|

Our Current Newsletter Spring 2012
Back
Issues of the Newsletter are available
Home
What's New?
About
Us
Frequently Asked
Questions
Support
Our Research - Join The AFO!
Board of
Directors
Newsletter
Reunions
East Coast
Allred Family Association
Rocky
Mountain Allreds
Family Histories
and Stories
Being Updated
| |
Niels Christen JENSEN
Born: 06/30/1842 Mosburg, Denmark,
Died: 12/14/1916 Spring City, Sanpete Co., UT
Submitted by: Sharon Allred Jessop 02/09/1999
NIELS CHRISTEN JENSEN AND DORTHEA MARIE JANSEN
Harriet Ethel Jensen Woolsey History
1903 TO 1921
As I was reading the history of Spring City, it brought back
many wonderful memories of my growing up years in Spring City.
The following is some of those memories:
My grandparents were Niels C. And Dorthea Gertrude Jensen,
(known in Spring City as Brother and Sister Tinker.) They came
to Utah from Denmark on 24 July 1880, because their best friend
Jim Christensen had settled a few years before in Utah. They
came to Spring City and made their home. They had two girls,
Sine and Andrea, who had come a few years before them, with
returning missionaries. Maria, Amanda, and (Jens) James came
with them. Niels, their last son, was born 24 May 1881, in
Spring City. Niels went to school only to the fourth grade.
Frank Allred was one of his teachers. Sine had little schooling,
but went to Salt Lake to work. While in Salt Lake she married
Carl Emil Nielsen. Later Emil married second wife because of
polygamy.
They moved to Juarez Chic, Mexico. Later Maria married Calvert
Allred. When their first child was born, Calvert took her
younger sister, Andrea, as his second wife, in 1892. They moved
to Jaurez Chic. Also Amanda married Edward Hansen.
Grandpa decided to go to Mexico, so he sold his home and moved.
They took their two sons, Jim and Niels with them. They were
there 18 months. Grandma didn’t like it, she missed her Danish
friends. She didn’t know how to speak English very well. Grandpa
took Jim and came back to Spring City, but Grandma and Niels
didn’t come back until six months later.
In the summer of 1901, Grandpa, Grandma and Niels went to Mexico
to visit their three daughters. Jim had married Alice Downard.
While at a dance in Juarez, Niels met Harriet Emma James and on
14 November 1901, they were married by Anthony W. Ivans for time
and all eternity. Grandma and grandpa Jensen went back to Spring
City and made their home again to stay, in 1903. Niels and
Harriet came to Spring City and went through the Manti Temple to
receive their endowments and be sealed again.
On the 5th March 1903, they were blessed with a baby girl (me).
In June they returned to Mexico to live where Niels had a job in
the saw mill of his father in law, Joseph James.
They had two daughters born to them, one in Dublan Chih and
another in Hernandez Chic, Mexico. Lula was born on 3 December
1904 and Mabel on 19 November 1906. Again Niels and Harriet came
back to Utah in January or February of 1909. A son, Carlos
Brigham was born 3 March 1909.
Now I begun my life in Spring City. We lived in Wayne’s home on
the road to the depot for two years. I went to the first grade
in Spring City and Eva Allred Erickson was my teacher. Also
Marett Allred was one of my teachers.
One Xmas I got the most beautiful boughten doll. She was so
pretty. In November, 1911, they wanted Niels to come back to
work in the saw mill. So, mama and Carlos as well as the three
girls left and went back. Dad was to come later. Grandma met us
at Dublan where the train came in and we left for her home in
the Mt. to Hernandez. Grandmas home.
There was a lot of trouble with the rebels who were at war. They
were raising trouble by stealing the Saints cattle and taking
all of their ammunition and guns. They finally had to leave to
save their lives. Mother wrote to dad and told him to stay there
because she was coming home. When mama got back, dad bought ½
acre lot and build a log cabin on with one big room. Later he
bought a shanty and grandpa Jensen lived in the back.
On April 2, 1911 Mae Vernetia was born. She was very sick. When
she was year old she nearly died, but she finally pulled out of
it.
Grandma James and her family had gone to El Paso, Texas where
the government set the refuges up in an old lumber shed. There
was no water, no restrooms or anything else. They slept on the
floor with one quilt over them.
In July, 1912 grandma James came to Spring City with five
children, Edith, Walter, Ethel, Naomi and Ruth. They left with
just the clothing they had on their backs. There was no place to
live so dad gave them the log house. When Mama came back they
bought a house a half block to the South and across the road
East of John S. & Serilda Blain. They had a log cabin put on it
and later they bought a one room which they moved to the back of
the log cabin. Dad bought the new brick house on the block
Northeast corner of the school yard and West of John Robinson’s
home. We still had a garden with fruit trees and berries where
Grandma lived.
I had my first birthday party at the log cabin. I invited my
school chums. In those days they gave you an egg worth 1c. We
also had cake. The two Hansen girls got mad about something and
wanted their eggs back so mama gave them back to them. We
enjoyed the brick house and it was close to the school.
John Robinson’s wife and mama used to get up at 4:00 a.m. Monday
morning to see who could get their wash out first. Me being the
oldest, it was my job to turn the wash with a wooden barrel tub
and a handle and you push in towards you and push it back. It
would turn the dolly on the washer and wash the clothes. I could
stand on the porch and see the kids on the school grounds when
it was time for the bell to ring. I would ask mama if I could go
yet and she would tell me to wait until the big bell rang out.
Then I would run like a deer to make it to the last line since
it went by grades 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. I would
usually make it to the last line up.
One day after recess, while going up the steps with a basketball
under my arm, Boyd Allred knocked it out of my arm. The ball hit
someone else and I was expelled from school. I had to get mama
and she went with me to see John P. Johnson, Trustee, to get a
permit to return to school.
If we were caught talking and not working, the teacher would hit
our hands with a big long ruler. Then we would have to write
what we were suppose to be doing 100 times on the black board or
stand in the corner until school was out then clean up the black
boards.
My second and third grade teacher was Mrs. ____. She sure did
let us get by. We would hurry and get our school work done and
she would read us stories at 2:00 p.m. She would send the boys
to Larson’s Store to buy peanuts and candy so we could eat while
she was reading stories instead of having phonics. Lee Allred
was our fourth and fifth grade teacher. He said that we sure
were a bunch of dumb kids. We didn’t know how to pronounce our
words. He said, “You kids are the dumbest bunch of kids to be in
the fourth grade that I have ever seen.” He sure did teach us a
lot. I remember very well how he taught me to pronounce words
and read. He did help the whole class. I had Fred Strait for
sixth grade and he was a good teacher also.
We used to go on an April Fool’s Day Run Away, such as go to the
Power Plant or else the Depot. We would see who could get to the
top of the water shed first.
February 12, 1914, Rex was born. I used to go around with older
girls than myself. I can’t recall their names. We used to gather
Sunday eggs as they were called. We gathered eggs on Monday and
went to the new ward chapel with all of the eggs laid on Sunday.
The people said that their chickens laid more eggs on Sunday
than any other day of the week.
When I was in the fifth grade, I was sitting in my seat and Boyd
Allred was in the seat behind me. I was reading and all of a
sudden I jumped up and yelled. Boyd had put a pin in the toe of
his shoe and had stuck it up between the seats. Boyd and Burns
Allred went up the same road as I did. They were always doing
something to make me cry. One day mama said, “I am tired of you
coming home every night bawling. You hit them or I’ll whip you.”
Across the bridge of the canal they had cut a tree down that ran
from South to North through town below where we lived. Burns
crossed the bridge and I grabbed him and knocked him down and
rubbed his face real good with chips. After that they were my
best friends.
In 1950 Burns worked for my dad in Provo, and he told dad he was
the meanest kid in Spring City.
I remember the dances in the hall and Jimmy Riddel with his
violin playing. I watched the polka, two step and square dance.
I really enjoyed them. We loved the moving pictures. My sister
Lula and I didn’t have the 5c for the movie, so I would go
around town with the bills for the shows until we got a ticket.
I made 5c for walking in mud, snow and gravel. There was no
cement sidewalks on the roads in those days. How I loved to
watch the person who played the organ during the silent movies.
The Kings had a hall in the South part of town. I remember
Leonard Barrymore, Loretta Young and others. When there were no
shows to go to, we would roller skate during the nights. Lula &
I helped clean so we could get the ticket for roller skating.
One time they all got in a big line and we cracked the whip. It
was so long and the last guy came around so fast that he hit the
big pot bellied heater and down came the pipe and suit went all
over the place. There were also sparks from the wood and coal.
Another thing that I remember was the rabbit hunt. There were so
many rabbits that they were like flies on a screen door. People
from Mt. Pleasant on the North and Spring City on the South
would take big long clubs and start close together with their
club in hand and then drive the rabbits into a bunch and kill as
many as they could. When Mt. Pleasant and the Spring City met,
the one with the most killed rabbits was given a supper by the
losers. They had a big time at the end of the day.
In 1916 the new junior high was built and we went to school
there. They had a nice gym and rest rooms. James W. Blain was
the Principal with Reid Allred and Miss Madsen and Mr. Smith as
the mathematics teachers. I can remember Parley Hansen’s son had
one leg, but how he could run down the basketball court with his
stump of a leg he would make a basket every time he threw a
ball.
1917, during World War I, my Uncle Walter James was drafted.
1918 the flu epidemic came to our school and the school was
closed. Every family had at least one case of the flu. Our
family was all down and mama had another baby, O’Niel on October
3, 1918. Donna Justesen stayed with us until mama was well
enough to get up. I was the last to get the flu. I had to milk 2
cows, feed the pigs and chickens. When I had the flu, my cousin
Harvey Hansen came to do the milking. After I got better I
stayed with Marrietta Kelsey and Joseph Downard until they were
up and around. I recall going to Allred Drug to get medicine for
grandpa Jensen. Also, Allred pulled several of my teeth with
pliers he used. We had no dentist, but finally in 1919 a dentist
came to Mt. Pleasant. I had a bad tooth ache, so I walked to Mt.
Pleasant, which was 5 miles. Oh, how I remember getting it
filled. He used a chisel and put it on the center of the tooth
and hit it to break the enamel to make the hole. Then he used
like a cork screw type instrument, put it in and twisted the
nerve on it and pulled it out. Did it ever hurt. Not long after
that, my tooth broke off and I had to go get it dug out. They
used no anesthetic in those days. People didn’t realize how bad
it was with all of the modern things to work with today.
During the summer of 1918 I worked in the beets blocking and
thinning and was paid $15.00. This money was to pay for tuition
to high school at North Sanpete High School.
I can see Semon Beck when he got his first car. He came to the
field and wanted to stop. He had hold of the wheel and yelled,
“Stop, stop.” Someone else yelled, “It isn’t a horse, step on
the brake.” We all had a great laugh.
The school board bought a new bus. It ran by gasoline to Mt.
Pleasant. It was a wonderful bus. How proud we were riding on
it. We felt like millionaires. I rode the school bus that came
between 1st South and 1st North and arrived at 7:30 a.m. I have
a picture of the bus and Mr. Robinson was the driver.
My dad had been working at Manti in the Court House. He was
County Assessor, but was staying in Manti at Uncle Jim and Aunt
Alice’s home. Uncle Jim was the Cashier of the Manti City Bank.
Uncle Jim bought one of the first cars. He came to Spring City
to show it off. When he went home, I went back with them to stay
for awhile. As we were going up the hill, Aunt Alice said how
fast the telephone poles went by. It was like riding in a buggy
and watching the fence posts go by.
In January. 1920, when the election was over, a new man became
Assessor so dad lost his job. They were building a sugar factory
in Centerfield, so he got a job there. In April they moved to
Centerfield. All the family went accept myself and Lula. She
stayed at Aunt Amanda’s place and I stayed with Grandma
Elizabeth James until school was out then I went to Centerfield.
Grandma James moved to Provo by her daughter Edith. Walter and
Ethel had married, so Naomie and Ruth made their home with her
in Provo. My dad worked at the Moroni Sugar Factory. He rode his
bike or walked to work and home.
We used to ride our sleds in the winter. We would run and jump
on it and ride it as far as the creek bridge before it would
stop.
From 1920 to 1921 I went to school at Gunnison High School. I
graduated with six other girls. We were the first graduating
class from the Gunnison Valley High School. Here I met Leonard
Woolsey. We were married February 9, 1923 and moved to Salt Lake
City. I have seven sons, Jack Keith, Lloyd Leonard, Bert William
(died 12 March, 1960), Robert Brigham, Ray Eugene, Ned James,
and Earl J. Woolsey. They now all have families of their own.
Leonard died 8 December 1951. I have 20 grandchildren, 28 great
grand children and 5 great great grandchildren.
Harriet Ethel Jensen Oct. 12, 1987 Salt Lake City, Utah
NIELS CHRISTEN JENSEN AND DORTHEA MARIE JENSEN
(Parents of Gertrude Maria Jensen Allred)
A biography written by Harriet Ethel Jensen Woolsey, -
granddaughter
Feb. 12, 1978
Almost everywhere in Denmark, one breathes the sea air. The one
exception is on the peninsula of Jutland (Jylland), where South
Jutland borders West Germany. All the rest of Denmark is
surrounded by water.
There are no mountains in Denmark. The landscape is gently
rolling. In some areas low hills rise between the Plains.
The west coast of Jutland, along the North Sea, is lined with
ridges of sparkling white sand dunes. There are heaths and moors
in the western part of Jutland, which have been turned into
needed forest and farm lands.
During most of the year westerly winds, blowing over waters
warmed by the gulf stream make the weather relatively mild for
so northern a country. Until 1880 the Danes were mostly
producers of grain, cheese and fishing.
In 1814 Denmark became the first country to make elementary
education compulsory.
The Danish people make their homes cozy, warm, attractive and
friendly to every one. The home may include a shining old stove,
antique table and chairs from the early 1800's.
The Danes love to eat. Many Danish housewives are good cooks.
They make their own bread and pastry to serve their friends and
all who come to their home.
In 1814 the State Religion was Lutheran. The Danish King was
also the head of the Church.
In the far northern part of Denmark, about 25 miles west of
Frederikshavn, lies Hjorring, which is 30 miles northwest of
Skagen. On the very tip of Denmark, in the North sea, about 2 ½
miles across the ocean from Sweden is Hjorring. It is about the
same as the United States . In the farm town of Mosbjerg, in a
rolling valley of green, was a cottage which meant much to the
Jensen family. Here lived Niels Christen Jensen and his lovely
wife Dorthea Marie Jensen. They were farmers, owning a cow, a
pig and being close to the sea, they caught a lot of fish.
Note: A map of Denmark shows Hjorring as being west of
Frederikshavn and southwest of Skagen. Skagen is on the very tip
of Denmark, about 2 ½ miles across the North Sea from Sweden.
All three towns listed, Hjorring, Frederikshavn and Skagen are
within the conference (county) of Hjorring. The other
conferences, Randers, Aalborg and Aarhus are on the east coast
of the Jutland peninsula.
Let me tell you about this dear couple, Grandpa and Grandma
Jensen. Niels Christen Jensen was born 30 July, 1842 to Jens
Nielsen and Gertrud Marie Hansen. He had two brothers:
Hans, born 5 Nov. 1840. He was the oldest. Andres Christen, born
30 June, 1844, his younger brother.
What a happy family. But it didn’t last long for Niels was not
yet 4 years old when his father died. This was on 30 April,
1846.
Gertrud remarried on 6 Oct., 1846 to Ole Christen Christensen.
To this couple were born five children.
Jensine Amalie 22 Jan 1849
Lasmine Christine 2 Feb 1852
Ane Madsine 29 Mar 1854
Christian 16 Apr 1858
Christiane 4 Jun 1865
They believed in God and attended church, where all of their
children were confirmed when they reached 14 years of age. This
was the custom of the church in Denmark.
Niels grew up helping around the house and going to school. They
could go on to a higher school to learn, or go to learn as an
apprentice. Niels made his career as a tin smith or tinner,
which trade he followed all of his life.
In the year 1864 when Niels was 22 years old, he met a sweet
Danish girl by the name of Dorthea Marie Jensen, daughter of
Jens Christen Neilsen and Ane Marie Andersen. They married 9
Nov. 1864. To this couple were born:
Sine Oline 3 June 1867 Tolne, Hjorring, Denmark
Ole Christian 14 Oct 1868 Mosbjerg, Hjorring, Denmark
Gertrud Maria 16 Oct 1870 Tolne, Hjorring, Denmark
Andrea 23 Oct 1872 Tolne, Hjorring, Denmark
Amalie 9 Apr 1875 Mosbjerg, Hjorring, Denmark
Hansine Josephine 8 Aug 1876 Mosbjerg, Hjorring, Denmark
Niels Brigham 28 May 1881 Spring City, Sanpete, Utah
(Hansine died 8 June 1877 from scalding by hot water. Ole died
in Denmark on 18 March 1890 while still with his grandparents.)
Niels worked hard to provide for his large family. He made all
kinds of things from tin which he sold. I know how they scrubbed
and cleaned the stable, in as much as they had a cow and a pig.
In the year 1850 a new religion hit Denmark, but the
missionaries who were there had to leave for awhile. In 1852
they returned to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How long it
was before the family first heard about the Mormons, I do not
know. In the fall of 1869 the missionaries came to their town.
Niels had a very dear friend, Jim (or Jens) Christensen. These
two men were very civic minded and heard about the missionaries.
They didn’t want this awful church to come to upset or hurt
their families. Upon hearing that there would be a meeting in
the town that night, they decided to go to this meeting and
break it up and invite the Elders to leave town. They arrived at
the meeting a little late and being gentlemen, they decided to
sit down and wait until the meeting was over, then take the
Elders out of town and bid them farewell. Before the meeting was
ended, however, as they listened to the Elders, a big change
came over them. The Holy Ghost testified to them that what the
Elders said was the truth. They spent the most of the night with
the Elders, not to take them out of town but to listen to their
message and ask many questions about this new religion.
The Elders taught them and both men accepted the Gospel and
became Mormons. Niels was baptized 1 Jan. 1870 by Andrew
Petersen and confirmed the same day. Dorthea wasn’t so quick to
accept this new religion and have her family and friends turn
against her. But finally she gave in, so on 1 Jan., 1873 she too
went into the water to be baptized by Elder Andrew Petersen and
confirmed the same day.
Their eldest daughter Sine Oline was baptized 4 July, 1876 by T.
Y. Jensen and confirmed the same day.
Gertrud Marie was baptized 12 Nov. 1878. Dorthea’s mother, Ane
Marie Anderson accepted the Gospel and was baptized 4 July 1876.
Her father died 8 Dec. 1873, not being baptized a member of the
Church.
Ole never accepted the Gospel and died 10 years after they came
to Utah. He died in Denmark on 18 March 1890 and grandpa did his
work in the Manti Temple. He was baptized 15 July 1890, Endowed
18 July 1890, and sealed to his parents 18 July 1890. The rest
were baptized in Utah. Andrea was baptized 16 Oct. 1882 by John
Robinson and confirmed by M. Mortensen. Amalie on 2 Sept. 1883
in Spring City by Samuel Allred. (Jens) James Nielsen, and Niels
Brigham, born after they came to Spring City on 24 May, 1881 was
baptized on 24 May, 1898 in Spring City by Niels Christen Jensen
and confirmed by James A. Allred.
After they were baptized, they wanted to come to Zion. They
worked hard and made every effort to get enough money to come to
Zion. They went without to have the needed means to make the
trip.
Finally in the Spring of 1879, a company of Saints were coming
to Zion with the missionaries, who had completed their labor and
were going home. They hoped to be ready to go with them, but
when the time arrived to go, there wasn’t enough money to make
the trip. Niels closest friend, Jim (Jens) Christensen was also
going. He was a missionary, however, and they offered to help by
taking two of the girls with them. Sine, eleven years, who could
go for half fare and Andrea, five, who could go free of charge,
and who if they waited another year would have to pay full fare.
It must have been hard to make the decision to let the two small
girls go so far away to a strange land, strange people and a
strange language to learn. But, they decided to let them go
because of their desire to be with the Saints in Zion, and their
dear friend Jim Christensen and with love and faith in the
missionaries. They got their two little girls ready and sent
them thousands of miles away across the great ocean, not knowing
how soon they might see them again.
Niels was a stern man, but he took his oldest daughter in his
arms and kissing her and shedding a few tears said, “Sine, I
know I’ve been cross at times with you, but don’t hold it
against me, remember I love you very much.”
He made a little tin cup and plate for each of the girls, which
they carried with them to eat and drink off of while on their
trip to Utah.
Sine spent her twelfth birthday on the sea. She tells how
lonesome it was and how they missed their parents and sisters
and brothers back in Denmark.
They left Denmark 23 July 1879. The following summer, another
group was going to Utah, and again their plans were to go with
this company, but as the time drew near, still there wasn’t
enough money to make the trip for all of them. Niels decided to
send Dorthea and the other three children, Gertrud Maria, Amalie
and Jim (Jens) Christian Joseph. He and Ole, his eldest son,
would stay and work and come later with another company.
Niels’ parents were very much opposed to Mormonism, and did all
in their power to prevent their son and family from going to
Utah with these Mormons. But, when they saw that he was sending
his family away alone to a far off country, and nothing they
could do to stop him, they told Niels if he would relinquish all
claim to their Estate and would leave Ole with them, they would
give him the needed money for the trip to Zion, so he could go
with his family.
What a heart ache it was again to leave his eldest son behind,
but they figured he’d come over later. Anyway Ole had lived most
of his life with his grandparents. They were old and needed him.
So, Niels and Dorthea accepted their offer.
After getting all their belongings together that they could take
with them, selling and giving away the rest, they packed and
were ready to go to their new home in a new country far away
from Denmark.
They left in May on their journey. In F Utah 7, Scandinavian
Mission Records, it said, Han Peter Jensen, President from
Salling Randers and Hjorring, a company of 248 emigrating Saints
from the Scandinavian Mission sailed to Copenhagen. They sailed
from Cophenhagen 5 July 1880, at 6:00 p.m. as passengers on
board the steamship “Leo”. They were from Aalborg, Aarhus and
Christiania Conferences. Elder Niels P. Rasmussen acted as their
leader to England.
A few minutes later the steamship “Cato” sailed from Copenhagen
having 346 emigrating saints from Slotholn, Goteberg, Shane from
Copenhagen Conference and arrived in Hull, England 9 July 1880.
The “Leo” arrived at Hull, England 9 July 1880 in the afternoon.
The emigrants continued by rail to Liverpool, England and there
embarked on the Steamship “Wisconsin”. Together with 113 British
Saints and five more returning missionaries they continued.
The company was organized with Niels P. Rasmussen as President
and John A. Halverson and Hugh Findley as assistants. Groudy
Hogan was appointed Chaplain for the Scandinavians and Charles
H. French recorder for the company.
The “Wisconsin” sailed from Liverpool, England on 10 July 1880
with 707 emigrating Saints; 113 British and 594 Scandinavians
and 20 return missionaries. One accident occurred. The son of
William Fames fell and dislocated his arm, but quickly
recovered.
But, the company was increased by one on July 19th, when Hans
Petersen’s wife, on board the Wisconsin, gave birth to a baby
girl. Carl A. Sundstrom and Emma Erickson were married 16 July
1880.
The ship arrived in New York in the evening of 20 July 1880.
William C. Stains came aboard, but the company being so large
they could not all pass through the customs house that day, so
they spent the night under the capatiotes [sic]. The next day,
21 July, the emigrants went ashore at Castle Gardens and through
the customs. On 22 July the journey began by rail. They were in
17 special cars drawn in two sections. A child 4 years old died
on the trip and was buried at Pittsburgh, Penn. (no name given)
The company arrived in Cedar Rapids 24 July. A brief stop was
made. The company celebrated Pioneer Day by singing Hymns, after
which they continued their journey, arriving in (Ogden) at 9:00
p.m. on 29 July.
They were welcomed by many relatives and friends and served
refreshments by the Relief Society. The next morning 30 July,
the baggage of over 700 souls were distributed, going to near
and distant points. It is believed that not one box or package
was missing.
From the Roster of British Saints and the Deseret News and
shipping records. The company continued their journey by rail to
Utah in charge of Niels P. Rasmussen, Chaplain, arriving at Salt
Lake City 29 July 1880.
We find listed in the shipping records as follows: The
passengers on the steamship “Wisconsin”
81-1 Jensen, Niels Christen, 38 Mosbjerg, Aalborg Conference to
New York;
82-2 Jensen, Dorthea Marie, 41 Aasted, Aalborg Conference to New
York;
83-3 Gertrud 9, Tolne, Aalborg Conference to New York;
84-4 Amalie 4, Mosbjerg, Aalborg Conference to New York;
85-5 Jens 2, Tolne, Aalborg Conference to New York;
86-6 Ane Marie Anderson, 69 Mosbjerg, Aalborg Conference to New
York.
Niels and Dorthea, with their three children and Dorthea’s
mother, Ane Marie Andersen, left Salt Lake 30 July for Spring
City, Sanpete County to find their beloved friend Jim
Christensen and their two little daughters.
NOTE: (In Denmark until 1880 the wife kept her maiden name. She
never took her husband’s name, Ane Marie was named in Parish
records as Ane Marie of Andersdatter. If a male would be
Andersen.)
Sine went to the home of Jim Christensen, she was the only one
who spoke Danish except Jim. They had a large family, but took
in a little Danish girl. He had a son the same age as Sine, but
the language barrier didn’t stop him from teasing and tormenting
her. That was a hard year for Sine. Part of the time she worked
in the field with Brother Christensen and his boy. She was
always happy to clear the table and do the dishes so she could
eat any left over food. It was not that they wouldn’t give her
enough, she was to timid to ask for it.
From the history of Sine Oline Jensen Nielsen by her daughter
Cleo Cluff. Little Andrea was sent to a family in Elsinore,
Utah.
Andrea says in her history that when she went to school they
teased her and made fun of her clothes. The clothes her mother
had made for her before she left Denmark. Also, she couldn’t
speak English, so had a hard time. The students were always
telling her that she had no father, that he wouldn’t come back
and get her, but Andrea said he will come, I know he will.
So the day Niels came to school to get her, she ran and put her
arms around his neck and said to the class, “now you see, I had
a papa and he did come for me.”
They made their home in Spring City, where Niels bought a
quarter lot of a block about 2 ½ acres, on the South East corner
of the block just West of Sidney Allred and North of Carl
Hansens.
Niels followed his trade as a tinnier, which most of the people
in Spring City called them Brother and Sister Tinker. Then in
the following May after they got to Spring City, a son was born
to them on 24 May. His name was Niels Brigham. He was a sickly
child and had rheumatic rheumatism and they didn’t think he’d
grow up, so they had his Patriarchal Blessing, which said he’d
go on a mission.
Grandpa made a box for Niels to be in, since he couldn’t lay
down. Their faith and prayers of the Priesthood made him well.
He was healed and he was a strong and healthy man until he died
at age 79 years of a heart attack.
Niels had a cow and the stable was washed and scrubbed every
day. They also raised pig for meat. Niels, Jr. says that they
didn’t have much to eat. Corn bread made out of water and a
little vinegar and soda to raise it, but they were a happy
family.
They all attended school in Spring City. Sine went to the third
grade, then persuaded her parents to let her go to work at Salt
Lake as they were having such a hard time. She found a place as
a maid for 25 cents per week. She worked for President Grant
also.
When she was 15 or 16 she went to work at Rowland Hall Girl’s
School. Through a friend she met her future husband, Carl Emil
Nielsen. He was a dashing young Dane. Emil fell in love with
this little girl and the were married 4 Sept. 1884 in Spring
City. They lived in Salt Lake until 1892 when they moved to
Mexico.
Note: Carl Emil Nielsen was born in the Aarhus conference. Many
of the small villages cannot be found on a map.
Gertrud married Calvert Allred 31 May 1888 and on 25 Oct. 1890
Calvert took as his 2nd wife Gertrud’s sister Andrea. They moved
to Deming, New Mexico, in team and wagon and on to Mexico in
1890.
Niels and Dorthea sold their home in Spring City in 1890, with
sons Jim and Niels moving to Mexico. They lived in Dublan Chih.,
Mexico for 18 months. Niels didn’t like it, so he and his son
Niels came back to Spring City and lived with Sister Madsen;
Emil’s mother, until Dorthea and Jim came back to Spring City.
They had stayed at her daughter’s, Gertrud and Andrea’s home.
They came back six months later.
Niels bought the other corner. The house on the North East
corner of the same block, where they lived before going to
Mexico...(I was born in this house.)
(They had a cow, pigs, chickens, and grandpa raised wheat on the
west of the house.) Then in 1900 , Dorthea and Niels and Niels
their son went to Mexico for Christmas. In the spring of 1901
Dorthea came back to Utah and Niels stayed to do carpenter work
for Emil Nielsen. He was a carpenter and cabinet maker.
It was here at Dublan at a dance that Niels met his future wife,
Harriet Emma James. She said when she saw Niels at the dance,.
“I am going to marry that man.” She did on 16 Nov. 1901.
In the fall of 1902 Niels and Harriet came back to Spring City
to go through the Temple. While here 5 March 1903 I was born in
Spring City, Utah. They went back to Mexico the fall of 1904 and
back in 1906.
Niels C. Jensen went on a mission to his native country,
Denmark. He arrived in Denmark on 5 July 1905, just fifteen
years to the day he had left Denmark. While he was gone Grandma
raised the wool (lamb), sheared and washed and carded the yarn
and knit shawls, socks and vests. She sold them to keep grandpa
on his mission. He arrived home 17 July 1907. He was a good
missionary, but didn’t convert his family. He obtained a lot of
Genealogy on his, and grandma’s lines. Grandpa did temple work
for them, also for Jens Christian Neilsen, who died before he
accepted the gospel.
He was a custodian for the school I went to in Spring City. We
had a big pot bellied stove in the center of the room at the
school house to heat the place.
Grandpa loved very strong cheese, which he used to buy at Laurtz
O. Larsen’s store. They also had a man selling salted fish, who
used to go around once a week and they bought fish from him.
Their table was always set with cheese and butter and anyone who
came in had to eat. How my sisters and I loved to go to their
home and have a crust of graham bread with lots of butter and
cheese on it.
The Danish men used to come to see grandma to get something to
eat. Jim Christensen would always come and would say is Brother
Tinker at home. When grandma said “No”, and asked if he’d like a
cup of coffee and something to eat, he would say, “Oh, yes”, I
would.
Grandpa and Grandma had family dinners. Aunt Amalia and Uncle Ed
and family, and my dad’s family, and their best friend, Jim
Christensen and his wife were there.
One day as I was going from school to the church for Primary, I
stopped at Larsen Store to look at a big red candy horse. It was
expensive, 25 cents. Grandpa was there. He always gave us kids
something, so he ask me “what I’d like”. I said “that horse”. He
bought it and gave it to me. I took it home. I was so proud of
it. When mama saw it, she was furious. She said, “Where did you
get it”? I said, “Grandpa bought it for me.” :”Well,” she said,
“you can’t ask Grandpa for things. You take it right back.
With a heavy heart, I walked slowly down three blocks to
grandpa’s house and gave it back to him and told him what mama
had said. He being a wise man, never said anything, but just
took it back.
On Christmas I was so happy as here came grandpa and gave me the
horse. I put it up on the mantle by the clock and just looked at
it. It was too pretty to eat, but in July or August it was so
hot it started to melt, so mama told me to take it down and all
of us kids ate it.
Grandma wore a big bob, a shawl or hat on her head, as she had
scarlet fever in Denmark and lost her hair, except a little bit.
She parted it in the middle and wore these different things. She
wore a big full black shirt with a pocket on each side, in which
she always carried lump sugar. Whenever we saw her, she would
give us some. We always had some when we went to her home.
I couldn’t stand to chew it, so I’d take it and go out under the
bridge, which was on the North East corner of their lot, where
the creek ran by, there I’d soak it in the water and eat it.
Grandpa did the work, or most of it, for the names he got in
Denmark. I always wanted to be baptized for the dead, but didn’t
have a chance. I did later in the 50's.
I stayed or slept at grandpas and grandma’s the last year before
grandpa died. He had consumption and pneumonia. If he got real
bad I could go get Dad or someone. I drew water from the 100
foot well for the cow. Harvey used to come and milk her. Grandpa
died 14 Dec. 1914. Grandma sold her home and moved over to Aunt
Amanda, where she lived until she passed away 28 Aug. 1918.
Grandpa made tin cups, pans, coal shelet [sic] and shovel, etc.,
which he sold and paid 10% tithing on it. He really paid 100%
tithing as he never took out the price of the tin.
Niels Christensen Jensen was ordained a Priest 20 Sept. 1874 in
Denmark and a Seventy
7 Aug. 1884 by John Larsen in Spring City, and a High Priest 28
March, 1908 by Peter Mogensen. He was a spiritual man and could
heal. When a child, I had an ear ache so much, mama did
everything for it, but still it hurt so bad. I said if grandpa
would administer to me, it would stop, so they went and got
grandpa. He did bless me and it stopped and I went to sleep. I
hadn’t slept all night.
Grandma’s mother, Ane Marie Andersen died 18 Nov. 1889 in Spring
City and is buried by the side of grandpa and grandma Jensen.
In memory of my dear grandparents, who gave up their home,
family and friends for the Gospel, and came to Zion, that their
descendants could have the blessings of this wonderful Gospel of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
If we will be faithful and work for it, we may some day meet
them in the Celestial Kingdom of our Lord, to live with them for
eternity. I pray that grandpa and grandma will be blessed and
with their parents and grandparents and all their ancestors,
they will accept the work he did for them, and also the work I
did.
Until we meet them in that wonderful home in Heaven, I pray this
short story of them may
help their descendants to work so they can go where they are to
thank them for the privilege of living in this promised land of
America, and having their names on the records of His Church, to
be judged according to their faith and works.
NIELS CHRISTIAN JENSEN & DORTHEA MARIE JENSEN
by Vennus Cluff
Niels Christian Jensen was born 30 June 1842 in Mosburg,
Denmark, the son of Jens Nielsen and Gertrude Marie Hansen. His
wife was Dorthea Marie Jensen, born 16 March 1839 in Aasted,
Denmark. She was the daughter of Jens Christian Nielsen and Anna
Marie Andersen.
Niels Christain Jensen was a tin smith by trade. Little is known
of the early life of he and his wife except that they were good,
faithful, hard working people. One day it was reported that
there were Mormon Elders in town who were holding a meeting that
evening. They were to be feared and wives and children were to
be watched or they might be coaxed away and taken to Utah to be
slaves to the Mormon men.
Niels Jensen being a community minded man, together with Jim (or
Jens) Christensen went to the meeting to break it up and invite
the men to leave town. They arrived at the meeting a little late
so decided to sit down and wait until the meeting was closed
then take the Elders out of town and bid them leave. Before the
meeting was ended however they were both converted that the
Elders spoke the truth. They spent most of the night with the
Elders, not to take them from town but to listen and ask
questions. They and their families were soon baptized. This was
done 1 January by Elder A. Pedersen.
At this time Niels and Dorthea Jensen had 4 children; Sine Olene
Jensen born 3 June 1867
Mosburg, Denmark, Ole C.N. Jensen born 14 October 1868, Tolne,
Denmark, Gertrude Marie Jensen born 16 October 1870, Tolne,
Denmark, Andrea Jensen born 23 October 1872, Tolne, Denmark.
After they were baptized every effort was made to go to Zion
(Utah) to be with the Saints.
They worked, saved and went without to have the needed means to
make the trip. There was a group going in May 1879 and they
hoped to be ready to go with them but when the time arrived
there wasn’t enough money. Jim Christensen and some Elders were
going however and offered to help by taking two of the girls.
Sine, eleven years who could go for half fare and Andrea, five
who could go free of charge and who if they waited another year
would have to pay full and half fare. It must have been hard but
desire to be with the Saints and with their love and faith in
the missionaries they got their two little girls ready and sent
them thousands of miles away across the deep blue ocean not
knowing how soon they might see them. Grandfather Jensen was a
stern man but he took his oldest daughter in his arms and
shedding a tear, said, “Sine, I know I’ve been cross at you
sometimes but don’t hold it against me. Remember I love you
dearly.” He made a little tin plate and cup for each little girl
which they carried with them to eat from while on the trip.
The following summer another group was going to Utah and again
their plans were to go but as time drew near there still wasn’t
enough money so Grandfather decided the Grandmother and the
children would go and he and his oldest son, Ole, would wait and
come later. His parents were very much opposed to Mormonism and
did all in their power to prevent their son and family from
going but when they saw he was sending his family away alone and
nothing they could do to stop it they said if he would
relinquish all claim to their estate and leave Ole with them
they would give him the needed money for his trip so he could go
with his family. Ole had lived most of his life with his
grandparents, they were old and needed him so Grandfather
accepted and on 3 July 1880 they left from Kjobengavn and on 10
July sailed from Liverpool, England on the ship “Wisconsin” and
arrived at New York 21 July 1880. The company journeyed by rail
in charge of Capt. Niels P. Rasmussen and arrived in Salt Lake
City 29 July 1880. The Relief Society at Ogden served them
sandwiches as they went through there.
Liverpool shipping records list
Destination
81-1 Jensen Niels Chr. 38 Mosburg, Den. New York
82-2 Jensen Dorthea 41 Aasted, Den. New York
83-3 Jensen Gjertrud 9 Tolne, Den. New York
84-4 Jensen Amalie 4 Mosburg, Den. New York
85-5 Jensen Jens 2 Tolne, Den. New York
They had another daughter born in Denmark who died as a child,
Hansmine, born 8 August 1876, died 8 June 1877.
They left Salt Lake City and went to Spring City where their two
little girls were and where their life long friend Jim
Christensen lived. There they made their home. Another son was
born to them Niels Brigham Jensen, 24 May 1881.
Grandfather Jensen went back to Denmark on a mission in 1906
returning in 1908. The little picture of Grandfather in your
genealogy book is taken from a missionary picture of him. He was
62 years old when he left for his mission. She raised the wool,
carded and spun it into yarn and knit it into articles to be
sold. They were a kind and loving couple. They always had their
table ready and would serve lunch and time any one came in, no
matter the time of day. The Danish people of Spring City were
always good friends, visiting together often and keeping alive a
lot of their Danish custom. It is said by her grandchildren that
Grandmother always carried lump sugar in her apron pocket to
give to her grandchildren. They were 100% full tithe payers. He
was a tinner or tinker by trade, he would buy to tin, make it up
into quart cups, buckets strainers or whatever the people
wanted, sell them and then pay 10% for tithing on the money
without taking out the price of the tin.
My husband said of Grandmother when we went to see them at the
time we were married that she looked so sweet and saintly like
he would expect an angel to look. Grandfather worked in the
Manti temple doing for his close relatives from 1888 until 1890
then the last 3 years of his life he worked in the temple doing
for those he had done research for in Denmark while on his
mission. Each winter for the last three winters he took
Pneumonia and the Doctor said he couldn’t get well as his lungs
were so badly damaged but he did recover and went back to his
temple work. He passed away 14 Dec. 1916 in Spring City, Utah.
Grandmother passed away
23 Aug. 1918. He was ordained a High Priest 28 March 1908 by
Peter Mogensen.
|
| |
Visit
Us On FaceBook!
Family
History Book For Sale
President
Barack Obama's Allred Family Info
Latest
Research News
DNA
Project
North
Carolina Allreds in the 1750's
Allred
Time Line
1572-1762
North
Carolina History Timeline
Our
British Roots
Allreds
in the American Revolution
Collateral
Families
Tombstone
Project
Ancestor
Photos
|