Hans Christian Febiger (born Fibiger) was born in Faaborg on the island of Funen in Denmark. He was the son of organist Jørgen Mathiasen Fibiger (1705–1776) and Sophie Dorthea Pedersdatter Østrup (1718–1781). After receiving the Studentereksamen, he journeyed with his uncle, Henrik Jakob Fibiger, sometime in the late 1760s, to the Danish possession of Saint Croix, where the latter had been appointed customs duty manager. In 1772 Febiger traveled to the American colonies (possibly New England) and was engaged in several businesses when the American Revolution started. Following the Lexington Alarm, Febiger joined the Massachusetts Militia on April 28, 1775, where he fell under the command of Samuel Gerrish and soon became adjutant.