Fresno County, California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


REV. JENS JOHANSEN. � One of the pioneer ministers of the San 
Joaquin Valley, Rev. Jens- Johansen has accomplished much good work in 
his chosen field, and is now rounding out his years of service as pastor of 
the Church of Our Savior, located in Central Colony, Fresno County and of 
the Danish Lutheran denomination. Born in Denmark, October 16, 1851, 
Reverend Johansen came to America with his parents, in 1860, and was reared 
in Missouri and Illinois. He lived in Arkansas during the Civil War period 
and has vivid recollections of those stirring and thrilling times, though he 
was but a lad at the time. 

After finishing his early schooling, Reverend Johansen attended Decorah 
College, at Decorah, Iowa, for six years, and also spent three years in Ger- 
mania Concordia Theological Seminary, at St. Louis, Mo. His first call was 
a dual one; he being assigned to two congregations, namely: the Trinity 
Church in the city of St. Louis and also the Webster Groves Church, which 
was in a suburb of St. Louis, where he remained five years. He was next 
called to Franklin County, Iowa, and held his charge there for six years. 

In 1891 Reverend Johansen received his third call, and came to Fresno 
County. In early days of the county's development he was a circuit rider, 
holding services at Rolinda and Fairview school districts. He also had 
charge of Missions at Newman, Modesto, Los Banos and Waterford, continu- 
ing this branch of his work until 1903. With unremitting zeal he worked 
early and late in pioneer days in the valley, taking hard long drives by team 
through the undeveloped valley and plain, with but little to lighten his 
burdens. 

The Church of Our Savior is one of the oldest in the valley, founded 
in November, 1879, by Rev. L. Carlsen, of San Francisco. In 1881 Rev. Diet- 
ricksen took charge, and in 1891 Reverend Johansen was called to the charge 
which he has most ably filled since that year. Sunday, July 19, 1916, he 
celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary as pastor in Fresno County, on which 
occasion the members of his church presented him with an automobile, the 
membership comprising fifty families. He was for six years secretary of 
the Pacific District of Norwegian Lutheran Synod, which was organized 
in 1893, when he became secretary, remaining in the office until 1899. 

Reverend Johansen was married in Albert Lee, Minn., to Hannah Larsen 
a native of Denmark ; her death occurred in 1912, after a full and useful life, 
during which she had been of inestimable help to her husband in his life 
work. Their children are as follows: Laura, wife of Roy Cole of Fresno, 
was born in St. Louis, Mo., July 9, 1882 ; Amelia, wife of Harry Ericksen of 
Fresno, was born in St. Louis, August 20, 1884; Theodore, born in Iowa, 
September 23, 1886, married Marion Damkier ; Clara, died at one year of age; 
Martin, born in Iowa, October 10, 1891, married Blanch Goodrich, and is the 
owner of a ranch near Lone Star; Hannah, born in Fresno, November 15, 
1892; Helen, born in Fresno, February 14, 1895, now the wife of E. G. Cart- 
right, a rancher on Orange Avenue, Fresno; Ernest, born in Fresno, March 
8, 1898, with the Union Pacific Railway in Fresno. During early days in 
the county Reverend Johansen bought four lots on South J Street, and erected 
his present home, one of the first to be built in that section.