Translation request for Danish Christening Record, 1786, Anders Ericksen's son

Joellen McAlister

I would like confirmation of what I believe the following record says. It appears in the christening records of Stokkemarke Parish, 1786. It is on page 178 and is at the top left of the page. There is no number of the child and no name. It is for Anders Ericksen's son in Stokkemarke on 6 past Trinity 1786. Familysearch had entered his name as Erich (27XW-YG3 in 2012, but I don't see a name.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-894W-XQ3N?i=92&cc=2078555

What does this mean? Was the male child stillborn? I did not find him in the death records. Any idea that may clarify this record?

Thank you for your help!

Joellen McAlister and Kristin Richards

Norm Baker

Anders Erichsen's 1 day old child (a boy because it is marked as the 10th male [actually 11th because there are 2 marked #5] buried that year) was buried on 28 May 1786. That record is here (right-hand page, 4th from bottom): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?bsid=603480#603480,92976853. That explains the introduction of the mother on 23 July 1786. But if the child was 1 day old, it probably was christened-in an emergency, anyone could christen it. So I am curious why no christening record exists!

There is almost 2 months between the child's burial and the mother's introduction, but it is possible that the mother was not well.

Norm Baker

This record is the "introduction" of the mother back into the church after childbirth. It isn't a birth/christening record. The record reads "Anders Erichsen's wife in Stok(kemarke)-Intro(duced)". See here for the FamilySearch Wiki article on "Introduction Records": https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Nordic_Mother%27s_Introduction_Records.

Looking back through the birth records, I do not see a child named Erich born to this couple in this parish. There are a couple of possibilities to explain this: 1) Erich was born in another parish but his family moved before the mother's introduction back into the church or 2) the priest forgot to write the birth/christening down but recorded the mother's introduction. I think it is the latter reason-I think his birth/christening didn't get recorded.

In 1791 he shows up in the first military rolls for Stokkemarke parish at 4 years old. Read this article in the FamilySearch Wiki about those records and how to use them: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Danish_Military_Levying_Rolls_(L%C3%A6gdsruller).

This is a link to him in the military rolls (right-hand page, #106): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=16481031#17267,737815. His father's name, Anders Erichsen, is written in above his name. It says he is 4 years old and was born in Stockem(arke) and is currently living in Stockem(arke).

Erich's 14 year old brother, Hans, is here in the same military rolls (left-hand page, #79): https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=16481031#17267,737814.

Joellen McAlister

Norm,

I appreciate the work you have gone to find this child that has no information except the mother's introduction. She wouldn't have been introduced back into the church if she hadn't had a child. Is that correct?

Anders Erickson did have a child named Erick the following year that was christened 6 May 1747. This is the one you found on the military rolls. (Thank you so much for that!)

I'm still confused why there is a record for the mother being introduced back into the church on 6 past Trinity 1786. Would you assume there may have been a stillborn child or a late term miscarriage? I've just never seen this before, but maybe you have in all of your experience?

Thanks so much.

Joellen

Joellen McAlister

Thank you, Norm. I guess the priest just forgot to record the name and christening of the child who was buried 28 May 1786! Thank you for your follow through. I really appreciate the time you took on this confusing matter.

Joellen