History of Jens Nielsen by Carole Nelson Pattee (Sister of Dale O. Nelson)

Jens Nielsen is my great, great, great grandfather through my Dad's paternal line. He came from Denmark by way of Liverpool to the United States on the ship, William Tapscott.

A large part of the following was taken from a history written by The late Marian Nelson Olsen, and a few things were told to Carol Nelson Pattee by Wesley Nelson. Both are grandchildren of Jens Nielsen.

Jens Nielsen was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by the missionaries in his native land of Denmark. He was baptized on 5 April 1855. Until this time he and his family were members of the Lutheran church. Jens was a fisherman by trade. On one occasion while out at sea, a storm came up and ninety men aboard the same ship as he were lost. He was also a member of the Danish navy during the war with Germany in 1849. It was in the spring of 1860 that Jens left Denmark for America. An older brother, Hans (Petersen), and a sister, Ane Kristine (married Christen Jensen Christensen), also came to America. At that time there were six in Jens’ family—himself, his wife (Ane Margrethe), and four children: Christine, Ellen, Niels Peter (my grandfather—age 2 1/2 years), and Mary. The following information was taken from the church chronology: “On Friday, May 11, 1860, the ship “William Tapscott” left Liverpool with 731 saints, including 312 Scandinavians, under the direction of Asa Calkins. (The Jens Nielsen family being among the Scandinavians.) During the voyage, smallpox broke out among the immigrants and they had to remain in quarantine after their arrival in New York Harbor.” They finally landed on 20 June 1860 after spending nearly six weeks on the water coming from England. They continued on their way and arrived at Florence, Nebraska on 1 July 1860, where they outfitted themselves for the long trip to Utah, which took them approximately three months. William Budge was the captain of the company. Sickness overtook them on their way. The youngest child, Mary, who was just an infant, became very ill. Ane Margrethe prayed to keep her baby until they reached the saints. Her prayers were answered. The day after arriving in Brigham City, Utah, the baby died. They arrived there on 5 October 1860. The family was fortunate to have relatives and friends there to help them in their hour of sorrow. Just why Jens and Ane Margrethe left Brigham City no one knows, but in the spring of 1861 they gathered their belongings and with their family started over the old trail for Cache Valley. They settled in the Logan Fourth Ward. The old house was one block west and one-half block north from the Cache Court House. After arriving in Logan, the wagon box that carried them across the plains was taken from the wagon and improvised for their shelter until Jens could get logs for a house. It was in this wagon box on 26 September 1861 that their fifth child, James, was born. Ane Margrethe told how she warmed the clothes on her breast before putting them on her baby. Another sorrow came to them a year or two later. Their eldest child, Christine, died at the age of ten years old. Times were very hard in those days. They were asked to help each other as much as possible. Jens was asked to let his oxen go back to Missouri for immigrants. Teamsters would volunteer to drive these teams. In letting his team go, Jens was left without anything to plow with, but with a lot of hard work he managed somehow to get his land planted. The Logan Temple and Tabernacle were built by the early settlers. Jens did his share in helping to construct both of them. When the church farm (now College Ward) was rented to people in 1878, Jens took this opportunity and rented part of it. With his four sons, Niels Peter, James, Joseph, and Hyrum, he operated this land and later in 1890, when the land was offered for sale, bought it. Jens would walk to the farm from his home in Logan (4 1/2 miles) in the early morning and after a hard day’s work, he would walk back again in the evening. Jens was always faithful in performing the many things he was asked to do. One of the public duties he performed was that of raising and lowering the flag on holidays. It was always a marvel to the children how he could accomplish this difficult task. He said he was used to climbing the mast to fix sails inasmuch as he had been a fisherman, and therefore it was easy for him to climb the flag pole. A high tribute was paid to Jens by A.C. Barber, an implement dealer in the early days of Logan. He said he always found Jens Nielsen to be very honest and a man whose word was as good as his bond. Jens was a quiet reserved person and did not ever learn to speak the English language fluently. Ane Margrethe was also very industrious. She was an expert cook and used to make and sell bread to her friends and neighbors. She was always a friend in need. Jens and Ane Margrethe became the parents of eight children, five of grew to maturity: Niels Peter, Ellen, James, Joseph, and Hyrum. Hyrum died as a result of an accident shortly after his marriage. Christine, Mary, and Nephi died in infancy. Jens Nielsen has a large posterity scattered throughout the state of Utah, United States, and other parts of the world. Jens Nielsen died 5 September 1900 and is buried in the Logan cemetery. The epitaph on his tombstone reads as follows: We only know that Thou hast gone, And that the same relentless tide Which bore thee from us, still glides on And we who mourn thee with it glide. (The early pioneers called the Danish people either the rich Danes or the black Danes because of their olive complexion. The Jens Nielsen family were black Danes.) The emigration card catalog in the Cache Genealogical Library lists: “Jens Nielsen (34), Anna M. Nielsen (34), Sissie M. Nielsen (5), Ellen K. Nielsen (4), Niels P. Nielsen (2), Anna M. Nielsen (12), Risa S. Nielsen (23), crossed Atlantic on ship “Wm Tapscott.” Members of Captain Wm. Budge’s ox train company which arrived in Great Salt Lake City October 5, 1860. (J.H. Dec. 31, 1860, Supplement P. 54).”