An important part of history has been restored to the Virgin Islands as the remains of Anna Elizabeth Ulricka Heegaard returned to her family plot. In honor of the return, a ceremony was held at the family burial ground at Adershvile in Estate Orange Grove on Wednesday.
The initiative is known as “The Anna Heegaard Project, Part 1 – The Reinterment and Real Property Transfer,” and included the transfer of the property to the people of the territory.
Heegaard, who was born on St. Croix in Jan. 1790 was born of mixed race. She was a pivotal figure in the anti-slavery movement in the Virgin Islands during the mid 19th century, played a significant role in influencing the movement for legal and social equality for free black men and women in the Danish West Indies.
The event was organized by the Emancipation Commemoration Committee in collaboration with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and State Historic Preservation Office. The St. Croix Friends of Denmark Society also played a pivotal role in the event. The recommittal service included performances by Leslie Highfield, a descendent of Heegaard, and Noah Cebedo. The ceremony also included a proper lowering of the body as other family members gathered around her grave.
During the ceremony, a visibly emotional Chairwoman of the Emancipation Commemoration Committee, Carol Burke, also a descendant of Heegaard recognized landowner H.C. Ruperarelliah of Innovative Asset Group. She said, “Our ceremony today is an important step along that path, with the restoration and official transfer to the people of the Virgin Islands. Mr. H.C. Ruperarelliah has given us a great gift, Anna Heegaard’s resting place is no longer unattended.”
“Her headstone was stolen from her grave decades ago and Anna will be laid to rest again among her family. This place can now be a touch point for our collective memories, a beacon as we travel through our history,” she said.
Heegaard’s remains were sent to Denmark for authentication testing and have returned to its proper burial site on St. Croix.
Sean L. Krigger, director from the Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Office at DPNR, shared an archeological overview of the site. Krigger said that after the family cemetery of Heegaard was rediscovered by Ruperarelliah in 2007, DPNR and the Historic Preservation Office authorized the rehabilitation of the cemetery.
The site was then cleared of vegetation that included tan tan, guinep trees, and turpentines. “Soltech International then conducted archeological documentation of the historic structures on the site using digital photography and measured line drawings,” he said.
Krigger said the grounds were defined by a rubble stone wall. “The archeological study also defined that the burial area contained at least four readily definable graves located to the north of a large rock and conch shell concentration likely indicating the presence of additional graves. With the exception of grave one the graves were found in holey disarticulated condition because of previous land clearing practices using heavy bladed machinery. The presumed marble grave covers had been previously removed. An archeological excavation of grave one was to take place to determine age, sex and pathology of the individual in the grave,” he said.
Krigger said that the excavation occurred in Feb. 2019 with archeologists from Denmark. The analysis confirmed the remains of Heegaard who was 69 at her death. In 2021 Ruperarelliah commissioned Cocosol International Inc. to develop restoration plans of the burial grounds. It also included the restoration of her grave tomb and the installation of a site sign with the history of the burial ground and Heegaard. This also included the return of her marble head stone which was stolen from her grave in the late 1960s and eventually ended up in the collection at the Whim Museum.
Ruperarelliah was applauded throughout the ceremony for going over and beyond in ensuring the site was carefully treated. Ruperarelliah’s wife who passed away was originally from Denmark. He was accompanied by his two children.
“Today…we gather to commemorate a remarkable woman Anna Heegaard and to honor her legacy by reinterring her remains. Her life is one of resilience and determination. This property owned by my family holds great historical significance and we are proud to dedicate it to the Government of the Virgin Islands. This event holds special significance to my family as my mother, siblings and I are Danish,” said Ruperarelliah’s daughter Amanda.
During her opening remarks Shirley Highfield, also a descendent of Heegaard and a committee member of the 175th Emancipation Commemoration Committee said that Heegaard is connected to well-known last names in the Crucian community, Burke, Schuster, Molloy, DeChabert, Highfield, and more.
President of the Friends of Denmark Society, Francine Lang, and vice president Julie Frederiksen also shared words during the ceremony. Lang said that they were formed in 1964 by a group of Crucians who were preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary in 1967 of the transfer of the former Danish West Indies to the United States which took place in 1917. “Even though they were no longer Danish subjects they still had familial and other connections to Denmark and felt that it was important to maintain that connection,” she said.
On behalf of the governor, Senate President Novelle E. Francis who served as acting lieutenant governor said, “I believe that today reminds us it is important to keep our history alive.”
The ceremony then ended with the land transfer of the deed from Ruperarelliah over to the Government of the Virgin Islands. Ruperarelliah also committed to the installation of benches to the site so visitors can sit and enjoy.
