HANS is the first generation of this Danish/American family. There is no known record of where he emigrated from in Denmark or where he first went to in the United States.
DENMARK is a small flat country in northern Europe. It is about twice the size of Massachusets. It is made up of the narrow Jutland Peninsula and over 400 islands. In the mainland, the soil is generally of poor quality and long ago was covered with moor, heath, and sand dunes. The islands are generally far more fertile, with the most typical features being low rolling hills, lakes, and beaches. Most of Denmark was once covered with deciduous forest, the most common trees being beech, oak, elm, and lime.
DENMARK'S climate is strongly influenced by the sea. Due to the warm North Atlantic Drift, which is part of the Gulf Stream, the weather is often mild for a country at such high latitude. It receives a heavy rainfall, averaging about 25 inches a year. The lack of mountains is another strong influence on the weather. It means that winds blowing in from the sea can quickly sweep across the whole country. As a result, it is unusual to find the weather differing very much from one part of Denmark to another.
DENMARK'S heritage was mainly influenced during the Viking period. From the ninth to the 11th centuries, Viking warriors from Denmark and other Scandinavian countries raided much of Europe. They were the explorers of the sea. They explored the coastline of Europe and navigated down the great Russian rivers. Viking ships often sailed with mixed crews, the warriors coming from all parts of the Scandinavian region. However, evidence suggests that most of the raids on southern England were the works of Vikings from Denmark while Norwegian Vikings played the major role in attacks on Scotland and Ireland. Viking ships ventured west into the dangerous North Atlantic, where they colonized Iceland and Greenland. Leif Erikson and his crew sailed even farther, exploring the shores of North America in 1000 A.D.
IN 1013, the Viking King Canute of Denmark subjugated all of England. That rule ended in 1042, which is considered the end of the Viking period. The Viking era injected their heritage and royal lineage that has shaped most of the European society. William the Conqueror of Normandy was a direct descendent of the Viking chieftain Rollo. He conquered England in 1066 and started a royal lineage in the nation.
DANISH emigration to North America began in the nineteenth century. It was only after 1840, however, that Danes began to arrive in North America in large numbers. Danish Baptists and Mormons left their homeland and settled in Utah, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Both the rural and urban Danes soon followed these immigrants. By the mid-nineteenth century, emigration to North America was an attractive alternative to the harsh life Danes faced in Denmark as an increase in the Danish population brought about difficult working and living conditions. Approximately twenty thousand Danes immigrated to the United States between 1870 and 1895. Many of these immigrants settled in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, North and South Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, and California.
SOURCES:
1) Pateman, Robert. "Cultures of the World - Denmark". Marshall Cavendish Corp, 1995.
2) Trapp, Clayton. "Countries of the World - Denmark". Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2002.
