JENS, John, b 1852: 1905 Bio, Mesa County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/mesa/bios/jensj.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 13, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- John Jens John Jens, of Grand Valley, living on a fine and well-improved fruit ranch of thirteen acres three miles east of Grand Junction, illustrates in his career the native thrift and all-conquering energy of the German people, who wherever they stick their stake make the wilderness blossom as the rose and yield a ready and abundant tribute to the wants of man. He is a native of Germany, born on February 3, 1866, and his parents, Juergen and Eva (Oetzman) Jens, were also natives of that country, where their forefathers lived from time immemorial. The father was a soldier in the Prussian army from 1860 to 1864, and fought in the war between that country and Denmark. He brought his family to the United States in 1884 and settled in Sherman county, Nebraska, where he and his wife are still living and farming. They had eight children, four of whom are living, John being the third in the order of birth. He was reared on the paternal farm in his native land and there received a slender common-school education. When he was twelve years old he began working on other farms in the neighborhood, and when seventeen, in 1883, he came to the United States in company with his younger brother Hans. They located in Sherman county, Nebraska, where an older sister had settled the year before. They worked on farms in this county for a few years, and in 1887 Hans died there. John saved his money and in 1889 bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, all wild land and unimproved except by a rude sod house. Here he lived and labored, bringing his land to productiveness and otherwise improving the property for a number of years. Then, on account of his sufferings from asthma, he came to the more favorable climate of Colorado and rented a small ranch north of Grand Junction, leaving his Nebraska farm in charge of a tenant. In 1902 he bought the fruit ranch of thirteen acres on which he now lives, and since then he has devoted his energies to its development and improvement. Five acres of the tract are in fruit and yield abundant crops. He has built a neat and comfortable modern cottage dwelling and other needed structures and made his home very desirable from every point of view. On April 9, 1895, he was married to Miss Lena Schoening, like himself a native of Germany. She came to the United States with her parents when she was nine years old, and they soon afterward became residents of Sherman county, Nebraska, where they are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Jens have no children of their own, but they have a daughter of a brother of Mrs. Jens whose mother died when the child was two years old, and whose name is Lucy. In political affiliation Mr. Jens is a pronounced Populist, and in fraternal circles he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America at Grand Junction. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.