Parents of Erastus Jensen
by Katie Jensen Nielsen
Frederik Nielsen Jensen was born 19 Feb. 1831 in Store
Karleby, Copenhagen, Denmark to Jens Nielsen and Ane Marie Frederiksen. Frederik embraced
the Gospel in Denmark when a young man of [eighteen] years of age. He was a spiritual man
and had a strong desire to come to America. He spent a lifetime in the service of the
Lord; he fulfilled the words of Lord Byron,” the deepest law of the Spirit, is that
men become like that which they most love.”
Frederik was an ambitious young man. He was a fine builder.
At the age of [fourteen] he learned to build fine things with his hands….furniture,
homes, and other things. He worked very hard at his skill and at the age of [twenty-two]
had earned enough to fulfill his desire to come to America. He left his parents and
brothers and sisters and sailed on the ship “Forest
Monarch" Jan. 16, 1853 from Liverpool, England. He traveled with E.
Forsberg’s Company to Salt Lake City. Grandfather Frederik arrived in Logan, Utah in
the early spring of 1853 to help build the early settlement of Logan. He helped layout the
streets, canals and early schools and buildings of worship in that city. Money was
[scarce] and work was very plentiful.
His first marriage was to Anna Seamonsen….from this
marriage there were [two] children. His second marriage to Johanah Petersen brought [four]
children.
[On] June 15, 1867 Frederik Jensen married Anna Fredrika
Petersen, [twenty-one] years of age, who was a younger sister to Johanah Petersen the
[second] wife. To this marriage there were born nine children, six boys and three girls. Erastus, my father was the eldest son and also the
oldest in the family. Frederik built a modest home of white brick on a [four] acre lot, at
780 North 2nd East in Logan. This is just a block south of where the Logan Jr.
High School is now built.
Grandfather was a tall well built man of near 6 ft. He was
dark complexioned, almost black hair, and dark attractive blue eyes. He usually wore a
‘moustache.’
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