Karen Jensdatter

Biography

Karen Jensdatter was born on January 15, 1815 in Bejstrup, Øster Han, Hjørring, Denmark. She was the sixth of seven siblings. On November 2, 1847 she married Lars Christian Jensen in Brovst, Hjørring. They lived on a farm nearby. Together they had a son and three daughters, including a set of twins, Inger and Mary. Karen and her husband taught their children to read, write, sew, knit, fish, and herd animals. They raised cattle, geese, and sheep.
In 1860, her family was taught by the missionaries and they all got baptized two years later. They made the journey with other saints to immigrate to Utah. They sailed on the ship Kenilworth from May 25 to July 16 of 1866, and then they joined the Abner Lowry wagon company for the journey across the United States. Along the way, they were joined by another company, but unfortunately Karen and her husband caught cholera from them. Within a few days, she died at age fifty-one in Kearney, Nebraska. Her husband passed away the day after, but her children were taken in by other families and made it safely to Utah.