Søren Christian (Jensen) Johnson (1868 - 1947)

Born 23 Oct 1868 in Villerslev, Thisted, Denmark

Descendants

Died 3 Apr 1947 at age 78 in Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

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Biography

Søren was born in 1868 in Villerslev, Thisted, Denmark to Poul Jensen and Ane Kirstine Stephansen, the eldest of five children.

Søren sailed to America with his family in 1880 when he was 11 years old. They first settled in Boston. Around 1883 the family moved to frontier South Dakota where they established a homestead in Roberts County.

By 1900 Søren and brother John were partners in their own farm operation. In 1901 Søren met the sister of his friend John Eklund... Selma Andersdotter ...and they married in 1902. Søren adopted Selma's first born child Ellen.

In 1903 Søren, Selma and daughters Ellen and Nettie moved to Okotoks, Alberta, Canada to establish a new homestead with a Dominion Land Grant; the land was at Galahad, a days journey northeast of Calgary by rail, wintering in Okotoks for the first 2-3 years. They worked the land until 1912 when Søren was injured digging a well and unable to continue work.

During his recovery, Søren and Selma decided to relocate to the more favourable climate of Cranbrook, British Columbia. They established another homestead on rented land overlooking the town (known as the 'Bald Hill Ranch' to the family). There they would have the last of seven children, Florence (...Ellen 1901*, Nettie 1903, Annie 1905, Albert 1908, Edith 1909, Clarence 1912, and Florence 1916). (*Ellen was step-daughter to Søren, but this was kept secret until Ellen was in her 40s.)

Søren was a horticulturalist and experimented with fruit trees appropriate for the B.C. interior climate. The family built a house in Cranbrook around 1920. Søren worked for the city as horticulturalist and would later be commemorated for his work in selecting and guiding the planting of city trees in parks, streets and cemetery in Cranbrook.

He passed away in 1947, age 78, and is buried in the Westlawn Cemetery in Cranbrook with his wife Selma (d.1961), and several of his children ...surrounded by trees he himself had selected.

Research Notes

• FamilySearch profile: Søren Johnson LLH4-4B7
• clarify birthplace and add/create category
• add links/detail to sources where possible

siblings:

• Søren Christian Jensen 1868–1947
• Ane Kirstine Marie Jensen 1870–1948
• Jens Christjan Jensen 1873–1951
• Karen Carrie* Helene Jensen 1877–1955
• Steffan Sørenson Jensen 1877

Sources

• 1868 baptism - Jensen, Søren; Denmark, Church Records, 1812-1918; Rigsarkivet; Danmark; Kontraministerialbog; Reference: 8036524051;
• 1880 Census - "1880 Denmark Census" (1 Feb 1880); Rigsarkivet: Danish National Archives; Denmark; 1880 Folketælling; Page number: Liste No 3; Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry ca Record 61729 #116353 (accessed 20 July 2023); Søren Kristian Jensen (11) barn (child) in household of Poul Jensen (36) in Hassing, Thisted, Denmark. Born in Villerslev Sogn, Thisted Amt; household members: Ane Kirstine Steffensen 34, Husmoder; Ane Kirstine Jensen 9, dtr; Jens Christjan Jensen 6, son; Karen Elene Jensen 4, dtr; Steffen Sørrensen 2, son;
• 1880 emigration - Det Digitale Danske Udvandrerarkiv, Københavns Politis Udvandrerprotokoller [1]; Kontrakt nr.: 457700; residence: Hørdum parish, Thisted Amt; destination: Boston, USA; departure date: 29 May 1880; ship: "indirekte" (i.e. ship name unknown, departure port unknown).
• 1900 US Census - Spring Grove, Roberts, South Dakota; Roll: 1554; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0282; FHL microfilm: 1241554;
• 1905 Dominion Land Grant - Johnson, Soren; NE section 34, Township 40, Range 13, West Fourth Meridian; Folio: 486; Liber: 410, Microfilm Reel Number: C-6266, Item Number: 313881; https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/land/land-grants-western-canada-1870-1930/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=313881&;
• 1906 Census of the Northwest Provinces - Alberta, Calgary (19), sub-district 6 (Townships 20, 21 in ranges 27, 28, 29 west of the 4th Meridian and townships 20, 21 in range 1 west of the 5th Meridian); page 46, family 36; Soren Johnson, 37, married, head, year of immigration 1903, birthplace: Denmark; others on page: Selma 27, wife; Ellen 5 daughter, Netty 3 daughter, Annie 1 daughter; Library & Archives Canada: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1906/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=361605 ;
• 1911 Census of Canada - Library and Archives Canada. Microfilm reels T-20326 to T-20460; Alberta, District 5 Red Deer, subdistrict 46; Page: 6; Family No: 27;
• 1921 Census of Canada - District Kootenay east (17), subdistrict Cranbrook (41), family 331;
• 1947 burial - Johnson, Søren; burial; Westlawn Cemetery, Cranbrook, BC, Canada; https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80276817/soren-johnson;