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JENS NIELSEN (b. c. 1793/5) |
MAREN LARSDATTER (bp. 1781) |
FREDERIK SCHOU (b. c. 1793) |
BODIL LARSDATTER (b. c. 1796) |
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| LARS JENSEN (1823 – 1869) |
CHRISTIAN L. HANSEN (1833 – 1892) |
KATHERINE JORGINA HANSEN (1833 or 1835 – 1912) |
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| LARS (LEWIS) F. LARSEN (1860 – 1950) |
| FRANCINA THEODORA HANSEN (1863 – 1914) |
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Note on Places:
King County is a county in Washington State and Seattle and Mercer Island are cities in King County. Mercer Island is in the Seattle Metropolitan Area. Tacoma is a city in Pierce County, Washington.
St. Clement’s is the St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Seattle.
Meeker County is a county in Minnesota. Litchfield and Grove City are cities in Meeker County
The Arndahl Church is the Arndahl Lutheran Church in Grove City, Meeker County and the Arndahl Cemetery is the Arndahl Lutheran Cemetery in Grove City.
Kyndeløse is a village in the parish of Kirke Hyllinge in the “hundred” of Voldborg in what was Roskilde country in Denmark. The Danish county system has varied over time and sometimes Kirke Hyllinge is described as being in Copenhagen.
JENS NIELSEN (b. c. 1793/5)
Jens Nielsen was born about 1793/5 in Kirke Hyllinge. [Ref]
MAREN LARSDATTER (bp. 1781)
Parents: It is possible that Maren is the Maren Larsdatter, born about 1789, who was living with her father Lars Larsen, a peasant or farmer born about 1752, and her mother, Ane Pedersdatter, born about 1759, in Jenslev Bye, Rye Parish, Voldborg, Roskilde in 1801. Lars and Ane had two other children, Rasmus Larsen, born about 1793, and Lars Larsen, born about 1705. [Ref]
Maren Larsdatter was born about 1788/9 in Rye parish, Copenhagen County. She died by 1850.
In 1834 Jens Nielsen and Maren Larsdatter were living in Kyndeløse Bye and Jens was a farmer. [Ref] In 1850 Jens was a widower, living with Lars Jensen and Johanne Margrethe Frederiksdatter in Kyndeløse Bye. [Ref]
Children of Jens Nielsen and Maren Larsdatter:
Frederik Schou was born about 1793 in Copenhagen County, Denmark. [Ref]
Bodil Larsdatter was born about 1796 in Ousted parish in Copenhagen County, Denmark. [Ref]
In 1834, 1840 and 1845 Frederik and Margrethe were living in Kyndeløse and Frederik was a farmer. [Ref][Ref][Ref]
“Daddy [Lewis Larsen] said … his mother’s name was Frederickson before she married. She had three brothers who lived in the same locality.” (Alice Johnson Larsen) [Ref, 6 December 1931]
Children of Frederik Schou and Bodil Larsdatter:
LARS JENSEN (1823 – 1869)
Parents: Jens Nielsen and Maren Larsdatter [Ref][Ref]
Lars Jensen was born on 30 May 1823 and baptized in Kirke Hyllinge. [Ref][Ref] He died on 9 July 1869 in Kyndeløse. He married Johanne Margrethe Frederiksdatter on 13 April 1848. [Ref][Ref, 13 April]
"Lars Jensen f. 30-5-1823, d. 9-7-1869 Kyndeløse." [Ref]
Photo of the farm where Lewis Larsen was born.
JOHANNE MARGRETHE FREDERICKSDATTER (1823 – 1888)
Parents: Frederik Schou and Bodil Larsdatter [Ref][Ref][Ref]
Johanne Margrethe Frederiksdatter was born on 17 February 1823 in Kirke Hyllinge. [Ref][Ref] She was baptized on 18 February 1823 in Kirke Hyllinge. [Ref] She died on 23 February 1888.
"Johanne Margrethe g. 17-2-1827 (1823 handwritten alongside), d. 23-2-1888, g. 13-4-1848 Lars Jensen." [Ref]
In 1845 Johanne was single and living with her parents in Kyndeløse. [Ref] In 1880 Johanne was a 56-year-old widow living in Kyndeløse. [Ref]
“Daddy, that is Clarence’s dad, was here with us tonight and talking about old times in Denmark. He said they raised their own flax and combed and spun it into cloth. He said they ironed the clothes by using a big drawer filled with rocks with rollers on the bottom of it and they rolled it back and forth on a table. He said he had four sisters and one brother – Fred. One of the sisters died young and one, Bodel, was probably still living. The two married sisters were Sofia and Trine, Christine’s mother. Christine’s mother gave her farm to Sofia’s husband and gave Christine some money not nearly the worth of the farm which was quite valuable. Sofia has some children. Daddy said he had two sisters that married two brothers and two cousins that married [illegible]. The two cousins were Hannah and Alma Christiansen who married the Peek [?] brothers of Minnesota.” (Marian Johnson Larsen) [Ref, 6 December 1931]
“Daddy said they roasted their own coffee on the stove, stirring it to keep it from burning. He said they took their grain to the mill and got back bread in return. … Daddy said the place where he was from was called Ken[illegible] seven Danish miles from Copenhagen, a Danish mile being about 4 English miles.” (Marian Johnson Larsen) [Ref, 6 December 1931]
“Trip to Kyndelose: The farm was started in 1760. The name of it was Steens boljaard. We discovered this by asking our driver Borge Henriksen to drive us to Kyndelose as I had written in my diary in 1935 some things Daddy told me one day as he was helping me by drying the dishes. He said the old family farm was about 26 American miles from Copenhagen (7 Danish). We first went to the church, which was very old, going back to the 13th century and asked a woman who lived across the street and whose husband looked after the graves, etc. She told us the old minister who had been there for 33 years had died in June and a teacher in the school was in charge and had the key. We went down to the school and a woman told us the teacher had gone to town and another man who lived about a mile away got her on the phone but he had gone to Copenhagen and his wife said she had his bunch of keys and would gladly let us see if any of them would open the door to the minister's house where the keys were kept. We went down and got her and the keys and came back to the minister's house and Clarence finally got the door opened. The records were in the safe and we did not have that key. By this time everybody in town knew what we were looking for. We were told by the schoolteacher's wife that an old woman by the name of Anna Frederiksen who lived a few blocks away was related to us and would like to see us. In the meantime we found the grave of Bodil Nielsen which made us think we had found the right place. The lady who was the caretaker of the church opened it for us. It was very lovely. 1 asked her if had been there long and she said "Well since the 13th century!" The pews were painted a lovely blue gray with the faded blue and red frescos still on them. The organ had been redone and was very intricate and beautiful. There was a canvas on the floor inside the communion rail, which she took off and showed us a lovely tapestry, which had been woven by the women of the church. The outside of the church was brick covered with white clay with a tile roof. The font was lovely, also the organ, candlesticks, altar cloth, etc. We then went down to Anna Frederiksen's house. She had out the old records and was delighted to see us. One of her daughters, Astrid Frederiksen was there too for the weekend. She lives in Copenhagen. Anna told us about the old family farm which was out on the water. We all went out there and l saw that it was just as Daddy had told me long ago. It was entered thru a gateway in the old wall formed by the farm buildings, which were built to form a quadrangle with a cobblestone court in the center. The old farm had been divided, one síde being run by the son of Anna Fredericksen the other was the one where Daddy was born. They showed us the rooms where Johanne had lived alone and looked after the farm. She lived to be a great age they said. They told us the first owners of the farm, Frederick and Bodil Schou, were often in great want. That they went to bed many times hungry that the children and helpers might have food. Then we went back to Anna's house and had coffee and salami and white cheese on thin Danish bread. Anna was 79 years old but was as active as though she were 60. She had been making lace and showed us the bobbins etc., also many pieces she had made formerly. She said she had a table Clarence's dad had made before he went to America. The house was full of potted plants. The Danish houses all have wide windowsills. We were all very excited and wished we knew Danish or that they could speak English. Luckily Astrid could speak English quite well and Borge Henricksen was wonderful. He certainly was responsible for our success in finding the old place – went back to Anna's the next day. We brought candy for the two women who had helped us and a red cyclamen for Anna. We stopped at the church and took pictures. Clarence and l went down almost to the water to look at the fields and the beach. The farm and the farmhouse lay on the west coast of the fiord exactly as our farm lays on Whidbey. We went back to Anna's and had coffee and cakes and saw the table Daddy had made. It was at her son's place next door. Anna also showed me a very fine rock garden, which they had. We went back to the minister-in-charge and went to the old vicarage and he opened up the old books. We found a record of Clarence's dad's birth. Louis Larsen B. Feb. 19, 1860. We then came back to Anna's and had a very sumptuous meal of pork slices, potatoes, big ones and little browned ones, tomatoes, pickled gourds, apples with currant jelly and melon slices with plum halves for dessert. We had soft drinks in bottles and the men had ale in bottles. Later we had coffee and cakes.” (Marian Johnson Larsen) [Ref, 4 September 1956]
Children of Lars Jensen and Johanne Margrethe Fredericksdatter:
CHRISTIAN L. HANSEN (1833 – 1892)
Parents: Unknown. In one family story, Christian is the son of Mueller Thyson, a Prussian blacksmith who served in the Prussian Army and convinced his son to go to Denmark to avoid conscription. Christian then took his wife’s last name. In another — and contemporary — story, Christian was the son of Hans Christiansen and Anna Arnsen. Hans was born in 1802 and died on 28 January 1878. Anna died in 1838 and Hans married second Hannah Nelson on 28 January 1878. When Christian was 24 he left his father’s farm and went to Nakston, Denmark where he brewed malt ale and ran a restaurant. [Ref]
The photo to the right is believed to be of Christian's parents.
Christian L. Hansen was born on 7 November 1833. [Ref] He died on 16 or 17 January 1892. [Ref] He is buried with his wife and son Arndt in the Arndahl Cemetery. [Ref] He married Katherine Jorgina Hansen on 7 November 1860. [Ref]
"Mr. Hansen died Jan. 17, 1892." (The Litchfield Independent) [Ref]
"Grandpa died in 1892." (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“[Fancina’s] father was a German in [the] German army.” [Ref]
KATHERINE JORGINA HANSEN (1833 or 1835 – 1912)
Parents: Katherine’s death certificate says that her father is Christen Hansen, but perhaps this is a mistake and the entry refers to her husband. [Ref] It is said that Jorgina is the daughter of Hans C. and Christianna Hansen, born 15 December 1833. [Ref]
The photo, below to the right, is believed to be of Katherine Jorgina's parents.
Katherine Jorgina Hansen was born on 15 December 1833 or 1835 in Denmark. [Ref][Ref] She died on 23 June 1912 in Seattle after breaking her hip. [Ref][Ref, "... recent death at Seattle"][Ref][Ref] Her funeral was on 3 July 1912 in the Arndahl Church. [Ref] She is buried with her husband and son Arndt in the Arndahl Cemetery. [Ref]
The ordering of Katherine Jorgina’s names is unclear and Katherine may be an Anglicization of a Danish name. She is usually referred to by some variant of Jorgina, sometimes by Gina.
"Her maiden name was Gena Hanson." (The Litchfield Independent) [Ref]
“She was born in Longland … an island I think.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref] Langeland?
In 1910 Mrs. C. L. Hansen was living in Seattle with her daughter and son-in-law. She was said to speak Danish, rather than English, and had immigrated in 1867. [Ref]
C. L and Jorgina Hansen emigrated to the United States in 1866 with their three children. [Ref][Ref] Cholera broke out on the ship and two of their children died. [Ref][Ref]
A search of the New York passenger lists turns up a C. L. Hansen, born about 1834, who arrived on 22 May 1866 from Liverpool on the Virginia. An examination of the image of the passenger list reveals that he was travelling with a woman whose name is hard to read, but it could well be Gina. She was also born about 1834. They were travelling with a single daughter whose name looks like "Math." [Could this be Mathilda?] This one-year-old child died in quarantine. The master of the ship was supposed to provide the country that the passengers belonged to, but he [clearly erroneously] listed everyone as either from England, Ireland or America. [Ref]
The Virginia sailed from Liverpool to New York, via Queenstown on 4 April 1866 with 14 cabin and 1029 steerage passengers. On board were 220 Germans, Dutch, Danes and Swedes. Cholera broke out and the first passenger died on 12 April. Between then and when the ship arrived in New York on 18 April, 36 steerage passengers and two crew had died. Upon arrival in port, 46 sick passengers were transferred to the hospital ship Falcon. Four days later, the remaining steerage passengers were transferred to the steamship Illinois; the Virginia was cleaned and chlorinated; all of the passengers clothing, bedding and personal effects were fumigated and steamed. Between landing and the transfer on 22 April, there had been 14 deaths and 99 passengers had been sent to the Falcon. From then until 8 May, when overcrowding on the Illinois led to the return of 230 passengers to the Virginia, six more people died and 97 more passengers were transferred to the Falcon. From then until 30 May, when passengers were released from quarantine, no further cases of cholera occurred. [Ref]
The Virginia belonged to the National Steam Co. Thirty-two people died during the voyage. Upon arrival, 171 were transferred to hospitals in New York and, of these, 57 died. [Ref]
The Hansens lost all their household things and furniture when a swindler in New York offered to attend to the shipment of the goods to Minnesota. [Ref][Ref][Ref]
"The family came to Minnesota on July 6th the same year, and settled on a homestead claim in section 4, Danielson town, which was at that time almost an unbroken prairie. They built the second frame house in the township, hauling a part of the lumber from St. Cloud.”(The Litchfield Independent) [Ref]
Christian and Francina’s first child born in America, Arndt, died as an infant and his death “was the first death in the township [Danielson]. Arndahl church was named after this son and the pastor Mr. Dahl.” The Litchfield Independent [Ref]
“The church is just out of Grove City … it is named after Grandma’s first child born in America and the minister of the church, the baby died. The cemetery is in the churchyard, grandparents and sister Lily buried there with headstones. Lily’s is a lamb.” Ruby Larsen Wolfe [Ref]
In 1875 the Hansens were living in Danielson, Meeker County. [Ref]
“Grandma Hansen and Aunt Tillie moved from the farm to a house in Litchfield just two blocks from where we lived. This must have been in 1898.” (Clarence Larsen) [Ref]
“Mrs. Hanson moved to Litchfield in 1896, where she lived until 1901, when she went to Kalispell to live with her daughter Mrs. Larson, a year later moving in with them to Seattle, where her death occurred, due to an accident which befell her, breaking one of her hips.” (The Litchfield Independent) [Ref]
“Grandma Hansen, Mother’s mother, lived with us, when our house was build on Weller Street. She tripped on her footstool when her long skirt go caught and broke her hip. The young doctor had never put on a hip support, did not use casts, and put it on backwards. Grandma Hansen died from it in 1912. She was taken to Minnesota to be buried beside Grandpa Hansen. Uncle Arnold, Mother and my small sister Violet went with the body.” (Ruby Wolfe Larsen) [Ref]
Children of Christian L. Hansen and Katherine Jorgina Hansen:
“The raised five children. My mother, Francina, Arnold, Will, Tillie and Levi.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
Photo: Back row: Will, Arnold and Levi; Second row: Gena and Christian L. Hansen;
First row: Tillie,
Francina; photo belonging to Clarence Larsen
LARS (LEWIS) F. LARSEN (1860 – 1950)
Parents: Lars Jensen and Johanne Margrethe Frederiksdatter [Ref]
Lewis was born on 19 February 1860 in Kyndeløse. [Ref][Ref][Ref] He was baptised on 11 April 1860 in Kirke-Hyllinge. [Ref] He drowned in Lake Washington on 9 June 1950, age 90, in Seattle. [Ref] He is buried alongside his wife in the Lake View Cemetery, Volunteer Park in Seattle. [Ref] He married Francina Hansen on 21 September 1888. [Ref]
“Dad was born in Denmark February 19, 1860.”(Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“Dad and mother were married in 1888.”(Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
FRANCINA THEODORA HANSEN (1863 – 1914)
Parents: Christian L. Hansen and Katherine Jorgina Hansen [Ref]
The photo below to the right is believed to be of Francina and her paternal grandfather, taken before the family went to America.
Francina Theodora Hansen was born on 1 August 1863 in Langeland, Denmark. [Ref][Ref][Ref] She was confirmed in 1877 in the Arndahl Church. [Ref] She died on 7 April 1914 in Seattle. [Ref]
It appears that Francina’s middle name is Theodora, although her middle initial is sometimes given as D. She spelled her name Frantsina.
“No one ever made a record of Mother’s side of [the] family that I know of. She was born in Longland or Loland [Langeland] an island I think.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
Langeland is a Danish island located been the Great Belt strait and the Bay of Keil.
Lewis immigrated to the United States in 1878 [Ref], 1879 [Ref] or 1881. [Ref] Francina immigrated in 1867. [Ref]
Lewis probably immigrated in 1881 as in 1880 he was living with his sister Bodil and her husband in Kyndeløse. He was then a carpenter. [Ref]
“Daddy helped me by drying the dishes this morning. He said he came to this country in 1881 going from Germany and taking the boat from there (Utrecht) to Glasgow. They stayed two days in Glasgow then started across making the trip in, as he remembered, nine days. The boat was a former cattle boat and very poor. They went third class and the food was horrible. It was brought to them in a big rusty iron kettle. 19 went from his district. They were hired in Denmark to get to Stillwater, Wis. Daddy worked that winter at a sawmill. They didn’t get paid until the following August, just getting board and enough money for a few clothes. Prices for clothing were very high. The next winter he worked for a Catholic lawyer in West St. Paul, driving and taking care of the horses. There was a large family of children going to school. Daddy said the lawyer’s wife was a very nice lady. He got $8.00 a month and board. The next winter he worked for the Great Northern Railroad. They were building a road to Devil’s Lake, N.D. He worked with horses at [illegible]. The next winter he went to Winnipeg, also working for the railroad. He said he could have had homestead land but the snow was so horrible the first winter he was homesick and didn’t care for the country. Then he went to Minnesota.” (Alice Johnson Larsen) [Ref]
“Sometime after I was born we moved into Litchfield and dad became a partner in a farm implement business and mother operated a millinery store. I can remember the house, yard and barn that we lived in. The house was a large two-story square house and had two large pine trees in the front yard. We also had a large barn as we had four horses and a cow. Dad was always taking hay and grain from farmers that owed him money. Dad owned a very spirited team of bays. It was said that they were the best-matched team in Minnesota. In addition we had a small pony and a large work horse.” (Clarence Larsen) [Ref]
“Dad had sold his homestead and moved to Litchfield. He had a farm machinery shop and mother had a millinery store and wore hats always … If Mother was busy at the store or something she would stay all night at the store. … We lived a little ways out of town, Grandma lived just a couple of blocks from town.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“In about 1900, Dad, I guess, was not doing too good in the farm machinery business, so [he] went to Kalispel, Montana and worked on the railroad bridges.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe)[Ref]
In June 1900 Lewis, Francina and their five children were living in Litchfield and Lewis was a dealer in farm machinery. Francina was a milliner. [Ref]
“In April of 1900 [1901?], my brother George was born, after which we moved to Kalispel, Montana to be with Dad. Mother took in boarders, mostly railroad workers. … One railroad man and his wife stayed with us, room and board. They had, I think, five children and had put them in an orphan home, boarding them, so she could travel with her husband. She talked Mother into putting us in this home. It was a Catholic home in Spokane … So, Clarence, I, Christian and Lilac were taken to this home in Spokane by Mother … Boys and girls had separate quarters. We marched down the back stairs, boys coming one way, the girls the other. I would always watch for Clarence and Chris as it was the only way to see them; and if they were not there then they were sick, etc. We would only get together when mother came to visit, which was not often. We were there about five months when mother came to get Clarence. She and Dad thought he was too old to be there. He was probably about 12 and I was about 9 years old, Chris, 6, and Lilac, 4. We all wanted to go home also; so we did, but we had to beg to go home. ” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“We lived in Kalispel about two years I think and then Uncle Arnold talked Dad and Mother into moving to Seattle where he was. So we did, in 1902 or 1903.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
In April 1910 Lewis, Francina, their seven children and Francina’s mother, Mrs. C. L. Hansen, were living on Weller Street in Seattle and Lewis was a carpenter. [Ref]
“Uncle Arnold had Dad build us a house on 20th and Weller. It was a nice house with four bedrooms upstairs and also a bathroom. That was the bad part. It was so far away at the end of the hall upstairs. There was a big hallway downstairs, a parlor for company, a bedroom, dining room and kitchen. There was also a small basement, but it was not cemented. Mother washed there.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“A Mr. Petersen … lived with us on Weller Street, also Grandma Hansen, so [the] table was set for 11 of us every evening. Mother was a wonderful cook. She used to make a Danish soup with special bread dumplings in it. Uncle Arnold and Aunt Lina came quite often when we had this. It was a special Danish dish.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“A family of four children moved in the house across the street from us. Marian, the oldest, Howland, Donald and Ruth Johnson. The mother was not very well, in bed most of the time, and the father was gone most of the time. He did come home and pay the bills I guess. The children seemed to have a good time together; they were in their early teens (Ruth was 12). They went for hikes and trillium hunting. My mother had a little home bakery shop in our front hallway, which was quite large. Mrs. Johnson, Marian’s mother used to come over and buy bakery things. … But we all became very good friends; Marian and I especially. Marian’s mother was sick and passed away. The children were left to take care of themselves. The father did show up to pay the bills, but did not leave them much. Marian about lived at our place, only went home to sleep. Ruth, the youngest, took care of the brothers, mostly. The father put Ruth in a girls’ school, Catholic I think, for a while. Clarence, my brother, started going with Marian, but I generally went along.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“Marian and I were always very close friends and later she and my brother Clarence were married.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“Dad … was up in Canada working in the mine for Uncle Arnold. Mother wanted to up to the mine also … So, she went up to be with Dad and also help in the kitchen at the mine. Clarence and I raised money so she could go.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“Dear Ruby and all, I will try to write to you as I am in bed I have not had very good luck Mrs Westby came the 11 so I was helping her a littel til she got aquainted with things. [Illegible]day the 13 she [?] gave me a picture that I was framing and Papa said you better go with [illegible] for supper but I told him to go I wanted to finish my picture and we always eat after the men so when I went off I fell between our cabin and Sina's and I could not move so I called for Sina and told her to call Papa and Papa and Arnold had to carry me in so here. I have been in bed [illegible] 4 days with a sprained and bruised ankle as I fell on an old stump and I have been suffering a great deal and yesterday Mrs Cob one of the miners wife she is a nurse came up to see me and she told us to keep [illegible] aplecation so Papa have been up all night to change it every oure she is going to try to get swelling down so she can banges it she said the bone is brused and [illegible] but mabe not splentered then it wll not take long to [illegible] but if otherwise I will have to go to the Hospital but I hope not. Sunday 20 I did not get my letter finished so I will try this morning Mrs Cob said I am getting along fine so I hope it will not take so long before I can sit up a little. I feel so bad to think I am trobling them all, [illegible] is with me when papa is out but Papa can not sleep for I have not been able to sleep but very little yet.” (Francina Hansen Larsen, Letter, 17 Oct 1913, Second Relief Mine)
“I have had quite a time, I am just starting to sit up for a little but think it will be quite a time before I can use my foot as it is quite bruised and so large that I can get nothing on it and the bad blood from my bruised leg went into my body so I have broken out all over with a rash … my face and eyes are so swollen … I think it is getting a little better, they would have taken me to a hospital but was afraid I could not stand the long ride.” (Francina Hansen Larsen, Letter to Ruby Larsen, 3 Nov 1913, Second Relief Mine)
“I am now able to walk on crutches … I am quite busy. I am helping Mrs. Westby in the afternoon baking cake … They are about to sell the mine … it will not be till the last of Jan before they can get away.” (Francina Hansen Larsen, Letter to Alice Marian Johnson, 10 Dec 1913, Second Relief Mine)
“Mother died April, 1914.” (Clarence Larsen) [Ref]
“When Mother was at the mine, walking between buildings, she fell in a hole and broke her leg. It was a hundred miles to a doctor over terrible roads and no cars then; so she never got it set. Uncle Arnold sold the mine and Mother and Dad came home for Christmas 1913. Mother was on crutches. We had a nice Christmas as mother and Dad were home. … In Apr 1914 Mother got very sick and died. We did not have doctors and hospitals like we have now.” (Ruby Wolfe Larsen) [Ref]
“Do not know if you know the reason for Mother being way up in Canada. Dad was working for Uncle Arnold, Mother’s brother, who was very good to our family, in a mine up there. Mother was about 50 and not very well, so depressed, saying Dad was happy to be away from us. We kids decided to get her a train ticket up there. … The mine was 100 miles from a doctor so when Mother broke her leg it was never set or taken care of and grew crooked. She was on crutches when she died April 12, 1914, buried on Good Friday.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
Francina probably died on 7 April because Good Friday 1914 was 10 April.
In 1916 Lewis was living at 1847 Weller Street. Clarence, Chris, Lilac and Fern lived with him. [Ref]
“I got Lilac a job in the office of the laundry with me. … Lilac was working at the laundry; bookwork, billing but Fern, Violet, Chris and Clarence, also Dad were living at home. … Dad was working at the bakery a few blocks from home. Chris was working at a jewelry store … So it was up to Fern to keep house.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
In 1918 Lewis was an engineer, living at 1846 Weller Street. His daughter Lilac lived with him. [Ref] In 1920 Lewis was living in Seattle with his children Lilac, Christian, Fern, Violet and George and Alice Marian Johnson's sister Ruth W. Johnson He was working as an engineer for a stationary company. [Ref] On 5 April 1930 Lewis was living in Oak Lake, King County with his daughter Violet. [Ref] On 15 April 1940 he was living in Seattle with his son Christian. [Ref]
Photo of gravestone by John Speer
Photo of the Second Relief Mine
Children of Lewis Larsen and Frantsina Hansen:
Lillie has two middle names in her baptismal record, but they are difficult to read. Perhaps the first is Johanne.
“I have a dim memory of my sister Lily and me playing with matches and catching Lily’s dress on fire and a neighbor running over and beating the fire out with his coat. She was so badly burned that she did not recover.” (Clarence Larsen) [Ref]
“Lily, next to the eldest was playing with matches when she was four years old, and was badly burned before they found her and she died. This was in Litchfield, Minnesota.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“Roy and I were married September 24, 1914 in St. Clements Episcopal Church”. (Ruby Wolfe Larsen) [Ref]
“After my freshman year, I went to Wilson’s Business College and took the bookkeeping course, paying for it when I got a job. I was pretty good at figures and got the highest grade in the final test. A 100% and my paper was shown to the class. When I finished I went to work as a biller for Seattle Empire Laundry. They did not pay much, but I was anxious for a job … Then I saw an ad for a cashier from 5 pm to 11 pm in a drugstore. … I got the cashier job and started the next day; so I had two jobs. The clerks in the store told me there was a young man working there, but he was away taking a pharmacy exam and would be back later. This was Roy.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“Roy and I moved from the apartment to a larger house a few blocks from Woodland Park and Violet came to live with us. She was only ten years old. This was in 1914.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe}
“This was in 1916. In February we had a big snow, at least four feet. … It was over the fences and lasted a couple of months. Our baby Roy, Jr. had a convulsion and I ran over the fence of snow to the neighbor for help. Dr. Voss came, but did really nothing. The baby never got better and passed away. … The house we lived in was lined with felt paper and cedar. I do not know if this had anything to do with it but the house was full of fleas and just about ate me up. The bed was black with flea powder. They did not seem to bother Violet or Roy, but there were no other vacant houses. So we bought two tents and a fly for over them (built up tents not on the ground, about one foot up) and a porch between them. One tent was used for a bedroom and the other for a kitchen and living. We had a regular kitchen range, no electricity. We put the tents up on the riverbank; from the town about a mile, right along the river. We fenced in a yard and planted some flowers.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
On 7 June 1917 Roy was a pharmacist. He was described as being of medium height and build with brown eyes and black hair. He claimed an exemption from the draft as he had a dependent wife. [Ref]
On 2 January 1920 Roy F. and Ruby were living in Darrington, Snohomish, Washington and Roy was a pharmacist in a drugstore. [Ref]
“Roy decided to start a drug store in Darrington … We moved to Darrington in March or April of 1916. … we put up our tents on vacant property … We only had a cook stove for cooking and heat. There was no heat in the tent for sleeping. Roy built an outhouse with a gunnysack door. … We shared a well … This well was also our refrigerator. … We had no electricity or running water; just the well. We had to haul water up in a bucket for washing and everything. We would heat it in a boiler for washing. Though we didn’t have electricity; we did have a telephone that came later. I would then wash clothes on a scrub board on the back porch …” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
On 26 April 1930 Roy F. and Ruby L. were living in Darrington and Roy was a druggist at a drugstore. [Ref]
“So we bought 40 acres of logged off land (stumps and land) on the river in 1931. Later we bought two twenty-acre parcels. … We built a barn and a double garage with a living room between. The garages we used as bedrooms. We cleared land for a garden. We lived in this house in the summer of 1932. We had a big garden.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
On 29 April 1940 Roy and Ruby were living in Darrington and Roy was a farmer. [Ref]
“We moved to Marysville and bought a house. Roy went to work as a druggist for Jack Fox. Later Fox sold to Dick Cornell and Roy stayed on with him until he retired in the 1970’s.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
Lilac left school after the ninth grade. [Ref]
In 1916 and in 1918 Lilac was living with her father at 1847 Weller Street and was a clerk at the Seattle Empire Laundry. [Ref]
“This was the year of the flu pandemic. Lilac came down with it first. … I was very ill too and had a temperature of 105 degrees and was told to stay in bed. There were three of us down with the flu, Lilac, Marian and I. Clarence, in uniform, but home on leave was the nurse. Vi and Fern were the housekeepers and did not get the flu.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
In 1922, 1925 and 1926 Lilac was living with her sister Violet on East Pine Street. [Ref] In 1922 she was working as a bookkeeper, in 1925 she was a cashier at Michael Wells Co. and in 1926 she was a clerk. [Ref] By 1928 Violet had moved and in 1928, 1929, 1930 and 1932 she was working as a cashier at the Charles H. Lilly Co. [Ref] In 1933 she was working as a cashier. [Ref]
On 15 April 1940 Harold was a 34-year-old salesman for a gas insurance company and Lilac was a 41-year-old cashier. They were living in Seattle. [Ref]
Fern left school after finishing the ninth grade. [Ref]
In 1916 Fern was living with her father at 1847 Weller Street and was a clerk at Rhodes Brothers. [Ref]
On 7 April 1930 Alfred and Fern were living in Seattle with Alfred’s father and Alfred was a wholesale hardware salesman. [Ref] On 18 April 1940 Alfred and Fern were living in Seattle and Alfred was a hardware salesman. [Ref] In 1942 and 1953 Alfred and Fern were living in Seattle and Alfred was a salesman. [Ref] In 1957 and 1958 they were living in Seattle and Alfred was a clerk in a hardware store. [Ref]
“George was about 12 years old and was selling newspapers downtown by the depot. Several times he went to sleep on the benches at the depot. The police would call Dad and he would go and get him. He had to walk both ways as the street cars closed down at night. With Dad and Mother gone to mine, Uncle Levi thought it best to take George home to Minnesota with him. He did this and put him on a farm with a cousin of ours on Dad’s side, Alma [illegible]. He stayed on the farm and helped until we went to war in 1918. He ran away and joined the navy.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
George completed high school and joined the military in World War I. [Ref]
“He ran away and joined the Navy; he wasn’t really old enough but he was a large husky boy and had no trouble joining.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
In early April 1930 George and Florence E. were living in Tacoma and George was a calculating machine salesman. [Ref] Sometime between 1935 and early April 1940 George and Florence moved to Portland, Multnomah, Oregon where George was an office equipment salesman. [Ref]
Violet graduated from high school. [Ref]
In 1922, 1925 and 1926 Violet was living with her sister Lilac on East Pine Street. [Ref] In 1922 and 1926 she was working as a clerk and in 1925 she was working as a seamstress. [Ref] In 1930 William and Violet were living in Seattle and William was a bookkeeper for a dredging company. [Ref] In 1940 William and Violet were living in Seattle and William was an auditor for a bridge and dredging company. [Ref]
CLARENCE FRANKLIN LARSEN (1890 – 1977)
Parents: Lars F. Larsen and Francina Hansen [Ref][Ref][Ref]
Clarence Franklin Larsen was born on 9 January 1890 on his grandfather’s farm in Meeker County. [Ref][Ref][Ref][Ref] He was baptized on 9 February 1890 in the Arndahl Church. [Ref] He died on 6 June 1977 on Mercer Island. [Ref][Ref] He married Alice Marian Johnson on 27 April 1916 in St. Clement’s Church. [Ref]
“I arrived into this world on January 9, 1890 during a typical Minnesota snow storm, the doctor having to come out to Grandfather Hansen’s farm from Litchfield on horse back. I have it from others that I weighed three pounds.” (Clarence Larsen) [Ref]
In 1899 Clarence was sent to Ramsey, North Dakota to live with his Uncle Levi and Aunt Sarah. In 1900 he lived in an orphan home in Spokane for five months. [Ref][Ref]
In 1916 Clarence was living with his father at 1847 Weller Street in Seattle and was working as a bookkeeper for E. C. Klyce & Co. [Ref]
“1914, 1915 and 1916 I served on the vestry at St. Clements and was clerk of the vestry this same period. One of my other duties was to make out the monthly financial statements. During this same period I was also superintendent of the Sunday school.” (Clarence Larsen) [Ref]
“Marian and Clarence were married in 1916. They lived in a tent on a piece of property on Mercer Island that Marian had bought with her inheritance.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe) [Ref]
“We bought our property on Mercer Island in 1915, discovering it while paddling around in our blue canoe. We were married the 27th of April, 1916. I belonged to the choir at St. Clements, and it was the custom of us girls when we married to have the wedding on choir rehearsal night, thus releasing the choir and our fine organist, Mr. Wollaston, for the ceremony. We even went a step further and had the wedding the Thursday after Easter which meant we could use the Easter flowers for the decorations. We were pretty short of money so further economized by inviting everyone in the parish to the wedding by means of the parish paper, ‘The Chronicle’.” [Ref, attached paragraph written by Marian Johnson Larsen]
“Mr. Larsen was born in Minnesota and lived a brief time in Montana before coming here [Seattle] as a youngster. His formal education ended after the sixth grade. Later he took some business-school courses and the year he married went to work as a typist for the Charles H. Lilly Co.” [Ref]
In June 1917 Clarence was a general accountant with the Charles H. Lilly Company. [Ref] In 1918 Christian and Marian were living on Mercer Island and Clarence was a clerk with the Charles H. Lilly Co. [Ref]
During World War I, “Clarence was in uniform, but home.” (Ruby Larsen Wolfe)[Ref]
In 1920 Clarence and Marian were living on Mercer Island and Clarence was a bookkeeper for a seed company. [Ref] In 1922, 1925 and 1926 he was an auditor at the Charles H. Lilly Co. [Ref] In 1929 he was a clerk. [Ref] In 1930 Clarence and Marian were living on Mercer Island and Clarence was an accountant for a seed company. [Ref] In 1931 Clarence was a secretary at the Charles E. Lilly Co. and in 1932 he was treasurer and secretary. [Ref] In 1935 he was a secretary. [Ref] In 1940 Clarence and Marian were living on Mercer Island and Clarence was the Vice President of a fertilizer and seed company. [Ref]
“1932–1943 inclusive I served on the Bishop’s Committee of Emmanuel Church acting as Treasurer for the greater part of this period.” (Clarence Larsen) [Ref]
Clarence was the President of the Charles H. Lilly Company. At the time of his death, he was living on Mercer Island. [Ref]
Another photo
Clarence Larsen's memoir of his childhood
© A. Buiter 2014
