 Peder
Jensen (Riise) was born on 30 March 1863 in the town of Simested, in the
county of Aalborg, Denmark. He was the seventh child in his family. He had a
sister who died at the age of seven years old, and five brothers, two of whom
died in infancy and one who died at the age of twenty five. The name 'Riise'
was probably added to the family name to distinguish the family from others
in the community with the same name, a common occurance where the old naming
practice of patronymics was used. Peter's father was a farmer in the Voxlev
Parish, Aalborg Co. He was a descendent of the original Aagaard families from
the Juelstrup Praestegaard [Aagaard refers to the name of the farm, which
would have been worked by several families. The genealogy of these families
can be found in "Legatfamilien AAGAARD" by Max Grohshennig, a copy
of which can be found at the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah].
Not much is known about Peder's early life, but we do know that on 12 April
1878, at the age of fifteen, he sailed on the Steam-Ship SS California from
Glasgow to the US with his brother Jacob Aagaard (Winther) Jensen (Riise). The
names on the passenger list were recorded as Peter Jensen and Wnt. Jensen. At
some point during the voyage, a bible was presented to Jacob by the captain of
the ship, David Orenstone. Information contained in Jacob's diary, [a copy of
which is in the possession of Jeanne Butler of Marysville, Washington]
suggests that Jacob came to America a number of years before Peder and made
more than one trip back to Denmark, possibly to get his younger brother. Upon
arriving in America, Peder changed his name from Peder JENSEN to Peter JOHNSON. Family stories suggest that both Jacob and Peder chose to leave Denmark before the age of sixteen to avoid the Danish
draft. Peder eventually settled in Grundy County Iowa, and on 5 September,
1884 he became a citizen of the United States of America.
In 1890, Nielsine Christensen (Sina) came to the US, rumour has it, as an indentured
servant to Peter. According to their daughter, Alma Johnson Sells (deceased), Peter and Nielsene Christensen met in Denmark, where she worked for his parents. Peter
and Nielsine were married on 11 October 1890 at Reinbeck, Iowa by A.
Methpessel, Justice of the Peace. Witnesses were Peder Andersen and Mary
Andersen.
In 1900, Peter and his family were living in Blackhawk Twp., Reinbeck,
Iowa. The 1900 census records his occupation as RR labour. At this time the
family were renting a house. The census indicates that Nielsine had 5
children, 4 of whom were living at the time. From the ages of the children, it
is most likely that the deceased child was born sometime between 1895 and
1900. The family moved to North Dakota sometime between 1900 and 1906.
The following excerpt comes from the "History of Carmichael,
Saskatchewan", published in 1977 by the Yesteryear History Book
Committee. "In 1906 the family moved from North Dakota to the Carmichael
District (Saskatchewan) to homestead on land SE 24-12-20-W3. Their first home
was a dugout with a peaked tar-papered roof. The inside was boarded up with
lumber, a large window at ground level, very similar to some of our modern
basement suites of today. Memories of childhood recall it was tastefully
furnished, no doubt a talent brought with Mrs. Johnson from Denmark. The board
floor was scrubbed white, probably with homemade soap and lye, homemade
braided rugs gave it a homey quality; how cool it was down there for cream and
vegetables. This house was snug in winter and cool in summer, no air
conditioner was needed. All callers were welcome and the coffee pot was always
on the stove. The Johnsons were good neighbours.
Some of their children attended Carmichael Rural School. Later selling
their farm to the Ogden [family], they moved southeast of Gull Lake
(Saskatchewan). Today the home site has vanished into one large cultivated
acreage owned by G. Wightman of Swift Current, Sask."
The following obituary appeared in the Thursday, October 7th, 1948 issue of
the Gull Lake Advance: Peter Johnson Passes Away In Regina Hospital Peter
Johnson, an old-time resident of Gull Lake and district since 1906, passed
away in the Regina General hospital, Sunday afternoon, being a patient there
for the past three weeks. The late Mr. Johnson was born in Denmark 85 years
ago and came to Gull Lake in 1906 from the States. He homesteaded in the
Carmichael district, selling his homestead and purchasing land south-east of
Gull Lake, where he farmed until the time he came to reside in Gull Lake. He
was pre-deceased by his wife in January 1939 and by one daughter Anna, five
years ago. The deceased is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Ora Sells and
Mrs. Chas. Rushworth of Gull Lake and Mrs. Jacobson of Ravenscrag and one son
Nels Johnson of Gull Lake. The remains were brought to Gull Lake Monday night
the funeral being held Tuesday afternoon, the service being conducted by the
Rev. W. E. Bannerman in Knox United church and interment made in the Gull Lake
cemetery. The pallbearers were Messrs Andrew McKercher, Otto Jansen, J.
Jansen, J. Hansen, A.M. Jensen and H.E. Downey
Peter was buried in the Gull Lake cemetery, in Gull Lake, Saskatchewan.
For more information on my JENSEN/JOHNSON/RIISE ancestors,
click here.
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