Niels Christian Jensen
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Born in a cottage in the rolling, green valley of Mosbjerg, located on the far northern part of Denmark, Niels enjoyed a happy early childhood with his parents and two brothers until their father died when Niels was almost 4 years old. His mother remarried, had more children, and since the family was poor, Niels helped around the home when he wasn't at school. Age 14, in Denmark, the children were confirmed into the Lutheran Church. At this time they also chose to go on to a higher school to learn, or work as an apprentice. Niels began as an apprentice and made his career as a tin smith or tinner, which trade he followed all his life.
In the fall of 1869, the Mormon missionaries came to their town. Niels had a very dear friend, Jim (or Jens) Christensen. These two men were very civic mined 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. 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 most of the night with the Elders, not to take them out of town but to listen to their message. The Elders taught them and they both were baptized. Niels was baptized on January 1, 1870. Niel's wife, Dorthea, was baptized on January 1, 1873. When Niels was 22 years old, he met a sweet Danish girl, Dorthea Marie Jensen. They were married on November 9, 1864. Together they had 5 daughters and 3 sons. Niels worked hard making things from tin which he sold to provide for his large family. After they were baptized, they wanted to come to Zion. They worked hard and made every effort even going without to have the needed means to make the trip to Zion. Finally, in the spring of 1879, a company of Saints were coming to Zion with the missionaries. Niels hoped his family would be ready to go with them, but when the time arrived, there wasn't enough money to make the trip. Niels closest friend, Jens Christensen was also going and offered to help by taking two of the girls. Sine, eleven years old, could go for half fare and Andrea, five, who could go free of charge, and if they waited another year would have to pay full fare. 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 Marie, Amalie, and 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 offered Niels the needed money for the trip so he could go with his family if he would relinquish all claim to their estate and leave Ole with them. 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 and after the long journey across the Atlantic Ocean by boat and across the United States by rail, the family arrived in Salt Lake City on July 29, 1880. Once reunited with their two girls, Sine and Andrea, the family made their home in Spring City, where Niels bought a quarter lot of a block (about 2 1/2 acres). Niels followed his trade as a tinner making tin cups, plates, pans, coal shelet and shovels, etc., which he sold and paid 10% tithing on. He really paid 100% tithing as he never took out the price of the tin. Because of his trade, the people in Spring City called Niels and Dorthea, "Brother and Sister Tinker." Later, in 1906, Niels went on a mission to his native country, Denmark, when he was 62 years old. He was a good missionary, but didn't convert his family. He did obtain a lot of genealogy and completed their temple work. This is a story about Grandpa Niels, told by one of his granddaughters:
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 when he asked 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. |