Jensen Family Background An Historical Compendium Jensen Family Reunion Keystone, CO July 25-28, 2008 Assembled by James Edwin Jensen 2 Table of Contents The Land of My Birth 4-6 The Story of Holger Danske 7-9 The Origin of the Danish Flag 10-11 The Jensen Name 12 A Story of Denmark 13-72 Important Dates in Danish History 73-78 Family Background – Random Notes 79-85 The Happiest Place on Earth Is…….. 86-91 3 The Land of my Birth Written by J.P. Jensen in a Blue Spiral Notebook in the spring and summer of 1957 Translated by Volmer Jensen in April 2002 This spring, 1957, marked my anniversary of 50 years in U.S.A.. Mrs. Jensen and I had often talked how nice it would be to take a trip to Denmark, Land of my birth, and Norway, Land of her parents birth, so figured the 50 year anniversary would be the time and begin making plans accordingly, writing for reservations to Overseas Lines. To our surprise most reservations had been made months before the sailing dates, however a cancellation had been made and a dandy cabin on the Norwegian M.S. Bergensfiord sailing from N. York direct to Copenhagen on June 7th . Could not get ready, Volmer and so fort(h). Had to give up going on that one. (At this point the editor/transcriber will clarify that he was in college in Brookings, SD and they felt they could not leave until he was home) However, a Cabin would be available on M.S. Oslofiord sailing from N.Y. to Oslo in Norway on June 18th. Sent for this reservation and also for the rail ticket to N.Y.. Only tr(o)uble Oslo instead Copenhagen, Passports, pictures and so fort(h). Morning June 15th started for Minneapolis, got there in the evening, fine Hotel, The Andrews at Hennepin Ave..(Ray and Margaret Burnett and Volmer Jensen drove them by car to Minneapolis) Sunday the 16th had Lunch, Rev. & Mrs. Quanbeck, Delegates to Lutheran Church Convention. Held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 9 young men Ordained to the Lutheran Ministry, very impressive service, met Mrs. H. O. Johnson at their home for the evening. Left Minneapolis at 10:30 PM Burlington Station, joined party Norwegian singers going on the same ship to Norway. Change to Pe(n)nsylvania Railway in Chicago at morn on the 17th, got to N.Y., and at the pier by 8 o’clock, in our stateroom by 9, June 18. Ship to leave pier at 11:30. A niece and her Minister husband from NY( This was cousin Helen Safstrom and her first husband) met us at the boat to say hello an wave goodby(e) as the proud and beautiful ship pulled away and broke the streamers while Orchestra played Our National Anthem and Norway’s, and Denmark’s, soon out of the bay and passing the Statue of Liberty. 19th, Not much going just water and getting aquinted with some of the 700 passengers. 20th of June our wedding day and wedding Trip never had time before. Saw the first icebergs as nearing New Foundland about 20 in all, turned very cold. Friday 21th(st) fine day, lots of whales, one hit boat, movies in evening. Sat 22 Nature film of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland. very good. Sun June 23: Church services at 10:30. 3 Traveling Ministers and singers lay Nordcap singers, very good. Mon 24th Took some pictures, we are nearing Bergen Norway and got to get Landing cards for 4 tomorrow, dance tonight. Tuesday June 25th, Klif of Norway, Town of Bergen in sight, a boat with Pilot meet Oslofiord at 12 noon and took over, at 2:00 Kl we were at the dock, wonderful bus tour with guide. Edward Griegs Traldhouses(?), Fanetsft(?) Church all wood, no nails, 1100 years, Bergen 65,000 population, very old but pretty town. Wed June 26th Docked at Stavanger at 7 a.m. and was walking up town by 9 around a bea(u)tifull Lake with Swans and ducks, Pigeons, visited the old Cathedral all stave work fine old Bldg., had to be back by 10 Kl sailing for Kristiansand and by evening where there walking the town, Sun still shining at 9:30 PM, long days now. 11KL still daylight. Thurs June 27th Landing at Oslo at 9 AM, a fine sunshiny morning, the end of our Ticket, at 11 we got of the Oslofjord, and I was on my way up town to find a passage to Copenhagen Denmark. Luck was good, got a sailing on Krawn Prince Olaf at 4 PM same day, sent Tellegram to Edwin, Birthday, phoned Anna (JPs Sister in Copenhagen) from ship same Night. Friday June 28th Arrived Copenhagen at 8 AM after a stormy night on the little sea of Kattegat between Norway and Denmark. Mrs Jensen got her 3rd degree in Seamanship that night, overslept, all the folks on the dock waiting with 2 cars, went to my sisters (Anna) Apartment in Copenhagen, had Lunch and we all started for the old Farm about 40 Miles south from Copenhagen, a buitifull (beautiful) drive, good roads, Flowers and Fields with grain and beets and well kept Buildings. I could tell the old Farm a long ways of(f) but inside My Brother (Christian) had made so many changes and moderniced so much I hardly know the place from 26 years ago when last there. We have so to speak nothing but talk and visit and eat and look things over for 2 days, very little sleep, but we had to get ready for the big 4 of July at Rebild(?), where the Danish Americans gather each year by the Thousand to celebrate America’s Independence day, 9 of us in 2 cars started for this on the 3 of July, phoned ahead for hotel reservations also reservations for 2 cars on the ferry the 4 of July, Tellogram from Mr. Eisenhower, Danish King, 23,000 people attending, really something for a small country. After we got back it was party and banquets on top one another for several days and nights, so decided to go to my sister(Katrine) on the I(s)land Falster , here we cross the longest bridge in Europe 2 1/2 Miles, taken care of Railroads, Automobiles, Bikes and what have you. Sister have fine Store, her husband is a printer, works in a nearby town, nearly all people have Colony gardens and raise a lot for the table in summer, took in a lot of sights and stayed a week. This Island raise a lot of Sugar beets and have 2 Sugar factories About the 16 July we decided to go back to visit a nephew apprentice in a printshop on the other side the long Bridge, Stayed with him and wife a couple days. (Knud and Irja ) Took in some real sights from the Viking days and old fort from the 9th century overlooking the Ocean , big channel all around and stave and brick walls 6 foot t(h)ick and a tal(l) tower inside. July 20th Going on bus trip to see all the old Churches and Manor house, an Sjelland, a lovely trip. Grain getting ready for Harvest and flowers all over, took all Afternoon. Had a few days in Copenhagen and saw one of the best zoo’s in the World, more wild animals are born here and raised succesfully than any other place. The Amusement Park of Tivoli has no equal any place, from seven Thousand to 70 Thousand go t(h)rough the gates everyday in 5 summer, cost 10 Krones or 15 cents, stay as long as your wants. Light system and Orkestra and all worth $5.00 to see and hear. Norway the Land of Mountains. The Last of July we took a trip to Tron(d)heim pretty well north in Norway to find some of Mrs. Jensen’s Cousins, From Copenhagen we crossed into Sweden on the ferry train and all, hardly know before the Swedis Custom Officer asked for our pas(s)port, in Sweden we rasle(???) (saw) Farms fenced rock, looked poor besides Denmark, got a little better later, Finely timber, and Mountains as we got closer to Norway. Oslo at 12 Night. Had Hotel at Students home, fine place but a long ways out. Next morning at 9 we started again and from then on it real(l)y was scenery to behold, stip (steep) Cliff and water falls rushing down from Snow capped Mountains, below the Valley called Gudbrandsdalen (looked this up on a map to get the spelling right) little house and Hay hung on wires to cure, went through don’t know how many tunnels cut trough the Mountains, A lot of small Stations all the way, each had a sign so many feet above Sealevel, at a small Station we got out to get a Sandwich, A man hollered “are you lost”, turned out to be from Montana. Arrived at Tron(d)heim late in the evening as the people we where (were) going to visit was elderly folks decided to go to a Hotel, but every place filled, meet (met) a couple young men on Street, one spoke fairly good English, directed us to Student home and found it a fine place, all new, but a long ways out, same as in Oslo. (This is where the note book ended. Kind of like in the middle of a page and all else is missing.