Pioneers

In his later years, my grandfather wrote what he remembered about his family history in a document he titled "Pioneers". His father, Jørgen Jørgensen, came from Denmark and homesteaded on the prairie near Lincoln, Nebraska. When he applied for naturalization, he was talked into changing his name to "John Johnson" because that would be easier for Americans to pronounce. He later regretted that decision. I was hoping that I could determine where the homestead was, and find the cemetery where Jørgen Jørgensen's father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ole and Karen Jørgensen, are buried. We spent some time in the Nebraska State Historical Society archives in Lincoln, Nebraska. They have some very friendly and helpful staff there. I was looking for information on the homestead and Barbara was looking for information about her grandfather who died (we believe) in or near Omaha. I was able to find the location of the farm and a record of when the US Government patent was issued transferring ownership to them.


This is a picture of what the homesteaded farm looks like today. Because of his wife's health, they sold the farm in the early 1900s and relocated to Portland, Oregon.







We also found the Danish cemetery where Ole and Karen Jørgensen (my great great grandparents) are buried.







The "Johnson" family was very excited when they heard that a new railroad line might cross their property. But it missed them by about a mile and crossed the land of a neighboring Irishman named Mike Davey. The small town that resulted might have had a different name if the railroad was built just a little more east!

Art