Sarah Josephine Clausen Jensen

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BIRTHDATE: 4 Aug 1829, Busdorf, Holstein-Schleswig, Prussia

DEATH: 25 Dec 1919, Brigham City, Box Elder Co., Utah

PARENTS: Jens and Catharina Oelerich Clausen

PIONEER COMPANY: Hans Peter Jensen Company, dep. 15 June 1854, arr. 5 Oct 1854

SPOUSE: Hans Peter Jensen (1815-1883)

MARRIAGE: 8 Apr 1842

DEATH OF SPOUSE: 29 May 1883, Brigham City, Box Elder Co., Utah

CHILDREN:

Jacob Peter Jensen (1850-1928)

Joseph Moroni Jensen (1852-1923)

Sara Ephramina (Minnie) Jensen (Snow) (1854-1908)

Ephraim Peter Jensen (1857-1939)

Huldah Amelia Jensen (Snow) (1860-1939)

Fanny Elizabeth Jensen (1862-1863)

Hans Peter Jensen (1864-1888)

Alma Peter Jensen (1866-1866)

William Clausen Jensen (1868-1929)

“Sarah Josephine Clausen Jensen – A Sketch of My Life’s History” Edited by Dorothey Jenson Schimmelpfennig 1964 [This autobiography was copied from a hand written manuscript. As Sarah Josephine Clausen Jensen chose to write her story in English rather than her native German. There were occasional spelling and grammatical errors. Corrections were made when they tended to clarify the author’s intent. Inclusion by the editor were placed with brackets.] July 4th 1904. In a month from today, Aug 4th , I fill my 75th year, and will now try to record some event of past life. In the year 1848, when 19 years old, the war between Germany and Denmark started, and continued for several years. I wished often it might [have] been so that I could have participated in the fight, for I loved my country and thought we were in the right. I was born in Schleswig, capitol of Schleswig-Holstein, August 4, 1829, of the goodly parents, Jens and Catharina Oelerich Clausen. My father was the oldest son of Jens Clausen, a well-to-do farmer and resident of Friedrichstadt. My mother was the daughter of Peter and Catharina Oelerich, a farmer of Fleckeby, a village in Schleswig-Holstein. Father was 22, mother was 20 years old at their marriage in 1828.

Grandma, Sarah Lundberg Clausen, an only child of Mr. Lundberg, a wealthy Jew in Friedrichstadt, Schleswig-Holstein. Her mother had died in her infancy and she was brought up by her aunt Miss Lundberg, right at home in the Jewish tradition. She was attending school when her father already had chosen a rich Israelite for her future husband, all of which she abhorred, and tried hard to frustrate the plan. Moreover, she favored the Christian Lutheran Church and its creed, and could not submit to her father’s will. Finally, when she had a proposal of marriage of Grandpa Clausen (given almost jokingly) she escaped, left her home, and was married secretly, for she knew that her father would never consent to it. Persuasion, sympathetic friends, threatening, all was of no avail for her to retract the steps she had taken, so the millionaire father disinherited his daughter entirely. Grandma passed a very hard life indeed; she raised a large family depending on the work of their hands until the family had grown up. About 20 years prior to her death, there came an heirship legacy from the south of Deutchland, from her uncle and cousin who had died and who had been the only heirs of her father’s wealth. Grandma died about 70 years old after I had gone to America. She felt content and satisfied in all her trouble, and acknowledged the hand do God in it all. When I was a little girl, I heard her telling these and other remarkable stories and event in her romantic life over and over again to relatives and friends and as I was an eager listener. I learned them by hear. She was such a loving, grand, old lady, Her youngest child, a little girl only 2 years my senior, and I her first grandchild, were always together, I bear her name, Sarah. When I was 11 years old, I remember so well, it was one year after dear father’s death, big sums of money, sewed up in sacks, arrived from South Germany as Grandma’s legacy, as she was now the only heir left from distant relatives to inherit the wealth that had been given to them by her father, who had died, and now they were dead also. My father’s share was divided between us four girls, my sisters and put on interest. That is the last of it to me.

From my childhood I can say I was religiously inclined, and often prayed to the Lord when alone for understanding about heavenly things. I read much and learned by heart chapters of the Bible and church history old and new. When I was 12 years old, my mother married again Johann Jurgens a good man who loved religion, read the Bible, and sough for light spiritually. At 15 years, I left school and [was] confirmed in the Lutheran Protestant Church, 1844. My mother sent me to the city of Husum 25 miles away to learn cooking and housekeeping. I stayed there 1-1/2 years and had to endure many unpleasant words and treatment form gentlemen in our house on account of my religious attitude. After my return home I engaged to General Superintendent Callison as cook in a wealthy family, 6 months after the great war began between Germany and Denmark.

Soon after I became acquainted with a Baptist Missionary Schlesigner, and read their tracts. It soon became clear to me that sprinkling infants could not be right be called baptizing after repentance and many more things which I found by reading their literature were more reasonable and consistent with the Bible than our Lutheran Protestant Church doctrine. I longed for more light on the subject, but there was no organization of them in our city. I got permission from my parents to take a trip to Hamburg where headquarters of said church was established, on the new railroad which just had begun service between Rendsburg and Hamburg, and awakening a curiosity of the people at that day. But I was careful to not betray my real intention to learn of the creed of this unpopular sect. If they had known they would not have let me go. I delighted in my experience of travel in a railroad carriage and found the subject of my search. I was all alone and went to meeting as it was Sunday night. I felt surprised and glad with what I heard and saw in the society, mostly the kind and loving spirit. I found a place in a nice family to wait on ladies who preferred to be very religious. I kept my secret well, as I soon became aware that the Baptist were persecuted and hated and spoken evil of, although Hamburg is one of the four cities that were granted religious liberty in Germany to Jews and all other sects for their worship and religious exercises. After much prayer and investigation, I made up my mind to join them and was baptized about two weeks after my arrival. I was filled with the Spirit of God and was happy. I informed my parents of what I had done, and begged of them to investigate our doctrines. After a few days I received an answer stating their surprise and disapproval and forbidding me to ever enter the parental door as a Baptist. Now I felt alone and weeping knelt down and poured out my heart before the Lord realizing he was the only friend to depend upon I felt comforted by His Spirit, assured I had not done any wrong, only obeyed His commandments.

In about a month from then, the cholera epidemic appeared in Hamburg and numberless were its victims. Meanwhile I attended meetings on Sundays where my heartfelt full of joy in the light that had come to my understanding. I mingled with kind, intelligent people whose aim was to serve the Lord, but took car not to be known to my ladies. One day I had a teacher’s visit and that disturbed them, so I had after all to divulge the secret and that was more than they in their righteousness could endure so I had to look up another place. Meanwhile the cholera raged, and in a letter from home I was told to come immediately. Now it came my turn; I wrote back I did not fear to die, I had made peace with God by obeying His command. In fact I felt and said I could not meet death in a better state of mind and life as at the time. I advised them to investigate and not judge things they did not understand The Lord protected me although our neighbors were smitten in one night. This made me cling close to Father in prayers when our ladies wondered. I changed my place in due time and got on to convene in Hamburg for 3 weeks duration. Here I met my future husband as a delegate from the Baptist Church in Denmark would perhaps take a message to my parents on his way home. We shook hands but I could not say a work in his language. That was the beginning and after a week passed started for home. Mr. Onken, our church President, gave Mr. Jensen a letter recommending him to me as a true and faithful man, had been a zealous missionary in 11 years and done much good. I looked upon the situation at the time as a mission. I had no desire to marry. We were silent and I motioned him to kneel in prayer. Finally I accepted his proposal. We called at my home in Schleswig, and the folks were so astonished that [it] made them sick and [they] surrendered. Amnesty in the war was soon at an end, three weeks hence, so we decided that I remain home while Mr. Jensen traveled to home to make arrangement for the marriage and come back to take me (a distance of about 600 miles by coach travel) to Denmark. Meanwhile my relatives tried hard to break my promise, but I felt it was my duty and my promise was before the Lord. As time closed near Mr. Jensen did not come, and all mail service closed. “Now I was released,” they said, but I felt to start out alone. This father objected to and he himself would accompany me, and take a roundabout road home. We arrived in Aalborg and were married at home in Norre Sundby March 3, 1845, by a Priest Tryde [of the] Lutheran Protestant Church. There I met four little motherless children and could not speak to them nor they understand me. I felt like a stranger in a strange land, but I fully believed it was my mission given me from the Lord. I set to work at once to study the language and in a short time was able to speak, read and write it, and at the same time taught the children German. It was quite a trial. And 1 ½ years passed when one Sunday a stranger visited our meeting and after closing introduced himself as an Elder form America. Our first-born son Jacob was born March 20, 1850, in Norre Sundby, Aalborg, Denmark. In the same year [in] July, the Grand Law of Religious Liberty was granted throughout the land by King Fredrick VII. In the same month Apostle Erastus Snow with three Elders arrived in Copenhagen to open in that nation the door of the everlasting Gospel. The Elders’ names [were] P. O. Hansen, J. Forsgren, George P. Dykes. The 12 [of] August seventeen persons were baptized. A Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized September 11 in Copenhagen. Shortly after George P. Dykes was sent to Aalborg west in the Kingdom where we resided and my husband presided over a large brand of the Baptist Church here. Mr. Jensen invited [him] to call at home and gave him our address. Next day he did so and Mr. Jensen took him in our parlor where he asked for a Bible, pointed out scriptures and let us read them. In an hour we saw and understood more of our Bible than ever before, (although we Baptists held the Bible as our Standard of Religion) but this was so different we found to our surprise and our little might could not stand against this bulwark of truth. Our hearts rejoice and new life had opened before us. The seed was sown and we anxiously waited for future developments. On October 27, 1850, with three more couples (Baptists) [we] were baptized for the remission of our sins by Elder G. P. Dykes and initiated in said Church. A Branch was organized with us eight souls, and my husband as Presiding Elder. The names of the members were H.F. Petersen, C. N. Snow, Nielson, and H.P. Jensen with their wives, [including] myself. Next Sunday Mr. Jensen was a usual at this post in the Baptist Church, and with force explained the things [that had] happened last week and bore his testimony to the true restored gospel. The result was over two-thirds of all the Baptist Church, which numbered a hundred, came over and embraced Mormonism. This raise quite a stir and persecution from outsiders followed so bitter that after court precedent and imprisonment, the leading brethren thought it wise to get away. My husband had several narrow escapes from death and got off. Under these trying circumstances our Joseph was born while [they were] pelting rock through the windows of my apartment. Mr. Jensen was not allowed to be at home any more, and had to dispose of his business affairs, the iron foundry, blacksmith and wagon shops. I moved to Schleswig with my parents while my husband was sent on a mission to Bornholm and Norway. Two years passed. My parents, some of my sisters and friends believe my testimony and wrote to my husband. He came and baptized and organized a Branch of which my father presided. Persecution followed. Mr. Jensen [was] banished by the police, and I went with my family to Copenhagen. My father escorted us, but on returned the cholera killed him before reaching home. This year [1852] saw a company of Saints emigrating for Zion. I went to Hamburg and saw them embark; 700 of them all from Denmark. It was here I was asked to translate the revelation on Celestial Marriage form the German into the Danish language. This was the first I had ever heard or seem of this doctrine. I must say I was thunderstruck. It was so contrary to feeling and tradition I stopped [for I had] some doubts. After a sever struggle with weeping and prayer, I saw some light and the Lord spoke peace to my soul and I had a testimony of the divinity of the great revelation.. By the help of God, I felt willing to make the great sacrifice and in due time to obey this command. I lived in this order for thirty-three years unto my husband’s death. I translated the revelation which was the first printed in the Danish language. In 1853, I lived again in Copenhagen and was preparing for the next emigration in November. A policeman informed me I was not to leave the city until they arrested Mr.Jensen, I sought counsel from the Office, fearing they would prevent my joining the emigration. They told me to make my escape. Mr. Jensen [had] gone to England and I had better follow him. So I packed up, told my servant to be silent, when police called say I had gone out. I think divined my four children among some good emigrant to take them along to the pier [and] meet me [there], also to take away my trunks by darkness. So I eluded them [and] was escorted by two brethren in the evening o the railroad station, took my maiden name and was off. I called in Schleswig but as informed my home was quarantined and family sick with cholera. I went to Hamburg and was surprised at finding my husband.

The Elbe [River] had frozen and he was thereby delayed in proceeding to England. After three weeks the emigrants arrived and I met our dear children. [They were] well but my baby had forgotten me. My little Joseph and Jacob did not want to leave their friend Brother Andrew Winberg and wife. My dear mother and family also had joined us, and they worst experience at sea I ever had was the three nights and day coming to England. There the ships were not ready, and we had to stop another week. The camp consisting of 800 was packed so closely in hotels that sickness reduced its numbers especially amongst the children. At length two ships started. We were seven and a half weeks on the ocean to New Orleans. Up the river cholera broke out again and sometimes a whole family died out with one or two remaining. Those were sad days but they were buried in boxes by the river side. We reached St. Louis and met dear mother and family again, their having arrived from the other ship earlier. We again went further on up river to Kansas from which point we were going by ox team across the wilderness to Utah. Other was awaiting and Elder who carried the most of her money to come in sight and there[fore] could not come with us. After a couple of weeks, he appeared but had used the money to buy merchandise. This great shock made my mother and sisters lose their faith in Mormonism and they remained there [in St. Louis] and died. Two sisters are living [there] at this day. Lean and Louise [are] both widows but will not be converted to the truth [in spite of ] all I can do or say although they were children when this happened.

We were four months on the route and passed through much hardship. [We] reached Salt Lake City October 5, 1854, all well but without means and in debt. I was then twenty-five years old and we started life anew. We were counseled to go to Box Elder County, the then farthest point north that should be settled. Here we shared in all the hardships [and] disappointments incident to pioneer life; sage brush, Indians ill-disposed except you gave them all they asked, and we ourselves were so poor. Next spring we had sowed seed but all [was] destroyed by grasshoppers. Then came starvation. Thistle and sego water were greatly appreciated as food for two years [we] had a hard time of it. Dear baby Minna was born October 10, 1855. We struggled on in starvation, sickness, and poverty like most pioneers in a barren country. Then came the Buchanan War [in] 1857, when our son Ephraim was three months old, and after my husband had been away all winter in Echo Canyon to watch the Johnson Army as Major. We were counseled to pack up and travel southward, perhaps never to return which all our people did living north of Salt Lake City. This included 1858. Utah history relates we did experience hard work trouble and anxiety in this move. But the Lord fought our battle and we returned after three months to begin anew. Apostle Lorenzo Snow had been sent to preside in this northern part of the country and he was a wise and good man. [In] 1860 our daughter Hulda was born. After that time four more children blessed out home; three boys and one girl. Little Fanny and Alma died before [they were] one year old. Our Hans died [when he was] twenty-four years old, and my youngest son Willard lives now. [The year] 1879 bought the railroad to Brigham City. We were told to build a house and keep a hotel for strangers. This brought great work and worry to me, but we prospered and kept it up for years. In 1873 I and daughter Minna went to St. Louis on a visit to my mother and sisters who had stopped there. We stayed for one month, had joy and sorrow, too. But all explanation and testimonies of the truth could not bring them to see their error or change their decision. So we parted and arrived home on the Fourht of July in company with President Lorenzo Snow and his sister Elisa R. on their return trip from Palestine. After a period of ten years and enduring hardships and trials of almost every description, the United Order terminated with great failure financially to us and many [others]. The year 1883 had come and a new calamity came to our people in passing of the Edmunds Bill or Anti-Polygamy Law. A few of our brethren had been arrested when very suddenly our dear beloved husband and father was called home May 29, 1883. The cause was heart failure, and indeed he needed rest. I kept boarders for awhile, but found it would not pay as also my house was mortgaged and five of the oldest had married, and my two boys, Hans and Willard were attending school. The temple in Logan had formally been opened and started work. A desire come to me to do the work for my dead of which I had got a list while in St. Louis from my mother. I prevailed on my sons Jacob and Willard to come also, and after getting our recommends we went there and officiated for a number. This work brought light, joy, and comfort to my heard, at leaving [made the decision] to gladly accept a call in the future as a worker if the [Lord] thought so. The next year I was called to work in the ordinance work in God’s House. I had to lay off for awhile, but in all I labored there for three years and six months. Now the blessing and benefit, thereof, I am not able to express so great and marvelous to me. I always regarded that time of my life the happiest and best. In 1888, October 19, my dear son Hans, who had been teaching school and been married one and a half years, was accidentally drowned in Snake River while fishing there and his body [was] never found. His widow Bernice and baby Royal, three months old, left to mourn. One year later Royal followed his father to heaven, and the wife married again later. [She] has two boys and left widow again. About this time son Willard got married to Clara Valentine, [and is] now a resident of Salt Lake City. [They] are blessed with five living children. Our polygamy crusade came to an end in 1890 by President Wilford Woodruff issuing a manifesto to lay aside the practice, thereof, and obeying the law as then existed. After our people had endured hardships, imprisonment, and exile for about ten years, and many met death in consequence, thereof, the Lord inspired his servant, thus. The Salt Lake Temple was dedicated in April, 1893, forty years after the foundation [was] laid. I was there and witnessed a great power of Almighty God manifested.

In the year 1887 my dear mother died in St. Louis, and two sisters are left living there still, Lena and Louise. They are now widows. Both their husband died a few years ago, but their hearts got hard against Mormonism by enduring the unjust treatment of an Elder in which they lost their greatest part of money. They apostatized and countless cannot be reclaimed to the truth in this world. As my home and other properties we found [were] under mortgage after my husband’s death (unknown to me), I was in very straightened circumstances, and took in boarders for a while, as I had to let the mortgage take all it claimed. I had also canvassed for books, and had earned a little cash, when in 1890 I started to work again in the Logan Temple where I was gladly welcomed by President Merrill and other. I cannot express the feeling of gratitude to the Lord for His mercy to labor in His House, and my desire was never to leave it any more. But I was poor, and the work given freely and I was very little assisted by my oldest and well-to-do children (cause they had no the spirit of the work).

I came to Brigham again in the summer of 1892. I had had to vacate my home and bought a small, three-roomed house on South Main Street. The next spring I had the privilege, with all the saints, to witness the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple which was glorious. Again I prayed, “oh, Father, permit me once more to work in Thy House and all honor be Thine.” A few days after [I] returned home, President Snow sent for me. He informed me the President Woodruff had called him to preside over the temple and for him to call the workers, and asked me if I would be one of them. I gladly accepted the call and prepared my clothes and moved to Salt Lake City in two weeks. My heart was full of joy and thankfulness and the splendid time I had there during the summer. I worked and presided in room Number 2 and felt I loved and was beloved by all our Temple family. In September my sisters from St. Louis visited me and I got leave of absence for ten days. I went to Brigham, but I felt not very well. The girls visited around our relatives, and at the appointed time we all went south on the cars, they to St. Louis and I to the Temple. My health gave way, and in another month I was not able to continue my labors.

I was advised by President Snow to go home to rest for a while. [I] bid adeau to my associates, and with their blessing and love, also a written acknowledgment of my work by President Snow and his blessings, I can home to Brigham in November. I continued ailing all that winter. I was invited to celebrate President Winder’s birthday by the Temple presidency, but could not accept it on account of poor health. On June 22 President Snow accompanied by all of the Temple workers visited Brigham for a strawberry and banquet festivity. The next day went to Matua and Willard for meetings and closed each with the same enjoyable feast. The 15 of July, Mr. N.C. Mortensen, a neighbor for many years, called on a Sunday morning at my home, and inquired my situation. I was left with nothing, and was not able to support myself. Once in a while I received a little from the boys; they could not agree to give me an allowance to due me. Mr. Mortensen was, or had been, a friend of my husband, and felt sympathetic. He had been a widower for nearly a year and proposed to me right there. He so astonished [I] ran in the house and locked the door. But he continued his coming, and after earnestly praying and seeking counsel from authority, in two months afterwards, we decided to go to the Temple and marry. It was a great risk, but I felt in my hear the Lord had heard my prayers and pointed that way for me to be taken care of, and He approved of it. We lived comfortably and pleasantly for eleven years when the Lord called him home. He was kind and good and considerate. He had eight grown-up children who sometimes sought to mar our peace, but he was good to me. Only in spiritual matters he was not interested, and I doubt that all my explanation had any effect on his mind. My own health had been poor for many years, but he did all he could to assist me. Mr. Mortensen, my husband, made his will, and through [it] I am comfortably provided for to the end of my days, thank God, for I acknowledge his hand in all my affairs of life. I had sold my house, and bought two small rooms of my son Jacob. [I] live here peacefully and alone, but my health is poor and it seems all my friends have gone. My hearing is very bad and I am unable to attend our meetings, but I feel very thankful that it is as well.

In April 1910 Apostle Francis Lyman blessed me here at home, I understood some, and as I remarked to him afterwards, it was a confirmation [and] an answer to my daily prayers, that He heard my supplication and when my [time] came to leave this probation the Lord would release me without suffering or tasting of death and His spirit guide me always and comfort me to the last. I rejoice in the promise and have faith in its fulfillment is my prayer. Amen. Mr. N. C. Mortensen died September 1, 1905, after suffering for several months. As my health was poor, I made this change, but realizing that I was not welcome, thus I departed and [went] to Salt Lake City where I made my home with my son and family for six months. I was ailing and uncomfortable. Seeing this fact, my son Joseph proposed to move [me] to his apartment basement and have a hired girl and keep house. I did so but did not like it. I was not able to move about, and sat there like a prisoner. After the girl had robbed me of $75 in money, and no help was to be had, my son suggested if he could get a suitable place in Brigham City if I would like to come back. I agreed and after fourteen months absence came back and have been happy and contented ever since. At this writing, July 10, 1912, I am living with S. A. Kelly, widow of Parley Charles Kelly of Box Elder Stake. I am paying $35 per month, am comfortably provided, treated good and kind. They are nice people, Latter-Day Saints, and good company. In two more weeks I will be eighty-four years old and if able before, will write more of my historical events.

At this date, July 10, 1913, of my nine children only five remain; four sons and one daughter. Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim, Willard, [and] Hulda Jensen Snow. Sarah Minna Snow, Hans, Fanny , Alma are on the other side with their father where I soon hope to meet them. I could relate great, severe trials, also bitter experiences, sorrows and disappointments in my life interwoven with joy and glorious blessings of support by the Lord God almighty and can see and acknowledge His hand in it. Our three oldest sons have filled mission; Jacob in Denmark, Ephraim twice in Northwestern States, and Joseph in the Eastern States. Son Willard was called last February and reports doing his best to make his labors successful. We correspond regularly, and I feel so thankful to the Lord for the spirit he manifests in his letters. At this date I am feeble in health, hard of hearing and other ills. [I am] unable to leave home, but [am] greatly blessed that I can read the papers and be in touch with things going on in the world. Also read good books and inspired sermons and discourses form our gifted brethren in the Church. Zion surely is growing; praise to the Lord.

August 4, today [is] the anniversary of my birthday. Reaching the eighty-fourth milestone in life’s journey, I enter a few more lines to my record, which probably may be the last effort in that direction. At present my health is poor and life seems not very pleasant although I am well provided and cared for here by Mrs. Kelly who is kind and good and well paid for her work to me. I hope the children are well with their families. I very seldom see or hear from them. God bless them all. I fell often lonesome, and their seeming indifference makes my heart ache and sad. My sister Louise Stege died in St. Louis March 17, 1913. My sister Lena Gerhardt and I are all that is left here now, besides our families. My own posterity is as follows: children, grandchildren, great grandchildren at present date, a few of the dead—sum total is 105. Another year has rolled on, and the 4th of August is here again. My eighty-fifth birthday 1914. [I am] still struggling on the life’s journey day after day. I surely feel very thankful to the Lord for His kind care and protection. I am content and happy under the circumstances, although I would wish some things were different and I would not be so lonesome. My health is fairly good though very feeble. I suffer so in my head; also my fee won’t perform their duty preparing, I suppose, for the long rest near at hand when Father will call them home and I hope approve of my work. Our son Jacob remembered the day and brought ice cream and cake to celebrate it at 5 p.m. August 4, 1915, was quietly passed. I did not feel well, saw no one, and did not write in my record. At night called at a neighbor, Mrs. Merrill Facer from Arizona, and was treated with ice cream. Next day I was told to move for Mrs. Kelly could spare the rooms no longer. For once this was a hard trial for me, sick, feeble, and alone. I had been there three years [and] two months and spent all I had $13,658, and had no prospect for the future, for my son Joseph, who had helped me for a couple of years, and had promised me so to do as long as I lived, stopped doing so on account of meeting with reverses in business. You may imagine my feelings to be thrown out at this time of life, helpless and alone. But thanks to the Lord God Almighty who sent a Mrs. Mary Harris to offer me a home for less expense than I had been paying. I moved there a few days later, now nearly one year ago, and have found better treatment, more comfort and more congenial spirit. [She is] a noble-hearted woman, treating me kindly as would a dear sister. [It is] 1916. So today I reach the eighty-seventh milestone, far beyond my expectation, and give praise and thanks to our Heavenly Father for His kind care and protection, hoping and praying to last to the end. My four boys, Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim, and Willard have promised, and are now paying, $5 per month each for my support. I am grateful, may the Lord reward them I pray. My health is feeble an I struggle on till Father calls me home to rest, for which I am sometimes sighing. Well as the lord wills, I rejoice in my thoughts of the light and blessing of the gospel and the hope of eternal life which may God grant I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

August 4, 1917, has come around again, and I will add a few more thoughts and facts at the present time to enter my historical narrative. My abode and mode of living are unchanged, but I feel the burden of old age heavier than ever before and weakness, feebleness with another ailment discourages and overcomes me often for a while, but I am blessed nevertheless. Yes, I may say above many of my fellows. I read my daily papers to know what is going on in the world. My memory is good but I cannot be active, my head is troubling me so bad. But now at my eighty-eight years of my life today, could I expect it otherwise? I feel truly thankful to our Lord and Heavenly father, who has helped me to this point of life, that all is as well, and try to enjoy the little comforts left me, though [I am] often lonesome as I see my children very seldom. How happy I am to think how the gospel found us in foreign lands sixty-eight years ago, and the blessing and privileges we have enjoyed through it. How sweet and rich; it appeals to my heart and [gives] solace in the future which is not far off. [How] worthwhile was the struggle [for the gospel].

The End. The dreadful European was has now ended its third year. God our Father have mercy I pry; let the wicked and reprehensible perish and righteousness triumph. My children, grand and great grand children now number 120.

August the 4, 1918. Sunday morning, Brigham, City, Utah. I am happy to add little more the chapter of my life’s’ record. Today, [I am] eighty-nine years. My health is so very poor and a great change in body and faculty is apparent, pointing to the release from this earthly career to rest and peace, and I am satisfied, but as our Father wills it. I am so grateful for His blessings, notwithstanding my struggle to deep up. I am living now four years with Mrs. Harris for which the boys have promised to pay. I see my children seldom as they are scattered, and I cannot get to them. I am not able to be active [in] anything worthwhile anymore. Praise to almighty God for the gospel light and blessing I have received through the same. His kind hand has led me from childhood on, so let ninety come. He will be with me to the end is my firm faith.

The world’s great war rages fiercer than ever There are about 2,000,000 Americans fighting in France against the Hun, Germany. [I] hope [it] to end soon in triumph for our country and allies, and an honorable peace secured. My grandchildren Earl Ephraim Jensen, Lorenzo Snow, Hewett Wight, Charles Ricket are now in France with our army fighting. God bless them and all of us in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. August 4, 1920. My dear mother died in Brigham City, December 25, 1919, about 5 p.m., and buried December 27, 1919. [Signed] W. C. Jensen Patriarchal Blessing Brigham City, Weber County, Utah, May 18, 1855.

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