HENRY PAULSON, son of Hans Peter Nielsen, adopted by Peter and Anna Paulsen Contributed by --- RGolay@aol.com - Rod Golay HIS PARENTS - Peter Nielsen Hans Peter Nielsen was born March 12, 1849 at Aahojrup, Denmark. The letter from Denmark has his birth date as December 1, 1850 probably a christening date. Hans came to America in the spring of 1892. He died in Kimballton, Iowa May 27, 1923, and buried there. Hans Peder Nielsen’s parents were; Niels Hansen, a soldier by 3. Liniebataljon, 1. Kompagni, No.163 Karen Johansdatter his mother. Hans Peter Nielsen --- WIFE #1 - Gertrude Rassmussen In 1877 Hans Peter Nielsen married Gertrude Marie Rassmussen while still in Denmark. Gertrude Marie Rassmussen was born in Stensky Denmark, March 1853. The letter from Denmark had her name spelled Gjertrud Marie Hansen. She died in Skovshojrup, Denmark, August 30, 1887. She was buried in Bren-derup churchyard, Brenderup, Denmark. Gertrude’s parents were: Rasmus Rasmussen born in Sonderso, in Stensby, Stalten, May 7, 1830. Karen Knudsen no record of birth or death. They lived in Stensby Mark, Skamby Station on Island of Fyn. Gertrude’s grandparents were: Gnd. Rasmus Hansen, born in Sonderso (no other record). Maren Adsdatter Madsdatter, born in Sonderso (no other record) Hans Peter Nielsen and Gertrude had three children: 1. MARIE---Marie Nelcine Kathrine Nielsen letter from Denmark: Nielsine Marie Kathrine Nielsen, July 1, 1878 Born--Nov 20, 1878 in Odense, Brenderup Parish, Denmark Died--Oct 26, 1964, age 86, buried at Casey, Iowa Married a Dane, Jens Jensen, had seven children 2. CHRIS---Carl Chris Nielsen letter from Denmark: Karl Kristian Nielsen, January 9, 1881 Born--June 8, 1881 Goldburg Station, Brenderup Parish, Denmark Died--April 19, 1975 Audubon, Iowa, Maple Grove Cemetery. Age 94 Married Myrtle who died 1970. Two children, Margaret and Kenneth 3. VICTOR---Victor J. Nielsen letter from Denmark: Niels Viggo Johannes Nielsen, May 31, 1883 (this name from Hans parents) Born--Brenderup Parish, Denmark Died--in the 1950’s. Lived and died in Cleveland. When Marie was nine years old, almost ten, her mother died. Gertrude died August 30, 1887, in Skovshojrup, and buried in Brenderup churchyard. When Marie’s daughter Laura was in Denmark 1967, she found the church, but the graves were dug up by the Germans in World War II to bury their dead, and all the stones were piled against the church. The summer after Gertrude’s death, a stereoscope picture was taken of Hans home, now in Laura’s posses-sion. It shows Marie, Victor, a housekeeper, Hans, and a workman in front of the house. Chris wasn’t in the picture because he was visiting his aunt in Sharslup when he was 7½ years old. Marie spent that sum-mer visiting her grandparents in Skamby. Laura took a picture of this house when in Denmark in 1967. Hans Peter Nielsen --- WIFE #2 - Karen Thomsen Hans married his house-keeper Karen Thomsen two years after his wife died. Karen was twenty-one and Hans forty. They married on March 3, 1889 at Brenderup, Denmark Karen Kristine Johanne Thomsen was born March 30, 1868 at Harndrup Parish. Her parents were "small holder Peder Thomsen and wife Jacobine Kirstine." She had a brother and two sisters, who came to America also, living with an aunt in Chicago. After college in Chicago, her brother returned to Denmark to teach. Julie and Minnie lived with an aunt in Chicago. This is where Marie stayed in later years. Minnie was a nurse. Julie married in Chicago. Later both moved to California, where Minnie married. Julie and Marie being the same age were playmates in Den-mark. Laura gave me pictures of them. Hans Peter Nielsen and Karen had five children: 1. ALFRED---Peder Alfred Nielsen born May 12, 1889 in Brenderup, Denmark. Alfred changed the spelling to Nelson in 1922 2. HANS---Hans Marius Nielsen, born December 1, 1890, Brenderup died February 3, 1891, Bren-derup. 3. ARTHUR---Arthur born dead, as shown on 1900 census, Shelby County Iowa 4. HENRY---Henry Nielsen, born near Irwin, Iowa, November 10, 1895. Adopted by Peter and Anna Paulsen about 1900. Henry used spelling Paulson after World War I 5. CHARLEY---Carl Charles Nie1sen, born in Shelby County, January 14, 1898. He was two years old when his mother remarried to a Jensen, which name he used. AMERICA In the spring of 1892 Hans Peter Nielsen came alone to America and settled on a farm near Poplar, Iowa. The rest of the family were to come later. He was sponsored by an aunt of his with the understanding that when the family came, the children would live and work for them. Time came for Karen (or Carrie as she was known in America) and family to leave and join Hans in America. The doctor said Marie could never stand the trip, that she probably would die en route, as she had been in the hospital during the summer with con-sumption. Mary was a very frail child, but the young wife was determined to leave. So on November 2Oth, Marie’s 13th birthday, they left by wagon to Middlefort, Fyn; crossed by boat to the Island of Jutland, Den-mark; then by train to Hamburg, Germany. Next by boat through the channel to England; then by a train to Liverpool, where they stayed a couple of days. They left sail on a big ship stopping at New Foundland and finally reaching Ellis Island in New York on Dec 10. 1892. There was no one to meet Carrie at New York. She couldn’t speak English and she needed help for the next stage of the journey. When they were off the boat she instructed the three children to stay in a certain spot and not to move no matter how long she might be gone. Thirteen-year old Marie (or Mary as she was known in America) was responsible for her two brothers, Chris, eleven and Victor at age nine. Carrie took three year old Alfred and went to get help for arrangements to go to Iowa, which was first a train to Chicago. Another train to Kirkman, Iowa, where she rented a team of horses and a wagon and drove from farmhouse to farm-house until she found her husband, Hans Peter Nielsen. The children went to live with the aunt, as promised, fairly close by. She was a very mean person. The children were supposed to go to school, but were kept home most of the time to work. Her husband was more lenient. The aunt especially disliked Mary, taking Mary’s nice clothes for herself and made Mary wear cast-offs. The aunt had a bad habit that every time she came near Mary she would pinch her. Mary said her arms were always black and blue. She warned the children never to tell their father anything except that they were happy and liked living with their aunt. They would send Mary out to work for other people, then keep the money. Finally Hans became aware of what was happening and asked for the children to come home, but this was denied. In order to get Mary away, he conspired with a family to ask for Mary to come and work for them. When the friend came to pick Mary up for work, he took her to her father’s home. When Hans asked for the boys, the aunt gave them up, but she sent word that if she ever met Mary she would kill her. Mary spent sometime working in homes in different communities. She earned enough money to go to Chicago where she stayed with Julie, her good friend from Denmark, and a sister of step-mother Carrie. Mary worked in Chicago about two years, for a lawyer’s family. During this time Hans and Carrie had two more sons, Henry and Charley. Mary came home once for a visit, and on one occasion went to visit the mean-one and nothing happened. The aunt had ended up in a mental in-stitution. Mary returned to Chicago to continue her work. DIVORCE Mary went to Chicago sometime around 1895. When she came home for a visit there were two new baby boys, Henry and Charley. She felt then that something was wrong between her father and step-mother Carrie, but she returned to Chicago. When Mary learned of her father’s divorce, she came home to be with him to care for the boys until other arrangements were made. Mary then worked for a family in Harlan for sometime. Then she went back to Kimballton in 1901 to learn dressmaking. That summer she met Jens Jensen, finished her sewing course, made her wedding dress. They married on March 12, 1902. Peter and Anna Paulsen stood up with them in the wedding. Mary’s daughter Laura never knew what divorce was. For many years her mother, Mary told her that her step-mother Carrie died after they came to this country. That was why she came back from Chicago, to be with her father and care for the boys. Then one day Mary finally opened up and told that her father and his second wife had divorced. After his first wife died in Denmark, he married this young girl. Carrie herself told her that she got married so she could come to America. Year’s later, Carrie told her son Alfred and his wife Ida that she was too young to marry Hans Peter Nielsen, and that it just didn’t work out satisfactory. In those days divorces was a scandal. Hans and Carrie had been members of the Lutheran church in Kimballton, but with a divorce, they were out. Hans Nielsen was a Lutheran in Denmark, which was the state church that took taxes out of your income for its support. Hans, and many times Mary too, attended a country Baptist church near Harlan. This was where he met the Paulsen’s who were very good to him, and later adopted Henry. He lived with the them on a farm between Kimballton and Harlan, and attended a country school near by. Han’s two older boys, Chris and Victor, went to school in Kimballton, then worked on farms in this area. Hans Peter Nielsen decided to give up farming at this time, and went to Des Moines to Grace University to learn the English language. Finished with that, he returned to Kimballton, Iowa, and to his old occupation, by starting a furniture store combined with the undertaking business. The building is no longer there, but the steps remain which go down off the sidewalk to enter; in the middle of the 2nd block on the east side of Main street. The furniture store was across the street. The hearse and coffins were stored in a shed out back. Hans Peter Nielsen WHAT BECAME OF THE FAMILY? Carrie had made life miserable for the children and Hans. Just before the divorce, in 1896 they loaded the children in the wagon to take them away. As the wagon bumped along on the rough road toward town, seven year old Alfred fell out of the wagon. He picked himself up and kept running to the closest farm house. The Petersen’s kept him and brought him up and were very nice to him. Hans and Carrie continued to town and had Henry adopted by the Paulsens. Alfred remained with the Petersens who had four children, the youngest being the same age as Alfred. The 1900 census had eleven year old Alfred listed as a servant in this home, a farm. The Petersens also originated from Denmark. Victor and Chris were teenagers, well able to care for themselves at this time, and worked out. The 1900 census shows each working as a servant on a farm near Kimballton. Chris was nineteen, and Victor seventeen. Mary was in her early twenties by now, and had been working in Chicago for four or five years, until she came home to care for the little boys. It is not known when Carrie left Hans, or the date of their divorce, or the exact whereabouts of Henry and Charley at that time. Mary probably cared for them until her marriage in 1902. Carrie eventually took Charley. The Paulsens did not take Henry until sometime after 1900, as he is not listed with them on the 1900 census. My folks said he was around five when the Paulsens adopted him, which would be 1900. The census was taken in the spring, and he could have been adopted any time after that. The Paulsens met Hans, Mary and Henry at the Baptist church near their farm east of Harlan. The Paulsens were very good to them, and later adopted Henry. The 1900 census shows that Hans Peter Nielsen is boarding at a hotel in Kimballton, with three other boarders. It also states that Hans is a furniture dealer. Carrie Thomsen Nielsen married Andrew Jensen on October 3, 1900. They farmed near Mapleton, Iowa, until retirement in 1926 when they moved to California where they lived four years, until Andrew’s death in May 1930. Carrie kept Charley who used the name Jensen. He was two years old at the time of this mar-riage. Carrie and Andrew had five children. In later years Alfred and his family kept in contact with this family. Alfred and the oldest Jensen girl wintered together in Florida in the 1960’s. Henry did not know this family. Carrie spent her last years with her daughter in Brainerd, Minnesota and died at the age of 82 on January 6, 1951. Carrie and Andrew Jensen are buried at St. Clair Cemetery, Ute, Iowa. I can’t express my thrill when I found out about dad’s real mother from my cousin Ruth in Des Moines, Iowa, a daughter of Alfred. She showed me the photo of Carrie with her new family, the Jensen’s. Immediately I picked out Charley, who looks so much like dad and Uncle Alfred, while the other children have the Jensen look. HANS LAST YEARS Hans retired from his furniture business in 1920 because of ill health. He lived with different ones of his children at various times. He lived with his son Alfred for over a year, as well as Alfred’s wife’s folks the Carlsons in Elk Horn. After his cancer surgery he stayed with his son Chris and Myrtle in Audubon for a while. In the fall of 1922 Hans went to live with his daughter Mary Jensen and her husband Jim on a farm near Irwin. March 1923 they moved to a farm near Greenfield, Iowa and Hans went along, and died in this home the following May. "Grandfather died at my folks home near Greenfield on Sunday at noon. The doctor was upstairs attending Grandfather, then he came down and announced that my Grandfather had died. Mother and I both cried. The body was in his house in Kimballton. I was nineteen years old and I took my picture from the table and put it in the coffin with Grandfather. My brothers had the undertakers use the horse drawn hearse for the trip from the house to the Lutheran church, then to the cemetery. The horses were slow going up hill and the cars we were in behind the hearse had a hard time going that slow." CHILDREN of HANS PETER NIELSEN Wife #1 -- Gertrude About 1895 Mary went to work in Chicago for a couple of years, at the suggestion of Minnie, a sister to her step-mother Karen. Minnie was a nurse. Mary worked for a lawyer’s family. Mary and Minnie re-turned to Kimballton for a visit, and Julie, Minnie’s sister, returned to Chicago with them. Julie and Minnie were Mary’s good friends in Denmark. When her father divorced, Mary came home to care for the little boys, Henry and Charley. After the boys were taken care of, Mary went to work for a family in Harlan. In 1901 she came back to Kimballton to learn dressmaking. That summer she met Jens Jensen, a Dane from Denmark, or Jim as he was known in America, and they were married March 12, 1902. Peter and Anna Paulsen stood up for them at the wedding. Mary and Jim Jensen farmed in the Harlan-Kimballton area until 1924 when they moved to Casey, Iowa, to farm until March 1945, when they retired to live in town. They had seven children, Laura is whom I visit, and has given me this information about coming to America from Denmark, plus the pictures. Mary was seventeen years older than Henry and took care of him, and they continued a close relationship over the years. Mary named one of her sons Henry. I remember visiting Aunt Mary and Uncle Jim when I was small, the remembrance being that Aunt Mary, was petite and frail, while Uncle Jim was big, straight, and over six feet tall. My sister Alta Jane and I visited them in Sept 1943, on our Iowa visit from Chicago. Mary lived her last two years with her daughter Laura in Omaha, died 1964. Dorthe always corresponded with Mary, and after her death, corresponded with Laura. In the spring of 1978, following Dorthe’s death, my sister and I visited Laura. Carl Chris attended a college in Elk Horn, Iowa, then taught school. He married Myrtle who was also a teacher, and they lived in Audubon, Iowa. About 1920 they quit teaching and moved to a farm near Bray-ton. Years later they sold the farm, and moved back to Audubon doing odd jobs, including well drilling. Chris and Myrtle had two children, Margaret and Kenneth. Margaret married William Fries a builder and they had four children. Chris and Myrtle played violin and piano, and the children and grandchildren were also musical. Grandson Bill Fries became well known with television advertising, especially with ‘Old Home Bread’ during the 1970’s. He was also known as ‘C.W. McCall’ who wrote trucker songs. Kenneth joined the Navy, married and lived in San Diego. Chris loved music. He and his wife Myrtle played for dances. He would go once a week to the nursing home to sing and play for the old people. He was 94! Chris died in 1975, almost 95. Myrtle died in 1970. When Laura visited 90 year old Chris he sang Danish songs that were played by the band and sung by the crowd when on ship leaving Denmark for America. They sang "An Evening Prayer" and "Twilight is Fal-ling." The last part of the verse said, "Sweet Happy Home so bright", with their thoughts on a new home in America. Victor left the Kimballton area about 1901; for Cleveland, living with a relative of his father. He married Nettie and had two children Kenneth and Jane. Victor was a roofer, and belonged to the union. As secre-tary, he attended a convention in Kansas City, 1928. Afterwards he visited his sister Mary in Casey, and Laura in Council Bluffs. Both Victor and Nettie died in the early 1950’s. (Wife #2 -- Karen) Alfred was raised on a farm by a Danish family by the name of Petersen, in the Kimballton area. Alfred married a Kimballton girl, Ida Carlson, in 1917, and had four girls. The second year of marriage they moved to a farm in Winterset, Iowa. Henry and his wife kept in touch with Alfred’s family by writing fre-quent letters. My sister and I stayed with them in Sept 1943 and had great fun with his two youngest daughters who had a car. I have visited Loraine three times and Ruth in Des Moines several times, who gave me the information and picture of dad’s real mother. Alfred kept in touch with his mother, and was a close friend with his half-sister Mary Jensen with whom he stayed a winter with in Florida. Alfred spelled his name Nielsen until 1922, then changed to Nelson. Alfred died in June 1969, age 80 Henry was adopted at the age of four or five by Peter and Anna Paulsen, from Denmark. Henry never saw his mother again. The Paulsen’s lived on a farm five miles east of Harlan, where Henry attended a country school close by. In 1913, the Paulsen’s moved to 6th Street in Harlan. Henry used the name Paulsen, changing the ‘sen’ to son after coming out of World War I, because his War records spelled it that way. Henry worked on farms in the area before the War. Henry married Dorthe Nelson August 1921, and bought his own farm near Avoca in 1924. In 1930 he moved his family to Idaho because of Dorthe’s asthma. In Moscow, Idaho, Henry worked as a janitor at the University until his death January 1956 at the age of 60. Henry had always been in poor health since being gassed during World War I. Henry and Dorthe had 5 children. Mary’s daughter Laura recalls, "Uncle Henry visited many times in our home 6 miles east of Harlan. I remember many times when we went to town we stopped at Paulsen’s for coffee be-fore going home. Also went there for Sunday dinner. I remember Uncle Henry coming to our house with his World War I uniform on. We thought that was great!" Henry was very proud and patriotic of his military duty. He and Dorthe were both very active in the VFW, and activities of World War II. Charley was born January 1898, three years younger than Henry. who never knew him. Charley was two years old when his mother Carrie married Andrew Jensen, October 1900, and lived with five younger half-brothers and sisters. Charley used the name Jensen. Charley was a cabinet maker and lived in St. Paul, Minnesota. He married and had one daughter. Charley died September 1969, age 71, and was buried in St. Paul. HIS ADOPTED PARENTS - Peter and Anna Paulsen Denmark to America: Peter was born in Logstor, Denmark, September 26, 1857 to Paul and Dorthea Petersen. He had two sisters, Petra who stayed in Denmark and Maren who came to America. Petra and Maren’s last names were Petersen, but Peter’s last name was Paulsen, because he was the son of Paul. That’s the way Danish names were used up through the 1800’s, or until they came to America. Peter had only six years of schooling. Peter’s parents were Paul and Dorthea Petersen of Logstor, Denmark, where the three children were born. We have no dates for Paul, but Dorthea Kerstine Petersen was born August 24, 1826 near Aalborg, Den-mark. We don’t know when they were married, but they came to America in 1891. Paul and Dorthea lived near Fiscus, than moved to Harlan 1903. They were members of the Danish Baptist church in Harlan (Jr. Block and I saw the old church records). Dorthea lived several years in Peter’s hone before her death August 18, 1907. There is no date for Paul’s death. They are buried in the Harlan cemetery, but we don’t know where. There is no stone just ‘Mr. and Mrs. Paul Petersen’ in the old book. Peter was the first one to come to America at the age of 30, in 1887, the first year at Dell Rapids, South Dakota, 1888. In 1889 he settled in Merrill’s Grove, Shelby County, Iowa, farming at various places. Peter’s good reports of Iowa must have encouraged his sister Maren and husband Jens Nielsen to leave Denmark and come to Iowa in 1889 with three children. In 1891, Peter’s folks, Paul and Dorthea Petersen arrived in America leaving their oldest daughter Petra and family in Denmark (Nels Block’s folks). We don’t know when Anna’s folks arrived. 1892 was a big year for Peter. His sweetheart from Denmark arrived in Iowa January 1892, and two or three weeks later they were married on January 24, 1892. Peter was thirty-four and Anna Nielsen was twenty-three. Peter and Anna’s families were close friends in Denmark. Peter’s sister Maren had married Anna’s brother Jens in Denmark eleven years ago, 1881. Peter and Anna were converted and joined the Danish Baptist Church in Merrill’s Grove in 1892. Peter bought a farm three miles east of Harlan probably about 1900. We do know they transferred their church membership to Harlan in 1900. When Peter retired from farming, they sold the farm and bought a house in Harlan, 2005 South 6th Street for $1,000. Peter also bought several houses for rentals, and this gave him activity to keep them in repair. The 1915 census shows the house valued at $1100 and was free and clear of debt. THE PAULSEN HOME The Paulsen home was one of activity and hospitality. Weddings occurred at the home. When Henry was seven years old, his half-sister Mary Nielsen who cared for him, was married in the Paulsen home, March 1902. Henry was sixteen when Holga Rosenkilde married Adolph Siemssen January 1912. Holga was the one who gave Henry his Bible when he was small. I have had the joy of meeting four relatives who remember being in the Paulsen home. Laura, Mary’s daughter remembers many times stopping at the Paulsen home for coffee on their way home from town. Also they had Sunday dinners at the home. Holga’s daughter Norma remembers that Anna Paulsen always had cookies for her and her sister when they visited. They were at the house shortly before Anna passed away. Helga always called Anna Fasta, fasta meaning aunt in Dane. Anna was a heavy-set woman in her later years. Eighty-year old Jake Jacobsen, a relative, told me how he and his sister would stay with the Paulsens sev-eral days at a time. Jake and Henry would play down by the creek, under the trees. Jake mentioned that they never had a wagon or a swing. Peter sponsored his sister Petra’s son Nels Block to America in 1911, and his marriage took place in the Paulsen home July 1918. Dad’s closest cousin was Nels. Both served in World War I. I remember Nels Block’s home and playing with their children. We stay in Jr. Block’s home when we go to Iowa. Nels Block and his spouse Jessie were witnesses at Henry and Dorthe’s wedding on Aug 3, 1921. HENRY’S YOUTH 1900 was a very important year for Peter and Anna Paulsen. They had just bought their own farm five miles east of Harlan, and moved their church membership to the Danish church in town. But most exciting was the adoption of Henry Nielsen from Kimballton. He was probably about five years old. Peter and Anna had lost a baby, as there is an infant’s grave next to them in their cemetery plot. Peter and Anna Paulsen knew Henry’s father, Hans Peter Nielsen, from Kimballton. He and his daughter Mary with little Henry had been attending the same country Baptist church, and had been very kind to Hans after his divorce. This kindness led to the adoption of Henry. "Presented to Henry P. on his 9th birthday by his father and mother. Hoping he will always read and obey the words enclosed in this little Book. Nov 10, 1904" Alta Jane Murphy, Henry’s daughter now has this Bible. I have this beautiful postcard Henry wrote to his mother when he was eleven years old on Aug 21, 1906. His mother was visiting her folks in another town. One chore of Henry’s was to carry water from the pump under the windmill down by the barn, 300 feet up the hill to the house. Just think of the water needed for a Monday washday hand carried to the wash house! He told me many times that’s what caused his round shoulders. Henry attended a country school a quarter mile from his farm. His schooling ended with the eighth grade, probably 1909-1910. This school was destroyed but an identical school was moved on the foundation of the old one Henry attended. This school is now gone when we were there in 1985. After his schooling, Henry helped his father farm as well as helping out at other neighboring farms. When Peter Paulsen moved off the farm to retire in Harlan in 1913, eighteen year old Henry worked for Joe Noble up near Kirkman. He helped with the planting and harvesting of the corn for four years, until he enlisted for World War I. In 1979 it was my pleasure to met a daughter of Joe Noble, 79 year old Orpha, who was five years younger than Henry. She said he was a quiet man and a hard worker. Orpha identified the picture I had of him in his Army uniform with two young ladies, herself and her sister Mae. Cousin Laura told me she remembered Uncle Henry coming to her house with World War I army uniform on. They all thought that was great! She gave me the picture of him in his uniform with the two young ladies. Contributed by --- RGolay@aol.com - Rod Golay