Hans Christian Schrøder, ca 1876
This is the only photograph that we have of Hans Christian Schrøder, the father of Axel Schrøder, who was born 8 October 1852 in the city of Odense, Odense county, Denmark. His father, Julius Schrøder, had been married first to Elisabeth Agertoft in 1846 and had one son, Villads (sometimes written as Willars) Peter, born in 1847. Elisabeth died shortly thereafter. Julius next married Karen Marie Jespersen in 1850 and they had a son, Carl Frederick Andreas, born in 1851. Hans Christian was the second child of this union. Three more children were born to Julius and Karen, Elise Cathinka in 1854, Julius in 1856, and Frantz Steenberg, in 1857. Karen died before 1860. Julius married the third time to Johanne Marie Jensen and they had a daughter, Karen Kristine in 1863. Johanne died shortly after the birth of her daughter. Julius then married a fourth time to Lovise Augusta Henrietta West in 1877 and they had one son, Karl Godfred born in 1877. Coincidentally Axel was born in 1877 making his half-uncle the same age. Julius, who was born in 1818, would have been 59 years old at the time of his fourth marriage.
Our Norwegian families have for the most part been farmers but our Danish family is different. They were tradesmen mostly. Hans Christian was a baker and candy-maker, his father Julius was a wool dyer and his grandfather, Carl Frederick (sometimes written as Frederick Carl) born in 1780, was a bookbinder. Before that Carl’s father, Niels, was a courtier, the "groom" or keeper of the great chamber for Carl von Linstow at Ørbæklunde.
Ørbæklunde, Svendborg, Denmark
[photo: Google images]
[photo: Google images]
I have a feeling that this may have been a secretarial position of some sort. Appointments of this nature were often awarded to relatives or close friends. When von Linstow died his widow moved from the estate into the city of Odense taking her late husband’s attendants with her. However, when she remarried all of her former husband’s retainers were dismissed so Niels was without employment. He had found apprenticeships for his sons but he, his youngest children and wife found themselves living a much reduced life style. Niels, who was born in 1739, would have been close to 50 years old when he was listed as a pauper, different than a beggar or living abject poverty in that it usually referred to a person who was older and would be considered retired or a pensioner today not someone who was completely destitute. Nevertheless it was a far cry from the life he had had when he was in the employ of von Linstow. Niels died in 1800 and his son, Carl Frederick died in 1851.
