My Genealogy Hound

JENS H. JENSEN, an old resident of Kearney county, Nebr., was born in Denmark, in 1849, and is a son of Thomas and Mern Jensen, who came to the United States in 1871. Jens H., however, reached this country in 1870, landing at Castle Garden, New York City, in the month of May. He first went to Missouri, but in the fall of 1872 came to Nebraska, and for a year worked at railroading in Omaha. In 1874, he took up a homestead in Kearney county, and with his brother, Jens L., opened the first store south of the sand hills, in what was known as Fredericksborg.

He soon united himself with the republican party, and in the fall of 1881 was elected county clerk; in 1883, he was re-elected, having in the meantime moved to Minden, in January, 1882. In the summer of 1883, he invested in Minden real estate and has since laid out the Jensen addition and the Evans addition to the city, which he platted and which have been built up with residences, and otherwise improved, although he still has a number of lots for sale. He has also erected a fine hotel, with a frontage of eighty-eight feet and four stories in height, and supplied with electric call bells, water, steam heat, and other modern improvements, the lower floor being occupied as a drug store, a dry goods store and a clothing and gents’ furnishing goods store. The Jensen brothers also conduct a large farming implement business, and are noted for their fair dealing and liberal terms to their customers.

Jens H. Jensen was united in the bonds of matrimony in January, 1884, with Miss Mary Beisel, daughter of Valentine Beisel, a native of Germany. Mrs. Mary Jensen, however, is a native of Iowa. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Jensen have been born three children — Valentine, Thomas and Goldie. The parents are consistent members of the Lutheran church, in the charities of which they take great and liberal interest.