Reference: KG1 note
Some details on the estate of Jens Pedersen Kofoed, as described in
Jørn Klindt's book "På sporet af de første Kofod'er", published in
1979:
The household items: a large silver vessel worth 21 Silverdalers -
this great jug could hold around three-quarters of a litre, and
weighed half a kilogram; it was Jens Kofoed's personal drinking
vessel and it was said that he could empty it in one swallow at
festive occasions! There were other jugs and goblets mentioned, as
well as 15 silver-spoons (forks were not yet in use). Also 10 dozen
silver-buttons, worth 123 Silverdalers (it was the practice of that
time to melt old buttons down and recast them in new styles - a sorry


loss, but thus it happened). Jens Kofoed's clothes were quite
ordinary: his best was a grey long coat with black lining, valued at


10 Silverdalers. More dramatic was an old green coat lined with fox-


fur, valued at 5 Silverdalers. Grey woolen pants, lined with linen,
valued at 6 Silverdalers; a pair of leather underpants worht 1 Mark
and 8 Skillings; and a black cap; these last few items were probably
used on long riding trips, both military service and personal. Last
was a black outfit, a hat, a pair of stockings, and a black veil,
worth a total of 6 Silverdalers. This was was given to his youngest
surviving son, the 19 year old Mads Jensen Kofoed - then a Lieutenant


stationed on Christiansø. His widow Elisabeth Akeleye's clothes were
also valued: a black woolen coat, 2 dresses, a green bodice with 11


pairs of silver tips, 3 skirts, a silk bonnet, and a red woolen
nightgown. The total value of the estate was set at 1,356
Silverdalers, but a debt of 905 Silverdalers meant that there was
only 450 Silverdalers to be divided between Elisabeth and the nine
unmarried children. The pastor received the grand sum of 22
Silverdalers, and the church sexton received 11 Silverdalers, for the


funeral service held in Østermarie Church. Only half of his 24
children were still at the time of his death. The three eldest girls:


Margrethe, Sidsel, and Elisabeth, were all in their second
marriages; while Anna Sophie and Magdalene had died in their first
marriages. The sons were younger and still bachelors: Hans, Sander
and Jørgen were in København receiving military educations; Ditlev
was on his fateful voyage to the East Indies; and the youngest, Mads,


was stationed on Christiansø. Living at home were: the 21 year old
Kirstine, engaged to a young Svaneke lad; the 16 year old twins,
Karen and Johanne; plus the only surviving child from his marriage
to Elisabeth Akeleye: Margrethe Elisabeth, 10 years old. According to


law, the unmarried daughters were to receive half of that which the
sons received. Thus each son inherited 32 Silverdalers, while the
daughters got 16 Silverdalers. As there was no ready cash available,


it proved hard for the widow Elisabeth Akeleye to pay out. Jens
Pedersen Kofoed had never become a rich land-owner - the amount each
daughter received just equaled the value of beer drunk at Hammershus
fortress in 1658! Jens Kofoed and Elisabeth Akeleye commissioned the
installation of an epitath on the south-wall of the old Østermarie
Church. It was moved to the new church after the demolition of the
old church in the late 1800s; at that same time a search was made for


Jens Kofoed's grave, especially under the place where the epitath
had been hanging, but no luck. Later, in the 1920s, some graves were
found in the old weapon-house, and it is possible that they are those


of Jens Kofoed and his two wives - but no positive identification
could be made. The epitath is a magnificent baroque work of wood-
carving, which was originally brightly painted red, blue and gold -
just like that of the now gone epitath for his father in the Rønne
Church. Jens Kofoed's epitath underwent a restoration in the 1920s,
whereby all its colours were removed in order for it to blend in with


the church's now drab, neutral interior. Fortunately in our time
colours are being re-introduced in church interior design, and
possibly there will be fund made available to repair and repaint the


terribly neglected epitath - which also should be moved, as the
lighting conditions where it now hangs practically prevent closer
scrutiny.