Henry Lewis Jensen

  Generelle notater:

I was born January 1, 1886 in our home, which was the frame store that stood on the east side of road at the junction with Pleasant View Drive. This building was constructed especially as a store with a store room, two small back rooms, and the basement.
I cannot refrain at this point from paying tribute to a grand pioneer mother who so greatly influenced my early life. This lady was Susan M. Cragun, the great grandmother of Earl B. Cragun. She was my mother's doctor, nurse, and midwife all in one. She cared for me daily from my birth until my mother was able to take over. She asked my mother for the privilege of naming me, and her request was granted. In my early years I had the pleasure of knowing her very well. When I was but a boy of five or six years of age, she kept a store in the large east room of the home now occupied by Weldon B. Cragun. In my many trips to that store for my mother, I was always rewarded with fruit or candy by this grand lady.
I was blessed and named by Bishop Edward W. Wade on February 4, 1886. My earliest recollection was just before moving from the packing house when I was about two years old. It was about the year 1890 that the family moved into the brick home which was located some 200 feet north of Joseph Jensen's present home. I can remember Bishop Hickenlooper and Orson Hickenlooper working on the house laying brick. This house was in later years remodeled and four rooms were added to it, and it later burned while being occupied by Joseph and his family.
Just across the fence to the east some 300 feet lived the Crandall family. Heber, a boy of my own age, was my earliest companion and one of my dearest friends.
I can well remember my first day at school. Miss Josephine Seaman was my teacher, and I thought she was not only the most wonderful person in the world, but about the prettiest girl I had ever seen. She also happened to be my teacher, when I graduated from the eighth grade, which was quite an event in those days. I owe a great deal to her; her kindness, patience, and grand personality kept me at my best at times when going was difficult. One of the finest honors that ever came to me was speaking at her funeral in the Ogden Tabernacle.
I was baptized September 2, 1900 by Samuel S. Ferrin in Wilford Cragun's lower pond. I was between fourteen and fifteen years of age at the time. I must have been pretty hard to convert or just not interested. Bishop C.A. Hickenlooper confirmed me the same day. During the next nine years following baptism, I was ordained in succession a deacon (date unknown), a teacher (January 7, 1906 by Orson H. Hickenlooper), never a priest, an elder (about 1907 by Herbert Rhees), and on May 5, 1909 a seventy by J. Golden Kimball.
My first trip away from home was a visit to Provo. Dad had a fine team and a new Ludlow fruit wagon, so he and Mother decided to take the family and make the trip to Provo to visit our [Zobell] relatives. Julia and James remained at home and looked after the affairs. It was a great trip – three days travel each way. After leaving Riverdale there was scarcely a house until we reached Layton. This was in 1892.
I graduated from the class of 1906 at the Weber Academy. During my last year at Weber, I was elected president of the student body. I served as local editor on the "Acorn" [the yearbook] staff, played baseball with the school team and took part in a number of plays under the supervision of Jeanette McKay Morrell. This was from 1902 to 1906.
In the early fall of 1906, I went to visit my brothers who were in business in St. Anthony, Idaho. While there I was offered the position of teaching school if I could pass the Idaho state examination. Upon taking the examination, I received a three-year certificate. This permitted me to teach in any of the grade schools of Idaho. The next two years I taught at Chester, and at the close of the second year, I was offered a very fine position to teach art work and history in one of the large schools. But I had decided to go on to school, so I entered the University of Utah as a student in the law department. My experiences while in Idaho were very valuable and most enjoyable. The friends I made I shall long cherish.
The school year of 1908 and 1909 at the university law school was most pleasant. At the examinations at the close of the year, I placed number six in a class of twenty-six. The fact that many were in law offices while attending school gave them a distinct advantage. My health was rather poor at the close of school, so I hesitated to continue. The whole matter was settled for me when I received a call to the British Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Up to this time I had served as a counselor in the deacon's quorum, secretary and teacher in the Sunday School, secretary, teacher, and counselor to Rufus Rhees, and finally as president of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. Having received the call to the mission field, Dad and Mother having agreed to finance the proposition, I prepared to leave. I was set apart to the British Mission by Seymour B. Young on February 3, 1910. Like hundreds of other missionaries, I count the twenty-six months spent in the mission field as very profitable, instructive, and enjoyable.
About thirty of us made the journey across the continent. Our principal stops were at Chicago (two days), Niagara Falls (one day), Boston (one day), and a day at Portland, Maine before sailing. The weather was cold. Niagara Falls was frozen over. We had the opportunity of going down under the falls and crossing the river below the falls on the ice.
At Portland, Maine, there was at least two-and-a half feet of snow. Street cars were stalled, and most of our luggage had to be carried to the boat. Our ship, the Canada, was held in the harbor over one day because of bad weather and high winds. Even the harbor was rough. We had a rather rough voyage (not unusual for the season) until we were off the coast of Ireland about 150 miles from Liverpool. It was Sunday, February 20, 1910 when a terrific storm came up. It blew down the wireless [telegraph], smashed several lifeboats, and tore off one of the ship's propellers. Losing the propeller compelled us to drift about considerably. Our only propelled motion was to head the vessel into the waves every two or three minutes to prevent it from being swamped and to keep us off the rocky cliffs of Ireland. About one o'clock in the morning after being tossed about all night, the storm suddenly ceased. A new propeller was put on, and we went on our way, arriving at Liverpool at 11:00 p.m. Monday. The next morning at 8:00 a.m., we landed. At Liverpool I was assigned to the London conference by President Charles W. Penrose. I arrived in London at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 23.
During my two years in the mission field, I had nine different companions. Every one of them were very fine men, and I enjoyed their friendship very much. Most of my time was spent in various parts of London, but spent a few months in Chelmsford, Chatham, and Watford. While in England, I had the opportunity and did visit many wonderful and interesting places---some of them many times. I visited the Tower of London, Kensington Natural History Museum, all of the art galleries, the British Museum, Windsor Castle, and many others. Through the kindness of the Tout family, with whom I lived for several months, I had access to the opera at any time. Brother Edwin F. Tout and daughter Margaret sang many, many times at our street meetings and never failed to gather a large crowd.
Many of the experiences of the mission field were the most interesting and worthwhile incidents of my life. The association with such men at President Penrose, President Clawson, President W. P. Monson, and the sixty to sixty-five elders continuously in the field was a great inspiration to me.
[This point is just short of the 10,000 character limit. See Stories for the continuation.]

You Think You Have Transportation Problems?

How did teenagers get to dances and parties before there were cars? What if your father wouldn’t let you take the family horse for the evening? That would be so embarrassing.

Grandpa Henry Jensen and his brothers had that problem and everybody in town knew it.

These words were sung – in public – by Sue Johns and Martha Ellis about 1900. We don’t know what tune they used, but it works with a familiar Primary song, “I Think When I Hear That Sweet Story of Old” – if we change it a little by adding a syllable or two to the end of a line.

Here are the lyrics for Jim Jensen’s Horses:

How dear to my heart are Jim Jensen’s features.
How dearly we love every lock of his hair.
No wonder his horses are fat and so glossy.
His sons cannot use them to go anywhere.


Grandpa Jensen and the Titanic

Grandpa Jensen was a missionary in England from 1910 to 1912. Now the person who could really tell this story was Uncle Steve – he was a great story teller. He had a natural flair for dialogue and he’d laugh out loud as he told a story. So part of this will be Uncle Steve telling the story with details from Grandpa Jensen.

“[T]he interesting thing is that [my dad] had told me [about his mission is] that he was scheduled to come home on the Titanic, the new luxury ship of the White Star line. And one of his old missionary companions, a fellow by the name of McMurrin, talked to him and said to him, ‘Why don’t you cancel out the Titanic and come home with me. In two weeks we’ll come home together.’”[instead of waiting a couple of months for the Titanic.]

Grandpa said that circumstances arose that made it impossible for them to go on the Titanic anyway. He was released on February 12, 1912 from his mission so he could return home early. The next best passenger liner was the RMS Celtic, a large fast boat of the same White Star line. They booked passage.

The Celtic got them to New York in five days. After the Titanic went down, Grandpa said he was very happy that he was unable to take the Titanic. Or as Uncle Steve, said, “And so he missed out on that. Because apparently he’d have been a goner. The men, especially. They saved some of the women and children. Some of the higher class. Some of the third class, there weren’t boats available for them.”

If he’d gone home on the Titanic, we wouldn’t be gathering here together tonight.


Grandpa Vs. The Bear (as told by Uncle Steve Jensen)

“When Jessie met Merlin [at Yellowstone] . . . he had this boat, this nice boat – it was pretty. He would take us down on the river and you could troll from the river there. We’d get down there and troll and off that first bend, my dad hooked into at least a five- or six-pound trout. But anyway, he and I carried it on a stick to the cabin. Anyway, one time he and I went out and walked down there [to the river]. Dad was a real – I don’t know what you’d call it – a crazy soul. And he and I were walking down the trail about two miles to that first bend. And coming up the trail was a brown bear and it’s growling just like it did -- slobber running out of its mouth.

“And I said to my dad, ‘Boy, he can have every bit of this trail.’

“And my dad said, ‘Well, I’m not -- I’ll stay right on the trail.’

“And here they come – the both of them together -- Grandpa versus the bear. So when it got probably as close to me as that lamp, my dad just – boy, you’re telling me – my dad stepped aside and let him go by. But I’d never try anything like that. I’m not that courageous. I was 50 to 100 feet off the trail.”

“We were just going down to go fishing. I think that my Dad just felt like the bears are scared of him. I don’t think he really realized the potential.”


How They Bought the Farm (as told to Aunt Jessie)

During the First World War, Grandpa James Jensen and his sons Henry and Joseph had a ranch up in Robertson, Wyoming. It was a family business. They had traded a house and some fruit orchards with the Alexander family. Henry and Florence were elected to go live in Wyoming and run the ranch.

This is one story that Grandma Florence Jensen told:

“In Robertson one time when Henry had an appendicitis attack. The doctor in Lyman had Henry and Florence meet somewhere near Mountain View as the doctor didn’t have time to come to Robertson. The doctor told him to go right to Ogden for surgery. Florence filled ice bags and packed them around Henry and headed for Ogden.

“[The doctor in Ogden] examined him – said the [appendicitis] attack was over but to go to the hospital for the operation in the morning. Henry decided against going.

“Henry and his father met and decided to trade the ranch in Wyoming back for the home and approximately 16 acres. Then if Henry needed care it would be available. [But] he never did have the operation.

“Both parties were happy to make the trade again. The Alexanders knew nothing of fruit and were glad to get back the ranch. [Henry] and his father were glad to be in the fruit business.

“Henry [decided to leave] the family business, going on his own. Henry and Florence lived in a small house till they purchased the farm home. Grandpa James Jensen deeded 6 acres to Henry and Henry purchased approximately 15 acres and a house from Uncle Orson Hickenlooper, which became the family residence and farm.”

The house was built by Grandpa Charles Hickenlooper and Uncle Orson Hickenlooper for Uncle Orson’s family originally. Uncle Orson was the patriarch for the Blackfoot Stake.

The Life Summary of Henry Lewis
When Henry Lewis Jensen was born on 1 January 1886, in Pleasant View, Weber, Utah Territory, United States, his father, Jens Pedersen, was 32 and his mother, Karen Sophie Pedersdatter, was 33. He married Florence Hickenlooper on 17 December 1912, in Weber, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 4 daughters. He lived in Pleasant View, Weber, Utah, United States in 1960. He died on 1 August 1960, in Boise, Ada, Idaho, United States, at the age of 74, and was buried in North Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States.The Life Summary of Henry Lewis
When Henry Lewis Jensen was born on 1 January 1886, in Pleasant View, Weber, Utah Territory, United States, his father, Jens Pedersen, was 32 and his mother, Karen Sophie Pedersdatter, was 33. He married Florence Hickenlooper on 17 December 1912, in Weber, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 4 daughters. He lived in Pleasant View, Weber, Utah, United States in 1960. He died on 1 August 1960, in Boise, Ada, Idaho, United States, at the age of 74, and was buried in North Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States.

  Begivenheder i hans liv:

• Bopæl: Pleasant View, Weber, Utah, United States.

• Dåb, 21 Sep. 1900.

• Mission, 1910, Great Britain.

• Passport Application, 1910, Utah, United States.

• Military Draft Registration, 1917-1918, Utah County, Wasatch County, Washington County, Wayne County, Weber County, Utah, United States.

• Folketælling: 1930 US Census, 10 Apr. 1930, Pleasant View, Weber, Utah.

• Bopæl, 1 Aug. 1960, Pleasant View, Utah.

• Obituary, 2 Aug. 1960, Boise, Idaho.