Bio: Jensen, Anna (Breusen) (86th Birthday - 1938)

Contact stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Jensen, Breusen, Genrich, Rau

----Source: Linda Mertens Scrapbook

Jensen, Anna (Breusen) (86th Birthday - 11 OCT 1938)

Mother Jensen Holds Open House on 86th Birth – Anniversary

October 11 was Mother Jensen’s 86th birth anniversary, and on that day, as has been the custom in years past, open house was held for friends in Dorchester.

About 20 residents enjoyed supper at her home prepared with the assistance of members of the ladies’ aid of Peace Ev. Congregation of which Mrs. Jensen is a member. Ladies assisting were Mrs. O. C. Genrich, Mrs. Wm. Rau and Mrs. Henry Rau. Members of the ladies aid also spent the afternoon at the Jensen home.

Mother Jensen has lived alone in her house on South Second Street the past six years following the death of her husband, Jens P. Jensen, in August 1932. Though small in stature (about four feet) she continues to do her own house work. Her garden, from which she has supplied vegetables to almost every village resident, this year produced one of the best crops in years.

Each spring she has prepared her own garden, working every bit of the ground by spade, arranging the various beds and doing the necessary weeding. “Without work,” she said in a conversation Friday, “I could not live – when I work time flies.”

From sales of vegetables this summer, Mother Jensen has saved enough money to purchase fuel and flour for the winter. Six cords of wood have been delivered and the sack of flour is in her pantry ready for use.

“Neighbors want to help me,” Mother Jensen said, “but that shouldn’t be – the world was made so everyone should take care of themselves.”
Upon asked about her date and place of birth and date of marriage, Mother Jensen replied “that was a long time ago – dates are very hard to remember after all these years.”

A framed certificate which hung on her kitchen wall disclosed she was born Anna Bruesen, Nov. 23, 1852 in Neuendorf, Germany. Her marriage to Mr. Jensen took place in Schleswig-Holstein in 1879, and two years later the couple came to America, settling on a farm in Illinois.

In 1900 Mr. and Mrs. Jensen moved to a farm in the town of Holway in Taylor County (near the present Skidmore farm) where they lived until moving to Dorchester in 1909. A son Henry preceded his parents in death.

Mother Jensen’s only near relatives are three grandchildren, Lilly and Albert Jensen of the state of Indiana and Karl Jensen of Chicago.