From Midt Sjælland to Mid West
Emigration from Skjoldenæsholm Estate to America 1850-1900
Background
In 2000/2001 I researched emigration from two Danish parishes Jystrup and Valsølille. They are part of the Skjoldenæsholm Estate.
The investigation was based on traditional emigration history methods and analyses, but a substantial contribution to the results was also based on information about every emigrant's family, social status, and religious background. The conclusions, I was able to draw on the micro level, were in good agreement with the overall emigration historical theories.
The investigation showed, though, that with roots in a massive emigration of Baptists, an emigration tradition was created in the area. By using 4 well defined criteria, 80% of the emigrants could be shown to pull each other over the Atlantic Ocean in one long emigration chain.
The results were published in The Bridge, Vol. 25, n. 1, 2002, p. 11-45: Emigration from Jystrup and Valsølille.
Description
The aim of the project is to expand the former investigation from Skjoldenæsholm Estate in order to describe, analyze and evaluate the total emigration pattern from this local area. Compared to the investigation mentioned above, this project will cover the whole Skjoldenæsholm Estate, i.e. all four parishes Jystrup, Valsølille, Haraldsted, and Allindemagle. I also intend to investigate in more detail the personal reasons for leaving in order to relate them to the economical, social, religious, and attitudinal settings of the inhabitant's life conditions. Furthermore, this investigation will follow the emigrants to their new surroundings in America. The settlement patterns and integration processes will be analyzed in order to evaluate, wether the conditions in America lived up to the supposed expectations of the emigrants.
In the period 1850-1900 455 identified persons emigrated from Skjoldenæsholm Estate. This gives a very good basis material, that can be statistically analyzed. In addition, the detailed research of the personal data of the emigrants gives possibility to evaluate the overall historical analysis on the individual level.
The emigration from Skjoldenæsholm Estate starts with a strong emigration of Baptists. More than 100 of the 455 emigrants were either Baptists or had family relationships to Baptists. It means, that the project will contribute also to that part of the emigration history, which deals with religiously determined emigration.
About 150 of the emigrants either headed for Racine County, Wisconsin, or settled there for a period of time. This fact gives for the first time in the Danish emigration history the possibility of a thorough analysis of the settlement patterns of a greater number of emigrants with roots in the same local community.
All together this project will contribute an essential and new perspective to the Danish-American and international emigration history. This will be achieved through a complete analysis of emigration from a well defined local geographic region, that can be considered as a functional unit, followed by an analysis of the emigrant's settlement and integration in their new homeland.
Financial support
The project was supported in 2003-4 by the Bodtger Grant administered by the Danish American Heritage Society.
Apart from that, the project is totally financed by my own private and limited savings. Therefor any financial support is very welcome.