James P. Jensen Biography


	This biography appears on pages 990, 993 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and 
	was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JAMES P. JENSEN. 

	James P. Jensen is actively and successfully engaged in business 
as a general merchant at Erwin, having built up an extensive and well 
merited patronage His birth occurred in Fillmore county, Minnesota, on 
the 1st of November, 1872, his parents being P. K. and Anna Jensen. He 
attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education and 
after putting aside his textbooks assisted his father for a time. 
Subsequently he spent a year as an employee in a shoe store at Austin 
and then resided during one summer at Minneapolis, while later he 
entered the service of the Milwaukee Railroad. In 1897 he removed to 
Bryant, South Dakota, and there first secured a position in a hotel, 
afterward turning his attention to farm work In 1899 he located in 
Erwin and entered the general store and post office of J. R. Wills, 
remaining with him for one year. At the end of that time he secured a 
position with A. J. Hilton, whose establishment he purchased in 
association with a Mr. Peterson in 1904. Subsequently he bought the 
interest of his partner and has conducted business independently during 
the past few years. An extensive and profitable patronage is accorded 
him, for he carries a large and well selected stock of goods at 
reasonable prices and has won an unassailable reputation for 
reliability and integrity. His record as a business man is one well 
worthy of emulation and commendation, as he started out empty-handed 
and has worked his way steadily upward unaided to a position among the 
prosperous and representative merchants of his adopted state. 

	On the 9th of July, 1902, Mr. Jensen was united in marriage to 
Miss Ellen Johnson, by whom he has three children, namely: Verna B., 
Orville H. and Curtis L. He gives his political allegiance to the 
democracy and has served as a member of the school board for six years, 
the cause of education ever finding in him a stanch champion His 
religious faith is that of the Lutheran church and fraternally he is 
identified with the Masons, being a worthy exemplar of the craft. He 
finds recreation in fishing and motoring and also enjoys the 
companionship of friends, of whom he has made many during the period of 
his residence in this state.