25th Anniversary of the Jensen's

While perusing through old newspapers the other day I came upon this notice of my great grandparents anniversary party.  It was in the Warren Sheaf., December 02, 1914, page 6.

"Last Sunday afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Jensen were made the victims of a pleasant surprise by a best of their neighbors and friends.  The occasion for this event, was the 25th, or silver wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Jensen. From about two o'clock in the afternoon until almost dark people were arriving at the Jensen home, each bringing vessel well filled with the very choicest of viands the land affords, which were placed on a long table stretching the full length of the spacious dining room, presenting a sight calculated to tempt the appetite of the most fastidious. And it would be but mildly stated, to say that all present did ample justice toward relieving that table of its great burden, and at the same time filling an empty void.

"After all had partaken to their hearts as well as stomach's delight, many basketsful of fragments remained. Supper being over, and everything cleared away the young folks engaged in music and various games and thus spent the time in a pleasant manner, while the men discussed all the topics pertaining to farming from the raising of alfalfa, clover, hogs and corn, and wound up on the outcome of the great European war, while the topics discussed by better halves, as overheard in part, was mostly concerning hats, frocks and pretty babies, and the price of poultry.  Well, maybe they did converse about other matters that we failed to catch.

"The bride and groom of a quarter of a-century, were the recipients of many beautiful presents appropriate to the occasion. At a late hour of the evening, after the self-invited guests had expressed their wishes for many years more of connevial bliss, they took their departure, realizing that it was good to have been there. Following is a list of the families represented at this gathering: S. J. Grandstrand and family; J. W. Swanson and family; C. E. Johnson and family; C. Poison and family; L. C. Jorgenson and family; J. W. Field and family; A. Lundin and family; S, Lundin and family; S. P. Jensen and family; Nels Jensen and family: Jens Jensen and family; Hans and Mrs. Christofferson, Mrs. Christofferson and daughters, of Stephen; Joseph Thorkildson and sister; Miss Magda, John Jensen and Jens Hanson."

Marriage Certificate - Martin Jensen 1889

Earlier this week, I posted the wording of the certificate of the marriage between my great-grandfather Alexander Brossoit to his sweetheart, Sophie Trepanier.  Today I am posting the marriage certificate of my Great-grandfather Martin Jensen to his bride, Laura Toomb(s).

Certificate of Marriage

State of Minnesota

County of Marshall ss.

I hereby certify, that on the 27th day of November in the year of our Lord and eight hundred and eighty nine at Holland Farm in said County, I, the undersigned, a Minister of the Gospel, did join in the holy bonds of Matrimony, according to the laws of this State, Martin Jensen of the County of Marshall, State of Minnesota, and Laura Toomb of the County of Marshall, State of Minnesota in presence of William Michall, Gussie Toomb, Witnesses.

Alonzo George Washington
Pastor Congregational Church, Stephen (Minnesota)


Gussie, was Laura's younger sister, Augusta.  I do not know who William Michall was.  This will go on my to-do list.  I also don't know what/where Holland Farm was located.  Did it belong to Martin Jensen or the Toomb family?  Another to-do item.   As an aside, Laura's father's name was George Washington Toombs and she had a brother Alonzo.  Must have been a popular name a century ago. 

Wordless Wednesday - Laura Toombs Jensen

Wordless Wednesday – a great way to share your old family photos! Create a post with the main focus being a photograph or image. Some posters also include attribute information as to the source of the image (date, location, owner, etc.). Wordless Wednesday is one of the longest running “memes” in the blogosphere and is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Toombs - the other side of the coin.

My intention is to finish the story of Hazel and move onto her husband Omer, but before that, I need to give what information I have on the Toombs family.  Laura Frances Toombs was the second child of George Washington Toombs and Cecelia Augusta Decker.  She was born in Siersville, New York, on 29 Mar 1870.  George, her father was the son of Robert and Sally Toombs.  I can find Robert and family in the 1860 census in New York.  By 1870 census George has been married for 6 years and had two children, Alonzo and Laura. 

By 1880, George has added 2 more sons to this union, Augusta and Robert.  By 1885, George, wife Cecelia, Alonzo, Laura, Gusta, Robert and 2 more daughters, Grace and Maude have moved to Tamarac Village in Minnesota.  The 1885 Minnesota census has five additional men living with the family, the youngest being M. Jensen from Denmark.  (I believe that this most likely is Martin, who 4 years later is married to Laura when she turned 19.)  Another interesting note that in this census, family # 24 is the G.W. Toomb family.  Family # 30 is the Alex Brossoit family.  Forty-five years later, G.W.'s granddaughter, Hazel, will marry Alex's youngest son, Omer. 

In 1888, the Marshall County Leader newspaper reported that were 398 people living in Stephen, Minnesota.  November 1889, Laura Toombs married Martin Jensen and in 1890, the Marshall paper reported that Dennis Hanna bought more land from Narcisse Parent, increasing his total acreage to three full sections.  G.W. Toombs was listed as the farm manager. 

From this point, there is not much more to tell about George.  His wife, Cecelia died June 2, 1898 and George, 55,  now alone with only Grace, 17,  and Maude, 15, remarries by September of the same year to Anna M Stewart, 31 years old.  Some families have speculated that George and Anna have 6 more children and move to Oregon, but I need to verify this before I'm certain.

In 1898, daughter Laura is 28 years old, married with three children and keeping house in Sinnott Township, just north of Tamarac Village. 

Laura Frances Toombs

Today is Family History Day

What better way to start a blog then with a picture.  These are my great grandparents, Martinus Jensen (1868-1943) and Laura Francis Toombs (1870-1921).  Martin was born on April 26, 1868 in Vrensted, Børglum, Hjørring, Denmark.  He immigrated to the USA in 1874 when he was six years old with his older brother Soren, and parents Niels (Nils) and Maren.  Martin was one of seven children, three who died within days of each other five months before he was born.  Neils homesteaded in northern Minesota in 1890.  The certificate reads:

 

 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:

Homestead Certificate 5752      

Application 8196              Whereas There has been deposited in the General Land Office of the United States a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at Crookston Minnesota, whereby it appears that, pursuant to the Act of Congress approved 20th May, 1862, "To secure Homesteads to actual Settlers on the Public Domain," and the acts supplemental thereto, the claim of Nils Jensen has been established and duly consummated, in conformity to law, for the West half of the North West quarter of Section twenty six in Township  one hundred and fifty eight North of Range forty eight West of  the Fifth Principal Meridian on Minnesota containing eighty acres according to the Official Plat of the survey of the said Land, returned to the General Land Office by the Surveyor General:

       Now know ye, That there is, therefore granted by the United States unto the said Nils Jensen the tract of Land above described: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of Land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Nils Jensen and to his heirs and assigns forever.

      In testimony whereof, I Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America, have caused these letters to be made Patent, the Seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto affixed.

Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, the sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and fourteenth.

BY THE PRESIDENT: Benjamin Harrison

Recorded, Vol. 11, Page 435

Where Martin, who had immigrated from Denmark met Laura Toombs, who was born in New York, I do not yet know, but I will continue to chip away at the story in the years to come.  They were married in 1889 and settled in Stephen, MN, where they had 8 children, the youngest being Hazel, my grandmother.  After Laura died, Martin remarried two more times, eventually ending up a widower living with Hazel and Omer Brossoit in South St. Paul, MN.