| Notes |
- CAUTION:
1. The parentage of Else Jensdatter is problematic and not 100% definitive. Traditionally, Else has been linked to two families - one set of parents being Jens Foged (2Q1M-STF) and Kirsten Pedersdatter of Sønderhå and the other being Jens Olufsen Mørkes or Mørch MK81-Z6B and an unknown wife of Dover in Ydby Parish. The two locations are roughly 23 kilometers apart. Elements of both families have often been erroneously intermixed by past LDS researchers; however, both sets of church records clearly show the family relationships and the errors were easily corrected by myself in Familysearch's Family Tree 21 Aug 2013.
Jens Foged had all of his children christened in Sønderhå except for his last three, Christen, Oluf and Thomas; Oluf and Thomas were christened in Ydby in 1746 and 1751 respectively at which time Jens lived in the Ydby hamlet of Dover. He also had a son Christen who was not christened in either place but was buried in Dover 11 Oct 1744; this dates Jens Foged's move from Sønderhå to Dover from about Aug 1744 to Oct 1744. In Sønderhå he lived in the hamlet or farmstead of Degnbol as noted in the children's christenings. His daughter Else was the last child christened in Sønderhå 20 Jan 1742. In all of the christenings, the parents are always identified as Jens Foged and Kirsten Pedersdatter. Jens and Kirsten are buried in Ydby in 1782 and 1780 respectively and from their ages at the time of their burials we can estimate both of their birth years as 1707.
Jens Olufsen Mørkes had all of his children christened in Ydby including a daughter Else chr. from 1 Jan 1742 to 17 Mar 1742 (the priest forgot to write down the day and month). Four of the children have similar names to the children of Jens Foged (Jens, Oluf, Else, and Thomas), but they are not the same persons. The family is identified in the christening records as living in the Ydby hamlet of Dover also, which has led to some confusion with past researchers since the other Jens was also living there from about 1744. The father is always identified in the chr. records as either Jens Olufsen or Jens Mørkes; the mother is never identified. Jens is buried in Ydby in 20 Apr 1767.
Our Else Jensdatter's marriage record is found in the Sønderhå church record on 9 Sep 1766 (FHL film # 053193; Sønderhå Parish Record, 1696 - 1787, book 1, p 140). The groom is identified as Peder Andersen Leegaard and the bride as Else Jensdatter Mørch, both of the nearby hamlet of Jestrup. The two witnesses are identified as Anders Leegaard of Jestrup and Povel Jensen of Kiestrup. Since it was customary to generally have the fathers as witnesses, we can assume Anders is the groom's father; however, the relationship of Povel Jensen to Else Jensdatter is not certain but could possibly be a brother. One problem is that neither of the two Elses from either of the two families has a brother named Poul/Povel as ascertained from the christening records of Ydby and Sønderhå. Interestingly, some past family researcher added a son name Poul Jensen to the Jens Olufsen Mørkes of Ydby family with a birth of about 1743; however, the Ydby records do not support the same even after a reasonable search of dates surrounding 1743. Another interesting aspect is why would Poul of Kiestrup and Else of Jestrup have differing residences at the time of marriage in Sønderhå? Also why was Else's father not a witness since one Jens does not die until 1767 and the other in 1782?
We know that Jens Foged had a relationship with both Sønderhå and Dover in Ydby parish, but that was not the case with Jens Olufsen who only remained in Dover in Ydby parish.
FHL film 41815, Refs Herred Probate Records (the civil jurisdiction having the main source of probate records), shows no probate for either of the two Jens who both died in Ydby. I also reviewed all the Estate ("Gods") probate films listed in the FHL catalog pertaining to Ydby without finding any probate for either of the two Jens.
I also looked at FHL film 53193 (Sønderhå church records) and 53030 (Ydby church records) for other Jensen marriages for the years 1750 to 1776 without sucess with these two particular families except for two children of Jens Olufsen: (1) Karen Jensdatter Morch who married Lars Christen Barslef 8 Nov 1754 Ydby and (2) Thomas Jensen Mørch who married Dorthe Pedersen 3 Dec 1767 Ydby. There were other Jensens and Jendatters not clearly identified as children of our two Jensens (some had generic names such as Anne Jensdatter but with no mention of a Dover location), but there definitely were no Else Jensdatters even though the two of them would have been residing there at the same time assuming both survived to adulthood. I did check the Sønderhå burial records to confirm that Jens Foged's Else did not die prior to the family's move to Dover in Ydby parish.
I also looked at FHL film 53030 (Ydby church records) for other Jensen marriages for the years 1750 to 1776 without sucess of finding siblings for Else Jensdatter residing in Sønderhå especially in the Jestrup hamlet. I found no other Jensens or Jensdatters associated with a location Jestrup in Sønderhå as provided in our Else's marriage record.
1781 and 1801 censuses show the age of our Else as being born in about 1741; however, Else's burial record shows a birth of approximately 1744. Since this variation in birth years easily brackets 1742, which is the christening year of either of the two Else options, the ages in these records do not assist us.
Summary:
1. Our Else Jensdatter identified in the Sønderhå marriage record is clearly shown with the additional surname Mørch. There are no other Mørchs in Sønderhå. There are no marriages of any Fogeds in Sønderhå - only Foged christenings for Jens Foged's children before they moved to Ydby ca. 1744.
2. Else appears to be a temporary resident of Jestrup in Sønderhå. Neither family had any Sønderhå records showing this hamlet. She is most likely originally from somewhere else outside of Sønderhå.
3. Of the two Elses in Ydby, neither show with a Ydby marriage or Ydby or Sønderhå burial prior to the marriage date. No probate record exists for the fathers.
4. Census and burial records indicate that our Else fits nicely with the christening of either of the two Elses under consideration.
Conclusion: The double surname of Jensdatter Mørch in the marriage record is the most reliable indication that we have that Else was most likely the daughter of Jens Olufsen Mørkes/Mørch. This surname was not so common. There is always the slighter possibility that she could be another Else besides one of our two candidates.
For reference purposes, I include the following corrected information on the family of Jens Christensen Foged and Kirsten Pedersdatter. Note that in the first two chr. records the father appears as Jens de Foged and the rest as Jens Foged. The mother Kirsten Pedersdatter generally appears in most of the same chr. records. Jens Foged's christening record provides us with his parents Christen Christensen Foged and Inger Jensdatter. The surname Foged is common and multigenerational in the Ydby Church records for this time period. Sources are FHL films 53030 Ydby Church Records and 53193 Sønderhå Church Records. All children born in Degnbol, Sønderhå, Hassing, Thisted, Denmark and chr. in Sønderhå Church except as noted:
Peder Jensen, chr. 14 August 1729, bur. Sønderhå 18 December 1729.
Maren Jensdatter, chr. 29 October 1730.
Jens Jensen, chr. 28 May 1732.
Kirsten Jensdatter, chr. 6 November 1734.
Christen Jensen, chr. 25 November 1736.
Peder Jensen, ch. 10 August 1738.
Else Jensdatter, chr. 20 January 1742.
Christen Jensen, d. Dover, Ydby, Refs, Thisted, Denmark, bur. 11 October 1744 in Ydby Churchyard aged 7 weeks. No chr. record in Sønderhå or Ydby.
The following two children were born in Dover, Ydby, Refs, Thisted, Denmark and chr. in Ydby Church:
Oluf Jensen, chr. 30 October 1746.
Thomas Jensen, chr. 2 February 1751.
RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Censuses:
1787 for Sønderhå parish:
Anders Legaard, Husband, 50 years old, farmer
Else Jensdatter, Wife, 46
Inger Pedersdatter, 14
Laurids Pedersen, 10
Frederik Pedersen, 7
Jens Pedersen, 4
Caroline Pedersdatter, 2
1801 Sønderhå parish:
Peder Leegaard, 66, in first marriage, parish bailiff and "gaardbeboer"
Else Jensdatter, 60, his wife
Laurs, 22
Frederica Louise, 21, unmarried,
Caroline, 15, unmarried.
CHRISTENING:
1. Christening record for Ydby Church is on FHL film 53030. The priest neglected to write the day and month even though he noted the year of 1742. Following entry is 17 Mar.
MARRIAGE:
1. FHL film # 053193; Sønderhå Parish Record, 1696 - 1787, book 1, p 140. Confirmed the record below. Note that both witnesses signed. Anders Leegaard may be the father of Peder since it was customary to generally have the fathers as witnesses. The relationship of Povel Jensen to Else Jensdatter is not given, but could possibly be a brother.
Per research of genealogist Bent Pilsgård of Viborg, Denmark; Viborg Regional Archives microfiche C114.1 page 140 Sønderhå parish records; Witnesses: Povel Jensen of Kiestrup and Anders Leegaard of Jestrup, they were engaged 31 Jul 1766. The couple is Peder Andersen Leegaard and Else Jensdatter Mørch, both of Jestrup.
BURIAL:
1. FHL film # 053193; Sønderhå Parish Record. Per Joyce Cupit: "Sønderhå kirkebog 1815: begravet okt 29 Else Jensdatter, Peder Leedfrs enke [widow], 71 år."
SOURCES_MISC:
1. Family Group Sheet for Peder Andersen from LDS Archive record. Record originally submitted by Mrs. Wanda Roos, R.D. 1 Box 651B, Sandy, Utah. James Christian Westergard shown as 2ggson. Indicates information is from church and census records for Sonderhaa by Eva M. Gregersen.
2. Family Group Sheet for Jens Olufsen Morch from LDS Archive Record submitted by Fermen J. Westergard, 2059 Van Buren Ave. Ogden, UT. 84401. Lists himself as 3ggson to Else. Information varies slightly.
3. Per gedcom dated 6 Jan 1999 of Wayne Westergard, 785 W 1300 South, Woods Cross, Utah 84087, phone 801-295-2906.
4. Per records dated 9 Mar 1999 of Fred H. Westergard, 1940 Laird Dr., Salt Lake City, Utah 84108 (801)-583-4405; fwestergard@juno.com
5. May 21, 1999 correspondence of Jens Praestgaard at "jens-v-p@post5.tele.dk".
6. Joyce Cupit's website <http://home13.inet.tele.dk/JCupit/> 25 May 2002.
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1742 - 1815 (~ 73 years)