When did Christen Christensen (1878-1947) of Radsted, Denmark arrive in New York?

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Petition for Naturalization for Christen Christensen

According to his 1907 petition for naturalization, Christen Christensen was born in Lolland, Denmark on 28 September 1878, and arrived in New York on the ship Hekla in May 1891. [1] However, no male aged about 12 years old named Christen Christensen is listed on the ship’s passenger list.[2] Christen’s sister Kristine and her husband Hans Jensen immigrated to New York on the Hekla in May 1891. Traveling with them was an eleven-year-old child, Kristen.[3] Are Christen Christensen and Kristen Jensen the same person? 

Family Background

Kirstine and Christen Christensen were children of Lars Christensen and Karen Jensdatter of Radsted, Maribo, Denmark.[4] Within a few years of their father Lars’ death in 1886,[5] members of the family began to emigrate to America. Hans, the oldest son, arrived in New York in August 1890.[6] Kirstine and Christen followed in May 1891. Their sister Cecilie immigrated by 1895 when she married in Brooklyn.[7]

Hans Jensen (born 14 December 1862) and Kristine Christensen (born 31 January 1869) married in Radsted on 31 January 1891, the bride’s twenty-second birthday.[8] A year prior to their marriage, Maren Kirstine (age 21) was living with her widowed mother Karen Jensdatter (age 45), and her siblings Cecilie (age 13), Christen (age 11),  and Martin (age 8) in Radsted.[9] Hans Frederick Adelholdt Jensen was living in the household of Anders Rasmussen, working as a servant in Sakskobing, Musse, Maribo, Denmark.[10]

 

Ship Hekla

Multiple Christen Christensens                 

                    Three men with names similar to Christen Christensen were listed as arriving on the Hekla on 29 May 1891, the only time the Hekla arrived in New York that month[11]. They were

•        Christen R Christensen, age 26, going to Michigan[12],

•        Chr H Christensen, age 22, painter, going to New York[13], and

•        Chr Christensen, age 22, painter, going to Chicago.[14]

Based on the combination of ages, occupations and destinations none of these men are likely to be the Christen Christensen who petitioned for naturalization in 1907.

  Four men with names similar to Christen Christensen were screened for emigration on 12 May 1891 in Copenhagen and scheduled to depart on the Hekla. They were

•        Christian Rasmus Christensen, age 26, born in Colind, last residence in Denmark of Aarhus, a stable tenant, going to Michgamme, Michigan[15],

•        Chr. Hansen Christensen, age 22, last residence in Denmark of Ribe, a painter, going to New York, New York[16],

•        Chr. Christensen, age 22, last residence in Denmark of Copenhagen, a painter, going to Chicago, Illinois,[17] and

•        Christian Christensen, age 11, last residence of Torpe, Hallenslev, Holbaek, going to Grayling Michigan, who cancelled his departure.[18]

The first three men screened in Copenhagen are the same men who appear on the passenger list in New York. None of them come from Lolland, where Christen was born in 1878. The fourth man, Christian Christensen of Torpe is the right age, but from the wrong location and did not emigrate in May 1891.

 The Jensen Family

 On 12 May 1891, the Jensen family was screened for emigration in Copenhagen. Their family group consisted of

•        Hans Jensen, age 28, resident parish of Radsted (Lolland), going to New York, New York[19],

•        Kirstine Jensen, age 22, wife, resident parish of Radsted (Lolland), going to New York, New York[20], and

•        Christine Jensen, age 11 1/2, child, resident parish of Radsted (Lolland), going to New York, New York.[21]


Hekla Ship's passenger list showing the Jensen family

This same group of three people, Hans Jensen, age 28, Kristine Jensen, age 22, his wife, and Kristen Jensen, age 11 year 6 months, a male child, are listed on the Hekla’s passenger list for 29 May 1891[22].

 Kristen Jensen is unlikely to have been the child of Hans and Kristine. Both Hans and Kirstine were listed as single in the 1890 Danish census. Neither household they lived in included a ten-year-old child named Christine or Kristen Jensen. No Kristen Jensen the right age is living in Radsted in 1890.[23]

Hans and Kristine Jensen indicated they planned to settle in New York City. Their daughter Rose Maren Jensen was born in Brooklyn on 6 December 1891.[24] By 17 December 1896, they were living in Falmouth, Cumberland County, Maine when their son Lawrence was born.[25] The family has not been found in the 1892 New York Census in Brooklyn taken on 16 February 1892[26]. Hans Jensen has not been found in Brooklyn City Directories between 1891-1897.[27] No other record for Hans and Kristine Jensen include a child born about 1880.[28]

 Kristine (Christensen) Jensen’s brother Christen Christensen would have been 12 years and 7 months old if he immigrated in May 1891. In 1890, he was living in Radsted, Maribo, Denmark. He does not appear on the Hekla’s passenger list that he should appear on based on his Petition for Naturalization.

 Kristen Jensen, a male age 11 years 6 months, is listed on the Hekla passenger list arriving with Hans and Kristine Jensen. According to the emigration records in Denmark, he was from Radsted. No Kristen Jensen lived in Radsted in 1890. Kristen Jensen appears in no other records with Hans and Kristine Jensen.

 Christen Christensen did arrive in New York on 29 May 1891 on the Hekla as he stated in his 1907 petition for naturalization. He traveled with his sister and brother-in-law under the name Kristen Jensen.


Patty Hankins
Patty@Hankins.net
28 May 2023              


[1] U.S. Eastern District Court, New York, “Petition for Naturalization,” volume 34 p 148,  14 May 1907, Christen Christensen; digital image, “New York, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1794-1943,”  Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2280/images/32126_22315983130300-00710 : accessed 23 May 2023), images 710-711 of 1054. Lolland is an island in southeastern Denmark.

[2]“New York, U.S. Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island) 1820-1957,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7488/ : searched 23 May 2023), search for Christ*ns*n arriving in May 1891 on the Hekla.

[3] “Hekla Ship’s Passenger List”, New York, 29 May 1891, page 5, line 195-197, Hans Jensen family [indexed as Fensen]; digital image, “New York, U.S. Arriving Passenger and Crew lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7488/images/NYM237_568-0769\ : accessed 7 April 2023).

[4] Denmark, Maribo, Radsted Sogn, Baptisms, 25 March 1869, Maren Kristine Christensen; digital image, “Denmark, Church Records, 1812-1924,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61607/images/48603_62021000438_2551-00098 : accessed 24 March 2023). Denmark, Maribo, Radsted Sogn, Baptisms, 24 Nov 1878, Christen Christensen; digital image, “Denmark, Church Records, 1812-1924,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/7674024:61607 : accessed 26 May 2023). Maribo is a town on the island of Lolland. Radsted is a village and parish in Maribo.   

[5] Denmark, Maribo, Radsted Sogn, Burials, 10 March 1886, Lars Christensen; digital image, “Denmark, Church Records, 1812-1924,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61607/images/48603_62021000438_2551-00358 : accessed 26 May 2023).

[6]“Devonia Ship’s Passenger List”, New York, 6 August 1890, page 6, line 772, Hans Christensen; digital image, “New York, U.S. Arriving Passenger and Crew lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7488/images/NYM237_552-0525 : accessed 15 January 2023).

[7] Certificate of Marriage, New York, Brooklyn, no. 5678, 24 November 1895, Hans Christensen and Cecilie Christensen; digital image, "Historical Vital Records," New York City Municipal Archive, NYC Department of Records & Information Services ( https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov/view/7636193 : accessed 26 May 2023) image M-K-1895-0005678.

[8] Denmark, Maribo, Radsted, Marriages 1889-1892, page 231, no. 1, 31 January 1891, Hans Frederik Adelholdt Jensen and Maren Kirstine Christensen; digital image, “Denmark, Church Records 1812-1924,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61607/images/48603_62021000438_2583-00034 : accessed 24 March 2023).

[9] 1890 Denmark Census, Maribo, Musse, Radsted, 1 February 1890, household 8, Karen Jensdatter household; Hans Christensen; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61732/images/48693_b695584-00682 : accessed 24 March 2023).

[10] 1890 Denmark Census, Maribo, Musse, Sakskobing, 1 February 1890, Household 1, person 5, Hans Frederik Adelholt Jensen; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61732/images/48693_b695584-00797 : accessed 23 May  2023).

[11]“S/S Hekla (2), Thingvalla Line,” NorwayHeritage (http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=heklb : accessed 25 May 2023).

[12]“Hekla Ship’s Passenger List”, New York, 29 May 1891, page 4, line 138, Christen R Christensen. See note 3.

[13]“Hekla Ship’s Passenger List”, New York, 29 May 1891, page 5, line 207,  Chr H Christensen.

[14]“Hekla Ship’s Passenger List”, New York, 29 May 1891, page 7, line 4, Chr Christensen.

[15]“Copenhagen Police’s Immigrant Protocols,” Det Danske Udvandrerarkiv, 12 May 1891, contract 163500, Christian Rasmus Christensen, (http://www.udvandrerarkivet.dk/udvandrerprotokollerne/ : accessed 23 May 2023).

[16]“Copenhagen Police’s Immigrant Protocols,” Det Danske Udvandrerarkiv, 12 May 1891, contract 15800, Chr. Hansen Christensen.

[17] “Copenhagen Police’s Immigrant Protocols,” Det Danske Udvandrerarkiv, 12 May 1891, contract 150200, Chr. Christensen.

[18]“Copenhagen Police’s Immigrant Protocols,” Det Danske Udvandrerarkiv, 12 May 1891, contract 164000, Christian Christensen.

[19]“Copenhagen Police’s Immigrant Protocols,” Det Danske Udvandrerarkiv, 12 May 1891, contract 158700, Hans Jensen.

[20] “Copenhagen Police’s Immigrant Protocols,” Det Danske Udvandrerarkiv, 12 May 1891, contract 158700, Kirstine Jensen.

[21]“Copenhagen Police’s Immigrant Protocols,” Det Danske Udvandrerarkiv, 12 May 1891, contract 158700, Chirstine Jensen.

[22] “Hekla Ship’s Passenger List”, New York, 29 May 1891, page 5, line 195-197, Hans Jensen family [indexed as Fensen]. See note 3.

[23] 1890 Denmark Census, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61732/ : accessed 24 May 2023), negative searches for C* Jensen and K* Jensen, born about 1880, living in Radsted.

[24] For month, year and state of birth, 1900 U.S. Census, Maine, Cumberland, Falmouth, population schedule, ED 41, sheet 21, lines 9-13, Hans Jensen family; digital image, Ancestry, (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2567485:7602 : 7 April 2023), image 3 of 32. For exact birth date and location, “Lassen, Rose Maren” Obituary, The Eugene Register-Guard, Lane County, Oregon, 10 Feb, 1969, page 11B; digital image added to FindAGrave memorial on 9 Feb 2015 by “Jan&Mike”; Rose Maren Jensen Lassen, FindAGrave, memorial 142387529 created by “Jan&Mike” on 9 Feb 2015, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142387529/rose-maren-lassen : accessed 24 May 2023).
Negative search in New York City Vital Records, "Historical Vital Records," New York City Municipal Archive, NYC Department of Records & Information Services (https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov/ : accessed 24 May 2023), search for Jensen born 1891 in Brooklyn.

[25] "Maine, U.S. Birth Records, 1715-1922," Maine, Cumberland County, 17 December 1896, Lawrence Jensen; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1925914:1960 : accessed  23 May 2023).

[26] New York State Census, 1892, FamilySearch, (https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1529100 : searched 24 May 2023), search for Jensen, born in Denmark, living in Kings County. 75 people, no good candidates for Hans, Kristine or Rose. New York State Census, 1892, FamilySearch, (https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1529100 : searched 24 May 2023), search for Hans Jensen, born in Denmark between 1860-1864. Only candidate is Jens born 1860, married to Margrette, with 4 children.

[27] U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/ : searched 24 May 2023), manual search of 1891, 1894, 1895, and 1897 directories for Hans Jensen. No good candidates for Hans Jensen, husband of Kristine.

[28] 1900 U.S. Census, Maine, Cumberland, Falmouth, population schedule, ED 41, sheet 21, lines 9-13, Hans Jensen family; digital image, Ancestry, (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2567485:7602 : 7 April 2023), image 3 of 32. 1910 U.S. Census, Oregon, Lane, Zumwalt, population schedule, E.D. 306, page 5B,  lines 80-84, Hans F Jensen family; digital image, Ancestry, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/4449647_00216 : accessed 7 April 2023), image 10 of 16.



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