Jens Adsen

Jens Adsen , also Adgens , (* around 1685 on Diedersbüll ; † September 3, 1737 there ) was a liege and dyke bailiff.

Live and act

Jens Adsen was a son of the liege bailiff and councilor Atge Boss, who was born on Bombüll around 1642 and died in Diedersbüll in 1704. He had inherited the Diedersbüll farm from an aunt who lived around 1614, called "Jens Aggisens Widow". His mother, Anke Christina Jenses daughter, came from Wange in the parish of Horsbüll .

Jens Adsen learned the trade as a farmer on his father's farm. He had extensive knowledge of Latin, although it is unclear whether he learned the language in a Flensburg Latin school or with a private tutor. He took care of numerous administrative matters in his region, about which extensive files are known to this day. At the age of 24 he was a councilor at Horsbüllharde, whose bonds he signed. After the death of his father, he took over his position of liege bailiff.

With the construction of new dikes in the bay of the Vidå and Bökingharde , the area around Wiedingharde gained on the one hand large areas that were protected from storm surges. On the other hand, the natural lateral runoff of the flood was now missing. For this reason, the existing sea dikes were no longer able to protect Wiedingharde from regularly recurring floods. As a result, the population became impoverished and the landscape was damaged. In addition, the employees entrusted with the dykes embezzled money and pursued favoritism.

On August 1, 1719, Adsen was appointed sole dyke bailiff of the Harde by order of the duke. The two persons in office up to then immediately lost their offices. During his tenure, Adsen faced many problems and was repeatedly attacked by his predecessors. Adsen was considered relentless when it came to building dykes and collecting dyke money. For this reason, the citizens submitted numerous petitions to the office in Tondern and the Gottorper Hof. However, selfish behavior could never be proven. His most stubborn opponent was the dike and liege vogue on Crummhusum ( Rodenäs ), Andreas Muhl, against whom he litigated for twelve years. Several breaches of the dike, especially in 1717, 1718 and 1721, caused the councilors to fear that the area around Wiedingharde would not be permanently protected. Adsen still worked to preserve his homeland and asked the population at many meetings to help with the work on the dykes.

On February 17, 1721, the 36 largest landowners in the region decided to send Adsen to the Danish king in Copenhagen , where he should seek help. Adsen stayed there from February 22nd to April 12th, 1721 and conducted extensive, well-documented correspondence. He repeatedly received audiences with the king and was able to persuade him, despite financial problems due to the Great Northern War, to pay 6000 Rb thl as an advance. to be paid from the Rendsburg war chest. With this money and under his sometimes ruthlessly harsh building supervision, the dikes could be strengthened to such an extent that both Wiedingharde and Norderfriedrichskoog could be secured.

Jens Adsen lived with his single brother and the mother who ran the household for a long time. On April 8, 1730 he married Chreste Sönkens from Neukirchen, who was the daughter of his uncle's son. Adsen also had a sister, whose son Atge Paysen from Segelsbüll in the parish of Neukirchen later inherited the 200 hectare farm on Diedersbüll. Atge Paysen married Catharina Heseler. In 1749 a cousin wrote the "wedding caring" for the marriage. It is the only known document in Wiedinghard Frisian before 1900 .

literature

• JR Volquardsen: Adsen, Jens . in: Schleswig-Holstein Biographical Lexicon . Volume 1. Karl Wachholtz Verlag, Neumünster 1970, pp. 21-22