History of Carl Harold Lauritz Jensen Document Number: 60
Author: CHILDREN OF CARL HAROLD LAURITZ JENSEN Institution: Personal Experience Classification: ORIGINAL: GeneralHistory Location: USA, Utah, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City Date Range: BTWN 1848 and 1932 History of JENSEN, Carl Harold Lauritz Document Entry Number: 1
Transcription: HISTORY OF CARL HAROLD LAURITZ JENSEN This is a short history and memories of Carl Harold Lauritz Jensen and his wife, Helbertine Petranele Rasmussen (Neilsen), with incidents submitted by various members of the family, and compiled by David Jensen, son of Carl Harold Lauritz and Helbertine Petranele Rasmussen Jensen. Carl Harold Lauritz Jensen was born December 30, 1848, in Roskillde, Copenhagen, Denmark. He died the 21st of May, 1932, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. He was the third child of Jens Larsen (Sidelin) and Inger Sofie Mathiesen. The other members of the family were: Andreas, born 24 June 1839; Christian, born 2 September 1842; Jacob, born 16 December 1849; and Sofie or (Stine) who married Mr. Toubmen. Helbertine Petranele Rasmussen was born 20 December, 1851, in Thikeb, Prederiksborg, Denmark. She died the 10th of October, 1937, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried at the side of her husband in the family plot in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, Wednesday, October 13th, 1937. She was the third child and second daughter in a family of eight children born to Rasmus Nielsen and Maren Hansen. Her brothers and sisters were as follows: Niels Christian, Trine Jacobine, Emilie Kristine, Caroline Rasmine Mathilda, Hans, Johanne Marie, and Jense Peter Rasmussen. It will be noted that at the time of the birth of all of these children, it was customary in Denmark that the surname of the children should be that of the given name of the father, ending with the letters "sen." Hence, the last name of the children of Rasmus Nielsen became "Rasmussen," and the children of Jens Larsen became "Jensen." Carl Harold Lauritz Jensen and Helbertine Petranele Rasmussen, were married the 8th of June, 1871, in Copenhagen, Denmark. They received their endowments and their marriage was consummated, in the Logan Temple, on the 23rd day of July, 1884. From this union, thirteen children were born, as follows: Sophie Marie - born 7 December 1872, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Peter Emil - born 9 December 1874, in Copenhagen, Denmark. He died 8 October 1878, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sarah Jacobine - born 7 January 1876, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Annie Elizabeth - born 28 March 1879, in Copenhagen, Denmark. She died 7 April 1879, in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was a lovely child, a sweet face with smiling lips, dark curly hair, and a beautiful body. She seemed healthy and happy, and it was a great surprise when she passed away ten days after birth. Mary Helbertina - born 16 May 1880, in Logan, Utah. She was the first child born after the family immigrated to Utah. She died 6 December 1936, in Driggs, Idaho. Carl Harold Lauritz, Jr. - born and died 27 February 1882, in Logan, Utah. Joseph Hyrum - born and died 23 February 1883, in Logan, Utah. Hanah Caroline - born 17 May 1884, in Logan, Utah. She died the day of her birth. Inger Hansine - born 6 October 1885, in Logan, Utah. She was a beautiful little girl, and the family were so happy because they thought she was going to stay with them, but she lived twelve days only. She passed away 18 October 1885, in Logan, Utah. Jennie Clara - born 14 October 1887, in Logan, Utah. She died 9 October 1888 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. David - born 31 January 1890, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mabel - born 9 May 1892, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Oswald - born 5 February 1895, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He died 27 July 1896, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Anna) Oswald had blue eyes and blond hair. He was a very happy child, and could crawl faster than any of his competitors. The larger boys tried to out-do him, but Oswald always came out in the lead. Peter Emil, their second child and first son, died two months before his fourth birthday. The family were members of the Church, and had talked of going to Zion. Peter Emil was stricken with a strange malady, and became blind. He told his parents he would go to Zion ahead of them. He died 8 October 1878, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Jennie Clara was a beautiful baby girl. She was so welcome in a home where parents and three sisters longingly looked forward to the coming of a babe who would stay. They called her Clara. She was well and happy until she began to cut her teeth. She became dangerously ill. The doctors could do nothing for her. Grandmother took her to Salt Lake seeking aid and relief for the suffering child. Clara died and was buried in the City Cemetery. Grandmother had to leave her in a lonely grave, and return to Logan with empty arms. She never got over the loss of that child. She talked about her all the days of her life, and the last thing she said to me before she died was that she would soon have her baby, One evening, shortly after Carl and Helbertine were married, they were walking along a street in Copenhagen, when they heard singing across the street from them. Commenting to each other as to how beautiful the music was, Carl suggested they cross the street and listen. They then listened to the Elders, or Mormon missionaries as they were called, sing and preach the Gospel. The song that attracted their attention in the first place, was "Oh My Father." After the services were over, Carl invited the missionaries to call at their home and tell them more about the Restored Gospel. From this beginning, they began to investigate and study the principles of the Gospel. They were soon converted and baptized into the Church. The progenitors of Carl Harold Lauritz Jensen were of the upper class and the upper-middle class of Denmark. They were educators, craftsmen, playwrites, performers, and musicians. Some of them were wealthy, one a multi-millionaire, and many of them were prominent in civic affairs. When this couple joined the Church, the relatives were very much upset, and all sorts of worldly goods were offered them if they would give up this religion which they felt had disgraced the entire family. They let the family and their friends know that the Gospel meant more to them than anything else in the world. After joining the Church, the thought uppermost in their minds was going to Zion. They talked of it and planned for it, but things were not easy. Mormonism was very unpopular, and they were no longer accepted by relatives and friends. However, their relatives were kinder than some, because they hoped to persuade or influence them to renounce their belief. One of the families invited their daughter, Sophie, to come to their home for a visit. She had maid care, and was given everything to make a child happy. They thought that if the parents and children were surrounded with the luxuries of life, they would be glad to give up this unpopular religion, but it made no difference to the parents. Sophie had beautiful dark curly hair, which her mother brushed into seven ringlets. While she was visiting in this home, she would not let anyone brush or comb her hair. At the end of the visit, one of the servants tried to comb her hair so she would look presentable before returning her to her parents, but was unable to do so. She cut the ringlets off. When the mother saw the child shorn of her ringlets, she wept. In the fall of 1879, the opportunity came for this family to go to Zion. Carl Harold Lauritz Jensen, his wife, Helbertine Petranele, and their two daughters, Sophie, age six years, and Sarah, age two years, emigrated to Utah. They settled in Cache Valley. Here, Carl Harold Lauritz Jensen secured work in a planing mill as a cabinet maker. (David) Sometime before the Manifesto was issued, father married a second wife, in polygamy. She was Gorgine Mathilde Evertine Ericksen, born the 22nd of June, 1868, in Maribo, Fuglse Sound, Lallon, Denmark, to Hans J. Ericksen and Inger N. Martinssen. She was baptized in June, 1877, in Copenhagen, Denmark, and re-baptized the 22nd of January 1885, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She received her endowments the 28th of January, 1885, in the old Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was married to Carl Harold Lauritz that day. She died in 1893. From this union, five children were born. The first, a son, was born in Logan, Utah. The second was a son, born in Bear River City, Utah. Both died in infancy. The third, a daughter, Emma Matilda, was born the 10th of August, 1889, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The fourth, a son, was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He died in infancy. The fifth, a son George, was born the 29th of October, 1892, in Salt Lake City, Utah. I am the eleventh child of my mother's thirteen children. She was the first wife. I cannot remember my father's second wife. She died when I was very young. Of the five children by his second wife, only two survived babyhood and grew to maturity. They were my sister Emma, and my brother George. My mother raised these two children and loved them as her own, and they loved her as their own. (Anna) At one time I was visiting Grandmother, (Helbertine Petranele Jensen), and she made a delicious lunch of home-made bread, rhubarb jell, and hot chocolate. While we were eating, she pointed to a dish on the table and said that it was Emma's mothers dish, and that it was one she prized very much. She then said that soon after her death, Gorgine came out to this home. Grandmother was in the bedroom with three of the babies - Emma, David, and Mable - and Grandfather was sleeping in the parlor with George in a cradle beside him. Grandmother heard the door open, and someone enter. She then heard the cupboard door open, and dishes rattle. She heard the cupboard door close, and the floorboards squeak as footsteps crossed and entered into the parlor. Grandmother got out of bed and followed. As she entered the parlor, she saw Gorgine bending over the cradle. Grandmother asked, "What do you want?" Gorgine answered saying she had come for the baby. Grandmother said, "Don't take him away. He is all right. I love him and will care for him." Gorginie said, "You have so many." But Grandmother said, "There are never too many." Gorgine smiled, and went away, leaving the baby in Grandmother's care. Grandmother said that George was a good baby. Mabel was just six months old, and she fed the two babies at her breast Grandmother smiled so sweetly as she remembered and told of the joy of those two babies. She said it was never a burden - only happiness. (Mabel) I remember Mother telling the following story. My parents had bought an old house in Logan. Father was building a lean-to, or another room, onto the house as they needed more room. He had just finished cutting the opening in the wall for a window, when the devil stuck his head in through the hole and grinned at Father. Father described it later as the nastiest, hairiest, evil-looking face he had ever seen. He said nothing about it at the time, as Mother was pregnant, and had lost four other babies in that house. Mother said he came in right away, and was white as a sheet and his body trembled all over. She thought he had had a sun-stroke, and had him lie down. They sold the place shortly afterward. After they had moved, Father told Mother about the incident. He said he had not wanted to scare her, because of her condition at the time. It was rather an old house when they bought it, and all the neighbors round about said it was haunted. Father said it surely was an abode of an evil spirit. (Mabel) After the family had moved to Salt Lake City, father's second wife was visiting our home with Mother. The law, at that time,, was in pursuit after the polygamists. As the two wives were visiting with each other, the deputy sheriff came to the door and asked if Father was there. Of course, he was not. The deputy sheriff then asked if both women were wives of father. Mother spoke up, and said that this was her sister. The officer looked first at one and then the other, and finally said, "'Well, you do look alike all right. It must be so." He then went on his way to the next place. Mother and Auntie got along very well together, Father always managed to keep out of the way of the sheriff and his men. Father was blessed abundantly with healing power in the exercising of his Priesthood. He was often called upon by those who were sick in the Ward and in the Stake, to come and administer to them. By their faith and his administration, the blessings of the Lord were poured out upon the sick, and they soon recovered. As Father grew older, he became more mellow, and his faith grew stronger. Hour after hour, he read the scriptures and loved to converse with people on the principles of the Gospel. When the Salt Lake Temple was being finished in its construction, Father was chosen one of forty men selected to lay the wooden tile floor in the room known as the "Holy of Holies." Each block of wood or tile was laid with the utmost care and precision. I remember Father saying that it was a very delicate job to make each piece of wood fit perfectly. The wood was of a very hard nature. When the floor was completed and highly polished, it was said to be a most beautiful floor. Father prided himself very much on his accomplishments with that work. From the wood that was left, Father secured a piece from which he made a walking cane. When he went on his mission to Denmark, he presented this cane to his brother, the millionaire. His brother was so thrilled with the cane, that, although he did not belong to the Church, he carried it with him wherever he went. He was so proud of it, he would show it to all his friends and everyone he met. This brother wanted Father to stay in Denmark and send for the rest of his family. He said if Father would do this, he would keep us all in the best of style for the rest of our lives. Father told him he could not possibly do that. His Church and his home in Zion meant more to him than all the riches in the world. (Mabel) Mother was very conscientious and faithful in the payment of her tithes and offerings. Whether she earned the money, or whether it was a gift to her -- whether the amount was large or small -- she never failed to pay or give a full amount. She was very generous, and was only sorry she was unable to give more. For many years, Mother and Sister Agnes Steel Dunlop were Relief Society visiting teachers. They visited regularly their block every month. I believe they had a perfect record all the time they were assigned together. They became very close friends, and thought a great deal of each other. They visited the homes on the north side of Arapahoe Street, east to Seventh West, along the west side of Seventh West to Sixth South, the south side of Sixth South to Eighth West, along the east side of Eighth West back to Arapahoe Street. Some of the homes visited were: Colbert's, Elsmore's, Fink's, Smith's, Bretzing's, Pryor's, Madsen's, Skoubye's, Alsop's, and Simpson's. Someone always had a luncheon prepared, and Mother and Sister Dunlop spent the entire day doing their visiting. When Mother was released from this assignment, she began to fail physically. She felt she had nothing more to live for - that her work here on earth was finished. She seemed to lose interest in things generally from then on. Mother had to have something to do, and took her release rather seriously. The last time I stayed with Mother, I think it was in the month of June before she died, she recited a poem to me while we were sitting on her front porch. It had sixteen verses, and she remembered every word. It was as though her youth had returned to her, for she was now eighty-six years old. I had never heard her recite it before, and she said she had not thought of it for years and years. Yet, she never made a mistake, or hesitated, but recited it as though she had just learned it for some program. I just sat there and marvelled at her and her sweetness, because she had been so sick and was so weak, yet she remembered every bit of it. (David) Father filed his DECLARATION OF INTENTION to become a citizen of the United States on the 19th day of August, 1893. He was granted citizenship, and was issued a certificate by the District Court in and for the County of Salt Lake, State of Utah, on the 6th day of September, 1898. Processing took five years. Mother's citizenship became effective at the same time. My parents moved from Logan to Salt Lake City in the year 1888. From then on, it was very difficult for Father to elude the officers of the law because of having more than one wife. The men of the Church who were living in polygamy, were constantly under the searching eyes of the law. Father managed, through what was called the underground, to keep himself safe from arrest or serving time in prison. The only home of my childhood that I remember, was a small three-room frame house located at 932 West 9th South Street, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Here I lived until I married on September 21st, 1910. On the 22nd day of October, 1896, this old home was mortgaged by my parents in the sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00), to clear some indebtedness they had at that time. The rate of interest was one per cent (1%) per month. Satisfaction of the mortgage was made on the 3rd day of August, 1898, and a clear title given. As winter set in, and the holiday season approached, Father would slaughter one of the hogs. He would cut the throat, and the pig would run around the barnyard a few minutes, and then lie down and die. A neighbor, an elderly English woman, Mrs. Smithers, would always ask for the blood. She would follow the bleeding pig around with a pail in which she caught the blood, to make English blood-pudding. When the hog was dead, he was hoisted by rope and hung from a large branch of one of the big poplar trees in the back yard. Then he was scalded, scraped, cleaned, and prepared for food during the rest of the winter. I well remember the good food Mother prepared for us -- Danish sweet soup, her wonderful home-made bread, bacon and egg cake made in the frying pan, a dish we called freckedella, ebelskiver, finker, velling, and rhubarb jell. (David) In my very early childhood, I remember my parents belonged to an organization, or club, called the "Danish Brotherhood." They, together with our neighbors, the Peter Kjar's, who also belonged, would attend these fraternity meetings with all the other Danish people of the city. We children would stay with the Kjar children until our parents returned late at night. Many times we would sleep at the Kjar home all that night. I remember very vividly some of the games we would play. When Memorial Day (Decoration Day, as we call it) came around, Father would put another seat in the rear of the wagon, and load the family into the wagon. We gathered flowers from our garden, which were mostly yellow and red roses, iris (flags, we called them), sweet williams, and daisys. We took the flowers to the City Cemetery and put them on the graves of our dead. While there, we children would climb farther up the mountain side and gather armsful of wild sage which Mother took home and hung in paper sacks in the old shanty to dry for medicinal purposes. The old shanty, as we called it, was more or less a summer-house. Inside was an old-fashioned stove, a table, a bench, a cupboard, and a few chairs. This house was used by Mother to do her family wash in. It was also used for storage. There was no electric washing machine or dryer, or any of the modern conveniences. The clothes were washed in a wooden washtub and scrubbing board, and were boiled in a copper boiler on the red-hot stove. Many times have I seen Mother doing her washing in this hot shanty, with the perspiration streaming down her face. Mother was the most angelic person I have ever known, I don't say that just because she was my Mother. Her kindness, her meekness, her love for her children her willingness to help others, and her beautiful spirit, made her as radiant and lovely as a woman could be. Her soft silken hair, white as the driven snow, made her more lovelier than ever. All who knew her, loved and honored her. This is the only picture or the only way in which I can remember my Mother. Always a gray haired, lovely lady. (David) Besides her many duties as a wife and mother, she milked the cow every morning and every evening, fed the chickens, and gathered the eggs. We also had pigs that needed attention. While I was very young, I well remember how Mother took care of these, and a great many other duties around the home. Mother was Relief Society President in the Twenty- Sixth Ward for a number of years. In those days, there was much to be done. There were many poor, and those who died were dressed and laid-out by the women of this organization. Mother did this many, many times. When, after many years of service in this office, she was released, the Ward presented her with a gold watch as a token of love and appreciation. My parents were very religious people. As children, we were taught strictly to observe the Sabbath Day. Mother would get us all ready for Sunday School. I can well remember how we walked from our home to the old Fifth Ward, a distance of more than a mile. We walked the same distance home again when the service was over. My Father, being a teamster, was paid for his services each day and for each job completed. When he returned home in the evening, he would figure up his earnings for the day. He would then put into a chamois bag his tithing, or one-tenth of what he collected. Many times I have heard him say, "Well, the Lord has been pretty good to me today. I'll just give Him a quarter extra." Then he would drop the extra coin into the bag. This action impressed itself so vividly upon my mind, that tithing became second nature to me. I have paid a full and honest tithing all of my life because of what I learned from my Father in that regard. On Past Sunday, when Father would pay his tithing to the Ward Bishop or Clerk, he would usually say, "Well, we don't eat very much, and what we do eat doesn't cost much, but here is our Fast Offering. I think it covers pretty well." Then he would make an honest contribution. After I had been ordained a Deacon and held the Priest hood, Father always took me with him to Stake Priesthood meeting in the old Pioneer Stake Hall, at Fifth South and West Temple Streets. We would walk there and back again, a distance of two miles each way. As children, we were constantly encouraged by Mother and Father to attend the Mutual Improvement Association and other Church activities. (David) I remember Father being a Counselor in the Presidency of the Elder's Quorum, and of the many meetings he had to attend. He was very insistent that we do our Church work properly. Regularity and promptness was his motto. Later, Father was ordained a High Priest. He and Mother were selected and invited by the Bishopric, Stake Presidency, and the President of the Church, to receive their second Endowments in the Salt Lake Temple. This was a privilege and an honor that came to very few people, and Mother and Father were very grateful for this blessing. From my earliest recollections, I remember my Father as a sturdy, husky, rather heavily built gentleman. The four fingers of his left hand were amputated by an accident while working in a planing mill in Logan, Utah, several years previous. He was a teamster by occupation and drove a one-horse express wagon which he used in hauling baggage and other material to earn-our livelihood. He was a very hard worker, and as all of his work was out-of-doors, he had to withstand the heat of the summer and the bitter cold of the winter. Many times I have seen him nigh on to frozen while waiting for some job to do in order to earn sufficient for his family. He was kind as could be, yet stern in his determinations. He always tried to keep his family well dressed and well fed, yet our food was of the plain, substantial kind. We lived as economically as possible, still we were not deprived of necessities. Many times Father would be engaged to haul a Chinese person who had died, to the cemetery, together with all of his belongings. Besides the dead person's clothing and shoes, there would be all kinds of food, such as hard-boiled eggs, roast duck and chicken, and many other eatables. These would be laced upon the grave for the spirit of the dead man to feast upon. After the ceremony was over, much of the clothing and food would be offered to Father to take home with him. At one time, Father brought home a complete new set of wearing apparel -- pants, jumper, slippers and all. This outfit he gave to me, and I wore it to a Ward costume dance. The hard-boiled eggs he would put in the horse's oat-bag until he got home, and we children would have them for our dinner or school lunch the next day. (David) On Saturdays, when I was not in school, I would go with Father in the mornings and ride around with him all day. Whether they had me do this to keep me out of mischief, or out of Mother's way, or whether I begged to go, I do not remember. I do recall many interesting experiences Father had during these days. For instance, one day we were hauling a trunk from the east side of town to the D & R G depot. The horse was going at a slow trot while crossing Main Street at Second South, when a policeman whistled Father to stop. When the officer approached, he asked Father what the hurry was about. Father replied that he had to catch a train to get the trunk aboard. The officer warned him to walk his horse at all intersections, as at the speed the horse was going, it was dangerous and he might run over someone. I am sure the horse was not going any faster than a person could walk. On another occasion, a Saturday night, a man walked up to Father and said, "Take me down to the D & R G Freight Depot. I have a shipment there."' Father told him it was too late -- the depot was closed. The man said he had arranged it so he could get his shipment. We all three climbed in the wagon, Father and the man on the seat, and I climbed in the back of the wagon. When we got to the depot, the man instructed Father to drive to the Hyde- House section, and then told us both to be very quiet. We did as we were told. The wagon was backed up to the platform, and the man and Father loaded a big stack of sheep pelts into the wagon. Then we drove back to town with the cargo. Father told the man that all shipments had to be signed for at the depots, but the man told Father to keep quiet and just do as he was told. The pelts were taken to a saloon on Second South between Main and State Streets, just east of the Wilson Hotel. Here the pelts were unloaded and dropped down the slide through the trap doors in the sidewalk into the basement. I remember well that the man was drunk when he hired Father for the job. The man was arrested two or three days later for robbery of the sheep pelts. (David) Father and Mother attended the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple, Friday morning, April 14th, 1893, for which we have one of their tickets and which bears the signature of President Wilford Woodruff. I, their son David, although a small child of a little more than three years of age, can remember Father lifting me up on his shoulder at the corner of Main and South Temple Streets, where now stands the Union Pacific Building, so that I might see the immense crowd of people that filled the walks and streets. After we children were all married and Mother and Father were alone, Father became a very ardent reader and student of the scriptures. For hours, he would read the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, and all the other Church works. He was soon very conversant with the teachings and doctrines of the Church. A large square table stood by the large east window in the kitchen - dining room where Father would sit and study his many books. In the evening, when the lights were on, Father could be seen in his accustomed chair by the table reading. Mother would be mending stockings, or doing some other household chore, while Father would read the scriptures to her. As they grew in years, they grew in mellowness and love for each other. My parents celebrated their Golden Wedding Day at my home, 352 East 9th South, in Salt Lake City, on the 8th day of June, 1921. The following Tuesday evening, on the 11th, they were entertained in the Twenty-Sixth Ward Recreation Hall by members of that Ward. The notices and pictures appeared in the June 8th, 1921, issue of the Deseret News. Their Sixtieth wedding anniversary celebration was held at the home of their daughter, Emma, Mrs. Mark D. Raleigh, 680 Browning Avenue, in Salt Lake City. This was on a Mon day, the 8th of June, 1931. The notices and pictures appeared in the Deseret News on Saturday, June 6th, 1931. (David) The Deseret News issue of Monday, May 24th, 1948, in the column entitled "Hopscotch Valley," carried a picture of Mother sitting in her old rocking chair. The jingle is by Anna Johnson, her grand-daughter, and reads as follows: When grandmother rocked in the old rocking-chair She bowed as one bows in a prayer. The rockers kept time with the fond memories Of home and her friends over there. Her father and mother and those that she loved Were left when she sailed on the sea, And while she was waiting to meet them again She would live with her fond memories.