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February 23, 1976
%201788-1804%201870%20Anna%20Heegard%20Baptism%20copy.jpg)  Anna
Elizabeth Ulricka Heegaard, the future mistress and consort of Peter von
Scholten, was born in St. Croix during the early days of Jan. 1790.
Approximately one month later, Feb. 14, 1790, she was christened in a
Negro church in Christiansted.
In the baptismal record,
her father was listed as Jacob Heegaard, white, native of Denmark.
Birthplace: Copenhagen, 1761. Her mother was listed as a "free mulatto
woman," Susanna Ulytendahl, born in St. Croix in the year 1774. Jacob
Heegaard, a member of a middle class mercantile family in Copenhagen, had
come to the islands in a minor capacity as Government Clerk. Later he
worked his way up the Colonial bureaucracy until he attained the post as
Treasurer of Customs, Christiansted. His Relationship with Susanna
Uytendahl must have been a casual sexual one leading to an undesired
pregnancy on his part, for 2 weeks before Anna Elizabeth was christened,
Heegaard blatantly ignored his relationship with the Uytendahl mulatto
woman and his newly born child and married a white woman in Christiansted.
 Left on her own, Susanna,
with the help of her mother, raised Heegaard's child. The records
indicate that at the age of 14, July 8, 1804, Anna was confirmed in the
Lutheran Church, Christiansted. She was listed as a one-forth coloured
person.
 Susanna Uydentahl's
financial and domestic difficulties were eased somewhat when she entered
into a common law relationship with an amiable retired sea Captain, Hans Cappel. She bore him 2 daughters before he died in 1798.
Next, Susanna lived with a
Danish shopkeeper and widower, Peter Abraham Wittrog. This relationship
endured for 10 years. During this period, Susanna bore Wittrog a son. By
all indications, Anna Heegaard got along well with her half-brother and
her 2 half-sisters. Throughout these relationships of her mother, Anna
was reared and accepted as a member of the particular family in which she
found herself. She grew into an attractive, confident and self reliant
person.
 At the age of 19, Anna
Heegaard began a series of relationships of her own. She attracted the
attention of a young unmarried Danish Attorney, Christopher Hansen, aged
26. She became his mistress.
Hansen made it clear to her
from the beginning that his stay in the islands was not permanent. In the
event that Anna should conceive a child by him, financial provisions would
be made for the proper support and upbringing of that child. However, no
offspring resulted from the relationship which lasted a little more than 4
years.
In 1814, Anna Heegaard
became involved with an Irishman, Paul Twigg. He had come out to the
islands from Dublin in the year 1810, at the age of 28. He had gone into
business in Christiansted and was quite successful. Dahlerup, the Danish
sea Captain and historian, who knew Twigg, described him "as a very
sociable and jovial man who loved to entertain."
Evidently unmarried, Twigg
looked around for a good housekeeper and hostess to help him with his
household duties and his numerous parties. Anna had been recommended to
him as having the necessary qualifications. After meeting Miss Heegaard
and being pleasantly impressed, Twigg invited her to join his household
and to take over.
Whatever the relationship
with Twigg was, it could not have been too binding, for it is recorded
that from 1816-1820, Anna Heegaard lived with her mother, Susanna
Uytendahl, in Susanna's house in Compagnigade, Christiansted.
During the period
1820-1821, Anna met and was attracted to the dashing, well-to-do planter
Captain and Colonel Adjutant H. C. Knudsen. Knudsen, at the time, was
Chief Inspector of La Grande Princess, the model plantation owned by Count
Schimmelman. This plantation was considered an outstanding one in St.
Croix, not only because it was well run but because of its humane and
enlightened treatment of its workers, from slaves to management.
Evidently the attraction
between Anna and Knudsen was a mutual one. It
 was not long before they
were living together under one roof. Shortly thereafter, Knudsen
purchased his own plantation, "Belvedere" on the north side of the
island. In 1824, Knudsen issued a public declaration to the effect that
mahogany furniture purchased to furnish "Belvedere" belonged to Anna Heegaard. The furniture was listed: Two mahogany beds with 5 mattresses,
2 big mahogany eating tables, consisting of 3 simple tables, 6 mahogany
tables, 2 sofas, 24 chairs, 2 big mirrors in mahogany frames, 1 mahogany
sideboard, 2 mahogany chest of drawers. Also included in the listing were
silverware, crockery, crystal glasses, table linen and kitchen utensils.
 At the time, Anna Heegaard
owned 15 slaves outright. Later she was to purchase a house, Compagnigade
no. 5, in Christiansted, for the sum of 6250 Rixdollars. From her
girlhood, Anna had been impressed by her mother on the urgent need for
security. Romance was one thing, stressed Susanna Uytendahl, but human
relationships tended to end unexpectedly and abruptly at times.
Heartaches were bad enough, but there was nothing worse than being left
destitute.
 Anna was smart enough to
take care of herself, but mere accumulation of wealth was not enough to
satisfy her sensitive spirit. Her nature rebelled against the social
order that, quote: "trapped her and people like her, in a strange middle
position between 2 worlds--black, slaver and white population�" Laws and
regulations issued as far back as 1755 had guaranteed to the "free-coloured"
equality with whites, but these laws and regulations had been
sidetracked. To quote from the historian, Lawaetz:
 "Authorities issued special
statements all the time, restricting the rights of the 'free-coloured'
population. These restrictions applied not only to the living but were to
be Golden Rules even for their children and grand children. Among the
regulations was one that denied the 'free-coloured', Citizenship, and
through this kept them out of certain offices and possibilities for work.
"Free-coloured' men could,
if they were lucky, become fishermen, or learn certain small trades. The
highest position a 'free-coloured' woman could reach was that of
seamstress. Many of the men became vagabonds, and the women,
prostitutes. This latter resort presented ample opportunities, because
there were many soldiers and semen in the islands.
"Free-coloured' women with
good looks and good manners often associated with white Civil servants,
planters, merchants or sea Captains. Men in these white groups were often
unmarried, or had left wives and children behind in Europe. They took
these 'free-coloured' women into their homes as house keepers, but
everybody knew that, they would live together as husbands and wives.
"Some of these liaisons
were short lived. Some lasted longer. Often, one of the partners died,
or the man might marry a white woman, or his legal wife might turn up. In
many cases, however, these 'natural marriages' lasted for years.
Paternity was established in each case. Children resulting from these
'natural unions, were entered in Government Registers under the father's
family name.
"On the whole, being a
'free-coloured' was neither fish nor fowl. Since most of these 'free-coloured'
were of an 'in-between' color, neither black nor white, their existence
became very difficult, especially for the most reflective of them, or the
very fair skinned�."
 Anna Heegaard's
genealogical background was a most interesting one. She was an "outside'
Descendant of one of the most prominent families of St. Croix. To quote
from "Personal Historisk Tidsskrift," Danish Archives:
"Anna Heegaard's mother was
the 'free mulatto woman,' Susanna Uytendahl, born in St. Croix about
1774. Susanna was the illegitimate daughter of Charlotte Amalie Bernard,
a slave woman, and Johannes Balthazar, eldest son of Lucas Uytendahl,
Baron de Bretton.
"Charlotte Amalie Bernard,
(Anna's grandmother) was born in St. Croix, about 1753. She is supposed
to be identical with the Negro woman, Amalie, or Charlotte Amalie, who
appears in the Government Register several times. She was the property of
Baron de Bretton.
Note: The Brettons were
descendants of Hugenots, (French Protestants), who had come to the West
Indies in the late 17th Century to escape religious persecution.
Originally they had settled in St. Christopher, then in St. Thomas.
Later, they moved to St. Croix.
According to archive
material, the Brettons, on their mother's side, were descended from an old
French noble family whose last representative was Admiral Jean Grace de
Bretton. The Admiral, in turn was a direct descendant of another
distinguished French Noval leader, Coligny. Admiral Jean Grave was related
also to the families de Witt and Ruyter of Holland.
With this
'fighting blood" in her veins, it is little wonder that Anna Heegaard was
in the forefront of the battle to effect drastic reforms in the social
system of the Danish West Indies.
March 1, 1976
 In 1827,
when Peter von Scholten came to St. Croix as Governor-General, he was
entertained in great style. Gala events were held in his honor, sumptuous
dinners, garden parties, balls. Planters attempted to outdo each other in
trying to impress him and to gain his favor.
Since Capt. Knudsen and his mistress, Anna Heegaard, attended many of
these events for von Scholten, it was natural that their paths should
cross. In fact, Anna made it her business to keep close to the
Governor-General. In devious ways she tried to attract his attention, to
make him aware of her. She had long known of von Scholten's friendly and
sympathetic attitude, of his many efforts to elevate the coloured people
of the islands.
Once she had gotten close
to him, Anna Heegaard let no opportunity go by to describe to von Scholten
the plight of the "free-coloured," the urgent need for reforms and the
kind of reforms that were needed. She spoke to him of the humiliation the
elite of her group felt in having to carry the so-called "freedom-letter,"
a document that every "free-coloured" person had to carry to show that he
or she was not a slave.
To quote, (Lawaetz): "These
documents were offensive as they were all similar, without considering
birth, culture or upbringing, their form giving the impression that the
person only recently was freed, while his or her freedom might have
originated from a great grand mother. Some of the "Free-coloured" were
respected in the society, while some of the very recently freed, even
dishonored the society. It was necessary to make distinct separations��
Indignation showed in Anna Heegaard's voice when she spoke to von Scholten about the widespread and
officially sanctioned discriminatory employment; how talented and able
people in her group were denied the right to work in any but the most
menial jobs. She, and people like her, were deeply resentful of an
official statement to the effect that if the "free-coloured" wanted jobs,
there were plenty of such jobs in the cane fields with pay. Never, never,
said Anna Heegaard, would any "Free-coloured" person that she knew go back
to the cane fields and join the toiling slaves for any kind of
remuneration.
Von Scholten was impressed
with the sincerity, dedication and intelligence of the young woman. Much
of what she said to him touched deeply on problems in an area in which he
had been trying to find workable solutions. Not only did this young woman
know the problems intimately, but she had answers, and what she had to say
made considerable sense.
 It got to the point where
von Scholten found himself seeking out Anna Heegaard to get her honest and
intelligent opinions on just how he should cope with the many problems
that daily arose between planters and their slaves; "free-Coloured" and a
society that did everything but out rightly reject them.
This was the beginning of a
relationship between Anna Heegaard and Peter von Scholten that was to
deepen. They met often in his office, or at the nearby home of Councellor
of Justice Gjellerup, an intimate friend of von Scholten, where the
Governor-General often had his meals, and where he actually resided on
occasions when Judge Gjellerup was absent from the island.
Von Scholten fell deeply in
love with Anna Heegaard. She saw it coming and did nothing to stop it.
It is recorded in "Personal Historisk Tidsskrift" that Anna Heegaard
co-habited with von Scholten, early in the year 1828, in Gjellrup's house
in Kongensgade in Christiansted.
 For all his years of power
and glory and accumulated honor, von Scholten was a human being,
emotionally starved. The long separations from his wife had left him with
pent up feelings and desires that no amount of long hours and hard work
could obliterate.
Note: Enid Baa, local
librarian and archivist in her intensive research has come across a
historic gem in von Scholten's personal life, which she has willingly
shared with us.
In the baptismal records
of the Catholic Church here, there is a record of a birth of a child, May
14, 1820. This child, a girl, Marie Marthe Peterette, was baptized on the
2nd of September, 1820. The father's name is listed as Peter Carl
Frederick von Scholten; the mother's name, Marie Louise Josephine
Deisgrotte. C.N.E. Stakemann is listed as Godfather; Francoise Touissine
Arringner as Godmother.
When von Scholten became
ill in the latter part of 1828, Anna visited him daily and did everything
possible to nurse him back to good health. Capt. Knudsen, who was no
fool, seemed to have been aware of the relationship that had developed
between Anna and the Governor-General, but he did nothing to interfere
with it. He knew that Anna was a headstrong, independent woman, and in
the light of von Scholten's serious illness and his pending departure from
the island, Knudsen figured that the matter would "blow over" and that
Anna would come back where she "belonged"
When von Scholten left the
islands on his trip northward, April 17, 1829, he carried with him a list
of social conditions and desired reforms, prepared in conjunction with
Anna Heegaard to be shown to the Danish King. He carried with him, also,
Anna's promise that when he returned, she would come to live with him and
share his life.
 When von Scholten arrived
in Copenhagen he did not act like a man who had just recovered from a
serious illness. He "Bubbled" with the joy of living. His friends
commented that he seemed "Exhilarated," anxious to get his work done in
the Danish capital and eager to return to the islands.
His family found him more
jovial and generous than ever. Not only did he bring them valuable gifts
from the islands, but during 1831, he insisted that the family move into
better living quarters, a spacious and elegant house on Bredgade No. 186.
(Nowadays No. 45).
There is a description of
some of von Scholten's activities in Denmark during this period written by
C. H. von Holten, a former Governor of St. Thomas, retired in Copenhagen.
On the 27th January, 1832, shortly before von Scholten left for the
islands, von Holten wrote new home. Quote:
"All the Princes, the Prime
Ministers and the foreign Ambassadors were there, a couple of hundred
persons. At midnight, 2 coloured trumpeters blew a fanfare, and von
Scholten proposed a toast to his Majesty's birthday�."
In an earlier entry in his
diary, von Holten mentioned another incident, this time at a party, Dec.
26, 1831, at the luxurious quarters of the Danish Prince, Christian.
After a sumptuous banquet, the men retired to another room and began to
gamble. Von Scholten lost 300 Dalers to Prince Ferdinand who was more
used to losing than winning. The prince was overjoyed and treated von
Scholten like a long lost brother. Von Holten was of the opinion that von
Scholten had lost to Prince Ferdinand deliberately as part of his shrewd
way of handling members of the Royal family.
As early as Jan. 9, 1830,
Peter von Scholten made personal contact with the Danish King and told him
that he, von Scholten, was deeply concerned with the problems of the
"free-coloured" in the islands. He, von Scholten knew the problems
intimately and was convinced that he could offer solutions. What was most
urgently needed were distinct regulations and clarification covering the
basic rights of the "free-coloured". These regulations, to be truly
effective, should come from the absolute King himself.
Beginning with a request
that the so-called "freedom letter" be abolished, von Scholten listed in
detail the von Scholten listed in detail the von Scholten-Heegaard plan
for social reform in the islands. The plan was approved, in its entirety,
by the Danish King, April 10, 1830. Returning to the islands in the
summer of 1832, von Scholten published the King's orders for social reform
with these added comments:
"His Royal Majesty is
convinced that the time has come to remove the erroneous opinions, the
prejudice and the obstacles that have separated the two classes of
citizens, and to promote the advance towards the "free-coloured". Those
who have ears, listen! The King himself has spoken�"
A Commission was appointed
the study the new rules and regulations covering social justice and to
begin to carry them out.
 Anna Heegaard kept her
promise. She moved in with von Scholten. For 2 or 3 years they lived at
William Newton's plantation, the "Castle." In 1834, they moved to their
own estate, "Bulowsminde" outside Christiansted. At the time, von
Scholten was 50 years of age. Anna Heegaard, 44.
H. C. Knudsen, the man who
Anna Heegaard left for von Scholten, took the incident in his stride. Far
from being emotionally wounded, he seemed friendly and philosophical about
the whole affair. At a later date, he wrote to a friend in Denmark.
Quote:
 "I am very fond of von
Scholten, and I am convinced that in his heart of hearts he also likes
me. But he never forgets and cannot forget that I am the one Anna
Heegaard ever cared for and still cares for, strange as it may seem. Yet
it is true.
"I firmly believe that von
Scholten has never been so attached to, or cared so much for a woman, as
he has for her. The bargain he made to secure her as his property was
based upon very great promises�" |
