JENSEN, FRED E.

JENSEN, JACOBSON, HANSEN, SELGESON, CHRISTENSEN

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 3/8/2004 at 13:21:12

Biography reproduced from page 496 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Fred E. Jensen, who follows general farming and stock-raising on section 20 of Seneca township, is a native of this township, his birth having occurred, October 31, 1883. He is a son of Peter W. and Mariah (Jacobson) Jensen, natives of Norway, whence they came to America in early life, the mother having emigrated to this country with her parents, Jacob and Carrie (Hansen) Jacobson. The father, who crossed the Atlantic to the United States in 1869, first settled in Rock county, Wisconsin, where he was subsequently married to Miss Jacobson. In 1871, they continued their journey westward to Iowa, locating on a farm of eighty acres in Seneca township, which the father had previously purchased. Later he extended the boundaries of his farm by the addition of another eighty acres, and after cultivating this for a time he still further increased his holdings by the purchase of two tracts of one hundred and sixty acres each, and one comprising eighty acres. He divided his acreage into three farms, on all of which he placed improvements, renting two of them. On the 1st of September, 1911, Mr. Jensen withdrew from active work and removed to Ringsted, where he and his wife now live retired. They are the parents of nine children, our subject being the sixth in order of birth. The other members of the family are as follows: John Carl, auditor of Watonwan county, Minnesota, who resides at St. James, that state; Mary, who married E. O. Selgeson, a farmer of Armstrong, Iowa; Louise, who is living at home with her parents in Ringsted; Julius M., who is engaged in the mercantile business at Ringsted; Otto A., a farmer of Seneca township; Henrietta, who died at the age of twenty-two years; H. Edward, who is mentioned at greater length elsewhere in this work; and Martha, who is attending school in Des Moines.

Fred E. Jensen was reared at home and was educated in school No. 5, Seneca township. He spent his early years in the manner of other country youths, and early began to assist with the work of the farm. He remained at home until he was twenty-five years of age, at which time he was married, and immediately thereafter located on the place where he now resides. This farm, which contains two hundred acres of land, belongs to his father and is located just across the road from the old homestead. Here Mr. Jensen engages in diversified farming and stock-raising, and is meeting with success in both lines of his work. He is also interested in various local industries, being a stockholder in the Cooperative Creamery Company of Seneca township, and the Farmers Elevator Company of Ringsted. He is diligent and enterprising and in the direction of his undertakings manifests the intelligence and foresight that invariably lead the way to prosperity.

In May, 1909, Mr. Jensen was married to Miss Carrie Christensen, a daughter of C. M. Christensen, whose biography appears in this work, and to them have been born two sons: Bernard Oliver, whose birth occurred December 16, 1910; and Morris Arnold, who was born on the 15th of January, 1912.

Mr. and Mrs. Jensen are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church of Seneca township, and the latter belongs to the Ladies Aid Society. Mr. Jensen votes the republican ticket, considering the policy of that party best adapted to subserve the highest interests of the majority. He has many friends by whom he is held in high regard, being considered a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family.