It is of interest to note that the John E. Fosgren Company was the first company of Saints to leave Scandinavia to establish themselves in America. Many years later the King of Denmark had erected a memorial honoring the Danes of this company, as they were the first Danish subjects to leave their homeland, in a single group, for the purpose of establishing their homes in America.
If one were to fly over the northern part of Jutland he would see little villages separated by rolling hills, little forests, and small lakes. In the village one would see a little church, a store or two, a blacksmith shop, a flour mill (called wind mills because their only source of power is from the wind), and what other businesses the village might justify. Out from the villages are found numerous small farms with their thatched roof houses built in the shape of a square with a yard in the middle. A driveway leading to the yard breaks the continuity of the building. In one section of the building is found a cow stable, another the horse stable, another the poultry coop and another the family home. During the growing season the land round about is beautiful with the crops of that particular farm. You will usually find flowers and a few fruit trees adding to the beauty of the surroundings, and all in orderly nearness.
One of these little villages, not far from the shores of the Ska garack is called Elling. Here in these humble circumstances in the early part of the nineteenth century there lived a family by the name of Kristensen. There is not very much known about this family. The father's name was Jens Christian Kristensen, and the mother's name was Maren Anderson. The children were Mads Christian, Amelia, and Rasmus. It would seem fairly safe to assume there was the character of culture and refinement in this home. One of the sources of income was that earned by the mother. She taught the art of fancy weaving. I am not able to find what the vocation was of the father. One might suppose he was a millright, only because his oldest son followed that vocation. Elling is not a seashore town, so one would assume that he was not a fisherman.
Mads Christian Jensen, the oldest son in this family, was born 4 April 1822, and is the subject of this sketch. He was a mill-right by trade but also had strong tendencies toward farming. His father-inlaw was a miller by trade, which could have been the starting point for Mads in this vocation. Among the students that came to learn fancy weaving from his mother was a little eighteen year old girl by the
name of Maren Hansen, from Borglum, a village about twenty-five miles from Elling. Mads Christian, then a boy of about twenty-two years was very much attracted to this little girl from Borglum. Their friendship was mutual and by May of the following year they were happily joined in the bonds of matrimony. The wedding took place at the home of Maren's parents.
It is evident that the young couple lived quite intimately with her folks. Besides being a miller Maren's father owned a distillery and seems to have been very well off financially. Soon after the marriage her father gave them a comfortable home in the nearby village of Bastholm. The records show that Mads Christian Jensen of Bastholm was a mill-right, but there is nothing to indicate when he first took up the trade. It is interesting to note that Mads Christian's sir-name was Jensen and not Kristensen after his father's sir-name. He was known as Mads Christian the son of Jens, or Jens' son, or Jensen. This was the method used in Denmark at that time.
While living at Bastholm Mads and Maren had five children born to them. The first four came in four consecutive years, and then a lapse of nearly two years before the fifth. This little family was happy among their relatives and friends until an unusual thing happened to mar this friendship. In midsummer of 1851 two Mormon missionaries stopped at this home and preached the principles of the Gospel as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Both Mads and Maren believed and on August 17th of the same year they were baptized, the first converts of Mormonism in that part of Denmark.
Exactly one year previous to-this time, four missionaries introduced the Mormon religion to the Scandinavian countries. The Missionaries were: Apostle Erastus Snow, and Elders John E. Forsgren, George P. Dykes, and Peter 0. Hansen, At Copenhagen many people were converted the first year. A good-sized branch was organized and soon local men were called and ordainedas missionaries, and sent into adjacent localities, to proselyte and organize more branches of the Church.
Anders W. Winberg was ordained a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood July 13, 1851 and appointed to take charge of the Norre-Sundby Branch, a branch with a bout twenty-five to thirty members. Norre-Sundby ison the island of Jutland and is about sixteen English miles south of Bastholm. From Norre-Sundby two converts were sent as missionaries into the northern villages. Their names were Hans Nielsen and Jens Jorgensen. These are the two missionaries that first came to Bastholm and delivered the glad message to Mads and Maren which was gratefully and wholeheartedly received. The Jensens were the first in this section to accept the Gospel, but it soon became a fertile field for the Elders. The "Morgenstjernen vol 4, page 159 (Scandinavian L. D. S. Church paper) has this to say about this district, "This district, comparatively speaking, has given more noble souls to the Kingdom of God than any other province in the whole world."
The two new missionaries had only been ordained Teachers, and as it is required one holding the office of Priest or higher to officiate in the ordinance of baptism, they found it necessary to return to Norre-Sundby and find one with higher authority. It fell to the lot of brother Winberg to accompany them back to Bastholm. The day following their return, it being a Sunday, a meeting was held with five in attendance--the three missionaries and two converts. In all probability the new converts little realized the persecutions and hardships that awaited them. They had adopted a strange and unpopular religion, which caused not only their friends but their own relatives to turn against them. They endured the scorn of all, and suffered mob violence from many. His only brother,at times, led the mob against him.
Neither Mads Christian's parents, nor his sister Amelia, ever joined the Chruch, or ever left their homeland. The only other information I have been able to find about them is their death dates. The mother, Maren Andersen Kristensen, died in March 1867. The father, Jens Christian Kristensen, died in 1872--the sister, Amelia, died in 1904. Mads C. Jensen and his little family suffered severe persecution until December 1852, when they took leave of their native land.
One of the mob incidents related to me by my father I should like to tell. He said, "Father saw the mob coming, so he hurriedly helped his wife and children to the cellar, He then braced himself against the door, but was able to hold them out only a short time. Soon they broke the door in and began their fiendish attack. They picked up chairs and beat him. His furniture was broken to bits. Then with their fists they smashed the windows. Some received cuts from the broken glass and as the blood oozed out they would daub the walls with it. While this was going on his wife and children escaped through a cellar window and found safety with a friendly neighbor. He was finally able to make his escape and hid in the grain field nearby."
Forty years later when his son, Christian M (Uncle Crane as he was affectionately called) was on a mission to Denmark he related at a public meeting the conversion and persecutions of his father. While he was speaking he noticed an old gentlemen in the audience crying. After the meeting the elderly man came up to Uncle Crane and said, "I was one of the mob and I participated in the persecutions you have been telling about."
By November 5, 1852 Mads Christian had disposed of the last of his belongings and with his little family bade farewell to relatives and their one- time friends of Bastholm, never again to return. They journeyed first to Copenhagen where the Saints were gathering from all parts of the Scandianavian countries.
Elder John E. Forsgren was busy making arrangements for the gathering Saints to leave for America. He showed good leadership in organizing such an undertaking. By December 20th he formed the company which bears his name. In the company there were 199 adults, 70 children and 19 infants. After ascertaining the number in the company he entered into a contract with a Mr. Morris & Co. to transport the company from Copenhagen to St. Louis, Missouri, for the price of 52 rigsdaler for each adult, 8 rigsdaler for each child under twelve, and those under one year were to ride free. Each person was allowed 200 lbs. of luggage. It is interesting to note that $8240.00 was sent in advance to a Mr. Isaac Haight to purchase horses, cattle and provisions, with the understanding that they should be in readiness at the frontier when the company arrived at that point in their journey.
This, unquestionably, was an excited group of people--thrilled at the thought of going to Zion, and heartaches at leaving home and relatives. Just before leaving, the baby daughter of Mads C. Jensen and wife died, so as they left their native land their hearts were doubly heavy. The little company of almost 300 souls left Copenhagen the 20th of December a board a small ship named the "Obetrit". Their course was south through the Baltic Sea to Keil, Germany. The sea was rough and many were seasick. They arrived at Keil in the evening of December 22nd. On the 23rd they left Keil by railroad, arriving the same day at Altona, Germany. Altona is very close to Hamburg--could perhaps be called a suburb. The next day they sailed on the steamship "Lion" for Hull, England. This turned out to be the most hazardous part of their journey. Several times during the next four days the anchor was dropped because of fog and storms.
It was on this part of the trip that Mads. C. Jensen's anxiety for the safety of his wife reached a high point of endurance. For hours he was unable to find her. Sailors told him they had seen a seasick woman leaning over the rail and feared she had been washed overboard. The ships cook had also seen her and taken her to the kitchen, where her husband found her the next morning after having searched for her all night in vain. Upon their arrival at Hull, the 28th of December, the captain of the ship said, "The like of such a storm I have never before experienced. " They were told at Hull how fortunate they were to have reached port, as many ships had been lost during the storm. It seems that Satan wanted to destroy this people and prevent their building up of Zion, but the Lord was with them.
At noon on the 29th of December they left Hull by railroad for Liverpool, England, and arrived there the same evening. Two days later, they boarded a large strong ship, named "Forrest Monarch". This ship was scheduled to carry them to New Orleans, La. For some unknown reason to the Saints, the ship did not set sail for America until January 16, 1853, but the Scandinavian company made the ship their home during this time. During these sixteen days meetings were held most every day, four couples of their group were married, the third death since leaving Copenhagen occurred, and two babies were born. Included in the Company's organization were captains who had been appointed to supervise the various responsibilities. Mads C. Jensen was appointed one of the captains to supervise the distribution of food.
About noon of the 16th as the gang-plank was pulled up, two steam tugboats hitched on and for four hours pulled them through waters that led to the mighty Atlantic. From here on the "Forrest Monarch" was on its own power. The day was cold and stormy, but all except eight were in good health. It must be remembered that in this group were people of all ages- -infants to old people. One of the deaths while waiting at Liverpool was that of a man 82 1/2 years old. The trip across the Atlantic and through the Gulf of Mexico from the time they left Liverpool until they reached the mouth of the Mississippi River took from January 16th to March 7th.
Much of the time the weather was favorable and quite warm, however, they had their stormy and disagreeable days too. They pursued a southerly course. (This route from Liverpool through the West Indies can be found in some of the older map, and was used a great deal by the sailing vessels during the winter months) The records kept on'this trip tell us that a bout the middle of February they were in the region of the West Indies. Their food and water supplies were beginning to get low and there were some shortages which caused some suffering for the rest of the journey. Several deaths occurred, the first of which was on February 7th. when Paul Poulsen died and was buried a t sea. Meetings were held most every day a t which Mads C. Jensen took his turn at speaking. A harmonious feeling prevailed most of the time among this little group of saints.
However, according to the meeting held on Sunday, February 13th their differences were brought to the surface. It would seem they were extremely orthodox in their new faith. Everyone was expected to attend church and in all other ways live strictly in accordance with every principle of their new religion. At this particular meeting a brother Holzhansen was excommunicated from the Church. The complaint against him was that he had broken the laws of God and never came to meeting. He had turned to worldly ways and would not turn therefrom.
After disposing of the Holzhansen case, complaints were brought against a Bro. Andersen and his wife. The complaint was that they were not living as they should and that they were not united. Brother Christiansen and Brother Forsgren then talked to the Andersens -asked them if they would repent and if Bro. Andersen would conduct himself according to his calling and nothing more. Brother and Sister Andersen both stood and asked forgiveness and asked the members to pray for them. Throughout their journey, occasionally, some one would arise and ask forgiveness, admitting their faults and asking for understanding and help in overcoming them. Any couple asking to be married must first obtain approval by the whole assemblage.
Their ship was in sight of Jamaica from February 23rd to the 25th. They all seemed happiest when there was a good wind because they could sail so much faster. After passing the West Indies their voyage was quite uneventful until the morning of March the 7th. This was a glorious morning for them as their eyes beheld the first glimpse of America. Later in the day they reached the Mississippi River and sailed up it until about four o'clock in the afternoon, when they dropped anchor. Shortly after dropping anchor John E. Forsgren went ashore to put in order the necessary preparations for the rest of the journey. That same evening a sister Jorgensen died. The following morning a casket was made and in the afternoon she was taken ashore and buried on a little island where there were many tree stumps and a little light house. Many of the company went ashore, this being their first chance to set foot on American soil.
The ship remained at anchor here for several days, during which time several deaths occurred. On March 11th a Petersen child died, on the 12th a sister Christensen died, and on the 13th Brother Ipsen died. At about 1 A. M. March 14th, Jens Christian, the little son of Mads and Maren Jensen died. The Journal says, "and the body was buried. " Family tradition has it that Jens Christian was buried in the Gulf of Mexico, but the Forsgren Company Journal places it on an island in the mouth of the Mississippi River.
The following quotation is taken from the Journal for March 15, 16, and 17, as it gives their first impression of the land of America. "March 15th. We again got under way, towed by two tugboats, and continued until late forenoon when the tugboats left us. In the afternoon we got under say towed by one tugboat. The first house we saw was one in which two black men lived. The house was built on poles, and outside of it was a sort of house which could float on water. We saw this on the right hand side; on the left side was a light house and farther in were several buildings. We sailed up the river, which was so wide that four large ships could sail side by side. Trees could be seen on the banks of the river.
March 16th. We saw many small buildings. I heard the birds singing, and it seemed just like spring. There were fields of beets just as in Denmark; and the trees looked just as they do in the spring. The banks of the river were covered with driftwood; but everything looked full of life and very good. There were white people who lived in these places; and I saw children who were Mack. There were both men and women who were black. Many small beautiful buildings were built on poles, and we passed by a church. There were many animals, and in one place I saw some people driving in a closed in wagon. On the left side there was a factory, and elsewhere the earth was cultivated. In one place they were plowing with four oxen hooked together.
March 17th. This forenoon about 10:30 we arrived in New Orleans. I was up in the bow with Elder John E. Forsgren and several others, and bread was purchased for the brethern and sisters. In the evening a child of Brother Christian Ipsen C. Munk died. A meeting was held this morning, in which Elder John E. F-orsgren talked to the brethern and sisters, and warned them against going up in the town, as there were many ungodly people there and it was the worst place they could go. After this counsel, he advised them to give Mr. Denziger a gift. Elder Christiansen, and H. J. Christensen, and N. Mikkelsen spoke. The latter said he wished to re turn good for evil, and he wished to give him a gift. It was unanimously agreed to give him twelve American dollars. The meeting was closed with prayer by Elder Forsgren".
At New Orleans the company was transferred to a steam ship and about 4 o'clock on March 19th they sailed for St. Louis. W. Andersen and his wife left the company at New Orleans, The company arrived at St. Louis, March 29th. The day following their arrival at St. Louis the company left the ship and went to a camp that had been prepared for them in the city of St. Louis. This ended the contracted journey between Elder Forsgren and Mr. Morris and company.
The company remained in St. Louis until April 21, when 135 of them left for Keokuk, Iowa. The remainder of the company left for Keokuk on April 30. From April 30 to May 19 the entire company was busy making ready for the long trip across the plains. To get the cattle and wagons ready and load the wagons with provisions was no small task. The company was again organized with John E. Forsgren unanimously reelected as President of the entire company. Elder Chr. Christiansen was unanimously elected president over fifty wagons, and the following as Captains over ten each. H. J. Christensen, father Christiansen, Lars Alexander Justesen, and Mads Christian Jensen. Elder Forsgren thanked them for their choice of captains--said it was just as God would have had it.
Rigid rules must continue to prevail. Elder Forsgren said, "anyone found drunk would be cut off the Church. " At Keokuk there was also an English camp and the Saints from the two camps visited back and forth. Also, at this camp Elder John E. Forsgren officiated in the marriage of his brother Peter AAdolph Forsgren and Kirsten Knudsen. This is the same Peter A. Forsgren who later moved to Brigham City and was lifelong friend of Mads C. Jensen. By May 19th all preparations for the ox team journey to Salt Lake City had been completed and at the command of the captains they started forward. John E. Forsgren, the president, was the only one of the entire company who had experienced such a journey as the one they were starting upon. It will be remembered he was one of the Mormon Battalion that marched from Council Bluffs to California and from California to Salt Lake City. Then following his call to the Scandinavian Mission he trekked very much the same route he was now leading his little group of emigrants to Zion.
The evening of their first day found them ten miles west of the Keokuk Camp. They made poor time the first part of their journey. Some days they advanced as little as three to five miles. They were from May 19th to June 25th in traveling from Keokuk to Council Bluffs. They remained at the latter place for several days making necessary repairs and adding new provisions to their stores. Regarding their trip thus far the citizens of Iowa had made handsome offers to some of them if they would remain there and work, but the leaders counseled all to ignore such offers even though a little ready cash in the pocket would have been a fine thing at this time. One of the leaders reminded them that they could just as well have stayed in Denmark as to stop short of their coveted goal.
However, a man by the name of Jorgen Nielsen and his wife yielded to the temptation. They said they were dissatisfied with the company-- that there were liars and slanderers among them. Action was taken against them resulting in their excommunication. They remained at Kanesville, and several head of oxen were left with them as their equity in the company. After the company had gone on Mr. Nie-lsen got out an injunction against Elder Forsgren. The sheriff came to Council Bluffs and arrested him, and returned him to Kanesville, where he had to pay an additional $30. 00 in cash.
It was about July 11th, before the company got under way again. The journal tells us that it was on that day that Captain Mads C. Jensen and his company and H. J. Christensen and his wagons were aappointed to go ahead and build a bridge over the Elkhorn River. By the end of the week they were well on-their way on the outskirts of the prairie with the Elkhorn behind them.
On July 20th the company reached Loup Fork, a branch of the Platte Rive, and were ferried across at no cost They were now making fairly good time each day. About noon on July 24th. Maren, the wife of Mads C. Jensen gave- birth to a son, whom they named Denmark Maren and the new baby were made comfortable in the wagon box of her husbands wagon. Before the baby was one day old another five miles had been traveled. Practically every day a few miles were added. There was considerable rain and for weeks they traveled along the Platte and it's tributaries. They had sandy roads much of the way so that mud didn't become one of their problems. The sand was deep in places which made hard pulling. There is no mention of encountering Indians until August 10th. That morning about sixty of the red men visited them and were given something to eat.
Meetings were held often and timely counsel given. Elder Forsgren warned them as to what they might expect to find in their new home they would make in the valleys of the mountains. Some bad is always found in the good, even among people. He said some of the women there will seem like angels to you. He advised them to be loyal to their captains during the entire journey, and should not try to tell them what to do. He told them they were not to go hunting without first letting the captains know where they were going. On August 16th they reached Scotts Bluff, which is on the western boundary of Nebraska, thus they were from July l l t h until August 16th crossing the state of Nebraska. They had not traveled far into Wyoming until the nights became colder, indicating that Fall would soon be with them. They reached Fort Bridger on September 20; and about the 23rd they reached the Utah line, thus they were from August 16th to September 23rd crossing the state of Wyoming.
About one week after reaching the Utah line they arrived in the great Salt Lake Valley. The exact time of their arrival was Friday evening, September 30, 1852. Thus ended a long hard journey which took ten months and twenty-five days from the time they left their home in Bastholm, Denmark, until they reached Salt Lake City. This ends the Journal of the John E. Forsgren Company. Unquestionably they were all happy to reach their new home in the Valley of the Mountains. Some, and probably most of them, were assigned to make their homes in out-lying regions from Salt Lake.
How long Mads C. Jensen remained in Salt Lake is not known, but family history says he moved to Kaysville that same fall, where he worked building a flour mill for a Brother Winel. Their home was a dugout but they were warm and happy in it. The first four years he was in the Valley we find he was engaged in milling in the following places: Ka ysville, Salt Lake City, Weber, and Ogden. When Johnston's army threatened the safety of the Saints, Mads C. Jensen was called to Echo Canyon to help keep back the army. While living in Ogden Mads C. married as a second wife, Gertrude Petersen Kjer, widow of Christina Kjer. Christian Kjer and his two little sons died enroute to Utah, leaving Gertrude and her little girl, Anne Marie, alone in the world. Two children were born into the Jensen home in Ogden. A daughter Sarah, was born to the first wife Maren, and a son Christian M. was born to Gertrude.
In 1857 Mads C. Jensen was called by President Lorenzo Snow to move to Brigham City and manage a flour mill. (Lorenzo Snow was President of the Box Elder Stake at this time). He obeyed this call and Brigham City remained his home for the rest of his life. He was one of the stalwarts in establishing and building up this community. He took an active part in both civic and religious affairs. As the land round about was covered with sage brush and willows, he and his boys in the course of a few years, grubbed and made productive several pieces of property. I can find no record of how long he remained actively engaged in the flour mill. My father, Isaac, who was born in 1865, learned the milling trade from his father, so we must assume that Mads C. Jensen was an active miller for many years of his life. His farm land furnished employment for his big family of boys.
In February 1858 he married his third wife, Elsie Marie Olsen, and in February 1862 he married his fourth wife, Aurora Mariager. He was the father of thirty-two children--14 by his first wife--7 by his second wife--6 by his third wife--and five by his fourth wife. Six of Maren's children died in infancy or early childhood, and one was killed by the Indians at the age of nineteen years. One of Gertrude's children died in early childhood. Four of Elsie Marie's children died in infancy or early childhood, and four of Aurora's babies died in infancy. Of Mads C. Jensen's thirty-two children, sixteen lived to raise families of their own. Besides these, Anne Marie, the little girl that came to Zion with her mother Gertrude, was adopted into the family and was a loved member of this large family, making seventeen children that left posterity. These seventeen children were very dear to each other. They were taught by their parents from early childhood never to consider one another as half brothers and half-sisters and that is the way they lived, as real brothers and sisters.
Mads C. Jensen was a man of few words, but when he spoke his thoughts were well grounded. He did not seek position but did prepare himself for any call that might be made of him. He served on the first High Council in Box Elder Stake. Box Elder records show that he was ordained a High Priest and set apart as a High Councilman by Apostle Lorenzo Snow, Sept. 9, 1877. He had been sustained for this position August 19th at a meeting where Resident Brigham Young presided. This was the occasion of President Young's last public appearance--he died a few days later in Salt Lake City.
I have been unable to find record of any other positions held by Mads C. Jensen than those mentioned. It can truly be said of Grandfather that he was a man that minded his own business. Nowhere have I found him complaining of others, and nowhere have I found where he was taken to task by his neighbors or those who presided over him. He had full faith in the Authorities of the Church and unflinchingly did their bidding to the best of his ability. He honored and respected the Civil authorities. When people a bused him he did not seek revenge, but he handled the situation so tactfully that in most instances they suffered from their own chagrin.
Following the counsel of his church leaders he married into polygamy, fully conscious of the consequences that might follow. When the U. S. Marshalls were hunting down the polygamists he made no effort to hide from them. At the time he was arrested the marshal1 found him working at his mill. At his request they took him to his home first where he shaved off his mustache and beard and made himself ready for the penitentiary. They took him to Ogden for trial, Non-members were subpoenaed as witnesses, whom it was thought would condemn him. His hearing was a short one. His witnesses rregarded him highly and their testimonies acquitted him, much to the surprise of himself and family. He was never again molested by the U. S. Marshalls.
I remember while working for William Gardner, (one of the non-members of the Church in Brigham City), of his telling me what a fine man my grandfather was. I remember particularly his saying, " If there was ever a man that lived polygamy right, it was your grandfather." Mads C. Jensen was a naturally religious man. I think he would be classed as an orthodox man. With him a thing was right, or it was wrong. What was worth doing at all was worth doing well. To him a good deed done is sure of its reward. On the other hand, evil has its day of reckoning. Laughter and merriment was good for man, but serious moments were of more worth. Under strict discipline he raised his children and I am sure some of the older grandchildren too, tasted of his discipline. I was only six years old when he died, but I remember when he punished Emery Reese and I with his cane. We had borrowed a wooden hammer from him and failed to return it when we had promised we would. He used his cane to remind us to keep a promise.
Uncle Elias, his youngest son, told me one of his experiences that I think worth repeating. He related it this way. "I went with father to get some wheat that he had purchased. The man from whom father had bought the wheat gave Father the key to his granary, and told him there was a half-bushel container to measure out the wheat. As we proceeded to fill our sacks, father would scoop up the wheat with the half-bushel container, but before emptying into the sack he would run a straight edge across the top and then scoop out a double handful. When I asked him why he scooped out the double handful he said. "the man showed his trust in us by giving us the key to his granary, we must be sure that we don't take more than we pay for."
For a number of years Grandfather and his four wives and children lived in the same house. I heard my father say that he had never heard a quarrel between his father and his father's wives. True, their personalities were different but they learned to yield personal feelings for the sake of harmony and family unity. I am sure there must have been times when this was hard to do, but the wives learned to love each other as true sisters. Each had a motherly feeling for the other's children. There are many living today, myself included, that remember three of the wives and their children. We all know the above to be true, for we have seen it. I used to love to go to Aunt Gertrude's and to Aunt Mary's (Elsie Marie) as well as to my own Grandmother's because they were all so good to me.
I want to tell one more incident that was related to me by Uncle Crane. He said that while he was on his mission to Denmark he visited Grandmother Maren's brother. When he told the elderly gentleman that he was Mads Christian Jensen's son by a second wife he said, "I should think Maren and her children would hate you." When Uncle Crane explained to him the true conditions in his Father's family, the old gentleman shook his head and said, "It is more than 1 can understand." The fourth wife, Aurora, died as a young woman. She had had five children, four of whom preceded her in death. Maren took Hyrum, Aurora's only living child, and raised him as her own. Uncle Hyrum is now past 80 years of age. The last time 1 visited with him in his home, he pointed to Maren's picture hanging on the wall and said, "a finer woman never lived than my foster mother. If there was any favoritism shown I always felt it was in my favor. I have heard her say to father and the children when I was about to be punished, "be careful now--remember he is a poor little boy that has lost his mother."
After a time Grandfather secured a home for each of his three wives. Maren kept the original home which still stands on 3rd East and 2nd North, Uncle Hyrum owns and still lives in it Aunt Gertrude had her home in Mantua. It was a little red house but was tom down some time ago. Aunt Mary had a little adobe house on 2nd East and 3rd North. Four of Grandfather's daughters, Maren, Sarah, Amelia and Emma, also married into polygamy. They, like their parents, had a hard, trying life, but I have never heard one of them complain or say they would have had it otherwise.
To have lived under the circumstances which Grandfather and his families lived required resourcefulness, organization, and strict disciplining. I think it is characteristic of Danish men to be strict and stand at the head of their household, especially so of the older generations. I say this advisedly after living two years in Denmark I also think this characteristic was greatly tempered in Grandfather's life through the eachings of the Gospel and the sweet congeniality of his wives and children.
In the later years of his life Grandfather was unable to do much work, but he was never confined to his bed. He always managed to have a few chores to do and was able to do them himself right up to the last. Early in the evening of July 11, 1898, while Zera Wilde and I were playing in front of Grandfather's home we saw people gathering on the corner down the street. We were curious as to what occasioned the gathering and ran down the street to see what had happened. We were horrified to learn that our Grandfather had fallen dead on the street corner. He was carrying an armful of alfalfa to feed his pig, and it served as a pillow for him to rest upon. Thus ended the earthly life of Mads C. Jensen at the age of seventy-seven years. He did not leave his family a great deal of material wealth, but he did leave them his good name. It can be said truly of him that his efforts were great so that his posterity might enjoy a fullness of life. He was buried in the family plot in the Brigham City Cemetery.
