Søren Pedersen

   Dødsårsag: Pneumonia ( Lungebetændelse ).

   Et andet navn for Søren var John Peterson.

  Forskningsnotater:

Søren Pedersen was young man of 21 when he left his native land of Denmark. I can only wonder about the restless feelings that urged him nto leave his family and friends and come to America. Wase searching for a better life ?
What stories and tales had he heard about this new land that cempelled him to go so far from home ?
Surely within his dreams were plans to return to Denmark some day. his sister, Louise , wrote in a letter how sad her mother was then Søren left, and that she cries and suffered mush. Perhaps her "mother's intuition" confirmed the fact thatb she will never see Søren again. It must have been just a difficult for Søren's father to see his only son leave home and go so far away. Many years later Louise received a picture from Søren's wife, Anne, and in a return letter Louise commented how mushSoren looked like their father.
Soren had been born on the 8th November 1835, in Dragerup, the parish of Grandlose, Holbæk County, Denmark, to Peder Sørensen and Margrethe Karoline Nielsdatter. He was ther first born child and only son, and he had two younger sisters, Frederikke and Louise Wilhelmine.
Whatever the reason, Soren did imigarte to America in 1856. There is no record, but I assume his ship docked in New Yourk. There must have been feelings of excitement as he anticipated adventures and new experiences ahead of him, but the intemingled also mus have been times of loneliness as he thought of loved ones he had left behind. Perhaps there were even moments of discouragement. However, America was a new country when frontiers to be claimed and land to be settled. Ske was spoken of as the "Land of opporturnity". Surely Soren was not alone, for many were making there way to teh American shores to share in the dreams of freedom and prosperity.

How long Soren stayed in new yourk is not known. There where ethnic groups in various areas, so perhaps that is the reason he make his way to Miline, Illinois, knowing there were other Danes there. Certainly there was one, for it was in Moline that he met a lovely Dansih girl, Anne Hansen, who was from Fanefjord, Praesto, Denmark. Annes parents had sent her to America to live with her sister and husband, Hanah and Rosmus Mason who had a farm in Moline. There was threat of war in Denmark and Anne's parents felt she would be safer in America. Anne was sixteen when she left Denmark and came to this country. I don't know how long Soren courted Anne, but they were married 15. Feb. 1863. Anne was nineteen and Soren was twentyeight. In this country Soren was known as John.

Following their marriage, they etablished their home on a farm in Moline. However, their happiness was shortlived, for sorrow and trial came to Anne and John, when their first baby was born and lived only a short time. The following year a second baby blessed their home, but it too died and when their third baby was buried the next year it was almost more than John and Anne could endure.

Perhaps Moline held too many sad memories for them, for they felt teh need to make a new start, so they decided to move to a new area and homestead a farm someplace else. john ans Anne packed up there few belogings and headed for Iowa. Here they settled on a farm in Kelley, Iowa, just a short distance out of Ames, Iowa.

About 1866, Anne gave birth to a baby daugtherm whom they called Nettie. However, when six months ols little Nettie died. In about 1868, Frederick was born. I can image the anxieties Soren and Anne experienced at the birth of this child having lost the four previous babies. Surely they must have cherished him and cared for him tenderly, but he was not to remain with them long, for when he was two years old, he too was taken in death.

In 1910, Anne received a letter from Louise Jorgensen, Soren's sister, in replay to a letter she had written Louise. Many years had passed since they had corresponded and Louise was thrilled to hear from Annwe. Louise wrote, " Many years ago we were writing each other, but it cane to a complete hakt and didn't get started again.. It was in the years, when you had the sorrows losing your small children, and if my husband had felt like going to America at that time, then we would have come, when you wrote to us about it."

Soren and Anne endured their heartaches and contuined to work hard on their farm. Once again joy came into ther lives, when little Charles Ephraim was born on 20. feb., 1870. How hard they must have prayed to cradle this baby boy in their arms and watch him grov to manhood. Their pray were answered and he grew in health and stature.

On 30. march 1873, Hans Frederick Wilhelma Peterson was born. Datus Duet Peterson arrived on 4. june 1876. Six years later on 15. july 1883, Anne gave birth to a beautyful little daughter, Christiana Charlotta Elmina Peterson. After the years of loss and sorrow, Soren and Anne were experiencing the joys that come with the love and laughter of children.

In 1866, Soren was elected as Foreman if the Fire company in Ames, Iowa. In 1887, he built a ,lowely two story red brick home on the farm, and in october of that year the family moved in. What a time of excitement and feelings of fulfillment Soren and his family must have experienced. Soren and Anne had worked hard and sacrificed much during thir years together, and now they were reaping the rewards.

How quickly contentmen and happiness can slip from our grasp. We must learn to treasure each moment of joy, as it comes to us as well as those with, whom we share those joys.

Soren became suddenly ill with pneumonia and on 13. feb., 1888, he passed away, leawing Anne a widowat 44 with four children to care for and a farm to manage. Charles was now eighteen years of age, almost a man, and old enough to be a great help to his mother. Will was about 15, Datus nearly 12 and Elina not yet five.

No doubt life was lonely for Anne, so two years later, following Soren's death, ske married Paul Paulson, on 21. march 1890. unfortunately this marriage proved to be a great mistake, for Paul Paulson's main interest seemed to be in getting Anne's farm from her, so the marriage ended in divorce.

Anne remained on the farm in Iowa. Each of the children married and etablished their own homes. Charles and Will had moved west and homesteaded farms in Custer County, Oklahoma. They prevailed upon their mother to sell her fram in Iowa, and buy a farm near them in Oklahoma, whre they could help with the responsibilities that come with farm work. So in about 1908, Anne sold her home and farm in Iowa and moved to Oklahoma, where she reinvested in another fram.

Anne's daughter, Elmina, had married in 1902, and she now had two small children and her mariages had ended in divorce. When Anne moved to Oklahoma, Mina and the children also moved with her.

For Anne it was almost like starting over again. Ske left her lovely brick home in Iowa in exchange for a dugout that served as her new home. But sacrifice and struggle was nothing new for Anne, and she did, what had to be done.

She lived on the farm in Custer County until about 1916. she then sold the farm and moved to Drumright, Oklahoma, where she made her home with her daughter, Elmina and family. Anne was loved and respected by her children and garnd children. one of their favorite pastimes was to gather together as Mina played the piano and Uncle Willie played her violin. Music was a inportant part of their lives.

Anne died at the age of 89 on 16. november 1933. She died in Drumwright, Oklahoma, but was taken back to Iowa, where she was laid to rest next to her beloved Soren in teh Ontario Cemetary outside of Ames, Iowa.

Søren blev gift med Ane Hansen, datter af Hans Jørgen Hemmingsen og Christiane Christensen, den 15 Feb. 1863 i Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois, USA. (Ane Hansen blev født den 20 Okt. 1843 i Fanefjord, Mønbo, Præstø, DK, dåb den 24 Nov. 1843 i Fanefjord Kirke, Fanefjord, Mønbo, Præstø, DK, døde den 16 Nov. 1933 i Drumright, Payne, Oklahoma, USA og blev begravet i Ames, Story County, Iowa, USA.)