Note: special thank you to Cindie Sorenson for this post!
How are we related? Ole Hansen is the father of Mary Hansen who is the mother of Milton Johnson
If there is any place which has a more sanctifying charm than that of his own birthplace, it is that of his parents and grandparents. The mysteries, the traditions and the memories associated with such a place make it a “Holy of Holies”. I have been touched with the song “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere” and if I were to imagine that ideal in something I have seen, I should think first of the Island of Fyn, one of the most beautiful isles of the north seas and the birthplace of grandfather and grandmother and mother. It is two miles north of Odense in the little village of Vester Lunde. It was on this beautiful island of gentle rolling hills and deep meadows that Ole Hansen was born September 26, 1825.
His father’s name was Hans Hendricksen and his mother Maren Olsen. As a boy he hired out by days to work for neighboring landlords. Cows were kept staked in meadows or along the ditch banks and it was part of his work to move and water them from time to time. Later it was ordinary farm work in summer and chores in winter. He also threshed out grain with a flail. At the age of 23 he was drafted into the army and served in the war with Germany when the Schleswig-Holstein province was lost to Denmark in 1848. Here he was wounded in the leg and very nearly escaped being struck in the head with a bullet.
On September 9, 1854 he was married to Marie Nielsen. They had no home of their own, but rented a small piece of ground on which he had a little four room cottage erected. This house served as a home for the family, a stable for the cow, a sty for the pig and a barn for the hay. This custom is still in vogue in some European countries. Besides cultivating this little piece of ground, he hired out to work for neighboring farmers at a very low wage. Because of his industry and integrity, he was highly respected in the whole community. The first sorrow that came in his home life was the death by drowning of his third child, a boy about 2 and ½ years.
About the year 1864-5, an event occurred that proved to be the turning point in the lives of himself and his family, an event which naught but blindness in us his descendents could ascribe to any other source than a special intervention of Providence. It was the coming into the neighborhood of the first Mormon missionaries. Great was the excitement and curiosity that was occasioned by their coming. His brother Hendrick was the first to join the church.
Grandfather did not take very kindly at first to the new doctrine. So sure was he of its fallacy that he took the trouble to persuade the Parish Priest to attend one of the meetings of the Mormon elders in order to expose the base imposters. He went around and invited all the neighbors to come and witness the elder’s humiliation. But when the meeting was called, to the great surprise of everyone, the Priest could say nothing against the new doctrine which the elders had preached. Still grandfather was not satisfied. He must get a very prominent member of the National Rickstag to come and refute the doctrine. Certainly he could do it. But this attempt was no more successful than the first. This made him consider the matter very seriously, a fact which reveals, I believe, as much as anything could, the inborn honesty and integrity of the man. It was a crisis in his life and required a courage which perhaps few of us can realize. Much less appreciate.
He had come to a point where he felt that Divine guidance was absolutely necessary. One night when this feeling impressed him most strongly, he went out into the darkness, knelt down and prayed for some sign or testimony by which he might know whether or not this new religion was true. And it came—an overwhelming consciousness or conviction of the truth and all at once for a moment the darkness was literally turned into light. Now he became ardently devoted to the cause and of course incurred the ill will of all his neighbors and friends who formerly had thought so much of him. I have heard mother tell how badly she felt when she saw the neighbors flock out to the gate as she passed by after his baptism to see if he really looked the same as he did before, and when she heard people pass all kinds of slurring remarks about him and the cause he had espoused. He was baptized in May 1866.
One winter the family was in very destitute circumstances and hardly knew how to keep the wolf from the door. It had been the custom of the town board to give relief to those who were thus situated and who were not regular beneficiaries of state charity. But help in this case was not given because it was thought that a period of privation might bring the family to their senses in spiritual matters. The family lived through the winter and grandfather did not forget those uncharitable dispensers. When he came to Utah and was comfortable situated with plenty for himself and a little so spare, he wrote a letter to them advising them that he was now blessed with plenty and was in a position to help them if they needed it.
His wife preceded him to this country by about one year. On the way over, he struggled with himself to overcome the habit of chewing tobacco. For days he would go with a prune stone in his mouth in order to appease the unnatural craving for tobacco.
He first settled in Logan, but soon after this, a family of children in Smithfield was left orphaned. Since the parents had been old time friends of Ole Hansen and his wife, they were asked to rear the children. He shared the hardships of pioneer life for a few years, but gradually his circumstances improved until he was quite comfortably situated.
In 1883, he went back to his native land as a missionary. When he saw his son Hans, the latter broke down into tears of joy. He had the pleasure of baptizing Hans while on his mission. He also baptized his son’s family.
Ole Hansen was president of the branch and on his return took charge of a company of immigrants. He was well and widely known among some of the leading Scandinavians or the church and all of them in the valley knew him. Many of them frequently partook of his hospitality. For many years he was a leader of the Scandinavian organization in Smithfield.
He was short of stature, dark complexioned, sound, vigorous and energetic, impulsive and generous in his nature. He was up and at work early in the morning, took a noon nap regularly, was punctual and faithful in all his duties and the soul of honesty at all times. He was a faithful and honest tithe payer. But few Sundays indeed ever found him absent from his accustomed place in the tabernacle or where sacrament meeting was held. The word “integrity” which means a wholeness of character very fittingly describes him as a man. Nowhere need we look for more shining virtues to emulate in our lives. The most important thing for us, his descendents to remember is, the great significance of his life and of course that of grandmother also. For what did they live. In what state have they died. How would they have us live.
He died September 16, 1908. He broke his leg and back when he fell from a tree where he had climbed to pick apples. He lived only four days more. The night before he died, he called his grandchildren together and bore his testimony as to the truthfulness of the gospel. Those were the last words I heard him say. I never can forget the expression in his large dark eyes when he bore that last testimony to us his grandchildren. He had been a dear grandfather. He played with us at parties entering into the fun along with us children. The gospel had made him more lovable and kind to children than ever before because he realized their value.
Written by John H. Peterson
Grandson of Ole Hansen
Son of Johann August Peterson and Mette Maria Hansen
Timeline on Ole Hansen
Born at Lunde, Odense, Denmark 26 September 1825
Graduated from public school at Lunde, Odense, Denmark
Drafted as a soldier and wounded in Schleswig war of 1848-51 (Germany versus Denmark)
Married Marie Nielsen on 9 September 1854 in Odense, Odense, Denmark
Baby son Rasmus Hansen drowns at age 2 ½ on 8 April 1859
Baptized by Anders Larsen in Lunde, Odense, Denmark 26 May 1866
Migrated from Denmark to Utah in 1870
Ordained an Elder by H. Heikle in 1872
Received a Patriarchal blessing by K. H. Bruun 3 June 1873
Ordained a High Priest by Samuel Roskelley 1875
Endowed at the Endowment house in Salt Lake City on 13 October 1883
Filled a mission to Denmark from 1883-1885
Died just short of age 83 in Smithfield, Cache, Utah on 16 September 1908
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