FRIMANN, Poul Jacobsen

   Et andet navn for Poul var FREEMAN, Paul.

  Notater:

Birth: Page 35. His father is a weaver.

Udvandrerarkivet (ddd.dda.dk):
Left Denmark 26th April, 1892 as a 16 year old boy. Destination New York State. Occupation: A miller. His last residence: Sdr. Bjert. Ship name: Island.

Paul Frimann's last residence was in the parish of Sønder Bjert where he had been working at the Aalry Sawmill which was located in Sønder Bjert. He was apprenticed to Rasmus Vrang at his mill from November 1891 to may 1892 before he went to America. Rasmus Vrang was the husband of Paul Frimann's cousin Marie Hald.

FamilySearch:
Paul Frimann. Naturalization 1.8.1899 in Merrick, Nebraska, USA.

Paul Freeman kept many letters from his relatives in Denmark. They were translated from Danish by his eldiest daughter Eleanor, and in the year 2021 we received copies of the letters from Sister Maria Columba. We are transcribing them, and they can be seen here:

1. Emma Eleonora Schmidt, Paul's childhood girlfriend in Sdr. Stenderup.
2. Cathrine Marie Frimann, married Aagaard, 1856-1900, Paul's sister.
3. Dortea Marie Frimann, unmarried, 1861-1919, Paul's sister.
4. Anne Marie Frimann, unmarried, 1870-1893, Paul's sister.
5. Christiane Jørgensen Bruhn, 1864-1929, the wife of Peder Christian Bogh, 1860-1926, at Cathrineberg.
6. Maren Iversdatter Hald, 1830-1917, Paul's mother.
7. Anne Maria Hald, 1833-1931, Paul's aunt.
8. Anne Marie Hansen Hald, 1864-1939, Paul's cousin.
9. Paul Freeman wrote a letter 6th March, 1936 to his daughter Ellie telling about his childhood in Stenderup. We have brought an extract of this letter in the notes belonging to Jacob Jacobsen Frimann, 1825-1905, Paul's father.

Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021:

"When Bedstefar was a boy, he accompanied his sister (Anne) Marie when she went back to work (at Binderup, I believe) after a visit home. They went through the forest with no trouble, but on returning home, he had to run all the way because the forest was haunted by a headless ghost."

"Bedstefar joined his brothers in Nebraska in 1892 and kept many letters from Denmark over the years. Second, Bedstefar told my mother many things about his family and life in Denmark."

"Bedstefar finally was able to go to America and, as in the fairy tales, took a long time finding his way. He worked for Jes for a while, but a depression came, and he learned telegraphy and went to work for the Northern Pacific Railroad, spending many years being sent from station to station as replacement until he landed a permanent job in Yakima, Washington in 1912. I think he lost seniority when he went back to Denmark in 1905. He took a leave of absence from the railroad and stayed in Stenderup from June to September."

(In this period in Stenderup Paul was in connection with Emma Eleonora Schmidt who was just a child when Paul left 1892. Their families lived close to each other in Stenderup).

"When he became a telegrapher, he lived rather a lonely life for years, often staying in one place only a day or two and sometimes just living in the small station building, sometimes sleeping on the floor near the stove to keep warm because he had no bed. His mother in Denmark worried about him because he was her youngest and had no one to take care of him."

"Paul loved Denmark very much. My mother wrote that he "had no love for Germany but plenty of love for Germans". That is, he knew many people from Germany in the United States and had no bad feelings about them and liked some of them very much. But his feelings about Germany itself were different. I remember him looking through an old Danish songbook with me. It had several national songs from different countries, and he said, "I wonder if the German national song is in here. If it is, by God, I'll tear it out". I don't know whether he found it that time; maybe he had already torn it out."

"Bedstefar was often praised for writing so often to his mother, but I think it was not just duty but also that he was lonely, too."

Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.
Fotograf: M. A. Caprani, Jernbanegade 15, Kolding. Fotografisk virke i Kolding 1894-ca. 1906.

Paul Freeman is the grandfather of Sister Maria Columba O'Larey, Colorado, mail 2021-2022.

  Om Poul:

• Fremstillet, 06.04.1876, Sønder Stenderup Kirke, Sønder Stenderup Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt.

• FT-1880, 01.02.1880, Stenderup By, Sønder Stenderup Sogn, hus.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup, omkr. 1883, Sønder Stenderup Skole.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Children (Paul Freeman in the front row No. 2 from the right) and teachers (N. P. H. Berg and Johan Petersen) at the school of Sønder Stenderup.

At this time the school was at Stenderupvej 204, then at Hundborgvej 1.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup, omkr. 1884, Sønder Stenderup Skole.
Sister Maria Columba, 2021:

"Teachers and their families".
Niels Peter Hansen Berg and Johan Petersen. The little girl is Berg's daughter Olga Kristine Berg.

At this time the school was at Stenderupvej 204, then at Hundborgvej 1.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Sønder Stenderup Skole, Stenderup Kirkeallé 6.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.
Den gamle skolebygning er nu nedrevet.

Historisk Atlas:
Den første skolebygning, der senere kom til at udgøre Sdr. Stenderup Centralskole, bestod af et rødstenshus med to klasseværelser (Stenderupvej 209, Ib Doktor 2022), der stod færdig til brug i 1926, dengang hed skolen Sdr. Stenderup Lille Skole. Bygningerne blev brugt til forskoleklasserne med de yngste elever (1.-4. klasse). Den gamle skolebygning ved kirken (Stenderup Kirkeallé 6) fungerede som 5.-7. klasses lokaler. Nogle år senere blev Sdr. Stenderup Centralskole opført på Stenderupvej 215.

• FT-1890, 01.02.1890, Stenderup By, Sønder Stenderup Sogn, hus.

• Konfirmation, 13.04.1890, Sønder Stenderup Kirke, Sønder Stenderup Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Stenholt, Sønder Stenderup.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Sønder Stenderup.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Fotograf: Atelier Monberg, Kolding, Helligkorsgade 16.

2021, mail from Sister Maria Columba:

"Peter Holst and his sister Anna were neighbour children (Hundborgvej), and Peter was Bedstefar's good friend. He was a sailor at first, and Bedstefar wanted to do the same thing, but his parents were opposed. Peter developed what must have been rheumatoid arthritis and had to come home. He went to Kolding to learn to be a shoemaker."

Peter Holst was born 10th June 1874 and baptized Jesper Peter Holst. His father was Niels Holst, a carpenter, and his mother Marie, born Fønsskov.

Peter Holst became a fruit grower. He was married twice and died 27thJune, 1922.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Stenholtgade 3, Sønder Stenderup, matr. 27e.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Mail from Sister Maria Columba:

Peter Holst's house where he ran his shoemaking business. Peter Holst was living here in the census of 1906. (In the census of 1901 cadastral No. 27d, owned by his father Niels Holst).

The next house is Mathiesen's bakery, Stenholtgade 5, cadastral No. 27f, and then Stenholtgade 9, cadastral No. 27h.

To the right the driveway to the rectory.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Stenholtgade 3 og 5, Sønder Stenderup, matr. 27e og 27f.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

The building to the left is Stenholtgade No. 3. In the census of 1906 Peter Holst's house. He was a shoemaker.

The building to the right is Stenholtgade No. 5 being Jens Marinus Mathiesen's bakery. It existed from 1898 to 2001 and was run by 4 generations of the same family.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Hundborgvej 3, Sønder Stenderup, matr. 54a.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Peter Holst's house. Built 1914 on land which once belonged to Paul Freeman's uncle. Peter Holst tore down the old house and built this one. In the garden Peter Holst with his wife and children.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Hundborgvej, Sdr. Stenderup.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Peter Holst with family and raspberry pickers with their children standing in front of the young orchard. Fru Holst is second from left. Peter's child is standing before him. The tall girl is Mussy, and the boy at the right is Peter's son. The cobbler's children wear leather shoes. The old lady goes by the nickname of Annemor.

In the census of 1916 Peter Holst, his wife Sofie, and three children were living at cadastral No. 54, Peter Holst being a fruit grower.

In the census of 1901 cadastral No. 54 was owned by N. Holst, a carpenter. This area was built up with family houses in the period 1950-60 and named Hundborgvej.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Stenholtgade 13, Sønder Stenderup, matr. 53c.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Kristen Bramsen's house.

In the census of 1916 the Bramsen family were living at cadastral No. 53c, neighbouring house to Maren Frimann and her daughter. Today this cadastral No. is empty, belonging to No. 53d, also Stenholtgade No. 13.

In the census of 1901 and 1906 the Bramsen family were living at cadastral No. 53d being the house where Maren Frimann and her daughter Dortea Marie were living in from 1909:
Kristen H. Bramsen, born 16.9.1837, a worker.
Johanne A. Bramsen, born 18.10.1840, his wife.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup: Sønder Stenderup.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Udsigt fra Markus Smed, Varmarkvej 23.

• Letter: from Maren Frimann to Jes Frimann, 16.03.1892.
Translated from Danish by Eleanor Freeman.

To Jesse

Dear Son,

I thank you for your kind offer. You will help Paul and send him a ticket. Do not send any. We will write again.

I believe now Iver is coming home so it would be best to travel with him. We had a letter from him in January when he was in Omaha. Then he wrote it had been his intention to be home in the fall, but thought it too tiresome to come in the winter. He would rather wait for summer. He wrote that he had bought a piece of land but he had it rented out so I am sure he is coming. Yes, I expect him now every day. Has he got our letter, or if you know anything about where he is, ask him to write to us.

It is my fault that Paul is waiting for him. He thinks he can easily go, but it is not all so easy for such a one who has never been anywhere before. He can travel accompanied later in the summer.

Cathrine promised to write to you.

Many affectionate greetings to your wife and children and you from your parents and grandparents.

• Letter: from American Consular Service, 26.07.1905, København.
Paul Freeman, Esq.,

S. Stenderup, Kolding, Den.

Dear Sir,

Replying to yours of the 26th, I do not understand that you were liable to report for enrollment on conscription lists in Denmark before you reached the age of 17, and you state you left before that time for the United States.

There is no limit to the time an American citizen may remain in Denmark without being subject to military duty, providing you left here without violating the laws of Denmark. Should you desire a passport, you will please make your application to the American Minister, Bredgade 30, Copenhagen.

Yours very truly,
signed.

• Letter: from Henriette Knudsen to Paul Freeman, 07.11.1905.
Translated from Danish by Eleanor Freeman.

Henriette Knudsen was the local midwife. In the cencus of 1901 and 1906 she and her family lived in a house belonging to Peder Christian Bogh. The house was located next to Catrinebjerg to the west and thus a neighbouring house to the Frimann house on the land of Catrinebjerg. The address today: Hundborgvej 4, Sønder Stenderup.

Henriette Nicoline Dorthea Knudsen, born Hansen, died 4th August 1955 in Sønder Stenderup, age 84 years. She was born in Haderslev 15th May, 1871.

Her husband, Christian Georg Carl Knudsen, was a manager of the local dairy which started at Catrinebjerg before it became a cooperative dairy in Sønder Stenderup 1894.

3rd May 1905 they got a child named Attalia Rebekka Knudsen (called Adda). She was baptized 22nd May 1905, and Paul Freeman was one of the godfathers, "Railway Station Manager in America, currently staying in Stenderup".

Dear Paul,

Thanks for your letter, which we received with pleasure two weeks ago. Now you are getting a word from me. Knudsen will write later. He is at his half-yearly accounts and is very busy. Here there is not much news, and what there is you get from Emma. But we are very well, and you can believe your little goddaughter is getting fat now. Your mother says often: Paul should just see Adda, - she does not have thin arms any more. You will get her picture. I will have her photographed, and you shall have a picture.

I really thank you - you are so good and write so often to your dear mother, which is very nice of you. It is, you know, the only comfort she has, and she is so happy every time a letter comes. I am at her place every day, sometimes twice a day, and your ears must be burning for it always ends with talk about you.

You should be here now as there are eels in great quantity. There are even plaice.

Tulle sends her regards. She could read your letter and will soon answer you. Don't you believe your brothers will write once in a while to their mother? I can see that it hurts her that they almost never write, especially now that they have talked with you and know how their mother is. You may be sure it would please her so much if one of them would write to her.

If you now have earned so much money you could come home and buy Jörgen Bruhns farm. He wants to have a big farm which formerly was Brodersen's place (Thygesminde) and wants to sell his. It is a nice farm, and you could have your mother with you. Now you are so old, are you never going to marry?

See that you write soon again. We will be glad of it. Best wishes from us all. Your affectionate friend. H. Knudsen.

• Letter: from Henriette Knudsen to Paul Freeman, 1906.
Translated from Danish by Eleanor Freeman.

Dear Paul Freeman,

Since my last letter has come back because I used a wrong address, I will write again. First I will ask you whether you can recognize your little goddaughter now she is so big and fat. You may be sure that she is dear.

I was at your mother's yesterday. Little Adda and I are alone at home. The children and the maid are on a trip. We visited your mother, and we had kale and pork for lunch. Little Adda is very fond of that. We had a nice chat. You must have had ringing in your left ear... that is what happens when good friends are talking about you. We were saying that your vacation last year ended about this time.

Thanks for the books you sent. We have both found them very interesting.

I had believed that you would marry when you went home again from Denmark, but you are afraid of young girls since you don't pledge yourself to anyone. I tease Marie Jensen about your being together last summer. She is at home now. She is thinking a bit about going to America. She is tired of Denmark, and I have promised her a good husband if she goes over to you. Now you are probably laughing at me, but we must have a joke now and then.

It has been a very warm and dry summer; it promises a good harvest. Is it good where you are? Last week I was down with the fishermen. They got lots of good fish this summer.

Do you know a remedy for graying hair? I was complaining the other day to your mother that my hair was turning gray, and she said you could probably send me something to make it black again.

The children are certainly enjoying themselves in Haderslev now. I had a letter from Lasse yesterday. Just imagine... he was so happy because his uncle had given him a watch and chain.

I think from your last letter you are not really well. Is that true? Write me when you get my letter. Let me hear what you think about the pictures. My little Adda is not going to have red hair after all. I was teasing about it last summer.

Now you will get no more this time, but I close with kindest regards from my husband, children, and your always affectionate, Henriette Knudsen.

• Letter: from Kirstine Jensen to Paul Freeman, 1906, "Kathrinesminde".
Translated from Danish by Eleanor Freeman.

So far we have not found the relationship between Kirstine Jensen and Paul Freeman being cousins. At the time of writing this letter Kirstine was a servant at Kathrinesminde in Christiansfeld, Lindegade 58. In the parish of Vejstrup there is a Dorthea Kirstine Jensen, born 16th January 1882, whose mother Dorthea Fallesen Frimann (1851-1913) and Paul Freeman are cousins.

My dear cousin Paul,

Many thanks for the letter, the dollar bill and the photographs. I can read your writing very well, which you are in doubt about. And the dollar bill I am exchanging for a silver dollar and having a brooch made of it, my mother said.

I look at the photos so often. I think it is so strange that it is so far off. You are standing there in the snow and writing down the numbers. It is so exactly like you as you stand there where one can see far down the railway tracks - and what strange buildings - all of boards. It's there you travel every day, back and forth many times a day. Yes, it looks very lonely. If one could only make a little visit over to you to talk to you, but that is almost as impossible as to climb to the moon. Think if it was you who could not understand a word of what people were saying. You would certainly hate to do it again what you have gone through since you went there as a big stupid boy. But you will say - neither will I come - that is just my nonsense.

Three weeks ago I went to visit dear old Faster Maren, and your sister Dorthea was sick, poor little thing, but Aunt can take care of her and speak for her in such a way that it is all calm and nice, although Dorthea is a little irritable.

You can imagine that the talk was turned mostly to Cousin Paul since you were sick, and Aunt Maren was anxious. But she was glad because you wrote her the truth.

You are a funny one - you write that you will be glad enough when there is a Mrs. Freeman simply to cook some meals. I wonder what she would cook.

Tell me what the name is of the bogeyman who is on one picture. It is also he who is sitting with you on the bed - the other is such a sweet young gentleman. They are very interesting pictures, and I think the little dog is so sweet. You will also get a picture of me soon.

Best wishes to you and your bedfellows from your cousin Kirstine.

You had better write again if you are not bored with it.

We have an English lady here in the house so Fruen and she talk English, but it is a frightful language. She is Miss Busch.

A picture is attached to the translation of three men setting on a bed, - one of them being Paul Freeman.

• Billede fra Sdr. Stenderup, 04.02.1906, Sønder Stenderup Kirke ved Chr. IX' bisættelse.
Billedkilde: Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021.

Fotograf: Emma Eleonora Schmidt, Stenholt 14.

• Letter: from Kirstine Jensen to Paul Freeman, 09.01.1907, "Kathrinesminde".
Translated from Danish by Eleanor Freeman.

So far we have not found the relationship between Kirstine Jensen and Paul Freeman being cousins. At the time of writing this letter Kirstine was a servant at Kathrinesminde in Christiansfeld, Lindegade 58. In the parish of Vejstrup there is a Dorthea Kirstine Jensen, born 16th January 1882, whose mother Dorthea Fallesen Frimann (1851-1913) and Paul Freeman are cousins.

Dear cousin Paul,

A good and happy New Year is wished you by your cousin. Here I am sending you a picture to give you a little idea of what it is like here. And you will immediately see from it that it is a large establishment since you know how conditions are here. I wrote long ago to thank you for your pictures, but I don't know whether you got the letter.

Good wishes from your cousin - Kirstine Jensen.

A picture is attached of the farm "Kathrinesminde".

• Postcard.
No date.

• Gravsted, 1966, Terrace Heights Memorial Park, Yakima, Yakima Co., Washington, USA.
Picture from findagrave.com.

Poul havde et forhold til Emma Eleonora SCHMIDT, datter af Niels Hansen SCHMIDT og Kathrine Marie VIBORG. (Emma Eleonora SCHMIDT blev født den 23.12.1882 i Stenderup, Sønder Stenderup Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt, dåb den 11.02.1883 i Sønder Stenderup Kirke, Sønder Stenderup Sogn, Nørre Tyrstrup Herred, Vejle Amt, døde den 20.12.1965 på "Lille Veum", Brørup Sogn, Malt Herred, Ribe Amt og blev begravet den 23.12.1965 på Vester Hæsinge Kirkegård, Vester Hæsinge Sogn, Sallinge Herred, Svendborg Amt.)

  Parnotater:

Sister Maria Columba, Colorado, 2021:

"I have a few letters from Emma Schmidt. My mother and I only learned about her when the letters were being translated. She was a relative, second cousin to Paul, and he probably knew her before he left, but she was only a child then and he was only 16. At the time of the visit, of course, they were grown up. (Paul visited Denmark in the summer of 1905). After the visit, they wrote to each other for a few years. It appeared from some of the letters from Emma and from Maren that something more had been expected. I think we were disturbed about it because it sounded as if perhaps he was to blame, perhaps not taking the relationship seriously when perhaps she did, and we didn't like to think that. Of course, maybe he did also, but he had no permanent home at that time, being moved here and there by the railroad. And of course it's none of our business either. I did find out that she was married and she died in 1965, so I hope she had a happy life. Her letters are interesting, and she is the one who mentioned the Langhoffs most often. I think that Maren favoured her as wife for Paul."

"Emma had written about her "faestemand", but I didn't know whether she had actually married him. I don't know what to say about the relationship between Emma and Paul because my mother and I could never quite figure it out. We wondered whether he had never had serious intentions of marriage and had left her disappointed. Perhaps it had never occurred to him. (It must have, I think.) Or did they talk about it and decide to wait until he had a better situation? It did take a few years of being sent from one location to another until he had worked for the railroad long enough to have a permanent one. Maybe she got tired of waiting. Maybe that is why he finally married in February, 1914. (This was also shortly after he had got a permanent place in North Yakima.) But she had told him of her engagement in 1907. At that time she said that it was a secret engagement. Her parents did not like it. Maybe they waited a long time to marry until he was successful in his work and her parents could approve. She also did not mention his name, although she said that he was a painter and a brother of her sister's husband. I wish I knew what he wrote in his letters. And perhaps some of hers may be missing. The last from her is in 1910, but all the letters are missing between 1910 and 1917, possibly because he had no permanent home for so long."

Is it a coincidence that Paul named his first daughter "Eleanor"?

"And in regard to my mother's name, yes, that is something my mother and I wondered about very much. We had found Emma while looking at church records of the Hald and Schmidt family, which we had been able to see at the Mormon church in Seattle, and Emma's middle name really did surprise us. I know that my grandparents had thought first of giving her a Danish name. They had named her sister Maren Petrea, but I never knew why they had chosen Eleanor. It may be only coincidence, and yet I don't think so. She was usually called Ella when she was very little, and then it became Ellie. My granddaughter is called Eleanor Rose, after my mother. It would be nice, as Emma had no children of her own that her name is handed down in the family."

Poul blev derefter gift med Fanny Maude PINDER den 14.02.1914 i Yakima, Yakima Co., Washington, USA. (Fanny Maude PINDER blev født den 07.04.1893 i Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, dåb den 23.04.1893 i Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, døde den 16.06.1974 i Yakima, Yakima Co., Washington, USA og blev begravet i Terrace Heights Memorial Park, Yakima, Yakima Co., Washington, USA.)