF was named the comptroller of the city of Puerto Rico in 1867 by the queen of Spain and I believe that required 'limpieza de sangre' (I would need to review those ~80 pages again) - that being a quadroon would have disqualified him.
For Carlos Brink to have married without parental consent in 1828, he would have needed to be at least 20 years old. That puts his birth before 1808. If we subtract another 20-25 years for his parents, that would be before ~1783-1788 for Jayme ('Jacob') Brink and Ana Faouen[?]. His only child with his second wife was born on 1844-10-29 in Fajardo, so he couldn't have been enslaved in St. Croix for two decades while marrying twice elsewhere.
Not sure how to connect your research to my tree, but it feels like we're getting somewhere. Please, let me know if I misunderstood anything you posted. I read it several times before sending this message.
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The Danish Justice System could condemn people to "offentligt slavearbejde" (= public slavery-work) for crimes committed. One could be condemned as a slave for life or for a fixed amount of years.
Most infamous was Stokhuset in Copenhagen, where criminals, both "ærlige" (honest) and "uærlige" (dishonest) slaves were placed. Being "kagstrøget" (flogged on the town square pole) caused you to become "uærlig" and no honest person could have any dealings with you, as any association would cause taint.
People having certain kinds of jobs: Executioners, animal carcass removers (called "Rakkere"), sh?t barrel disposers (called "Natmænd") were automatically thought as "uærlige". They lived outside the towns and married among themselves.
A way to get "æresoprejsning" (reclaiming honour) was to enrolled yourself into a military regiment as a professional soldier. During the "faneed" [oath of allegiance while the regiment-standard was present] you could become "ærlig" again. The punishment of slavery was stopped in 1851.
So Hans Jacob was until 1825 a "private" slave of Mrs. Brink, but then from 1825-1845 he becomes a "public slave" meaning a work-prisoner-slave under the Kings law. When pardoned by the King in 1845 he returns to become a "private" slave of Mrs. Brink again until a slaves are declared free by von Scholten in 1848.
Christiansted Byfoged
Politijournaler (1822-1826):
The 6. of August 1824.
Hans Jacob, neger, tilhørende Frue Brinck & Joe, neger, tilhørende R. Rhode.: Der ere tiltalte for Indbrud og Tyverier. Ere indkomne fra Hospitalet og indsatte igen i Arrestgaarden.
Source (page 200): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17441952#220127,43921523
NB: So Hans Jacob and this Joe has been arrested for burglaries and thefts. During the wait for the trial they have apparently become sick and gone to the hospital, but now returned to the prison-cell.
Christiansted Byfoged
Fogedprotokoller (1824-1826):
The 31. of May 1825.
Sam & Joe are sentenced to "150 slag" (150 stick or whip is unclear).
"Hans Jacob tilhørende enken Brink", Joe, John, Johnny are sentenced to "100 slag".
"herefter til offentligt arbejde for livstid efter generalgovernørens bestemmelse" [so they are all sentenced by the governor-general to a life sentence of "public work-slavery"].
Source (page 198, top left): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=20201405#295057,60139473
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So we are a whole generation earlier!
Since Hans Hansen Brink's earliest attestation in St. Croix is a newspaper articles for 1802 (and since he himself is born in 1777 in Haderslev), we are looking for an entirely different family.
We need to have a Brink-child married in St. Croix between two white people in ca. 1770-1780's...
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Carlos Brink's parents could have married in Denmark, then travelled to St. Croix where he was born as well. Part of what's difficult is not finding any of this in ship manifests among the countries. For him to be in Puerto Rico as a foreigner, at that time, I would imagine he'd have been on the Real Cédula de Gracias, but nothing there either.
However, I don't think it's a coincidence he was born on St. Croix and there were others with that surname. They must have been related. The question is how.
I'm waiting for more of the PR Catholic church files to get indexed too. Finding his death record could provide additional information, assuming he died there. I'm not convinced he did, but I didn't find any outbound evidence for him when I had access to the 'passport' files.
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There are a lot of Brinks/Brinchs in Denmark.
Census 1787 shows around 60 people [and that is not including Norway nor Slesvig-Holsten]
There is no census for St. Croix in these time periods, so it is really mere chance if we come across a "Brink".
I have found two Brink's now who were ships mates or captains, which made it possible for them to go to St Croix.
I had already mentioned Wolle Jessen Brink (from Aabenraa) who sailed from Denmark to St Croix on the ship LAURENTZE CHARLOTTE from 1799-1805 as a 1. Steerman/mate (he is from Åbenrå-Løjt, died in 1810).
Source: http://www.skippere.dk/?page=relation/skibs_info&skibs_id=2673
Nicolay Brink sailed with the Danish East Indian company to Tranquebar in India in 1800 with the ship "Norge". [But no proof that he also sailed to the west-indies].
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norge_(DAC_ship)
&
Census 1787: Copenhagen. Øster Kvarter. Reverensgade 144.
Nicolaj Brinch Mand 32 1755 Gift Husbonde Styrmand i det Asiatiske Compagnies Tieneste
Christiane Kvinde 22 1765 Gift Hans kone
Morden Nicolas Mand 1 1786 Ugift Deres søn
Cathrina Brinch Kvinde 50 1737 Enke(mand) Huusbondens Moder
Anna Kvinde 20 1767 Ugift Tjenestepige
Source: https://www.danishfamilysearch.dk/cid497686
NB: It seems he started as a sailor with the East indian Company already in 1775.
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