Jorgen Peder Jensen was my Great, Great, Great Uncle on my Mothers side of the family.

Written by Melanie Johnson of the Yellow River Company for the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Submitted by Judy Perry of the Gwinnett Georgia Camp.

Ane Jacobsen joined the church as a result of her future husband's missionary efforts. Jorgen Peder Jensen was the 7th child of 11 children born to his parents in Raadved, Denmark. His father was a carpenter and taught his sons the trade.

The first Mormon missionaries came to Denmark in the early 1850's, and each new male convert was called to serve a 2½ year mission locally before heading to Zion. After reaching Zion, many times these converts would return to their homeland to serve another mission. The goal of each new convert was to immigrate and gather with the saints in Zion. Many converts were wealthy, but the average convert had to save several years before they could afford passage. "By saving 2.5 cents daily, the young, unmarried folk who were unburdened and earning a living would save 300 kroner, or $75 in ten years. It was slow painful saving, but it brought them one by one, family by family, ever closer to the great day when they could go 'home to Zion.'" (Mulder)

When Jorgen's older married sister Bodild heard the gospel, she became the first of the whole family to embrace it in 1860. Over the course of the next ten years, all of Jorgen's siblings and his parents, last of all in 1870, would join the church in Denmark. Young Bodild left Denmark in 1864, now widowed, and set for Zion. The arduous journey was exciting to the new converts, including Bodild. She had to first make her way to Copenhagen, then to Hamburg, across the North Sea to Grimsby for a train ride to Liverpool, England. Then she made the Atlantic crossing in sailing vessels, then on to cross the American continent from the eastern ports.

Usually the Scandinavian saints traveled in wagon trains made up entirely of Scandinavian converts. Bodild met a Danish widower, Peter Jensen, and by the time they made it to Florence Nebraska, they had decided to marry. They were married in Nebraska City on 1 July 1864 and continued on to Zion.

A newspaper sent to Denmark from the Scandinavian saints in Utah kept the new converts anxious to immigrate. It detailed the passage of the travelers of each company that arrived. This news had begun with the first 29 Scandinavian immigrants, the Forsgren Company, that had come over in 1852. "An ounce of their success was worth a pound of propaganda in Scandinavia, and a hundred companies confidently followed in their wake, their adventures continually renewing the twice-told tale of the first voyagers and pioneers. This gave the migration of Scandinavian Mormons a distinctive pattern." (Mulder)

Jorgen Peder Jensen had joined the church in March 1866 at the age of 21. About a year later, he was ordained an elder and was soon called to serve a local 2½ year mission. While street contacting, he met 26 year old Ane Jacobsen. She joined the church in June 1868 and was immediately disowned by her brothers. She had grown up on the Danish Royal grounds, as her father was the groundskeeper. Both her parents died unexpectedly when she was 11, yet she and her siblings were kept on with the royal staff under King Frederick VII because the royal family was childless and took an interest in the children. When Ane was disowned, the Queen gave her enough money to make her passage to Zion. She immigrated in 1868.

When Jorgen was released from his mission, he worked his way to America on a merchant ship, jumping ship in New York, forfeiting his wages to meet Ane in Utah. The couple was married in May 1870 in the Endowment House and immediately called to help colonize Parowan. Jorgen built an adobe home for his new bride. Many of Jorgen's siblings and his parents found their way to Parowan, settling there. Jorgen was called to do the cabinet work in the St. George temple until its dedication in 1877. Jorgen was called to serve as Bishop of Circleville, although he didn't live there. He served as bishop for seven years when his health required his release. Looking for a better climate, they moved around, first to Millard, then eventually to Burley Idaho, where he died in 1919.

Ane died in 1926. Nine children were born to Jorgen Peder Jensen and his wife Ane.

Information taken from: "Jorgen Peder Jensen" and "Ane Jacobsen" life sketches by anonymous "My Life Story" by Alvin Moroni Jensen (son of Ane Jacobsen and Jorgen Peder Jensen)