Om :

• Fremstillet, 14.08.1864, Sønder Stenderup Kirke, Sønder Stenderup Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt.

• FT-1870, 01.02.1870, Fensbjerg, Sønder Stenderup Sogn.

• FT-1880, 01.02.1880, "Lauritzminde", Sønder Stenderup Sogn, gård. A servant at a farm owned by Christian Bramsen.

• Letter: from Anne Marie Hansen Hald to Paul Freeman, 28.09.1893.
Translated from Danish by Eleanor Freeman.

Dear cousin Paul,

We have long wanted to write to you, but nothing has come of it. Now I must really get to it. We have also waited for a few words from you, but those have not appeared. Thank you many times for the greetings to us in your parents' letters. There we hear from you, and we are glad that you are well and content in America. We have also heard a little from you from Erich Hatt. He says you are very cheerful and that you are not very homesick for Denmark. Little Paul, that you certainly should not be ashamed of for here you have many dear ones whom you must miss, especially your mother. Dear little Paul, do not forget her, no matter what you do. Remember her always, and I am sure that you will for you have a good and sensitive heart, and you may be sure that she is always longing for her Lille Paul. Yes, she longs for you all, but you are the last to go away from the native home, and you stand most alive in her remembrance.

Dear cousin, you have now already heard through your sister Cathrine that your dear sister Marie is dead. Yes, Paul, that will cause you sorrow as it caused us others, as we all loved Marie. She was an unusually good and lovely girl. It is hardest for your dear mother... she misses her most. We should also remember... it is really too much... last year she had to be separated from you and this year from Marie. But it may be this is best, for the Lord's way is not our way. Marie was not sick long. She had not been so well for a while, but she was better and no one thought it was the end. Tuesday, February 7th, she went to play with the child, and when she bent down to pick something up, she would not rise to her feet again. She went to bed, and on Wednesday your mother was fetched. She was then with Marie both day and night until she died. She died Friday, February 10th.

The Lord delivered her soul. She said just before she died: "Dear Saviour, open the gate, now I am coming". Yes, she is well off in Heaven, where some day we will see her again. Dear Paul, do not forget to pray to God and read diligently in your New Testament so that you also may go through Heaven's gate to your sister Marie. You should have been there to hear the preacher's funeral address about her. It was splendid. He said in the sermon that we should imitate Marie, the blessed young girl, so that we might become like her and go through the same gate that she did.

Dear Paul, I have also had a great sorrow since you left. My dear father has gone from us over to Varmark. It has grieved me, and I miss him, but I think it was God's will, and it must be good. He is well. Fourth Christmas Day we were with him to celebrate his birthday. He has Knud's room, and that is nice. He will not do more than he wants, but you know Father. He works as long as he can.

Mads Wiuf has married Hans Byggere's sweetheart, and they had a son eight days after the wedding.

Greetings from Ole Wiuf. He comes here often. He is at home and is a farm hand. Also greetings from Bedstefader and from Hans Holm's, all three. Lorents is home this winter. They are much as usual, and Thules is the same. Paul Brodersen has married a woman from Skive. Also greetings from Anne Wrang. You can be sure we talk often about you. Little Johanne talks about you many times a day. She often goes to America to you. You should see her, so big and sweet she has become. Also greetings from your father and mother. They both were here last Sunday. Your ears must have burned for we talked a lot about you. Do not forget to write often to them. It is almost their only pleasure to hear from you in America. Rasmus Aagaard is getting a horse now. He will take the milk to the creamery. Here we are sawing, and every day it blows. We are busy with the timber till Paulsen comes next month. We have leased the lowest of our land together with the meadow that is 13 1/2 toende (1 toende is 1.36 acres) to Ole Soerensen. We shall have 45 kr. per toende. Niels Wrang has got good use of your skates this winter for it has been severely cold.

Now I have told you a little about everything so you must be contented this time. Now I ask you to greet Jes and all his family both from husband and Johanne and me, and also Iver and Tante and Onkel Wind and his family.

Now, little Paul, write sometime and send us your picture, and when you become a rich man we will have your picture in the cabinet. Now with best wishes from us all, my husband and child and your cousin, Marie Wrang.

Your mother is expecting a letter these days, but it is probably on the way. You soon will be completely English.

No. 810, 542, 410, No. 87, the last verse.
These are the numbers of Marie's hymns so you can read them. You may be sure there were many fine wreaths on her coffin, and there were many people at church.

Marie Hoenhjar? has gone on the last ship to America.

David's psalm 139.

Goodbye till we see you.

Your cousin Marie.

• Letter: from Anne Marie Hansen Hald to Paul Freeman, 20.04.1896.
Translated from Danish by Eleanor Freeman.

Dear cousin Paul,

God's peace.

Thanks for your kind letter. We received it today and see by it that you, thank God for His mercy, have become a child of God and heir to eternal life. We were beside ourselves with joy when we read it... and what do you mean, dear cousin, that there has not been joy in heaven over you? But dear cousin, however fervently glad I am that you have become a believer, there is one thing which bothers me, and that is that you are thinking of being baptized again. I believe that it is very wrong to do that. You have been baptized once and know that by being baptized again you mock and insult the Holy Ghost. God - the Father, Son and Holy Ghost - has in your baptism as a little child sealed a covenant with you, and He is yesterday and today the same. He stands firm by the covenant which you yourself acknowledged by your confirmation, but you, dear Paul, are yourself going far from your baptismal covenant with your God. By His great mercy return to the covenant. It is not necessary that it be done again. Jesus says in Matt. 28, 19-20: "Go forth and teach all nations and baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost". He says all. He excludes not the children. He says also: "Let the little children come to me and forbid them not for God's kingdom belongs to such". Jesus himself was baptized as a grown person, but then he was not baptized as a child. The Jews did not practice that. Dear Paul, let us hold fast by what we have so that nothing shall take away your crown. Go directly in prayer to God and He will make it clear to your.

We have had here in Bjert parish a wonderful winter. There has been a great revival, and many have become converted. Anne and Maren Wrang have also received peace with God.

Your mother was here this afternoon. They had also had a letter. I send you greetings from her as she is waiting a bit to write. Your father is well, but Thea has come home. She is not very well. The doctor said it was in the lungs.

Dear cousin, let us pray hard for them and likewise for my dear father, that they may enjoy peace. I have often prayed for you, and I and my dear husband and little daughter pray for all our family. The Lord will in mercy and His great compassion grant our prayer that none of us will be missing on the great day.

We are not, as you thought, moved to Kolding, but live in our dear old home, and Johanne is both the oldest and the youngest. She is now in school. You may be sure she is growing. Next time I write you shall have our picture. We have none now. We should also like to ask you for one and see how you look now, and your mother expects one. Don't forget her, your dear old mother. She thinks of you often, as does your father. Don't forget the Fourth Commandment.

Greet your brother Jes and his family and Iver and Tante Marie. It would be nice to talk with your.

Marie Wrang.

• Letter: from Rasmus Vrang and Anne Marie Hansen Hald to Paul Freeman, 21.04.1896.
Translated from Danish by Eleanor Freeman.

Dear friend,

Since my wife has left room for a few words I will first thank you for your welcome letter which we received yesterday with radiant gladness. Yes, dear Paul, it is the first and last here in life: if you are not converted and become like children, says the Redeemer, you don't enter the kingdom of heaven. I have a quotation for you: Rom. 8:14-16. There Paul writes: "For as many as are led by God's spirit these are God's children, who with heavenly joy one day are gathered in the Father's house where there is not sin or sorrow but eternal peace and joy". We had a meeting here four weeks ago. Pastor Wied and Missionary J. Jensen will go to Groenninghoved to my uncle, where there will be a meeting.

Now I must close for this time. Please greet your brothers and family and friends from us all.

Yours in the Lord, your devoted brother, Rasmus Vrang.

God's peace... goodbye... write soon.

Your mother would like to hear a little from you all over there. It is strange Iver does not write home. She has heard by Cathrine's letter that he is engaged, but there was not a single greeting to them so she thought he might himself write to them.

Everything around here is as usual. Michael Utzon has been married a year, and they have had twins, two miller apprentices. Lorents Holm is engaged to Mette Staugaard. Skraedder Soerensen's Anton died... he was buried the 18th of April. He died in faith in his Redeemer.

Now, little Paul, you must be satisfied this time.

With many friendly and affectionate greetings from me dear husband and little daughter, and not least from me, your cousin Marie Wrang.

• FT-1901, 01.02.1901, "Aalry Savmølle", Agtrup, Sønder Bjert Sogn, matr. 86a.

• FT-1906, 01.02.1906, "Aalry Savmølle", Agtrup, Sønder Bjert Sogn, matr. 86a.

Anne blev gift med Rasmus Bernhard VRANG den 19.06.1885 i Sønder Bjert Kirke, Sønder Bjert Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt. (Rasmus Bernhard VRANG blev født den 20.08.1857 i Sønder Stenderup Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt, dåb den 19.09.1857 i Sønder Stenderup Kirke, Sønder Stenderup Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt, døde den 18.05.1925 i Ålry, Sønder Bjert Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt og blev begravet den 23.05.1925 på Sønder Bjert Kirkegård, Sønder Bjert Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt.)

  Om Rasmus og Anne:

• Familiebillede: Aalry Savværk, Aalryvej 10, Sønder Bjert, matr. 86a.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Marie, born Hald, her husband Rasmus Vrang, and their first grandchild Marie Vrang Lassen, born 25.2.1917.

Fotograf: Rosa Jensen, Sdr. Bjert.

• Billede: Aalry Savværk, Aalryvej 10, Sønder Bjert, matr. 86a.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Rasmus Vrang's family and the mill.

• Billede: Aalry Savværk, Aalryvej 10, Sønder Bjert, matr. 86a.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

The road to Vrang's Mill.

• Billede: Aalry Savværk, Aalryvej 10, Sønder Bjert, matr. 86a.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Written on the back of the picture by Paul Freeman:
"I was apprenticed to Rasmus Vrang from November 1891 to May 1892. This windmill powered sawmill also ground feed for farmers and rye flour for baking. Rasmus Vrang was married to my cousin Marie Hald. P.F."

• Billede: Aalry Savværk, Aalryvej 10, Sønder Bjert, matr. 86a.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

The "Sydbane" Train at Aalry Bro. A railway line Kolding-Hejlsminde and Kolding-Vamdrup 1911-1948.

  Parnotater:

Marriage: Page 60.
Witnesses:
Jørgen Beck and Hans C. Hald.