J. C. JENSEN

JENSEN, GREGERSON, WRIGHT

Posted By: Norma Nielson (email)
Date: 5/16/2004 at 16:37:00

"J. C. Jensen, a representative and successful agriculturist of Adair county, owns and operates a farm of two hundred and forty acres on sections 8 and 9, Grand River township. His birth occurred in Denmark on the 18th of January, 1861, his parents being J. P. and Annie (Gregerson) Jensen, who spent their entire lives in that country. They had three children, two of whom survive and one of whom is living in Denmark.

J. C. Jensen acquired his education in his native land and at the early age of fourteen years began earning his own livelihood. In 1882, after attaining his majority, he crossed the Atlantic to the United States and took up his abode in Shelby county, Iowa, where he was employed as a farm hand for five years. Subsequently he spent five years in Kansas and then resided in Illinois for one year, on the expiration of which period he returned to Shelby county, Iowa, and was there engaged in well digging for three years. He next cultivated a rented farm for two years and at the time bought a tract of eighty acres in Shelby county, making his home thereon for thirteen years. After disposing of the property he bought a farm of two hundred and forty acres on sections 8 and 9, Grand River township, Adair county, which he improved and which he has operated to the present time. He cultivates the cereals best adapted to soil and climate and also makes a specialty of raising and feeding stock, both branches of his business proving profitable.

In 1897 Mr. Jensen was united in marriage to Miss Laura D. Wright, a native of Shelby County, Iowa, and a daughter of N. A. and Myra Wright, who were also born in this state and now make their home in Adair county. Our subject and his wife have five children, namely: Arthur A., Annie, Peter, Ernest and Margaret.

In politics Mr. Jensen is a stalwart democrat and he has ably served as school director, the cause of education ever finding in him a stanch champion. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Lutheran church. Coming to the new world as a young man in limited financial circumstances, he has since won gratifying success by dint of untiring industry and well directed effort and justly bears the proud American title of a self-made man."

Source: The "History of Adair County Iowa and its People," Volume II. (Chicago, The Pioneer Publishing Company) 1915.