The Skafte-family

Through my great-great-great-grandfather Hans Rasmussen Skafte i belong to the Skafte-family, which originally comes from the northern part of the island Lolland. Even though it has not finally been proven, I presume that there is only one family with this name originating from Denmark. Therefore I try to connect all known persons with this name to the family.

In the 1950-es the compagny Fredericia Slægtsforskning made a book with the ancestors and descendents of H.R.Skafte. This does however only cover a minor part of the family, as it does not include his four uncles, the three unclesof his father and all their descendents.

Peder Jensen Skafte is the earliest known member of the family. The only thing known about him is that he died around 1680 in Roløkke town, Købelev parish, Lollands Nørre Herred, at the age of 50 years.

Christen Pedersen Skafte was the son of Peder Jensen Skafte. He was born around 1670 in Roløkke town, Købelev parish, and died at the same place in 1730. He was merried to Sidsel Rasmusdatter and they had the sons Hans, Rasmus, Peder and Jørgen and the daughter Maren.

Jørgen Christensen Skafte was the son of Christen Pedersen Skafte. He was born around 1710 in Roløkke. He was a farmer on the farm Provstegård in Vesterbo town, which just like Roløkke is situated in Købelev parish. The picture belov shows Provstegård, as it looked around 1906.

Jørgen was merried twice. The first time in 1732 with Elisabeth Jensdatter Tersling. With her he had the sons Christen and Peder. Elisabeth died on march 6th 1737, 32 years old. After this Jørgen was merried to Maria Hansdatter. With her he had the sons Hans, Rasmus and Jørgen and 5 children, who died as babies.Jørgen Christensen Skafte died 1763 in Vesterbo. He was buried on october 31st 1763 in Købelev.

Christen Jørgensen Skafte was the son of Jørgen Christensen Skafte and Elisabeth Jensdatter Tersling. He was born 1733 in Vesterbo. He was a farmer on Calentegård in Vesterbo and later on Strandgård in Sandby town and parish. He was merried four times with: Karen Pedersdatter - d. 1769
Maren Hansdatter * 1749 - d. 3 jan 1783
Birte Nielsdatter * 1763 - d. 5 feb 1796
Anne Johanne Hansdatter * 1771 With them he had a total of 12 children. He died on march 21st 1819 and was buried on march 30th.

Peder Jørgensen Terning was the son of Jørgen Christensen Skafte and Elisabeth Jensdatter Tersling. Tersling and Terning are probably only different spellings of the same name; but i do not know, which one is "correct". He was born 1733 and became a farmer in Vesterbo and owner of "Jens Slentes farm in Roløkke. He was merried to Kirsten Stephensdatter * 1732 - d. 1791, with whom he had 6 children, of whom 3 died very early. He died 1781 and was buried on march 3rd in Købelev.

Hans Jørgensen Skafte was the son of Jørgen Christensen Skafte and Maria Hansdatter. He was born 1740 in Vesterbo and became a farmer on his own farm in Skovbølle town, Købelev parish. He was merried to Cathrine Margrethe Jacobsdatter on march 14th 1763. They had a total of 11 children, but apart from the son Niels they all died as children. Hans Jørgensen Skafte died 1783 and was buried on july 16th in Købelev.

Rasmus Jørgensen Skafte - my great-great-great-great-grandfather was the son of Jørgen Christensen Skafte and Maria Hansdatter. He was born 1749, and took over Provstegård after his father. He was merried twice. The first time on november 9th 1770 with Kirsten Nielsdatter Heye *1753 - d. 19 may 1796. With her he only had the son Jacob, who died as a baby.
The second time he got merried on november 18th 1796 with Maren Hansdatter. With her he had 5 children including my great-great-great-grandfather Hans Rasmussen Skafte.

Jørgen Jørgensen Skafte was the son of Jørgen Christensen Skafte and Maria Hansdatter. He was born 1753 and baptisted on march 11th in Købelev church. He became a farmer in Ullerslev town, Avnede parish. He was merried to Johanne Pedersdatter with whom he had three children. He died 1782 and was buried on april 19th.

The Vesterborg-family

Apart from the above and their descendents, there are a couple of family-groups by whom the name Skafte is used, but who has not yet been connected to the rest of the family. The biggest of these is the Vesterborg-family. The first known member of this family is Peder Jensen Skafte * 1729 - † 1804 farmer in Vesterborg Skovhuse, Vesterborg parish.
If anybody knows, when or where he is born, it would be a great help.

The parish clerk in Skelby

Another Skafte, who has not yet been connected to the family is Hans Jensen Skafte. He was born on january 9th 1682 in Skelby on Falster, where he became a parish clerck. The name of his first wife is not known, but with her he had the sons Peder and Hans and the daughters Lucia and Margrete. His second wife was Karen Nielsdatter and with her he had the son Niels and the daughter Inger.
From the name and time of birth Hans Jensen Skafte might be a brother of Peder Jensen Skafte. But I do not know, if this is really the case.