The Ancestry of Hans Christensen - on the Danish island of Lolland.

Hans Christensen was my great-great-grandfather, the father of Ida Kate Christensen (Nash), my great grand-mother, and seven other children. He was born in 1829 in Tagerup on the island of Lolland, and died ca 1885, likely in Kansas - having immigrated with most of his family in 1872. Hans had a “foster father”, with whom he lived until he was an adult - Frederick Maasberg - who is referenced in Niels Christensen’s recollections just below. The photo at right is Hans and Christiane’s oldest daughter Marie, with Frederick Maasberg. Given that she was born in 1857, meaning that the photo was likely as late as the late 1870’s or early 1880’s. Other pages cover the family in America, and Hans’ wife' Christiane Rasmussen’s ancestry - this page details what we know about Hans’ ancestry in Denmark.

This page is under construction - it still needs to be edited and fact checked

Hans was one of three children of parents who appeared to be poor - and he and his brother Niels were supported by surrogate parents. Hans’ brother Niels described this in his recollections - which was included in a book about his wife’s family, titled “The Johnson’s of Mariadahl”. The part of his recollections that mentions his life in Denmark and his family is posted below. Hans is mentioned, and it’s the best history of the Christensen family in Denmark prior to the immigration of Niels and Hans.

Through various records, I have been able to construct a few generations back from Hans and Niels. The ancestry chart for them is posted below, and then there will be sections about each family included in the chart.

Hans Christensen’s Family - Christen, Karen, Niels, and Johana

Hans was shown in Tagerup church records as born January 24, 1829.  Tagerup is on the island of Lolland, not far from Torslunde.  He was shown as the son of Christen Christensen and Karen Madsdatter.