Peder Christian Jensen

  Generelle notater:

Peder Christian Jensen was born 24 Jan 1821 in Jerslev, Hjørring, Danmark, the son of Jens Christensen and Maren Hansen.
In 1819, Hjørring, Denmark suffered a tragic disaster as a raging fire swept through the
entire city, consuming much of its history and architecture. Devastating fires like this weren’t
uncommon in Scandinavia as much of the population lived in the same wood-frame homes
their parents, and their parents resided in. Anything from a small candle to a hot kitchen fire
or even the minute spark of iron could feed a monster capable of destroying everything. But,
out of the ashes, the people rebuilt their lives.
And it was in this setting that Peder Christian Jensen was born on the 24th of January, 1821.
The family, like most, was poor as to material items. So, it’s easy to believe that although
they were among those who lost possibly their home or maybe people they knew and loved,
there wasn’t much to repurchase. The Jens Christensen (his father) family most likely led a
simple life. Jens was a farmer—a “bonde” or “gaardmand,” but they lived well enough during
the early years of his marriage to Inger Berthelsdatter, that they were able to employ a
servant maid in the home with them by the name of Maren Hansdatter. Which is important to
note because when Inger passed away in 1803, 45-year-old Jens married 23-year-old Maren
almost a year later.
When Peder was born, he already had three half-siblings and possibly six full siblings. His
half-siblings were already grown, married, and living out of the main house. Still, the home
was full to the brim. The family were devout Lutherans and most likely spent many evenings
reading from the bible while his father smoked his tobacco, and they socialized about the
day's events. Peder, age nine, continued to grow, helping his father on the farm. Sadly, on
March 20, 1830, Peder lost his father and Maren did her best to earn a living and raise the
remainder of her children. It’s not clear what she did, but despite the struggle, she managed
as a “widow Huusmands Enke, ærnærer sig selv.” If you don’t know Danish, or can’t even
pronounce it, that meant “self-supporting, small-holder’s widow.”
When Peder reached young adulthood, he struck out to learn his own trade as a brick burner
and he became a renter, or an “indsidder” of his property.
In a city like Hjørring, it’s likely that Peder knew most of the community members in his
parish and the surrounding area, and he may have known the Hans Christensen family as
he worked and matured into a man. But it wasn’t until the age of 27, that Peder made an
offer of marriage to one of Hans’s younger daughters, Anne. She was only a year younger
than Peder, and she readily agreed. The couple were married on the 10th of March, 1848
and lived in their first home of Peder’s sturdy adobe brick. They later moved from the parish
of Jerslev to Serritslev.

Peder Jensen, developed a crude, but comfortable shoe by shaping wood, brass caps for the toes and leather thongs. These were mostly worn in his family and he made no effort to sell them, but many of his friends received them as gifts and like the shoe. The glue that he made from animal hoofs was much-sought after and this was a product that he did sell or trade for things his family needed.

Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to Hjørring, Danmark. Elder Nelse Peter Lee who settled in Farr West, Utah was one of the missionaries who helped to teach the gospel to Peder. Peder was baptized in the Vensssel Conference, Scandinavian Mission of Danmark, 15 Sept. 1860. The records don’t show that his wife, Ane, was baptized at this time. James in his later years said that if anyone wanted to know more about his family to ask the Lee’s in Farr West.

Shortly after Peder’s baptism, he made plans to take his family to Utah. Gustave O. Larson in his “Outline History of Utah and the Mormons” furnishes the following regarding the emigrants to Utah in the early history of the Church: “The conference (district) Presidents in the various countries were responsible for selecting the prospective emigrants. Candidates were first judged on their integrity and moral worthiness. If they were judged unworthy, they were not given assistance until such time as they repented and put there live in order.”
OCCU: _DATE2 1855

  Begivenheder i hans liv:

• Konfirmation, 26 Apr. 1835, Jerslev, Hjørring, Danmark.

• Beskæftigelse: Brick burner - Teglbrænder, 1850, Serritslev, Børglum, Hjørring, Denmark.

• Bopæl, 1855, Serritslev, Børglum, Hjørring, Denmark.

• Udvandring, 14 Jul. 1862.

• Indvandring, 23 Sep. 1862, Utah Territory, United States.

Peder blev gift med Anne Hansdatter, datter af Hans Christensen * og Karen Rasmusdatter *, den 10 Mar. 1848 i Jerslev, Hjørring, Denmark. (Anne Hansdatter blev født den 12 Jan. 1822 i Jerslev, Hjørring, Danmark, dåb den 13 Jan. 1822 i Jerslev, Hjørring, Danmark og døde i 1864 i Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, USA.)

  Ægteskabsnotater:

Den 29 januar 1848 meldte sig til ægteskab, karlen Peder Christian Jensen, 27 år, døbt i Jerslev kirke den 25 januar 1821. Vaccineret af Eggert den 28 oktober 1822, konfirmeret år 1835, tjener hos gårdmand Jens Christian Jensen i Klattrup og ugifte Ane Hansdatter, 26 år, døbt i Jerslev kirke den 13 januar 1822. Vaccineret af Eggert den 21 april 1825. Tjener hos sin broder husmand Rasmus Hansen i Østermellerup Hede. Viet i Jerslev kirke den 10 marts 1848.
Forlovere: husmand Rasmus Hansen af Østermellerup hede og aftægtsmand Thomas Jensen Dam på Østermellerup mark.
(Kilde: Jerslev kirkebog 1834 - 1862, opslag 152, Hjørring amt.)