Vilhelm Svendsen's "Østerlarsker Slægter" provides us with the
following information on Melstedgård: A will signed at Melstedgård on
July 23, 1823 shows that Thor Pedersen and his unmarried siblings
living together at the farm had decided to inherit each other - as
long as they stayed unmarried. Accordingly, when Thor Pedersen died
thirty years later, in 1854, the farm was handed down to the two
remaining unmarried siblings, Søren Low and Karen Svendsdatter. Two
and a half years later they would transfer the ownership of
Melstedgård to their sister Kirstine Svendsdatter's son Hans
Svendsen, who was born at Krogegård, Østerlars. The rules of
inheritance for farms, at that time - found in an ordinance of
October 14, 1773 - decree that if a farm has been inherited, special
guidelines have to be followed when other family members' right to
inheritance is in question. If there was doubt as to who is the
rightful heir, a public notice had to be posted. Giving every family
member the chance to air their possible claim to the farm. These old
Inheritance-Rules were observed so far as the buildings at 2'
Selfowner-farm (Slg.) was concerned, and the purchase (and right to
residence for former owners until their death) contract was on public
notice July 17, 24 and 31, 1857 in the court of East District.
Hans Svendsen was the owner of Melstedgård for 46 years until 1903,
when he transferred ownership to his youngest son Julius Peter
Svendsen, born in 1877, who was the owner still at the time this was
written. He married Petra Svendsen from Gadegård, Østerlars. (Julius
Svendsen left Melstedgård to the Danish state on his death.
Stipulating that it be made into a museum, so that the old style
Bornholm farm-life could be preserved for posterity. This was done,
and now hundreds of vistors every year tour through this lovely
coastal farm just south of Gudhjem.)