Jensen Plot: The Next Generation

Stone Marking the Family Plot of Anna Jensen (daughter of Soren and Anne Sine) in Blair Cemetery

 On August 27th, 1866, Soren and Anne Sine Jensen were married in Omaha, Nebraska. On April 11, 1867 their first child, a daughter they named Anna, was born. On May 10, 1887, when Anna was 20, she married Jens Black Jensen. Jens Black was also a Danish immigrant. According to my great-grandma Maxine they were not related, Jensen is simply a common surname among the Danes. 

   In this plot are buried Jens Black, Anna, and two of their children, Hanna and William Jennings Bryan. 

Jens Black Jensen b. Feb 11, 1858, d. Feb 6, 1935

 I don't know much about Jens Black yet. According to the 1900 census, he was born in Denmark to a Danish father and Swedish mother, and emigrated to the United States in 1883. When we were visiting his gravesite, Grandma Max stood staring at it for several minutes, lost in thought. I asked her what was on her mind, and she replied, "Orvie and I were planning to elope that week. We had to change our plans because Grandpa Jensen died." (He was her father's father.) 

Anna B. Jensen b. Apr 11, 1867, d. Nov 30, 1945

Anna was the mother of 10 children! Her fifth child, Johannes Emil, was my great-great grandfather.

Hanna Jensen b. Nov 30, 1890, d. Feb 21 1987

Hanna was the third child of Anna and Jens Black. According to Grandma Maxine, her boyfriend was killed in the war and she never married. I forgot to ask, but based on the dates I am assuming she meant World War I.

William Jennings Bryan Jensen b. Dec 8, 1895, d. Dec 9, 1961.

In 1896, Nebraska Congressman William Jennings Bryan ran for president on both the Democratic and Populist tickets, but lost to Republican William McKinley. I am going to go out on a limb here and guess that William Jennings Bryan Jensen's parents were staunch Democrats. And obviously big fans of WJB and his push for Free Silver over Gold Standard. In spite of the big name, WJB Jensen was a scrappy little guy whom everyone called Mick. Grandma Maxine says he was very ornery, always getting into fights, and he didn't like kids.  

My Tour Guides on this Family History Trip

*My apologies for the poor formatting. I'll figure this out eventually!