| Marriage to
Sophie Nielsen Somehow by 1878, Lauritz Christensen had met Sophie Nielsen (also known as Sophie Nielsdatter Fischer). They were married on Saturday, the 11th of May 1878, in the parish church of As, Sophie’s home church. |
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The church record of their marriage lists Lauritz’s occupation as a "Landpost," or postman. (Here is a photograph of Lauritz in his postman's uniform.) |
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| Lauritz’s wife Sophie was born 21 October 1852 in the village of Overbye (today known as Overby), which was in As sogn, Bjerre herred, Vejle amt. A map showing Vejle amt and Bjerre herred within it is here. | |
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The parish church at As in which Sophie Nielsen was baptized and confirmed and in which she and Lauritz Christensen were married. Click on picture for larger view. |
| Sophie was the daughter of
Niels Sorensen Fischer (born 10 January 1818) and Ane Kirstine Jensdatter
(born 31 July 1832). Sophie was the oldest of their nine children. (Information
on the siblings of Sophie can be found here.) [link not yet available]. Her parents were married
in the Lutheran Church in As on 19 December 1851, when Niels was 33 years
of age and Ane was 19. (Because of the differences in their ages, it is possible
that he was previously married.) Sophie’s father, Niels, was a Huusmand (small
farmer). When she was eight years old, Sophie was enumerated with her family in the 1860 census of Denmark. They were living in the School District of Overby. Sophie was confirmed in the parish church at As in 1867. In the 1870 census, she is listed as 17 years old. Perhaps as a young woman she had traveled the twelve miles from her home in Overbye to Horsens where she met Lauritz, but this is only speculation. How they met will likely never be known. The first child born to Lauritz and Sophie was Christ Christensen (later known as "Chris"). [Note: In 1828, Denmark officially dropped the system of patronymic names—giving children the last name of the father’s first name, plus “sen” or “datter.” Lauritz Christensen was named for his father, Christen Laursen. By the time Christ Christensen was born in 1879, the name Christensen was kept permanently by the family.] |
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Chris was born on 22 July 1879 in the Købstad
(provincial town) of Horsens, Horsens sogn, Nim herred, Skanderborg amt.
Chris Christensen was baptized in the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Our Savior's Church)
in Horsens. On the baptismal record, Lauritz’s occupation was listed as Kjøbmand
(a merchant or storekeeper). Click on picture for larger view. |
| When he left for America
in April 1880, Lauritz temporarily left behind his wife and young son Chris,
not yet a year old. Go to next section: To America |
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