Jens Chris Jensen was born in Dronninglund, Denmark, in April, 1897. He received his schooling in Denmark, and in 1914, at the age of 17, he came to Clear Lake, Iowa, along with his brother, Jens P. Jensen.
Ellen Sorensen was born in Aalborg, Denmark, in November, 1900. She came to America with her family shortly after she was born. They settled north of Brainerd, Minnesota in 1901. In 1906, her mother died, leaving seven children. One of Ellen's brothers was adopted. Ellen then went to live in Tyler, Minnesota, at a Danish orphanage. At the age of 11, she started working as a hired girl in local homes. In 191 7, she went to Clear Lake, Iowa, with her sister, Katherine.
At Clear Lake, Ellen became acquainted with Chris, and they were married in 1920. Shortly thereafter, they came to Barnes County and farmed in Ashtabula Township, north of the present Baldhill Dam, until 1923, when they moved to the Ronsheimer farm in Ashtabula Township. After living there for two years, they moved to what is now the Albert Grindler farm in Ashtabula Township. In the Spring of 1934, they moved to a farm one mile south of Luverne, in Baldwin Township, where they resided until 1936. They, then, moved to the Bill Smith farm, three miles west of Pillsbury, until their son, Leon, took over in 1943. They, then, bought the farm presently owned by John Ihry, in Baldwin Township, where they lived until 1953, when they sold the farm to John Ihry, Sr. of Hope. John Ihry, Jr. married the Jensen's youngest daughter, Darlene, who presently own the farm.
Chris and Ellen moved to Valley City in 1953, where Chris worked as a grain tester for two years, and then as janitor at the College for six years. Ellen worked at Brown Lithographing for eight years. In 1961, they both retired and lived in Valley City until 1967, when they moved to Bradenton, Florida, where they presently reside.
The Jensens have five children: Leon, who lives near Pillsbury, Earl of Luverne, North Dakota, Melva (Mrs. Richard Lee) of Fargo, Jean, who died as a child, and Darlene (Mrs. John Ihry) of Baldwin Township. They have 11 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 111