The Lawaetz Family
By Nina York
Ask anyone on St. Croix about a local family with links to Denmark, and the name Lawaetz comes up. This dynasty had its start about 120 years ago, when the Lutheran Church in Denmark dispatched a pastor to serve the congregation in Christiansted. His name was Herman Lawaetz.
Herman served the Lord God of Sabaoth congregation with dedication, but kept in touch with his Danish relatives. He encouraged his young farmer cousin Carl on to come to St. Croix to seek his fortune. In 1890, Carl arrived and was hired as assistant overseer at Sion Farm plantation; later, he landed a well-paid job as manager of cattle-raising Estates Granard and Cane Garden. But when Carl learned about Estates Little La Grange and Jolly Hill, totaling 450 acres north of Frederiksted, being for sale at a bargain price, he acquired his home and workplace for the remainder of his life.
But Carl was ready for a wife, and returned to Denmark to find her - lovely, talented Marie Nyeborg, a pastor's daughter, well educated and a former neighbor. They met again in 1901 and soon became engaged. Carl sent money for her passage here; her father gave her return trip money, in case she regretted. She did not; on September 30, 1902, they were married - by cousin Herman in Christiansted.
Marie showed great talent in making the old residence at Little La Grange into a home. She gave birth to a total of seven children, five of whom lived to great old age. She was a talented artist whose works can be seen at Little La Grange, now a family museum administered by the St. Croix Landmarks Society. The dairy farm at Little La Grange, which became the family's business, interested her. She produced cheeses that were sold along with the milk produced there. Marie lived to age 91; Carl died in 1945 at age 80.
It would take volumes to write the life stories of Carl's and Marie's offspring, all having excelled on their chosen paths, in particular the three boys, born after the two sisters, outliving them both. Frits, born 1907, was an outstanding cattle rancher, politician, and statesman, living to age 97; second son Kai lived to be 94, lived dedicated to horticulture, in which he excelled; his widow Irene is devoted to the site; third son Erik, a developer and hotel owner who loved history and authored several books is 96 and frail, and the last of the Lawaetz second generation. Learn more about this outstanding family by visiting the Lawaetz Museum, a place of natural beauty and island history at its best.
Call for more information, 772-0598.
Comments
Hello,
I learned recently from my mother, (91 years) that Frits Lawaetz passed on. He sent a Christmas card to us every year. I fondly remember staying with Aunt Bodil and Uncle Frits one summer in the '70's, and baby sitting for their grandchildren one evening (Jodie? and another child). I would love to visit the museum and share some info from Bodil's side of the family. I wonder what happened to Erik's son, with whom I did yoga that summer. Can you tell me? Thank you
Posted by: April Holm Bass | February 28, 2010 2:33 PM