Jens Hansen Juul

Jens Hansen Juul was born February 4, 1823 in Raarup.  He was christened three days later in his parent’s home.  His parents were Hans Juulsen and Johanne Marie Jorgensdatter.  His christening was confirmed in the church of Raarup on March 16, 1823. Mette Katrine Pedersdatter, the wife of farm laborer Jens Jorgen Juulsen, carried Jens at his christening. His godfathers were Rasmus Pedersen, a landowner from Skjold, Soren Olsen Hjulmand, and Hans Nielsen’s son, Hans.  His godmothers were Ane Marie Thomassen, who was a stepdaughter of landowner Niels Pedersen of Raarup, and Ane Katrine Sorensdatter, who was the wife of Rasmus Jensen of Raarup.
Jens Hansen Juul and Maren Andersdatter (from Raarup) had a daughter together in 1854.  They named her Johanne Marie.  On February 20, 1857, Jens Hansen Juul and Maren Andersdatter were married in the Raarup church.  Up until this time, Jens had been living with his parents. After his marriage to Maren, they succeeded in getting their own homestead in Raarup Oestermark.  The soil was not good for planting crops. In the census papers from 1880 the property was called a “house, and the family earns their living by farming.”  However, the land stayed in the family and eventually Jens and Maren’s daughter, Birte Marie, took over the property when she married.
Jens Hansen Juul died in Raarup Oestermark on October 21, 1901.  He was buried in the churchyard of Raarup on October 26, 1901.  He had retained undivided possession of the estate since his wife’s death in 1880.  His inheritance was divided up among seven of their eight children, with each receiving 115,92 kr.[1]. It was believed that their son, Anders had died in America, as he had not been heard from since 1885. The family had searched for him by publishing an ad in one of the American newspapers but their efforts to find him, brought no results.

There is evidence that Jens and Maren attended “De Staerke Jyder.”  “De Staerke Jyder" is the name of a religious movement and it can be interpreted as “the powerful Jutlanders.”  It was a group from the area that revolted against the authority of the established church to maintain the right to use their old hymnal (Kingos Salmebog – The hymnal of Kingos).  They also wanted the right to read the catechism of Pontoppidans.  Their efforts won the rights to maintain and use Kingos Salmebog and to read the catechism of Pontoppidans.  There is a copy of "Kingos Psalmebog” in our family.  Inside of that book it is written:  “Denne Bog tilhore mig Jens Hansen Jul og Maren Andersdatter” (In English that sentence reads: “this book belongs to me, Jens Hansen Jul and Maren Andersdatter.)”

Look at his genealogical table

Look at his wife Maren Andersdatter’s biography

Look at pictures of their descendants here
Read the story of his daughter Maren Kjerstine

             Kingos Psalmebog with the handwriting of Jens Hansen Juul

        The burial place for the Juul family in the churchyard of Raarup