Rasmus Stang

Rasmus Pedersen Stang died in April 1807, at the age of 45. He died at his farm in Nørre Ørslev on Falster. Rasmus, who was both the parish bailiff and a freeholder, was a reputable man. When he died, he left a sizeable farm, his wife, Maren Larsdatter, three grown children from his first marriage: Niels, aged 24, Birte, aged 18, and Peder, aged 15, as well as five young children from his second marriage: Hans, aged 9, Ole, aged 7, Maren, aged 5, Jørgen, aged 4, and Rasmus, aged 3.

Rasmus first married Margrethe Nielsdatter, who was five years his senior, on 12 June 1782 at Nørre Ørslev Church. Rasmus and Margrethe had six children in all, of whom only three survived to adulthood. Margrethe gave birth to the couple's last child, the girl Maren, on 25 November 1794. Shortly after the birth, the little girl died, as did Margrethe, in all probability, as on 27 March 1795, Rasmus got married for the second time, this time to Maren Larsdatter. Together, they had seven children, of which five survived their father.

In connection with the division of Rasmus' estate after his death, the household effects and tools were registered. This estate inventory forms the basis for the interior design of the farm today.

When Rasmus moved into the farm, it was as a tenant farmer under the Vestensborg estate. When he died, he owned the farm. The development in Rasmus' life was a product of the agrarian reforms that turned farmers' lives upside-down towards the end of the 18th century. Society and its view of farmers were undergoing change. This change had an impact on Rasmus' everyday life and his possibilities.