Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 828
JENS SORENSEN

The little kingdom of Denmark has furnished to this country many of its very best citizens, and none of the worthy sons of this little kingdom who have come to the United States are more worthy and more honored than Jens SORENSEN, a farmer and stock raiser of Calhoun township, Harrison county, Iowa. The true measure of success is determined by what one has accomplished, and Mr. SORENSEN has made commendable progress since coming to the United States.

Jens SORENSEN was born January 8, 1861, in Denmark, the son of Soren and Engar M. (MATENSEN) SORENSEN, who were the parents of eleven children, three of whom are deceased. Two of the deceased children are buried in Denmark. Soren SORENSEN was born in 1812 in Denmark, and came to Iowa in 1885, settling in Pottawattamie county. He remained here one year, after which he returned to Denmark, but only remained in Denmark eleven months, when he came back to Pottawattamie county, Iowa, and remained there until his death in 1902. His wife, Engar M. SORENSEN, was born in 1832 in Denmark, and was buried at sea while en route to the United States.

Jens SORENSEN left Denmark just prior to the time his parents emigrated, and came to Council Bluffs, Iowa, after arriving in the United States. At Council Bluffs Mr. SORENSEN worked by the month as a gardener for three years. He then purchased twenty acres of land in Pottawattamie county, near Council Bluffs, Iowa, and became a truck gardener. He lived here for fifteen years. In 1905 he sold out his holding there, and purchased one hundred acres of land in Jefferson township, Harrison county, which he greatly improved in many ways, and in 1912, sold out again and bought a well-improved farm of two hundred acres in Calhoun township. He has made a great many improvements on this farm since 1912, when he purchased it. Of these improvements, not the least is a set of farm scales, which Mr. SORENSEN has installed. He is an extensive feeder of hogs, and ships from fifty to one hundred head to the markets each year.

Mr. SORENSEN was married in 1890 to Anna C. MELLIN, who was born in 1868 in Sweden. She is the daughter of Andrew and Caroline (GREENING) MELLIN, both natives of Sweden. Mrs. SORENSEN'S father is deceased, and her mother is now living is Sweden. Mrs. SORENSEN left her native land in 1887, and came to Wahoo, Nebraska. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. SORENSEN: Carl, deceased; Mrs. Esther KIRKWOOD, of Crescent, Iowa; Mrs. Elsie CLARK, of Calhoun township; Jessie, at home, Roy, Ina and Helen, the last three named living at home.

Mr. SORENSEN is independent, and prefers to cast his vote for individual candidates, irrespective of party politics. The family are all members of the Danish Lutheran church, and contribute liberally to its support. Mr. SORENSEN is an active member of the Danish brotherhood. The SORENSEN family are highly respected where they live and are justly entitled to representation in a volume of this character and should be included among the leading citizens of Calhoun township.

Return to 1915 Biographical S Surnames Index

Back to 1915 Biographies Index