• • • MAREN KERSTEN JENSEN Maren Kersten Jensen was born 11, March 1837 at Lonstruk, Jutland Denmark. This daughter of the Danish peasantry grew to young womanhood in a community where everyone worked so they could eat and have a roof over their heads. To work was considered part of life; it was honorable; it was necessary. The village church was also a very real and important part of life. Here babies were christened, adolescents were confirmed and baptized and young couples were married and started on the most serious and responsible part of their lives. Later on their funeral sermon was to be preached in the same building and they were buried in the adjacent church yard. It had been this way for a long, long time. However, not everyone attended the church services and some did not wholly agree with the doctrines advocated by the preacher. The Danish were notably independent in their thinking. And so when the first Mormon Elders came from America with their message of a new revelation and a gospel that was different in many ways--and still agreed substantially with their bibles, There were some in every parish who were willing to listen, Maren Kirsten Jensen was one of these. She attended their meetings. Here she experienced a feeling of friendliness which existed among those who believed. She felt the influence and peace of the spirit of the Lord. She heard the moving testimonies of confirming miracles in the lives of her neighbors. Sometimes the Elders would talk of Zion, a place in America where the chosen of the Lord were to dwell together in righteousness. It was easy for Maren to hope and to believe in Zion while attending these meetings. Zion would be a wonderful place to live. And Zion was to be in America. Before the Elders came Maren had heard of America as a land of opportunity where there was a challenge and a reward for all and especially for the young people who were willing to work. Now if she went there she could be among those whose hearts had been touched and whose lives had been changed by the gospel message. And might there not be some young men among them of about her own age? The Elders were urging all converts to gather in Zion at once. The church needed more people, there would be a shipload of converts leaving for America in the Spring. She decided she would go, But how? Marne had worked some as a dressmaker. She sold her sewing machine and everything she owned. This would barely pay the fare. Later she was able to arrange to work for a family of saints on the way, for her board. When it became known that Maren Jensen had been baptized into the Mormon church the peaceful world she had lived in was never the same. Former friends avoided her. The attitude of the townpeople varied from pity to riducle. The pastor called and ,,1 • • • urged her to repent. At first her parents were shocked. When she announced her plans to go to America they were heartbroken. But Maren had up her mind. On the day of her departure they were there to wave a last goodbye. As the ship got underway someone called out, "Goodbye--There goes Denmark." On May 16, 1861 at Liverpool they boarded the "Monarch of the Sea" for the promised land. They arrived in New York a month later. Those in charge decided to charter a train of cattle cars for the trip to Omaha. The roadbed was rough, the cars had no springs the toilet facilities were negligible, and they were crowded. Everyone was relieved and grateful when that part of the journey was ended. But Maren's troubles had not ended. At Omaha the family of saints purchased equipment and livestock with which to cross the plains. There were a few milk cows - it became Maren's duty after trudging over the rough plains all day to separate these cows from the common herd and milk them This she disliked very much . She was fearful of the cattle and she had never before learned to milk. (came with Samuel A. Wolley Company) The plains journey was not altogether unpleasant. In the same company was a young man also by the name of Jensen (Niels Christian). No doubt he helped her with some of her chores. It was surely not by accident that they both landed in Morgan Valley in September. They were married a few days after arriving . Their home that first year was a covered wagon. Their first child, Mary was born in that same wagon box, the following June. For weeks it had rained almost continually .. Their improvised bed was wet most of the time. Maren became desperately ill. The baby was born prematurely. But the sisters of the settlement were very kind and no doubt their devoted skillful help saved the lives of both the mother and the child. By the beginning of the next year Niels had arranged to purchase a lot and on it he had established a Coopers Shop. His family was living quite comfortably in a sort of cellar or dugout. As the years went by more children came and more property was acquired. But pioneer life was always strenuous and at times very difficult. They grew old before their time. M~ became crippled with arthritis, a result of the wagon box days. Sometimes she would admit that Zion had not proved itself to be all she had hoped for. But she always was true to the faith which she had accepted. Through out all this time Maren rarely mentioned her girlhood days back in old Denmark and so far as it is known she never corresponded with any of the loved ones whom she had left behind. It is as though the curtain on that stage of her life had been run down on that day so long ago when someone called out "Goodbye- there goes Denmark." On April 13, 1917 she died and was buried up on the hill, which overlooks the village where she tried so long and so hard to realize the Zion of her girlhood dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . Contnbuted by Colleen Barth