Oldefar Jesper Nielsen
See below 
Jesper Nielsen blev født den 7. januar 1846 i Hyrup, Stouby Sogn og gift den 24. oktober 1868 i Stouby Kirke med Marie Jensen fra Gammelby, Stouby Sogn, født 21. december 1845, datter af Snedker Jens Hansen og Antoinette Elise Sørensdatter. De blev begge døbt i Stouby Kirke.
Jesper Nielsen var udlært Skrædder, men da Juelsmindebanen kom i 1884, blev der brug for postbude. Han søgte og fik arbejdet, med udgang fra Barrit Station og til Rosenvold. Postruten var dengang til fods, men alligevel blev det til mere end et 25 års Jubilæum. Vi ved, at fra 1894 fik landpostbude lov til at bruge egne cykler i tjenesten. I 1919 blev de tjenestemænd med otte timers arbejdsdag, og nu blev det en pligt at bruge cykel, til gengæld fik de en cykel stillet til rådighed, da det kunne gøre udbringningen hurtigere og ruter kunne slås sammen. Læs mere om Pedalposten.
Vi ved også, at han havde en sygdomsperiode på ca. to år, og i den tid gik hans søn Karl Nielsen (Thorkilds morfar) ruten for ham, så han kunne bevare sit job og opnå og få sin pension. Han genoptog sit arbejde efter sygdommen, men blev aldrig helt rask. Han havde fået en nervesygdom, som gjorde, at han rystede en del. Alligevel siges det, at han udførte sin gerning så præcist, at folk kunne stille deres ur efter ham. I familien er bevaret hans postpung – “portemonnæ”.
Efter at de var blevet gift, købte Jesper og Marie et lille stråtækt hus i Barrit. Stedet hedder “Brølbæk”, og her fødte Marie ni børn. Huset findes endnu, men er blevet moderniseret. De tre ældste emmigrerede til New Zealand før århundred-skiftet.
Marie Nielsen døde 4. december 1922 – 77 år gammel. Derefter flyttede Jesper til sin søn Peter Røjkjær Nielsen, som havde bygget et hus i nærheden af Barrit Station. Her døde Jesper Nielsen den 19. januar 1925 – 79 år gammel, og både Marie og Jesper ligger begravet på Barrit kirkegård.
Oversigt over de ni børn, der alle er døbt i Barrit Kirke: Se dåbsnotaterne i Barrit Kirkebog.
Maren Nielsen (17/3 1871 – 12/8 1908)
Jens Elisius Nielsen (28/2 1873 – 5/4 1933)
Niels Nielsen (16/10 1874 – 1/8 1914)
…..Disse tre ældste udvandrede til New Zealand – se mere her: En udvandrerhistorie.
Kristina Augusta Nielsen (2/8 1876 – 13/9 1926)
Karl Nielsen (24/7 1878 – 4/5 1879) Han var opkaldt efter sin farbror, som var død tre år før.
Karl Nielsen (28/4 1880 – 19/4 1937) Han blev så opkaldt efter sin afdøde lillebror.
Peter Røjkjær Nielsen (21/12 1882 – 10/1 1945)
Søren Nielsen (25/11 1884 -10/7 1950)
Antonette Elisabeth Nielsen (9/11 1888 – 18/12 1932)
…..Disse søskende blev i Danmark – se mere her: De blev i Danmark.
Se hele slægtstavlen: Efterkommere på New Zealand – Efterkommere i Danmark – Se billeder af børnene her.
Det var Karl Nielsen, der blev Thorkilds morfar.
Great Grandfather Jesper Nielsen
(mff means: mothers fathers father)
Jesper Nielsen was born January 7, 1846 in Hyrup, Stouby Sogn and was married October 27, 1868 in Stouby Church to Marie Jensen from Gammelby, Stouby Sogn, born December 21, 1845, daughter of Carpenter Jens Hansen and Antonette Elise Sørensdatter. They were both baptized in Stouby Church.
Jesper Nielsen was a trained Tailor, but when Juelsminde-railway was built in 1884, postmen were needed. He applied and got the job, with route from Barrit Station to Rosenvold. The post route was then on foot, so it was more than 25 years. We know that from 1894, postmen in the countryside were allowed to use their own bicycles in the service. In 1919 the officials started to work eight hours a day, and now it became a duty to use a bike, in return, they were offered a bike as it could make the job faster and routes could be merged. Read more about in “Pedalposten” – on a Danish web-page.
We also know that he had a disease period of approx. two years, and at that time his son Karl Nielsen (Thorkild’s grandfather) worked for him to keep his job to earn and for his retirement. He resumed his work after his disease, but was never cured. He had a nerve disease which made him shake a lot. Nevertheless, it is said that he performed his deed so accurately that people could set their clock after him. The family has retained his postman bag – “portemonnee”.
After they got married, Jesper and Marie bought a small house in Barrit. The place is called “Brølbæk”, and here Marie gave birth to nine children. The house is still there but has been modernized. The three eldest emigrated to New Zealand before the turn of the century.
Marie Nielsen died December 4, 1922 – 77 years old. Then Jesper moved to his son Peter Røjkjær Nielsen, who had built a house near Barrit Station. Here Jesper Nielsen died January 19, 1925 – 79 years old, and both Marie and Jesper are buried in Barrit Cemetery.
All nine children, are baptized in Barrit Church: (See notes in the church records of Barrit)
Maren Nielsen (17/3 1871 – 12/8 1908)
Jens Elisius Nielsen (28/2 1873 – 5/4 1933)
Niels Nielsen (16/10 1874 – 1/8 1914)
These three oldest emigrated to New Zealand – see more here: An emigration story.
Kristina Augusta Nielsen (2/8 1876 – 13/9 1926)
Karl Nielsen (24/7 1878 – 4/5 1879) He was named after his fathers brother, who had died three years before.
Karl Nielsen (28/4 1880 – 19/4 1937) He was then named after his dead little brother.
Peter Røjkjær Nielsen (21/12 1882 – 10/1 1945)
Søren Nielsen (25/11 1884 -10/7 1950)
Antonette Elisabeth Nielsen (9/11 1888 – 18/12 1932)
The family list: Descendants in New Zealand – Descendants in Denmark – See pictures of the children here.
Karl Nielsen became Thorkild’s Grandfather (mothers father)
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(Opdateret 1/2 2019)