PIONEER MOTHER PASSES

Mrs. Soren Jensen, a pioneer resident of Washington County, passed away at her home in north Blair last Thursday evening, Dec. 3, at the age of eighty three years. She had been seriously ill for the past two months.

Mrs. Jensen had been a resident of the county since 1868 when she homesteaded with her late husband in Lincoln Township. During her lengthy residence there she had been closely identified with many activities for the upbuilding of the county.

Mrs. Jensen, who was Anna Sena Petersen before her marriage, was born January 12, 1848 in Denmark, and emigrated to the United States with her parents in 1860. They first resided in St. Joseph, Mo, but later went by boat to Omaha where she was employed for a time as nurse by the pioneer Davis family. She met Mr. Jensen, who was employed in a stone quarry, in the state metropolis and they were united in marriage August 27, 1866.

Two years later they drove by covered wagon to Lincoln Township in Washington County to take a homestead, beginning their lengthy residence in the county. Ten of their thirteen children were born on the Lincoln Township farm, where they resided for 36 years, before moving to Blair to make their permanent home. They observed their silver anniversary on the farm, and their fortieth and golden anniversaries in Blair. Mr. Jensen died June 23, 1917.

Mrs. Jensen had been in good health and active until two months before her heath. Three years ago, at the age of 80, she was awarded a prize by the Blair Chamber of Commerce for the best kept lawn in the ward in which she resided. All the work on the lawn was done by herself.

For many years she had been a member of the Lutheran church.

Surviving are thirteen children: Mrs. Jens B. Jensen, Mrs. Peter Svendgard, J. P. Jensen, Ed A. Jensen, H. C. Jensen, Albert A. Jensen, Mrs. George Kuhr, Mrs. Henry Voss, Mrs. Ed Gilbertson, all of Blair; J. H. Jensen and Mrs. A. H. Voss, both of Long Beach, Calif; A. G. Jensen of Fremont and N. M. Jensen of Omaha. All the children but J. H. Jensen of Long Beach were at her beside when the end came. Sixty-three grandchildren and seventy-three great grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services were held Sunday, Dec. 6, at one o’clock at the home and one thirty at the First Lutheran church, and burial was made in the local cemetery.

~~~Obituary courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. News clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

FindaGrave #110948971