My Genealogy Hound

CHRISTIAN JENSEN, the subject of this sketch, was born in Denmark September 13, 1836, and is the son of Jens and Anna (Rasmusdotter) Hanson, both of whom were also natives of Denmark. Christian, our subject, lived in Denmark until thirty-one years of age. During the first fourteen years of his life he attended school some, and afterwards hired out to a farmer, for whom he worked until twenty-two years of age. He then entered the regular army, with which he continued for six years. He was engaged in active service during 1863 and 1864 in the war with Prussia and Austria. He came to America in 1866, first locating in Illinois, where for a short time he found employment as a farm laborer. Going thence to Chicago, he remained there a short time variously engaged. His next move was to Nebraska, coming to this state in 1867, and making his first stop at Omaha. He followed different pursuits, but was mainly employed by the Union Pacific Railroad Company, with which he remained up to 1874. In the spring of that year he took a timber claim in Phelps county. At that time there were no actual settlers within many miles of his claim, and antelope, rattlesnakes and prairie wolves were his companions. The first year he spent most of his time in Kearney. He broke out fourteen acres and put it in crops, which were totally destroyed by the grasshoppers. He had about $500, one cow and a team to start with when he came. He erected a twelve by fourteen frame house, in which he lived. The following year he broke out twenty acres more land and put it in crops, most of which were destroyed again by the grasshoppers. So hard were the times, and so difficult was it to get money, that he had to take his team and wagon and drive over the prairie and pick up old buffalo bones, which he marketed at Kearney for $5 per ton. He had to haul wood from Center creek, the Little Blue and Republican rivers, a distance of twenty-five miles. The nearest flouring mills was distant thirty-six miles, and it took several days to make the journey to and from. After the grasshopper raids of 1874-6 he raised good crops and flourished in a manner beyond his expectations. He now owns considerable property in Minden, and has his farm nicely and conveniently improved. Mr. Jensen was married, November 15, 1869, to Trena Hanson, who was born in Denmark September 13, 1837, and came to America in 1869. Six children have been born as a result of their union, all of whom are dead. Politically, Mr. Jensen is democratic.