Maren Andersdatter

Maren Andersdatter was born and christened in her parent’s home October 1, 1828 in Raarup. Her parents were Anders Madsen and Birte Jensdatter. Her christening was confirmed in the church of Raarup on November 23 of the same year. Her Aunt Ellen from Breth carried her at her christening. There are two spoons in our family from Ellen Jensdatter, with the year 1847 engraved and the letters RLSB and EJDB – that is Rasmus Laursen, Breth (her husband) and Ellen Jensdatter, Breth.
Maren Andersdatter was married to Jens Hansen Juul on February 20, 1858 in the church of Raarup. They had a daughter together on 04/14/1854 (Johanne Marie), and in their marriage they had ten children: Hans Juul (born 5/23/1857, died 1932 in America), Anders (born 9/17/1858, died? in America), Soren (born 3/5/1861, died 3/15/1905), Birte Marie (born 2/9/1862, died 6/18/1943), Maren Kjerstine (born 10/3/ 1863, died 1/1/1931 in America), Mads (born 5/8/1865, died about 1928 in America), Soren Peter (born 12/21/1866, died 1947 in America), Julie Katrine (born 3/11/1869, died 11/20/1874), Ellen (born 8/13/1871, died 2/14/1874) and Karl Eller (born 6/27/1875, died 2/7/1882).

Approximately 400,000 Danes immigrated to the USA during the years between 1870 and 1910. Today more than 1,600,000 Americans have Danish roots.  Most of the Danes that emigrated left Denmark because they were poor and hoped to find a better life in America. America was a free country and it was easier to own land. From the family of Jens Hansen Juul and Maren Andersdatter it was Anders, Maren Kjerstine, Mads, Soren Peter and Hans who immigrated to America. No one knows exactly just when Anders may have left Denmark for the State of Iowa but it may have been around the year of 1885. Maren Kjerstine left Denmark with her fiancée in the autumn of 1888 and settled in Stephenson, Michigan.  Mads and Soren Peter left around the year of 1890 and settled in Jewell, Iowa.  Hans Juul immigrated in 1913 with his family and also settled in Jewell, Iowa.  Anders was to meet Mads and Soren Peter when they arrived by train in Story, Iowa, but Anders was not there to greet them.  Instead, he had left a message saying that he had gone West with a herd of cattle, and that was the last sign of life from him. His family supposed he had died while on the cattle drive.

Maren Andersdatter died July 27, 1880, at the age of 52. Her daughter Birte Marie, then 18 years old and unmarried, came home to keep house for her father and her little brother Karl Eller, who was then five years old – however, he died two years later.

Look at her genealogical table

Look at her husband Jens Hansen Juul’s biography

Read the story of her daughter Maren Kjerstine here
 

                       Tablespoon that has belonged to Rasmus Laursen and Ellen Jensdatter from
                       Breth. It has been handed down to Birte Marie Jensen, vho added her initial
                       letters BMJ and the year 1895.
                        

                      A table cloth that has belonged to Maren Andersdatter - with her initial
                           letters MAD.