Stamtavle V - Pedigree V

Foreningen for den gunderslevholmske gren af Slægten Neergaard


3. Peter Johansen de Neergaard (1803-1872) Godsejeren med det store ansvar
3. Peter Johansen de Neergaard (1803-1872) The landlord with the great responsibility

Peter Johansen de Neergaard blev født den 7. marts 1803 på Ringsted Kloster som tredje og sidste søn i Peter Johansen's (1745-1806) første ægteskab, fem dage før underskrivelsen af skødet på »Gunderslevholm, Førslev og underliggende godser«.  Peter bliver student fra Roskilde 1821 og 20. oktober 1827 cand. jur.

Den lange studietid forklares med, at tiderne jo var så utrolig fattige at han måtte give manuduktion for at tjene til livets ophold. Han påtog sig i hvert fald ingen offentlige hverv og af titler blev han 18. marts 1846 justitsråd og den 12. november 1850 etatsråd.

Det ganske flotte portræt af ham på Førslev, malet i 1869 af H. Olrik, viser en mand, der udstråler sikkerhed og som med sine utivivisomt meget betydelige evner som administrator af store godser, har gjort det mere end almindeligt godt. Han overtog samtidig med sine to brødre sin del af faderens besiddelser; Førslev og Fuglebjerg godser i 1830 samt 30 tdr. hartkorn bondergårde i Krummerup sogn. 

Den 7. september 1831 gifter han sig med Betzy Isidore Østergaard, f. 28. november 1813 i København, død 23. oktober 1806 på Turebyholm hos datteren Annette. De fik i alt 11 børn, hvoraf de tre døde som små, mens de øvrige - 4 drenge og 4 piger - alle nåede moden alder.

I 1842 købte Peter godset Faarevejle på Langeland, som skulle forblive i familiens eje i over 80 år. Det bestod af en hovedgård, et par hunderede tdr. land skov, 44 fæstegårde og en del huse. Han gav i alt 200.000 rigsdaler for hele herligheden, en ganske net sum. Han fortsatte den forrige ejer - Mecklenburgeren von Cossels - bestræbelser ved i stor udstrækning at foretage afvanding og kultivering af engene. Avlsgården forbedrede Peter ved tilføjelse af flere bygninger, og da gården brændte i 1851, genopførte han ladegården nu med tegltag - initialer og årstal står endnu på gavlene. Han sløjfede ved den lejlighed størstedelen af voldanlægget og fyldte gravene op. Fæstegodset blev frasolgt i 1860erne.

Ved broder Carl's (1800-1850) død i 1850 blev Peter Johansen eksekutor i boet, og indsat som administrator af det delte Gunderslevholm og Castrup-Charlottendal gods, som nu tilhørte de endnu umyndige fætre Johan (1834-1921) og Charles (1839-1903).

Han har altså haft nok at se til. Det var 6 drenges materielle tarv og lykke han var sat til at varetage. Men ikke nok med det også hans egne 4 døtre blev særdeles vel betænkt; man talte om at de hver fik 1 million kr. i arv - en meget stor sum 1872. Selvom det var nemmere i de tider at samle sig en formue, skal vi efterkommere dog også glæde os over - og beundre hans store administrative evner.

Peter Johansen efterlod sig 9 hovedgårde og 6.600 tdr. land god skov.


Peter Johansen de Neergaard was born on March 7, 1803 at Ringsted Kloster as the third and last son in Peter Johansen's (1745-1806) first marriage, five days before the signing of the deed on »Gunderslevholm, Førslev and underlying estates«. Peter became a student from Roskilde 1821 and 20 October 1827 cand. jur.

The long period of study is explained by the fact that the times were so incredibly poor that he had to give manuduction to earn a living. In any case, he did not take on any public office and by titles he became March 18, 1846 Councilor of Justice and on November 12, 1850 State Councilor.

The very handsome portrait of him at Førslev, painted in 1869 by H. Olrik, shows a man who radiates security and who, with his undoubtedly very significant abilities as an administrator of large estates, has done more than usual well. At the same time as his two brothers, he took over his share of the father's possessions; Førslev and Fuglebjerg estates in 1830 as well as 30 tdr. Hartkorn farms in Krummerup parish.

On 7 September 1831 he married Betzy Isidore Østergaard, born 28 November 1813 in Copenhagen, died 23 October 1806 on Turebyholm with his daughter Annette. They had a total of 11 children, three of whom died young, while the others - 4 boys and 4 girls - all reached adulthood.

In 1842, Peter bought the estate Faarevejle on Langeland, which was to remain in the family's ownership for over 80 years. It consisted of a main farm, a few hundred tdr. Of country forest, 44 attachment farms and a number of houses. He gave a total of 200,000 rigsdaler for all the glory, a very net sum. He continued the efforts of the previous owner - the Mecklenburger von Cossels - to a large extent to carry out drainage and cultivation of the meadows. The breeding farm was improved by Peter by adding more buildings, and when the farm burned down in 1851, he now rebuilt the barn with a tiled roof - initials and years are still on the gables. On that occasion, he demolished most of the ramparts and filled the graves. The serfs properties were sold in the 1860s.

On the death of Brother Carl (1800-1850) in 1850, Peter Johansen became executor of the estate, and was appointed administrator of the divided Gunderslevholm and Castrup-Charlottendal estates, which now belonged to the still minor cousins Johan (1834-1921) and Charles (1839- 1903).

So he has had enough to look after. It was the material good fortune of 6 boys he was set to take care of. But not only that, his own 4 daughters were also very well considered; it was said that they each inherited DKK 1 million - a very large sum in 1872. Although it was easier in those days to amass a fortune, we descendants must also rejoice in it - and admire his great administrative abilities.

Peter Johansen left behind 9 main farms and 6,600 acres of good forest land.




BØRN                                                                                                     CHILDREN

Peter Johansen (1834-1895) 
Peter Johansen (1834-1895) 

Peter Johansen, født i 1834, fik som den ældste Førslegaard i 1872. Han lærte skovbrug hos sin onkel Thomas de Neergaard på Petersgaard skovdistrikt og landvæsen på Gydensteen og Fuglebjerggaard, som han i øvrigt senere forpagtede fra 1860-72. I 1887 blev han Ridder af Dannebrog. Det var enten ham eller hans broder Edvard, der købte Præsteskoven pà 8 ha af embedet, der lå ubehageligt indeklemt mellem Harrested og Førslev. Ellers ved vi ikke meget om ham, andet end at han var anset for at vare en ivrig og dygtig landmand. Han havde dog også tid til andre interesser, idet det i en lille bog, der er skrevet af et medlem af præstefamilien i Førslev, er beskrevet, at der ofte var stort gæsteri på hovedbygningen med musikudøvelse. Gæstfriheden var stor og en gæst fortæller, at hun ved ferieopholdets afslutning var ked at at skulle rejse, hvoretter godsejeren straks tilbød hende at blive 14 dage til. Han blev aldrig gift og der er blevet talt om, at da han blev forelsket i en pige sagde man til ham, at hun muligvis var hans egen halvsøster. Så blev et ikke til mere.


Peter Johansen, born in 1834, was given the oldest Førslegaard in 1872. He learned forestry from his uncle Thomas de Neergaard on Petersgaard forest district and agriculture on Gydensteen and Fuglebjerggaard, which he later leased from 1860-72. In 1887 he became a Knight of Dannebrog. It was either him or his brother Edvard who bought Præsteskoven on 8 ha of the office, which was uncomfortably sandwiched between Harrested and Førslev. Otherwise, we do not know much about him, other than that he was considered to be an avid and skilled farmer. However, he also had time for other interests, as in a small book written by a member of the clergy family in Førslev, it is described that there was often a large guest house on the main building with music practice. The hospitality was great and one guest says that at the end of the holiday she was sad to have to travel, after which the landowner immediately offered her to stay 14 more days. He never got married and it has been said that when he fell in love with a girl he was told that she was possibly his own half-sister. Then one did not become more.

Peter Johansen til Førslev (1834-1895)





Peter Poul Ferdinand (1836-1878) til Fårevejle
Peter Poul Ferdinand (1836-1878) to Faarevejle estate

Det næste barn var Peter Poul Ferdinand (1836-78). Han overtog forpagtningen af Faarevejle på Langeland, og omkring 1868 om byggede han den gamle teglhængte hovedbygning i bindingsværk fuldstændigt om, så den fik et mere »slotsagtigt« prag i renaissancestil med et højt ottekantet tårn. Den brændte imidlertid allerede 1870, alt dette endnu i faderens tid, men Peter Poul Ferdinand genopbyggede huset i samme stil i røde sten. Hvor meget han i sit korte liv nåede at gøre ved driften vides ikke, men en del inddæmninger var jo allerede foretaget og fæstegodset var for det mestes vedkommende solgt i 1860'erne. 

På en rejse til Italien døde han uventet i Sorrento, ikke fyldt 42 år og efterlod en enke med 5 små børn. Han blev kammerjunker og var blevet gift i Göteborg 1862 med Hillevid Christina Vendela Sofia Augusta Flach, født i 1843 på Vänersborg og død i 1924 i Hälsingborg. Hendes forældre var oberstløjtnant Johan Fredrik Flach og Hillevid Fredrica Zelow. Man sagde, at hun havde vanskeligt ved at styre de 4 vilde drenge efterhånden som de voksede til, på trods af, at hun på Herman Vedels billede ellers ser ud til at kunne slå en proper næve!

Da børnene var blevet voksne giftede moderen sig igen i 1891 med ritmester, kammerherre Johannes Conrad Edgar Moe (1848-99). Hun blev over 80 år og i det år hun døde blev Faarevejle solgt at sønnesønnen og dette salg var en alvorlig begivenhed, da ejendommen havde varet i familiens eje i over 80 år i 4 generationer.


The next child was Peter Poul Ferdinand (1836-78). He took over the lease of Faarevejle on Langeland, and around 1868 he completely rebuilt the old brick half-timbered main building so that it had a more "castle-like" Renaissance-style splendor with a tall octagonal tower. However, it burned down as early as 1870, all this even in his father's time, but Peter Poul Ferdinand rebuilt the house in the same style in red stone. How much he managed to do in the short life of the operation is not known, but a number of dams had already been made and the fasteners had for the most part been sold in the 1860s.

On a trip to Italy, he died unexpectedly in Sorrento, not turning 42, leaving a widow with 5 small children. He became a chamberlain and had been married in Gothenburg in 1862 to Hillevid Christina Vendela Sofia Augusta Flach, born in 1843 in Vänersborg and died in 1924 in Hälsingborg. Her parents were Lieutenant Colonel Johan Fredrik Flach and Hillevid Fredrica Zelow. It was said that she had difficulty controlling the 4 wild boys as they grew up, despite the fact that in Herman Vedel's picture she otherwise seems to be able to hit a proper fist!

When the children had grown up, the mother remarried in 1891 to rhythm master, chamberlain Johannes Conrad Edgar Moe (1848-99). She turned 80 and in the year she died, Faarevejle was sold to her grandson and this sale was a serious event, as the property had been owned by the family for over 80 years for 4 generations.








Charles Adolph Denis (1839-1903) Godsejer ved lodtrækning

Charles Adolph Denis (1839-1903) Landowner by drawing lots

Charles Adolph Denis opkaldt efter tipoldefaderen, superkargoens fader, Charles Adolph Denis Mourier. Han blev født 20. maj 1839. Vi ved næsten intet om hans person og kender heller ikke til hans skolegang eller uddannelse. Hans livsbane blev også meget tidligt udstukket og har måske ikke animeret til en storre udfoldelse. En udenlandsrejse til Italien inspirerede ham til senere at præge sin fra grunden helt nybyggede hovedbygning pà Gyldenholm i italiensk stil med Palazzo Vecchio i Firenze som forbillede. Han valgte arkitekt Herholdt og huset blev bygget i 1864-65, og resultatet blev en pompøs bygning navnlig fra gårdsiden.  Der er smukke og meget festlige interiører, f.eks. de to sale, udsmykket af maleren Constantin Hansen (1804-80), og kunstneren Georg Hilker (1807-75). Også den imposante vestibule er flot med blandt andet de store billede af Ægirs gilde.

Som bekendt arvede han efter Carl på Gunderslevholm de meget store godsarealer af det nu delte gods, hvor grænsen til Gunderslevholm blev lagt igennem skovfogedstedet, »Foldeledshuset«, idet den nærliggende skov Castrup Overdrev af hans egen far, Peter Johansen (1803-1872), blev solgt til fætteren Johan på Gunderslevholm. På Gyldenholm skete der i Charles' 40-årige ejertiden mange betydningsfulde ting med selve godset. Carl (1800-1850) på Gunderslevholm nåede at købe Slagelse Lystskov, i 1850. Skoven har et areal på ca. 100 tdr. land. Det næste køb Charles gjorde blev Gyldenholm hovedgård i 1862 (inkl. Grønhøjskoven). 

Der blev i Charles tid plantet en allé fra Gyldenholms have til Stubbeskoven. Mellem godses yderpunkter lå skovene - et areal pà ca. 3-300 tdr. land, hvortil kom et endnu meget stort fæstegods under Castrup. Det var altså, selv efter datidens forhold, en meget stor ejendom Charles kom til at eje. Han drev vist aldrig selv noget landbrug, og det skulle blive skovene, der fik hans store interesse. Han ansatte 2 skovridere til det store areal. Charles deltog meget ivrigt i administrationen af sine skove, men hans temperament kunne løbe af med ham, hvis der blev gjort ting, han ikke billigede.

I 1871 blev han deltager i et konsortium, der ville udtørre Flyndersø, Skallesø, Stubbergaard sø og Hellesø, sydvest for Skive. Et meget stort og interessante projekt, som drejede sig om et søareal på ca 4.600 tdr. vand ! Tiden var helt naturligt optaget af at indvinde land til de stærkt stigende befolkninger i de industrialiserede lande, hvilket behov egentlig først var stillet i begyndelsen af 1980'erne. Efterhånden som arbejdet på Flyndersøen trak ud, fik Charles mistro til projektets holdbarhed og prøvede at trække sig ud af det - uden held, og da projektet i 1874 erklæres konkurs, måtte han alene betale alle kreditorer. Han var meget berørt af hele sagen, men beholdt dog arealerne. Han blev herved ejer af et betydeligt jordegods. Dette bestod af hovedgården Estvadgaard på 600 tdr. land nogenunde god jord, samt Estvadgaards Store Hede på ca. 1.000 tdr. land og Flyndersø Mølle på 793 tdr. land. Endelig medfulgte ejendomsretten over Flyndersø og Skallesø, et areal på ca.900 tdr. land. Tilplantningen af den Store Hede var påbegyndt i 1850erne, og fortsatte i de 30 år han ejede det vel nok nåede et bevokset areal på ca. 400 tdr. land, en kraftpræstation af dimensioner, uden tilskud fra det offentlige af nogen art. I enkelte år i 1880'erne brugtes 2-300.000 planter pr år - et enormt tal, som i dag næsten ikke er til at forstå. Hovedgården var i de senere år bortforpagtet. En så fremmed træart som bøg i disse ugæstmilde egne, måske det koldeste sted i Danmark, hvor selv ikke juli altid er frostfrit, begyndte Charles at plante i 1901 og det er i dag er en skov med store bøge. Ogsà andre træarter såsom ædelgran, skovfyr blev i vidt omfang indført. Hvor meget glæde han personligt har haft af godset deroppe er ikke til at sige, men det var efterhånden blevet rimelig let at tage derop, da jernbanen Skive - Struer blev åbnet allerede i 1865.

På Sjælland købte Charles i 1880'erne Gimlinge Kirkegods, umiddelbart syd for Gyldenholm af hustruens fatter Harald Qvistgaard på i alt ca. 350 tdr. land god jord. I 1889 købte Carl Appelsbjerg ved Dalmose på ca. 257 tdr. land, og ca. i 1892 Carlsgaard skov på ca. 100 tdr. land. Da jernbanen Roskide-Korsør blev åbnet i 1856 blev en stump skov af » Kalven« på ca.14 tdr. land, afsnøret og solgt fra til ejeren af Valdemarskilde.

Charles blev i 1867 gift med den ældste datter Jenny fra Lyngbygaard, født på Jagerhus ved Skælskør i 1847. Hun døde i 1933 på Geelsgaard ved Holte. De fik 5 børn. Se stamtavle XIII.

Han blev udnævnt til hofjægermester i 1888.


Charles Adolph Denis named after the great-grandfather, the father of the supercargo, Charles Adolph Denis Mourier. He was born May 20, 1839. We know almost nothing about his person, nor do we know of his schooling or education. His life trajectory was also laid out very early and may not have animated to a greater unfoldment. A trip abroad to Italy inspired him to later shape his completely new main building on Gyldenholm in Italian style with the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence as a model. He chose architect Herholdt and the house was built in 1864-65, and the result was a pompous building especially from the courtyard side. There are beautiful and very festive interiors, e.g. the two halls, decorated by the painter Constantin Hansen (1804-80), and the artist Georg Hilker (1807-75). The imposing vestibule is also beautiful with, among other things, the large picture of Ægir's feast.

As is well known, he inherited from Carl on Gunderslevholm the very large estate areas of the now divided estate, where the border to Gunderslevholm was laid through the forester's place, »Foldeledshuset«, as the nearby forest Castrup Overdrev by his own father, Peter Johansen (1803-1872), was sold to his cousin Johan at Gunderslevholm. On Gyldenholm, during Charles' 40-year ownership period, many significant things happened to the estate itself. Carl (1800-1850) on Gunderslevholm managed to buy Slagelse Lystskov, in 1850. The forest has an area of approx. 100 tdr. Land. The next purchase Charles made was Gyldenholm manor in 1862 (incl. Grønhøjskoven).

In Charles' time, an avenue was planted from Gyldenholm's garden to Stubbeskoven. Between the extremes of the estate lay the forests - an area of approx. 3-300 tdr. Of land, to which was added another very large attachment under Castrup. So it was, even under the conditions of the time, a very large property Charles came to own. He probably never farmed himself, and it was to be the forests that got his great interest. He hired 2 forest rangers for the large area. Charles participated very eagerly in the administration of his forests, but his temper could run off with him if things were done he did not approve of.

In 1871 he became a participant in a consortium that wanted to wipe out Flyndersø, Skallesø, Stubbergaard lake and Hellesø, southwest of Skive. A very large and interesting project, which was about a lake area of about 4,600 tdr. Of water! The time was quite naturally occupied with reclaiming land for the rapidly increasing populations of the industrialized countries, which need was really only posed in the early 1980s. As the work on Flyndersøen dragged on, Charles became distrustful of the project's sustainability and tried to withdraw from it - without success, and when the project was declared bankrupt in 1874, he alone had to pay all creditors. He was greatly affected by the whole affair, but nevertheless retained the lands. He thereby became the owner of a considerable estate. This consisted of the main farm Estvadgaard on 600 acres of reasonably good land, and Estvadgaard's Great Heath of approx. 1,000 acres of land and Flyndersø Mill on 793 acres of land. Finally, the ownership of Flyndersø and Skallesø, an area of approximately 900 tdr. Of land, followed. The planting of the Great Heath had begun in the 1850s, and continued for the 30 years he owned it probably reached a vegetated area of approx. 400 tdr. Of land, a power performance of dimensions, without subsidies from the public of any kind. In some years in the 1880s, 2-300,000 plants were used per year - a huge number that today is almost incomprehensible. In recent years, the main farm was leased out. A tree species as foreign as beech in these inhospitable areas, perhaps the coldest place in Denmark, where even July is not always frost-free, Charles began to plant in 1901 and it is today a forest with large beeches. Other tree species such as Norway spruce, Scots pine were also widely introduced. How much he personally enjoyed the estate up there is not to say, but it had gradually become fairly easy to go up there when the railway Skive - Struer was opened already in 1865.

In Zealand in the 1880s, Charles bought Gimlinge Kirkegods, immediately south of Gyldenholm from his wife's father Harald Qvistgaard for a total of approx. 350 tdr. Land good soil. In 1889, Carl Appelsbjerg at Dalmose bought approx. 257 tdr. Of land, and approx. in 1892 Carlsgaard forest of approx. 100 tdr. Land. When the railway Roskide-Korsør was opened in 1856, a piece of forest by »Kalven« on approx. 14 acres of land was cordoned off and sold to the owner of Valdemarskilde.

Charles married in 1867 the eldest daughter Jenny from Lyngbygaard, born on Jagerhus by Skælskør in 1847. She died in 1933 on Geelsgaard by Holte. They had 5 children. See pedigree XIII.

He was appointed court huntsman in 1888.