Lars Hansen bought Tornegård for 400 Silverdalers. In the probate afterhis death the farms value was set at 550 Sldr., it had been considerablyimproved during his time. He and Karen Hansdatter had 8 children.
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.
1 _FA1
2 PLAC Lieutenant
From the Åker-Åkirkeby kirkebog:
March 27, 1664: #3, Brudevielse, Judica, Ole Nilsen, Else Ibsdatter.April 2, 1665: #15, Qvdem, Ole Nilsens s: Nils i Strandby.
November 18, 1666: #45, 23' Trin, Ole Nilsens søn Rasmus i Strandby.
December 22, 1667: #48, 3' Adv, Ole Nilsens søn Jens i Strandby.
December 19, 1669: #52, 3' Adv, Ole Nilsens d: Karen i Strandby.
April 21, 1672: #11, Miseric, Ole Nilsens d: Mariche.
February 22, 1674: #11, Sexag, Ole Nilsens s: Hans i Grødby.
January 24, 1676: Funus, Else Ole Nielsens i Grødby hendis barn. (Thiswould be for Mariche, born 1672.)
April 7, 1678: #13, Qudmed, Ole Nilsens dat: Mariche i Grødby.
July 25, 1680: #38, 7' Trin, Ole Nilsens søn Jeppe.
March 5, 1682: #10, Invoc, Ole Nilsens d: Ane i Grødby.
(Records for 1683-1686 missing from micro-film.)
September 24, 1687: Ole Nielsens datter Christine i Grødby.
January 15, 1702: Funus, Leutenant Ole Nilssøns datter, 20 aar. (Thiswould probably be Ane, born 1682.)
The years 1683-1686 are missing from the micro-film copy of the Åkerkirkebog, Margrethe and her brother Claus Olsen must have been bornduring that time period.
February 18, 1719: Funus, Ole Nielsen, 75 aar.
May 29, 1726: Funus, Else Jepsdatter sal. Ole Nielsens enke, 80 aar, 7maan. gl.
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.
1 MISC Åkirkeby, Bornholm
From the Åker-Åkirkeby kirkebog:
December 23, 1652: Liig Begrafen, #21, død Nils Nilsens Hans.April 18, 1653: Funus, #25, Nils Nilsen i Strandbyen, æt 43 aar.
November 20, 1653: Ægte Børn, #42, 24 Trin. Mareke Nils Nilsens d.Johane.
April 23, 1654: #136, 137, 138, Liig, Cantate, Mariche Nils Nilsens udiStrandby, hendis søn Nils og 2 døttre.
January 7, 1655: Brudevielse, #2, 1' Epip, Peder Ibsen og Mariche sal.Nils Nilsens.
December 16, 1655: Ægte Børn, #49, 2' Adv. Peder Ibsen Sandemands datterChristine.
November 14, 1658: Ægte Børn, #40, 23' Trin. Peder Ibsen Sandemands sønNiels.
March 24, 1661: Ægte Børn, #9, Lætare, Peder Ibsen Sandemands søn Peder.
April 9, 1670: #8, Funus, Mariche Peder Ibsens Sandemands, 53 aar.
April 2, 1671: Communicantes, Lætare, Peder Ibsen Sandemand brøllupKaren Henningsd. Bohne i Rønne.
December 5, 1673: #43, Døbt 2' Advent, Peder Ibsen Sandemands datterMariche.
July 9, 1687: Funus, Peder Ibsen Sandemand, død 2 Julij æt 63 aar.
A plague struck Åker parish in 1653 and 1654, killing 108 and 480 peoplerespectively, among them were Mariche's husband and three of herchildren: her son Niels and two daughters, all three children were buriedon the same day. Bornholm's "Great Plague" started in Nexø in August of1653 and didn't end until March of 1655, a full year and a half later.
Extracted from the probate for Peder Ibsen, September 28, 1687, page 59:
Anno 1687 dend 28 September, er efter loulig giorde tillysning holenrististering, og vurdering, sampt skifter og deehling efter Erlig, ogVelakte mand naunlig s. hoes bund Peder Ibsen fordun Sandeman udi AaekierSogn, som boede, og ved døden afgich paa dend 28 gaard i Jordebog talledligende i bemelte Aaekier Sogn. Imellem dend sahl. mands efterlattehustru, dydige Matrona Karne Henning Bohnis daatter med hendis tilordnede laug verge Velfornehene Handelsmand udi Rønne Olluf Nielsen paaeene, og paa anden side, dend sahlig mands igien lefuende børn som er 4sønner og 2 døttre. Med dend sahlig mands forrige s. hustru aufled 2sønner, og en daatter. Nemblig dend eldste søn Niels Persen, sin egenverge. Dend anden søn Per Persen og sin egen verge. Daatteren ChirstenePersdaatter, for hende laug verge Olluf Nielsen i Grødbye udi AaekierSogn. Dend s. mands børn aufled med denne nu efter lefuende hustru, erog 2 sønner, og en daatter. Nemblig, dend eldste søn Claus Persen paa 16aar gammel, for hannem verge Hans Siguartsen i Rønne. Dend anden sønHenning Persen paa 5 aar gammel, for hannem verger Herman HenningsenBohne i Rønne. Daatteren Marne Persdaatter paa 10de aar gammel, forhende verger, og moeder broderen Henning Henningsen Bohne i Rønne. . .Anders Ibsen i Aaekier Sogn som er sl. Per Jespersen Munches børnsverger, lofued Anders Ibsen igien at skatte samme dom til stede. . .Hendrich Poulsen i Østerlaursker Sogn, er skyldig paa 32 gaard sammesteds hand kiøbt hauer. . . Dend s. mands Jord Eiynere Gaarder ere dend16 gaard udi Østerlaursker Sogn, med til liyende Udhus er af sambfrenderdend 12 Sept. 1687 sit og taxceret. . . Dend 7 gaard i Aakier Sogn kaldedBrandsgaard er ogsat af sambfrender dend 15 September 1687. . . Dend 28gaard i Aakier Sogn er iligemede af sambfrender taxcered dend 15September aar 1687 foruden Udhusene. . . Item dend 33 gaard i Aakier Sogner ogsat af sambfrender for 15 Sept. . . dend 24 gaard i Vestermarie Sogner ogaf sambfrender sat dend 19 7'br aar 1687. . . Noch er boet til bestebestaaende udi ded 25 Vornede som Dirich Persen i Aakier Sogn paa boerarfue loed efter s. Jep Persen. . . Efter it skiftebref ganged efter s.Peder Ibsens s. hustru Marike, dend 23 November Ao. 1670 til kommer dennes. mands eldste søn Niels Persen mødrene arf. . . af dend 33 gaard iAakier Sogn en broderloed. . . Jep Larsen i Vassegaarden i Aakier Sognfordred. . . Olluf Nielsen i Aakier Sogn fordred. . . dend s. mandseldste børn Niels og Per Persener tilleggis paa forhen derris mødrenearf, dend 33 gaard i Aakier Sogn, med hoes liggende Vand Mølle, og medanded boets middeler der til at udleggis og af betahlis efter advenant.Og paa denne foldere fædrene arf beholder bemelte Niels Persen, PerPersen, og Chirstene Persdaatter dend 16 gaard udi Østerlaursker Sogn,sampt dend 24 gaard i Sosse udi Vestermarie Sogn. . . Huor imod den 3deungste denne s. mands børn som er Claus, Henning og Marne Pedersdaatterskal beholde Brandsgaarden som er dend 7 talled udi Aakier Sogn. . . .Mention of Peder Ibsen in the probate for Bendte Ibsdatter, October 2,1690, page 295b:
Anno 1690 dend 2 October er efter louglig giorde tillinsing holdenregistering og vurderign, sampt skifte og deeling efter Jep Nielsen,fordum Sandemand her samme sted, hans sahl. hustrue Bente Ibsdaatter, somboede og døde paa dend 3 Jord Ejende gaard i Nylaursker Sogn. . . Efterit Tings vinde af Vester Herris Ting, udsted dend 19 Juny Aar 1662befindes att sal. Peder Ibsen da verrende Sandemand i Aacher Sogn, hafuerhast i pandt af sahl. Sivert Gage paa Myrregaard i fornefne Aacher Sogn,en gaard liggende udi Nyelaursker Sogn kaldis Lille Myrregaard, huilkenbemelte Peder Ibsen igien hafuer udi pandtsat til Jep Nielsen iNylaursker Sogn, efter bemelte tings vidnis videre indhold i sa maader erfornefne Lille Myrregaard her til sterfboes vøtte at anføre, som bemeltePeder Ibsen self har gaarden i pandt for penge 120 Sldr. og blef fornefnetings vinde i daug her paa skifted lest. . . .Extracted from the probate for son Henning Pedersen, December 4, 1695,page 84b:
Anno 1695 den 4 December, er holden liqvidation sampt skifte, og deeling,efter afgangne Henning Pedersen som døde hos sin stif fader EdvartOllufsen, og hans moder der boer paa den 28 Jord Eiendoms gaardbeliggende udi Aaekier Sogn. Imellem dette sahl. barns moder KarneEdvart Ollsens, saa og dette sal. barns fulde sødskende, og halfsødskende som er. En fuld broder ved naun Claus Pedersen, som HansSigvarts i Rønne er verge for. En fuld søster Marne Pedersdaatter somHenning Bohne Henningsen i Rønne er verge for. 2de half brødre. Huor afden eldste broder var s. Peder Pedersen Brann som ved døden er afgangen,og hauer efterlat sig 2de pigebørn: Marica Pedersdaatter som NielsPedersen i Aaekier Sogn er verge for, den yngste daatter KirstenePedersdaatter som Peder Diderichsen i Aaekier Sogn er verge for. Denanden half broder er Niels Pedersen i Aaekier Sogn. En half søster vednaun Kirstene s. Suend Nielsens i Østerlaursker Sogn, som Olluf Nielsen iGrødbye er laug verge for. Item berørte Edvart Ollufsens daatterMargretha Edvartsdaatter som faderen er verge for. . . Efter detskiftebref ganged efter dette sal. barns fader afgangne Sandeman PederIbsen, passeret paa berørte 28 gaard i Aaekier Sogn den 28 September Anno1687, befindes dette sal. barns fæderne arf at bestaa, foruden rente somfølger, udi den 7 gaard i Aaekier Sogn kalded Bransgaard. . . Testerer:Jens Pedersen Meklenbourgh, Henrich Brugman, Herman Bohn, Paa minmyndlings vegne - Hans Sivertz, Paa min myndlings vegne - Henning BohnHenningsen; Niels Pedersen, egen haand; Peder P.D.S. Diderichsen; EdvartOllufsen Sonne; paa min søsters vegne - Olluf Nielsen, egen haand; MonsIbsen, egen haand; Peder Hansen, egen haand.Kuregård, 33 Slg., is in an area known as Strandby; which is a regionalong Åker parish's beach-front, it was densely populated - hense thename: strand=beach, by=town.
The church for Åkirkeby township and Åker parish is located just outsideof the township of Åkirkeby proper, so paradoxically enough the town thatdraws its name from the "River Church" (Aae Kirke) does not actually havea church within its municipal boundries at all. Åkirkeby was thetraditional seat of Bornholm's judiciary authority, its "Landsting"(Parliament), and the Aae Kirke was used as their meeting place.
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.Rønne
1 _FA1
2 DATE 1606-1616
2 PLAC Freeman (Frimand)
1 MISC Baggegård, Propr. Klemensker, Bornholm
From the earliest records on Peder Kofoed we see that he was a tax-payingfarm-owner without the freeman (frimand) privileges his relatives aroundRønne enjoyed. Peder Kofoed fathered five children in his firstmarriage, to Elsebeth Gagge: one son and four daughters; she and all oftheir children died in 1585. After Elsebeth Gagge died he inherited herproperty, as there was no male relation after her. The properties werethe 14', 16', 17' and 25' Vornedegårde (Vdg.) in Åker parish (and as wellhe owned a mill). As Elsebeth Gagge's status was that of a freewoman(frij Quinse = fri Kvinde) it was necessary to obtain Royal permission tokeep the farms. This was granted to him by Royal decree on July 3, 1598;however, this did not make Peder a freeman, but he did obtain somethingequally as good: The King's decree of 1598 gave him the right to ownthose farms "as free as anyone else on Bornholm owned his farm".Christian IV's brother-in-law, the Holstein Duke Johan Adolf, a welleducated and enlightened nobleman, visited Kofoedgård in 1602 togetherwith five squires and their entourage: "as many as could be seated aroundfour long tables". Although the affair totalled a hefty 22 Rigsdalers,Peder Kofoed could not but praise God for his good fortune in making theaquaintance of such an important and influential man. To do this heshared the cost of manufacturing a magnificient new bell dedicated to thechurch in Østermarie in 1604. It is one of two bells that ring for thepeople in Østermarie to this very day.
It was unthinkable to have Kofoedgård converted to a "friegård"; however,as it was now established that Peder had the right to own freemanproperty, it was possible to obtain land already designated as such.Finally in 1606 he got the opportunity to buy the free-property ofBaggegård in Klemensker parish. Now "Peder Kofoed af Baggaard" could meton equal footing with the other freemen of Bornholm.
In 1572 a meeting was held by Bornholm's Parliament to establish who hadthe right to the status of "frimand" on Bornholm. Of course, thatmeeting had a broader purpose: a war in which Lübeck and Denmark hadfought side-by-side had ended two years previously, and there was anotherthree years before the Lübeck 50 year claim to Bornholm was to expire;although Lübeck claimed that it had been given a further 50 years. Inthis predicament it was wise for the King to establish locally situatedallies; and Bornholm's influential freemen, who normally would have beensnubbed by the King and the true nobility, were now in a position toreceive benevolent treatment from the Danish government.
At the "Frimandsmødet" held on September 6, 1572 there were 17 men namedas being in attendance: the brothers Jens and Hans (Madsen) Kofoed, Peder(Poulsen) Kofoed, Oluf Bagge, Peder Uf, Peder Myre, Jørgen Gagge, andalso ten other men only listed by their patronymic - among those wereBendt Hansen and Laurids Pedersen; and at which occassion three DanishParlimentary advisers (Rigsråder) had been sent to preside over themeeting. The Kofoeds had no written proof of their freemen status; theywere only able to give heartfelt and solemn words about faithfulservice. It seems they had an inkling of things to come, and thereforebegged the King not to let himself be "seduced" by Lübeck'srepresentative Sveder Ketting, "because you might expect that Lübeck onlyplotted to keep our island under their yoke." This is the first recordin which we find the Kofoeds being mentioned as "frimænd". We know thatthey were related to Oluf Bagge and Peder Uf, and probably to several ofthe others. The question remains: did they already have claim tofreeman status, or did they take advantage of the King's need for loyalfollowers - seeking acknowledgement of that status from their peers onBornholm? It seems that they had to make certain commitments to the Kingin exchange for the full rights to freeman status.
Peder Kofoed, named as a "frimand", was one of the delegates who on May6, 1608, in København, confirmed and selected Prince Christian as thefuture King of Denmark. He also, along with Hans Kofoed (c.1550-1623),took part in the following festivities in Lund, Skåne (now part ofSverige/Sweden), where the nobility swore their allegiance to PrinceChristian in the year 1610.
According to Julius Bidstrup's book on the "Family B" by the altar of thenow demolished Østermarie Church there was a gravestone with three copperplates, the first with the initials "P.K.", for Peder Kofoed, whichdepicted his seal (segl): the hoof or "foot" of a cow ("foden af en kue"or "et koben"). The name Kofoed comes from the older name of "KoFod"(meaning "CowFoot"). The second plate is engraved "E.H.G.D." for:Elsebeth Henning Gagge's Daughter; her coat of arms depicts a halfmill-wheel (halv kaggehjul) and a chevron (sparre). The third isengraved "I.P.H.D." for: Inger Peder Hansen's Daughter; her coat of armsdepicts what looks like a cheek-bone (kindben), which has otherwise beendescribed as a half lobster claw (halv hummerklo); Sigvard Mahler Dam hasidentified it as a pike's jawbone (geddekæft), stating that the"geddekæft" was a symbol of speed - as knights used to fasten the jawboneinto the nostrils of their horses, so that they would run fast and wild.It seems that the old Bornholm Kofoed families used the cow-foot as theircoat of arms; from obvious association with their name, rather thanthrough their connection to the Duchy of Holstein. The so-called"Østermarie family" (aka Julius Bidstrup's "Family B") adopted the signof the cow-foot into their arms around 1590. Besides the gravestone ofPeder Kofoed, it can be seen in the seal of his brother the Mayor EsbernKofoed. From then on the cow-foot was used repeatedly by this branch ofthe Kofoed family; among them Mayor Poul Kofoed of Svaneke, who in 1673adorned his seal with a tiny, not too martial-looking helmet sproutingthree flowers.
In 1595 Hans Kofoed (c.1550-1623), of the "Rønne family" (Bidstrup's"Family A"), incorporated the image of a "gavlsparren" (a truss,otherwise known in heraldry as a chevron) in his seal; this later becamethe most widely incorporated image in later Kofoed seals and coats ofarms. A truss is that part of a building which forms the foundation uponwhich its roof is built. As depicted in the Kofoed coat of arms it looksrather like an upside down "V", i.e. the two beams of a roof's supportingstructure. His oldest son Mads Kofoed used this image from 1608, and hisdescendants used it as well.
The "Danish Coat of Arms" registry shows that 18 families carry the trussas part of their coats of arms. The image of the truss seems to havecome from the Uf family of Skåne. Noblemen of the Uf family settled onBornholm around the year 1400, and quite a few of the native BornholmerKofoeds married into that family, and it seems that they adopted the Uf'scoat of arms with its depiction of a "sparre". Later, as the "Rønnefamily" and the "Østermarie family" began to inter-marry the image of thechevron can be seen together with that of the "cow-foot".
Reference: In "Familien Koefoed A og B" Julius Bidstrup (published 1886),Peder Kofoed's father was a Mads Kofoed, however according to laterresearch done by Jørn Klindt it is proven that he was the son of PoulKofoed; see "På spore af de første Kofod'er", by Jørn Klindt, published1979 , page 77.
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.
1 _FA1
2 PLAC Free-woman (Fri Kvinde)
1 MISC Seal (Segl): Cheek-Bone (Kindben)
1 _FA1
2 DATE 1606-1616
2 PLAC Freeman (Frimand)
1 MISC Baggegård, Propr. Klemensker, Bornholm
From the earliest records on Peder Kofoed we see that he was a tax-payingfarm-owner without the freeman (frimand) privileges his relatives aroundRønne enjoyed. Peder Kofoed fathered five children in his firstmarriage, to Elsebeth Gagge: one son and four daughters; she and all oftheir children died in 1585. After Elsebeth Gagge died he inherited herproperty, as there was no male relation after her. The properties werethe 14', 16', 17' and 25' Vornedegårde (Vdg.) in Åker parish (and as wellhe owned a mill). As Elsebeth Gagge's status was that of a freewoman(frij Quinse = fri Kvinde) it was necessary to obtain Royal permission tokeep the farms. This was granted to him by Royal decree on July 3, 1598;however, this did not make Peder a freeman, but he did obtain somethingequally as good: The King's decree of 1598 gave him the right to ownthose farms "as free as anyone else on Bornholm owned his farm".Christian IV's brother-in-law, the Holstein Duke Johan Adolf, a welleducated and enlightened nobleman, visited Kofoedgård in 1602 togetherwith five squires and their entourage: "as many as could be seated aroundfour long tables". Although the affair totalled a hefty 22 Rigsdalers,Peder Kofoed could not but praise God for his good fortune in making theaquaintance of such an important and influential man. To do this heshared the cost of manufacturing a magnificient new bell dedicated to thechurch in Østermarie in 1604. It is one of two bells that ring for thepeople in Østermarie to this very day.
It was unthinkable to have Kofoedgård converted to a "friegård"; however,as it was now established that Peder had the right to own freemanproperty, it was possible to obtain land already designated as such.Finally in 1606 he got the opportunity to buy the free-property ofBaggegård in Klemensker parish. Now "Peder Kofoed af Baggaard" could meton equal footing with the other freemen of Bornholm.
In 1572 a meeting was held by Bornholm's Parliament to establish who hadthe right to the status of "frimand" on Bornholm. Of course, thatmeeting had a broader purpose: a war in which Lübeck and Denmark hadfought side-by-side had ended two years previously, and there was anotherthree years before the Lübeck 50 year claim to Bornholm was to expire;although Lübeck claimed that it had been given a further 50 years. Inthis predicament it was wise for the King to establish locally situatedallies; and Bornholm's influential freemen, who normally would have beensnubbed by the King and the true nobility, were now in a position toreceive benevolent treatment from the Danish government.
At the "Frimandsmødet" held on September 6, 1572 there were 17 men namedas being in attendance: the brothers Jens and Hans (Madsen) Kofoed, Peder(Poulsen) Kofoed, Oluf Bagge, Peder Uf, Peder Myre, Jørgen Gagge, andalso ten other men only listed by their patronymic - among those wereBendt Hansen and Laurids Pedersen; and at which occassion three DanishParlimentary advisers (Rigsråder) had been sent to preside over themeeting. The Kofoeds had no written proof of their freemen status; theywere only able to give heartfelt and solemn words about faithfulservice. It seems they had an inkling of things to come, and thereforebegged the King not to let himself be "seduced" by Lübeck'srepresentative Sveder Ketting, "because you might expect that Lübeck onlyplotted to keep our island under their yoke." This is the first recordin which we find the Kofoeds being mentioned as "frimænd". We know thatthey were related to Oluf Bagge and Peder Uf, and probably to several ofthe others. The question remains: did they already have claim tofreeman status, or did they take advantage of the King's need for loyalfollowers - seeking acknowledgement of that status from their peers onBornholm? It seems that they had to make certain commitments to the Kingin exchange for the full rights to freeman status.
Peder Kofoed, named as a "frimand", was one of the delegates who on May6, 1608, in København, confirmed and selected Prince Christian as thefuture King of Denmark. He also, along with Hans Kofoed (c.1550-1623),took part in the following festivities in Lund, Skåne (now part ofSverige/Sweden), where the nobility swore their allegiance to PrinceChristian in the year 1610.
According to Julius Bidstrup's book on the "Family B" by the altar of thenow demolished Østermarie Church there was a gravestone with three copperplates, the first with the initials "P.K.", for Peder Kofoed, whichdepicted his seal (segl): the hoof or "foot" of a cow ("foden af en kue"or "et koben"). The name Kofoed comes from the older name of "KoFod"(meaning "CowFoot"). The second plate is engraved "E.H.G.D." for:Elsebeth Henning Gagge's Daughter; her coat of arms depicts a halfmill-wheel (halv kaggehjul) and a chevron (sparre). The third isengraved "I.P.H.D." for: Inger Peder Hansen's Daughter; her coat of armsdepicts what looks like a cheek-bone (kindben), which has otherwise beendescribed as a half lobster claw (halv hummerklo); Sigvard Mahler Dam hasidentified it as a pike's jawbone (geddekæft), stating that the"geddekæft" was a symbol of speed - as knights used to fasten the jawboneinto the nostrils of their horses, so that they would run fast and wild.It seems that the old Bornholm Kofoed families used the cow-foot as theircoat of arms; from obvious association with their name, rather thanthrough their connection to the Duchy of Holstein. The so-called"Østermarie family" (aka Julius Bidstrup's "Family B") adopted the signof the cow-foot into their arms around 1590. Besides the gravestone ofPeder Kofoed, it can be seen in the seal of his brother the Mayor EsbernKofoed. From then on the cow-foot was used repeatedly by this branch ofthe Kofoed family; among them Mayor Poul Kofoed of Svaneke, who in 1673adorned his seal with a tiny, not too martial-looking helmet sproutingthree flowers.
In 1595 Hans Kofoed (c.1550-1623), of the "Rønne family" (Bidstrup's"Family A"), incorporated the image of a "gavlsparren" (a truss,otherwise known in heraldry as a chevron) in his seal; this later becamethe most widely incorporated image in later Kofoed seals and coats ofarms. A truss is that part of a building which forms the foundation uponwhich its roof is built. As depicted in the Kofoed coat of arms it looksrather like an upside down "V", i.e. the two beams of a roof's supportingstructure. His oldest son Mads Kofoed used this image from 1608, and hisdescendants used it as well.
The "Danish Coat of Arms" registry shows that 18 families carry the trussas part of their coats of arms. The image of the truss seems to havecome from the Uf family of Skåne. Noblemen of the Uf family settled onBornholm around the year 1400, and quite a few of the native BornholmerKofoeds married into that family, and it seems that they adopted the Uf'scoat of arms with its depiction of a "sparre". Later, as the "Rønnefamily" and the "Østermarie family" began to inter-marry the image of thechevron can be seen together with that of the "cow-foot".
Reference: In "Familien Koefoed A og B" Julius Bidstrup (published 1886),Peder Kofoed's father was a Mads Kofoed, however according to laterresearch done by Jørn Klindt it is proven that he was the son of PoulKofoed; see "På spore af de første Kofod'er", by Jørn Klindt, published1979 , page 77.
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.
1 MISC Coat of arms (Våben): a white pike's jawbone on red (en hvidt geddekæft i rødt)
1 _FA1
2 PLAC Middleclass Citizen (Borger)
1 _FA1
2 PLAC Captain
1 _FA1
2 PLAC Freeman (Frimand)
1 MISC Reeve (Sandemand) for Østre district
Poul Kofoed is the first Kofoed to live in Østermarie parish and ispresumed to be the father of Peder Kofoed. Julius Bidstrup (published in1886-87) states that Peder Kofoed was the son of a Mads Kofoed, howeverthis is now known to be incorrect. Poul Kofoed's name (in the oldrecords it is spelled variously, in low German, as: Pavell Köfföth andPowijl Kaafodt, etc.) is mentioned in 1549 as Reeve (Sandemand) for theEast District (Østre Herred), and Merchant Guild Chairman (Oldermand),and as living at one of the largest farms in Østermarie parish:Kofoedgård, the 23 Slg. That Poul Kofoed and his family were firmlyestablish in the area can be seen by the fact that already by 1569 aforest (skov) in Østermarie parish had become known as "Kofods-skov".His ancestry is not certain and is disputed, and made more difficult bythe fact that he never used his father's given name as part of hissignature or mark. According to Kure's farm-owner list his patronym is"Hansen". There are several theories on his ancestry:
1) Bornholm historian Dr. M.K. Zarthmann (in 1931) thought that perhapshe was the son of Hans Kofoed and brother to Peder Hansen Kofoed andEsbern Hansen Kofoed; and that Hans Kofoed was the son of the firstrecorded Kofoed on Bornholm: the Hanseatic trader and freeman PederKofoed from the german free-city of Lübeck, and brother to Mads Kofoed.Peder Kofoed is known to have been the representative for Lübeck in Rønnefrom 1510, mayor of Rønne from 1522, last mentioned in 1532.
2) In "På spor af de første Kofod'er", Jørn Klindt (published in 1979)states that there is not enough evidence to back this up with anycertainty; he thinks that perhaps he is brother to a Hans Kofoed ofRønne, who is mentioned in records from 1525-43.
3) Other have speculated that he is the son of Peder Kofoed of Lübeck,and that Peder is the son of Henrik Kofoed (died 1515), a nobleman andwealthy merchant in Lübeck. Henrik is known to have married a widownamed Mette in 1466. Henrik had a residence at Mengstrasse 29 inLübeck. Also owned Grosse Alterfähre 35-36 (which had 5 rooms), and in1487 inherited Glockengieserstrasse 32, which he sold within a year. Hesold the residence on Mengstrasse in 1505. After his death his widowsold Grosse Alterfähre.
Poul Kofoed's sons were part of a new generation of Kofoeds born aroundthe middle of the 1500s that began to play a larger role in the island'supper-class. At the same time much more written documentation becomesavailable, so the individual families can be traced without too muchguess-work.
In 1543 a group of Lübeck and Danish commissionaries were appointed tosettle a dispute regarding money owing to Lübeck by some Bornholmers.Various meetings were held around the island to settle the matter. Thefarmers from Østermarie and Ibsker parishes that were involved met at"Pavell Köfföthes" farm in Østermarie parish. At that time he was notsigning documents for the parish, but six years later in 1549 "PowijlKaafodt" was the Reeve for Østermarie parish, or as that position isstill called on Bornholm: "Sandemand". A "sandemand" was the chiefmagistrate and bailiff of a parish (sogn), and in many ways had dutiesequivalent to a Mayor (Borgmester) of a township (købstad).
In 1550 he participated in the establishment of the first latin-school inRønne; in 1553 he was promoted to District-Bailiff (Herredsfoged) for theEast District of Bornholm (Østre Herred, consisting of: Østerlars,Østermarie, Ibsker, and Svaneke). Soon after that he is known to haveundertaken a journey to Lübeck.
The "Lybækkerne" (the germanic Hansa imperial free-city of Lübeck) hadcontrolled Bornholm since 1525; King Frederik I had forfeited thecontrol of Bornholm to Lübeck for 50 years because of his inability topay debts owed to the city. The natives of Bornholm are recorded to havegroaned under the Hansa's rule, and declared "they would rather be underthe Turks, than under that German, Christian, imperial city." KingFrederik took pity on them and declared the inhabitants under hisprotection - this was to little avail though.
Fifty years later a sign of Lübeck waining powers can be seen in theactions of King Frederik II concerning Bornholm. During those long yearsthe island had been considered the Queen-city of the Hansa's specialpossession; they had made much profit from the enforced payment of dues,and the export of such valuable commodities as limestone. First a Lübeckgovernor was formally ejected from København, then the inhabitants ofBornholm, encouraged in insubordination by seeing how the authorities inKøbenhavn dealt with their masters, refused to pay their dues. Finally,one of the towns even forcibly ejected some Lübeck traders. An ominoussign of things to come are reflected in Frederik's opposition to anymention of Bornholm during peace treaties.
Poul Kofoed was appointed by King Frederik II and sent back to Bornholmin order to negotiate back control of the island. Also, he was to sit inmediation between the Lübeck Governor Sweder Kattingk and the citizens ofBornholm; this meeting was held on December 1, 1572 at the home of PoulKofoed. On September 7, 1575, Frederik II informed Lübeck, "that thefifty-years of possession, accorded to them by his grandfather, wouldhave expired on the 19th of the month, and he intended to retakepossession of the island." The city replied that the "Peace of Hamburg"extended their rights of possession - which they held for unpaid Danishdebts. Frederik replied the treaty was invalid since his father, who hadmade it, was not crowned at the time, and he himself had not beenconsulted in the matter. Complain as they might, the Lübeck'ers hadneither the power nor the ability to stop the take over.
Located just outside of Kofoedgård's main house is a mighty oak-tree(eg), known as the "Nøgle-egen", which is said to be the "key" (nøgle) tothe farm's good fortune. This romantic legend probably dates backfurther than the 1800s; no sure explanation is known as to how or whythis came to be thought. The oak-tree dates back to the time Poul Kofoedtook possession of that beautiful farm located in the fertile coast-landbetween Svaneke and Gudhjem. The farm-house commands a wide view of theeastern parishes and Svaneke township.
The book "På spor af de første Kofod'er" by Jørn Klindt (published 1979)is a scholarly examination, which tries to clear up the many errorssurrounding this family's genealogy. It is thought that the immediatelypreceading ancestors to the Kofoed'er of Bornholm originated from thearea around Hamburg, in the Duchy of Holstein. In 1286 there is mentionof a knight, Albertus Koefoed; the Holstein'er family attained the rightto be armigerous and held various titles of knighthood. Every couple ofgenerations the family rose in status to near nobility, only to thendescend the social ladder; they never broke into, and then maintained,noble status.
According to Jørn Klindt it was the so-called "Østermarie branch" (a.k.a.Julius Bidstrup's "Family B") of the Kofoed-family that adopted the imageof the cow-foot around the year 1590 - it is displayed on a tombstone inØstermarie Church, as well as in the seal of Mayor Esbern Kofoed, andlater used by Mayor Poul Madsen Kofoed of Svaneke. But the cow-foot wasnot the preferred seal image for the Kofoeds, but rather a very oldarmorial image - the chevron (sparre) was the most widely used. Notablyby the so-called "Rønne branch" (a.k.a. Julius Bidstrup's "Family A").First used by Chief Justice Jens Madsen Kofoed (c.1541-1625) of Rønne.Followed by his half-brother Hans Kofoed (c.1550-1623) of Blykobbegård,who used the chevron in his seal from 1595. Hans Kofoed's oldest sonMads Hansen Kofoed (c.1588-1646) used the chevron from 1608, and thus ondown through the family.
Jørn Klindt states that in Holstein in the late-1200s and early-1300sthere can be found record of a number of Kofoed men: Albertus (-1286-),Henrik, Didrik, and Bertold. In the mid-1300s: Hasse, Johannes and hisson Markvard, Frederik, Conrad, Michael of Lübeck, and two otherJohannes. In the mid-1400s there were a number of Hanseatic traders:Henrik (-1466-1515) and Hans (died 1481) - both of Lübeck, Hans (-1484-)of Wismar, and Jesper (-1526-). The Hans Kofoed who died in 1481 isknown to have had five children: Joakim, Grete, Engel, Anna, and Hans(born 1481). In the early-1500s one of the Kofoed Hansa traders is knownto settled on Bornholm: Peder (-1510-1532-) of Rønne.
From the "Dansk adelsvåbner, en heraldisk nøgle", page 92, by Sven TitoAchen, Politikens Forlag, 1973, København:
Kofod. Et koben. Farver og eventuel hjelmfigur kendes ikke. MarkvardKofod, væbner, 1378; afkom ukendt. NDA side 151.(The above translated to English:)
Kofod. On the shield a cow-foot. Colours and eventual helmet unknown.Markvard Kofod, esquire, in 1378; no known descendants. NDA page 151.On Bornholm there were three classes of farms: 1] Proprietairgård(Propr.), earlier called a Friegård - meaning property owned by a freeman("frimand", later called a "proprietær"); 2] Selvejergård (Slg.) -meaning a farm owned independently, free of obligations to a propertyowner - it could be occupied by its owner or rented out to a peasantfarmer (bonde); 3] Vornedegård (Vdg.), also spelled Vårnedergård -meaning a farm leased out long-term by a land-owner (proprietær) to atenured peasant farmer; these farms were "attached" to a proprietairgård,and entailed accompanying work obligations by the peasant for theproprietår who held the rights on the farm's lease. These rights wereknown as the "Herlighedsright" (Glory-right).
In Denmark, a person did not become a citizen (borger) by virtue of beingborn in a place. Citizenship was a valuable privilege that included: theright to engage in business in a community; rights and protections underthe law; permission to reside in a community without being expelled.Citizenship was extended by individual communities to some of theirinhabitants, primarily those who wanted to engage in business, and didnot pertain to citizenship in the country as a whole. Until thetwentieth century, only males of the middle and upper classes, mostlymerchants and tradesmen, were granted citizenship.
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.
Lars Hansen and Johanne Madsdatter Kofoed had two children.
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.
Lars Hansen and Johanne Madsdatter Kofoed had two children.
This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, copyright 2006.