Description

Jens Nielsen

Nielsen, Jens, Bishop of Bluff Ward, San Juan county, Utah, was born April 26, 1820, on the island of Lolland, Denmark, the son of Niels Jensen and Dorthea M. Thornsen. He was baptized March 29, 1854, by Johan Sandberg, and after being ordained a Priest and subsequently an Elder he labored as a local missionary in his native land about one and a half years, and emigrated to Utah in 1856, crossing the plains in Captain Willie’s handcart company. He located at Parowan, Iron county the same fall and lived there until the spring of 1864, when he, together with seventy-five other families, was called to settle Panguich, where he was appointed the presiding Elder and held that office until the infant settlement was broken up in 1866 because of Indian troubles. Elder Nielsen then located in Cedar City, where he acted as a High Councilor, and afterwards as first counselor to Bishop Christopher J. Arthur.

In 1879 he was called by Apostle Erastus Snow to assist Silas S. Smith in establishing a mission and settlement on the San Juan river, and bring about friendly [p.204] relations with, the Navajo Indians who at that time were committing a great many depredations in southern Utah. This company of missionaries consisted of about two hundred and forty souls, all told, and traveled over a very rough, unexplored country through which they had to make roads, and thus they spent six months in traveling three hundred miles. They finally arrived at the present site of

Bluff City, on the San Juan river, April 6, 1880. Soon after their arrival there, Elder Nielsen was ordained a Bishop under the hands of Apostles Erastus Snow and Brigham Young junior and set apart to preside over the Bluff Ward, which position he held until Jan. 6, 1906, when he was honorably released because of failing health.

His death occurred in Bluff April 24, 1906. During his whole life Bishop Nielsen was faithful and true to the cause of God, and was ever obedient and willing to labor as he was directed by those placed over him in the Priesthood. His zeal, integrity and wisdom was universally acknowledged and he was indeed a father to his Ward, honest and true in all the walks of life. Surely he was one of God’s noblemen. Before he embraced the Gospel in his native land, Elder Nielsen married Else Rasmussen and after his arrival in Utah he married two other wives, namely, Kirsten Jensen (in October, 1857) and Katrine Johnson (in March, 1874). By these wives he became the father of sixteen children. Besides the many ecclesiastical positions filled by Bishop Nielsen, he also acted as city councilman in Cedar City ten years and as county commissioner of San Juan county four years. His main avocation was that of a farmer and stock raiser.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jens_Nielson

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWNP-RNC