Hvolgård Estate, Vejle, Denmark Genealogy

History
Hvolgaard's ownership can be traced back to 1434, where it is documented among the possessions of the Ribe diocese. Hvolgaard's previous owner had been Anders Skeel, who had willed large portions of his estate to the church. However, his family was not enthusiastic about this, and so the knight Otte Nielsen had to mediate between the family and the diocese before a compromise was made, where the family had to settle for the interior at Hvolgaard while the estate remained in the hands of the church.

Then ecclesiastical magistrates took care of the operation at Hvolgaard until the Reformation in 1536, when the farm, like all other diocese possessions, was taken over by the Crown. The ecclesiastical sheriffs were replaced by royal sheriffs, and one of these, Jørgen Sested, bought Hvolgaard in 1570 after having leased it for six years. In 1573, Maribo Monastery received royal orders to give Jørgen Sested four good oaks from the monastery garden so that he could remodel the farm. At this time, over 40 farms and cottages belonged to the estate.

Jørgen Sested was originally from Holstein. At the beginning of the reign of Frederick II (1534-1588), he was associated with the kingdom, first as a court boy and then as a headmaster. He received the last title in 1561, which was the same year that he had killed a Saxon nobleman in a duel in Copenhagen. The killing had no influence on his career. He owned and leased several farms, but later retired to Holstein.

In 1588 Albert Friis purchased Hvolgaard. He also owned Haraldskær and was of the old Danish nobility. After serving at the court, he became a sheriff at Riberhus. He was very rich, thus leaving a considerable legacy to his six daughters. Through her daughter Else Friis, Hvolgaard came to her husband, Henrik Holck. Then the goods came to another Friis and then to the Rantzau family, where Christopher Rantzau was the last man on the farm. He was a German count, as well as famous and notorious. Notorious for having burned 18 innocent people at the stake for witchcraft in 1686 at Schmoel estate in Holsten and famous for being the first Holstein gentleman to give his life-giving peasants the freedom in 1688.

In 1680 Hans Henrik von Levetzow bought Hvolgaard. He was typical of the time in that he was a bourgeois man trying to become noble. He obtained the noble rank and, over time, a considerable fortune. His son-in-law, Detlev von Brockdorff, was of the same cast and also owned several mansions. He was head of one of the national regiments housed on the equestrian estate in Koldinghus and Ribe counties, and he participated with it during the Great Nordic War (1700-1721) in the fighting in Flanders. He rose in rank and sold Hvolgaard to his colleague and son-in-law, Hieronimus de la Mare. He sold the farm again two years later to the tenant at Møgelkær, Jakob Kruse. Thereafter, the farm remained in civil hands.

In the 1780s, the land reform was in full swing. This meant that the village community was abandoned in favor of independent farms with their own land. This took on Hvolgaard further momentum from 1789, when the farm's owner Anders Kruse was granted permission to parcel out the peasant lands and retain the tax exemption for the demesne farm. By the time he died in 1813, only 24 cottagers remained under the estate. The following year, Hvolgaard and Langskov church were sold at auction.

After that, new owners often arrived at Hvolgaard. One of the most notable among these was Ludvig August Steensen-Leth, who became known because of a lawsuit over the right to a ruling chair in Langskov church. The controversy even came in the press and fell out in favor of the landlord, which meant he got his closed chair at the top of the newly erected church. He owned Hvolgaard for 49 years and was responsible for among other things, the construction of the estate's current main building. After his death in 1919, the farm was again characterized by a series of rapid ownership changes. 1

Probate Records
Probate records from Hvolgård estate survive from 1762 until 1813. Facsimiles of the originals can be viewed on Arivalieronline by clicking here. Erik Brejl has also abstracted these records and they can be accessed by clicking here.

Military Reserve Lists
Until 1789, Danish estates were responsible for providing men for the military. Hvolgård estate kept lists of males who were eligible to serve and two of these, covering 1741 and 1787, have survived. These lists name each potential draftee and provide his age, name of father, and current residence. Erik Brejl has abstracted both of these lists and they can be accessed by clicking here.

Land Records
In order to keep track of the dues peasants and cottagers owed, Hvolgård created multiple land registration lists (jordebøger). These lists name head of household and lists either their annual dues, the value of the land they leased, or both. Erik Brejl has abstracted these lists and they are available on his website. They can be accessed by clicking here.

Estate Properties
Because estates were private property they do not fit perfectly within any government jurisdiction such as a parish or county. The following is a table of places where Hvolgård estate owned at least some of the property. If your ancestor lived in one of these hamlets you may want to check and see if they belonged to Hvolgård estate.