Jens Iver JENSEN

Sources:

Universal Genealogy, ALIAS: 4656-5022, GENDB
Ancestral File, version 4.19
Internet IGI, Aug 2008
Pedigree Resource File
Ancestry World Tree
1900 Census - Elsinore, Sevier, UT
1920 Census - Elsinore, Sevier, UT
Utah Death Index, 1905-1951
Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847-1868, Leonard G. Rice Company 1867
Jens Iver Jensen Autobiography - The Man from Denmark
Triumphant Banners, by Kay Lundell, 1984., Jens Iver Jensen mentioned in relation to settlement of Elsinore.
Death Certificate - Utah State Archives

Notes:

                   Biographical Sketch in Notes

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JENS IVER JENSEN
THE MAN FROM DENMARK1,2 
   
(Originally written by Jens Iver Jensen)
   
I, Jens Iver Jensen, was born August 8, 1846 at Jerslev, Hjorring Amt., Denmark.  My fathers name is Thomas Christian JensenMy mothers name, Karen Marie Iversen.
   
The names of my brothers and sisters follow: Marie, Mariane, Micaline, Niels Peter, Johanna, Christina, Christian Julius, Niels Peter (II), [and] Anna Mathilda.
   
My parents, in my childhood, belonged to the Lutheran Church, the only religion recognized by the state, so I was sprinkled by the minister, Pastor Riber, when six days old.
   
The family resided at Jerslev until the spring of 1853.  I plainly remember the home close to the church, also my fathers shop, with red tile roofing, a short distance from the dwelling house.  In this old dwelling I was born.  Father sold the property and shortly after, the purchaser erected a fine building and the Jerslev Froe (Inn) was established.  In front of the inn a row of stately poplar trees stand to this day, my father planted them in the year of my birth.  My grandfather was a school teacher; I never knew him.  I well remember my grandmother on fathers side; I loved her because she showed me great kindness.  She was a noble old lady, possessed of many fine qualities.  My grandparents on mothers side were dead before my recollection.
   
My father was raised from poor parentage, had to leave home to herd sheep when eight years old, but he possessed a bright intelligent mind, had practically no schooling but became a great reader and possessed a most remarkable memory; so he was able to retain anything he read, and also had the capacity to tell it to others.  I remember a number of the men if Jerslev and their names too, and that they met every week.  Father read and explained to them the news from AALBORG STIFTSTIDENDE, at that time a weekly.  [It was] the only paper kept by the whole village.  I was always with my father in childhood.  I remember him placing me on a stool by a drawer containing brass buttons, eagles and different ornaments.  Doubtless articles from the war with Germany; concluded in 1850.  I have a dim recollection of the soldiers of said war returning.
   
I remember the pond near by the shop, also the school house opposite the pond.  I also remember the teachers whose name was Krogsgaard, also had a little girl named Thora.  I did not attend said school, being too young.
   
I remember well wearing wooden shoes, leather shoes were only for the children of the richer people.  When the old wooden shoes were worn out, I was happy to get a new pair.  I was ten years of age when my father took me to shoemaker Larsen in Saeby to have him make me my first pair of leather shoes.  Of course, not to be worn only for Sundays and on special occasions.
   
As a sample of a little 5-year old boy pranks, I will here give an incident.  We were living close to the church.  I was a keen observer of the things going on and people passing by going to church.  I noticed men with boots on and also wearing stovepipe hats, so, quietly and unobserved by the family, I put on my fathers boots and stove pipe hat and marched off for church.  I remember well the steps on the east side of the churchyard and over the rock wall.  I walked up the steps and when on the top of the wall I observed for the first time in my life the minister with the long black gown and a plaited wide white collar around his neck.  I saw a number of people around the priest.  It was a funeral service.  I too fright and went home.  As stated before I remember a number of the farmers of Jerslev, among them Lars Westengaard, Stephen Ostergaard, Paul Bokker, Niels Hansen, Lars Skolof, Knud Peter Larsen, a rigstags mand and others.
   
In the spring of 1853 father sold his place at Jerslev and removed to a small city named Saeby.  Here were paved streets, many stores, saloons, court house, jail, etc.  It was a trading center.  The town was largely inhabited with fishers, being located close to the ocean (Kattegat) but only fisher boats could enter the harbor at that time.
   
Our first abode in Saeby was located in the middle of town next to the District Judges home, his name was Gad.  He was always a friend to my father.  After having passed the age of seven years I was sent to school.  My first teacher was a man named Petersen.  He was a drunkard and very brutal to the children.  I did not make much progress with him as I was beaten and ill-treated like so many others of the children.  I later was taught by a teacher named Sorensen who was of a kinder disposition.  Under him I made good advancement in reading, spelling, geography, etc., and I regretted to leave his school, then about eleven years of age.
   
About the year 1858 father bought a house on the main street, west part of town.  He built an addition to the house which was his brass foundry for some time.  He seemed to prosper, had some eight men employed.  The house was close to the Aseby AAe (river).
   
When not at school my time was largely spent among other boys in the park or skov nearby; boating on the river, looking at the ships anchored or sailing by, but only once had I the privilege to go on board of a ship which was a steamboat from England.
   
I recollect some of my playmates, especially on whose name was Fritz Wilhelm Oscar Jensen, son [of] the jailor.  I remember one boy who was considered the worst on in school, his name was Fritz Ortoft.  I have been informed that the last named boy, when grown, came to the US and was killed in a row; the before named boy, when he became a man, became a policeman in Saeby.
   
In winter time of my boyhood, on Sundays, also in moonlight evenings, I would enjoy myself on the ice of the river, sliding in my wooden shoes or coasting on my little sled from the hill near the house, but after I had a pair of leather shoes, a pair of skates was in order and my dear father, who always was happy to please me, presented me with a pair of skates, my joy was full.
   
I am now past seventy years of age, but the looks of the skates stands vivid in my recollection.  I used every available opportunity to practice on my new skates and only sorry when spring came and the ice broke up and flooded into the ocean.  Then the fun was to sail on the ice flows.  One day having a joyous time sailing on a large piece of ice it broke and myself and another boy fell into the river, but fortunately it happened in water no deeper than I could reach shore, head just above the water.  Those happy days of childhood.
   
I, as the oldest boy of the family, had many duties to perform such as running errands, making purchases in the store, bakeries, etc.  I had pretty much my own way; father always led me along in a gentle kind way.  Now, with a mature thought and age I recognize his good judgment according to my temperament whichever was of the kind never to be driven but ever willing to be led along with kindness.
   
Father, while residing in Saeby, built up quite an extensive trade in his line dealing with hardware houses of Frederikshavn, Hjorring, Aalborg, and Copenhagen.  He made brass castings for ships, door knobs, bells of all kinds-sleigh bells especially-in fact, everything in brass castings.
   
In the year 1857 a money panic came and father became restless and decided to move from the little city to the country. And so he rented a farm about eight English miles west of town.  This farm was called Hoien and [was] located in Skjaeve Sogn (parish).  Father had many friends among the farmers and I remember a large number of teams coming to remove us.  This was in April 1858.  That season we raised a fine crop and had two horses, some cows and sheep.  I was then near twelve years of age; my surroundings were now different, I had to take care of the cows, etc.  To this I willingly submitted.  I took delight in riding one of the horses.  In the fall of 1858 father hitched up the team and was going to Aalborg, distance perhaps 25 English miles.  He allowed me to go with him.  That was the farthest I had ever been from home.  I was most happy for this opportunity.  It happened there was a circus in town and father took me there.  I had never seen such a riding before.  The name of the proprietor of said circus was Gautier and he was 84 years of age.
   
I remember we stopped over on the way at Hjllerup Kroe with one of fathers friends Jasper Kjaer.  We had a nice room to sleep in.
   
This year father won a small sum in the lottery.
   
But now reverses came and what seemed to be at the time a great calamity to the family.  Just before Christmas (Juul) of 1858, it was on a Sunday night when we were awakened at 12 oclock.  The barn, the cattle, [the] horses, [and the] house [were] all in flames.  Horses, cattle, crops and all burned.  Two men sleeping in a room adjoining barely escaped.  Father had no insurance and lost all.
   
Father yet held the home in Saeby on which he had a small indebtedness secured by a mortgage; the said debt became due at the same time.  Now, having lost all, he was unable to pay the mortgage and the home was lost too.  Father was, at about that time, at the age of forty years.  All what toil and industry had been accumulated went at once.  Young as I was, a mere boy of 12 years, I took in the situation very keenly and shed many bitter tears.  Not having been taught to pray it is strange to relate in my distress I thought of asking God to help us, and I did pray humbly to God as best I could.
   
Father always had many friends and they were very generous and kind and we were assisted very materially.  That winter of 1858 and 1859 I attended school with a teacher named J. C. Jensen, a very kind good man.  By this time I also worked at fathers shop.
   
In the spring of 1859 father bought a home and a small piece of ground at Wester Gaerholdt, Voer Sogn.  [It was] a short distance from where we were burned out to where we now removed.  I attended school in Westenskov Skole; my teachers name was Bornum.  In this school I was better advanced than the rest of my schoolmates.  I also took great delight in gymnastics and a sort of military training.  In both I was the superior of any of the boys.  Once a high dignitary, Bishop Kirkegaard of Aalborg visited the school and from him I received special praise.  I was released from school spring of 1860 and was now with other children of my age to have a sort of a theological training with the minister of the parish, his name was Niels Moller.
   
For about six months I attended the class with the minister, two days of each week.  I had company, four girls from the same vicinity, and we walked at least six English miles each way.  We passes the great estate (Herregaard) called Voerggaarrd, twice a day, always had to pass by a lot of farm hands who were very rough in language and conduct.  [I] remember I was quite scared of them.  This training with the priest was what was called preparation to the confirmation into the Lutheran Church, which occurs at the church.  So, in the fall of 1860, I, with the rest of the class, was to appear on the aisles of the church floor, boys on one side, girls on the other, placed according to merit.  I was quite proud to be placed at the head of my class of boys.  We were cathecised by the priest in the presence of parents and church goers.
   
I had now filled my fourteenth year and, it seems, had become very favorably impressed on religious matters through my training with the minister.  The following Sunday after the confirmation I also attended the church to partake of the sacrament, which was the first time and also the last, according to the rituals of the Lutheran church.
   
Now, having graduated at the common schools, I was expected to be a help to my parents and, being the oldest boy, much was anticipated from them.  There was a family of seven-one girl being older than me, Marie.  The five were ranging from one year to twelve years of age and, having met with most trying reverses, I could fully see the importance of doing my best to help.
   
I now became a steady help at the shop, my special duty was turning all kinds of brass.  Father was the moulder and did the casting and we always had one more man at the shop, making three in all.  In the fall of 1860 an incident happened that brought much sorrow to my parents and me, but after years proved to be the foundation for the greatest blessing in every sense of the term to the entire family.  It was my older sister who was married to Peter Peterson-a watchmaker by trade-who had, unknown to us, investigated the doctrine of the hated Mormons and, in the latter part of September 1860, had been baptized into the church.  We did indeed look upon this action as a new calamity befallen the family as we all were much prejudiced, of course, through all we had heard of the Mormons.  It was a most serious affair.  It was especially me who was affected.  In fact, I most heartily hated the Mormons and suggested to my parents no more to recognize or harbor my sister Marie and husband who I thought had disgraced the family.  At first opportunity, I told my sister how disgraceful she had acted in joining the Mormons, but she was very patient with me.
   
But the end was not yet, about one month later my other sister-16 1/2 years old-also joined the Mormons and, in November of the same year, my 13 year old sister Lena also became one of them.  Also, other young people living next neighbors, [I] will name them: Lars Carlsen, Soren C. Petersen, Jens C. Nielsen, and Ane Jensen.  I was yet more hardened against the Mormons.
   
The Elders of the Mormon Church commenced to visit at the house.  Among them I will mention two missionaries from Utah: C. A. Madsen and Andrew Christensen.  Of local Elders calling was J. M. Borghim, Niels M. Petersen, P. C. Christensen, and Christoffer Thomsen.  Although a boy of fourteen, I took up arguments with them on religion and discovered we had erroneous doctrines in the Lutheran Church in which I had placed much faith; yet I was not much disposed to investigate or accept.  My prejudice gradually disappeared.  I sought the Lord in prayer and, after a number of months was convinced that the Mormons had the truth and that their religion was worth any sacrifice of friends and pleasures of the world.
   
On Sunday, 2 June 1861, I attended a large meeting of the LDS saints at the Home of Christoffer Thomsen.  I also remember present there Jesse N. Smith the first American Elder I had ever seen, who was a late arrival as a missionary and unable to speak the Danish language.  Other elders present: J. C. A. Weiby, J. C. Hogsted. After close of meeting I had a conversation with Elder Niels M. Petersen and an appointment was made that he should call at our home some evening and, if my father would consent, I would be baptized.  Elder N. M. Petersen came as appointed.  He had a lengthy conversation with father who willing consented-I might join the Mormons if so disposed.
   
After father consented I had strange feelings come over me.  It seemed like the powers of darkness scared me.  I did not realize what it meant, only I felt a fear and anxiety I had never experienced before and, in this feeling, I declined to be baptized that evening.  I told Brother Petersen if he would return next Wednesday evening I would surely be prepared for baptism.  During those three days I seriously considered the step I was about to take.  I sought the Lord in humble and earnest prayers and a burning desire entered my soul to be baptized.  I told my sisters Mariane and Lena and invited my young friend Soren C, Petersen to with me as a witness to the performance of the ordinance.  Brother Petersen came according to appointment.  This was a beautiful evening, the 5 June 1861.  We went down to the creek a short distance from the house.  As we entered the water Elder Petersen asked me, Jens, is it your intent from this day to serve the Lord with all your heart?  The answer was YES  He then baptized me and as I came out of the water a feeling of peace and joy came over me in a degree I am unable to describe.  I felt indeed like a great burden was taken