Jens Christensen Cornum 1828-1906

HISTORY: JENS CHRISTENSEN CORNUM (1828-1906)

Compiled and typed by Marilee Cornum Vannoy, 22 March 1995.

Jens Christensen Kornum, was born May 3, 1828, in Vester Bronderslev, Hjorring County, Denmark.  The County of Hjorring is in the North end of Denmark, which lied between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.  His parents, Kristen or Jensen and Else Marie Poulsen, were both from Hjorring County.  In Denmark the place of birth is usually given as the Parish's name, which is Vester Bronderslev.  Jens was probably born at Vester Kornum, and then christened at Vester Bronderslev, which name he was given Jens Christensen.

Jens grew up on a farm, named Vester Kornum, there is even a house there that it named Kornum.  Jens was the fifth generation of his father's line, to live at Vester Kornum.  His great great grandfather, Markvor Jensen, born 1673, of Tolstrup Parish, Hjorring, Denmark, married Johanne Kristensdatter, in 1701.  All there children were christened in the Tolstrup Parish, but it is record their fourth child, Kristen Markvorsen, was born at Vester Kornum.

Jens was the fifth of six children, he was the first born son, and had a baby brother, Poul, born two years after him.  He had lost all of his sisters by the time he was 15 years old.  He had twin sister just 4 1/2 years older, one was stillborn, and the other, Ane died when she was 15 years old, Jens was 11 at the time.  Then his sister Mariane who was only 1/2 years older than him, died when he was 11 also, she had just turned 13.  His oldest sister Matte Kirstine, was eight years older than him, she married and she died at the age of 24.

When Jens was 26 years old he lost his mother, Else Marie, she died in 1855, at 65 years old.  Just before his 30th birthday he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He was Baptized the 4th of March, 1858.  At the age of 34, Jens left his home of Vester Kornum, to join the rest of the Saints in Utah.  He left for America from Hamburg on the 15th of April 1862, on the ship "Franklin".  He left behind his father, Kristen, who later died in 1865, at the age of 70, and his brother Poul, neither ever joined the Church.

Little did Jens know when leaving Hamburg, was also leaving his future wife, Ane Thomine Magrethe Laursen, and her mother Ane Thomasen Laursen.  Who were also new members of the Church.  They left behind there home in Fourholt, Albaek, Hjorring County, and Ane Thomine's father, Peder Laursen, and two sisters Mette Marie and Maren, her other sisters LaursSine and Ane Kirstine had previously went to America.  Mette Marie followed in 1867, with her husband and small daughter.

Earlier in Denmark a child's surname was his father's given name with "sen" added to the sons, or "datter" added to the daughter's name.  Therefore, Ane Thomine Magrethe Pedersdatter, was her name when christened.  But in 1850 Denmark passed a law of taking a fixed surname, which was the same as the father's surname.  So by the time Ane Thomine sailed for America, in 1862, she went by the name of Ane Thomine Magrethe Laursen.

Also Jens Christensen, his Danish name, took the name of Kornum when leaving on the ship, the "Franklin".  We are not sure why he did this, but there were many Christensen's, that being a common name.  Jens was from Vester Kornum, and made Kornum his fixed surname, being Jens Christensen Kornum.  When arriving in America, he Americanized the spelling to Cornum.  The following log is of the "Franklin" Company that departed from Hamburg, on 15 April 1862.  Source is FHL film #025696, Indexed Emigration Register of Scandinavian Mission #80:

"The number of Saints emigrating from Scandinavia in 1862 was greater than in any previous or subsequent year.  No less than 1,556 souls, in four different companies sailed from Hamburg on four chartered vessels destined for Utah.  On Tuesday, April 15th, the ship "Franklin" sailed from Hamburg with 413 emigrating Saints, nearly all from the Aalborg and Vendsyssel Conferences.  They were in charge of Chr. A. Madsen, an Elder returning home.  He chose Jens C. A. Weibye and Lauritz Larsen as his Counselors.  On board ship the company was organized into eight districts with Jens Christensen Kornum as one of the presidents.  Elder Jens C.A. Weibye gives the following account of the voyage across the Atlantic:  We went on board the "Franklin" in the evening of Tuesday (Apr 8th) and I was appointed to locate the emigrants in their bunks below deck.  These bunks, 160 in number, were so wide that three persons easily could have room in one of them side by side.  After getting our baggage in order, we received our rations of provisions.  These consisted of beef, pork, peas, beans, potatoes, pearl barley, rice, prunes, syrup, vinegar, pepper, coffee, tea, sugar, butter, rye bread, sea biscuits, water, flour, salted herring, salt and oil (for the lamps).  We lighted 11 lanterns every night, 6 of which belonged to the ship and 5 to the emigrants.  We hired an extra cook in Hamburg for 90 rigsdaler, and besides him two of our brethren served as assistant cooks.  We thus had our dinners nicely cooked in about the following routine, viz, Sunday we had sweet soup, Monday pea soup; Tuesday and Wednesday, rice; Thursday, pea soup; Friday, barley mush, and Saturday herring and potatoes.

Some of the emigrants carried the measles with them from home, and the disease soon spread to all parts of the ship, so that no less than 40 persons, mostly children, were attacked at once.  Many of the emigrants were also suffering with diarrhea, which caused very much weakness of body.  We lost the appetite for sea biscuits, but learned to soak them in water or tea from 8 to 12 hours, which softened them so that they could become more palatable.  The sick were served twice a day with porridge made from barley, rice or sago, and almost every day pancakes could be had by the hundreds for the sick who could not eat the "hard tack" (sea biscuits).  Wheat bread was also baked for some of the old people.  We held a council meeting every night, and the sanitary conditions of the ship's apartments were attended with great care.  Three times a week the ship was thoroughly fumigated by burning tar.  A spirit of peace prevailed and very few difficulties occurred.  The captain and crew were good-natured and obliging, and so were the cooks, who even served the sick when they were not on duty.

Thursday, 19 May 1862, in the forenoon, the "Franklin" arrived at New York.  The emigrants were not allowed to go ashore, because of some cases of measles yet existing among them.  Finally the sick were taken to the hospital, and after two more nights and a day, they were allowed to go ashore.  They left New York 31 May at 9:00 p.m. by rail.  The company arrived at Florence Neb., on Monday, June 9th, at 10:00 p.m.  Among the 48 persons who died in the "Franklin" company during the voyage on the sea, was Brother Jens Anderson from Veddum, Denmark, who with his own means had assisted 60 or 70 poor Saints to emigrate.  He died on the North Sea on the 25th of April.  On the way from New York to Florence, two children died. Eleven person (4 adults and 7 children) died while staying at Florence and a young girl died on the Plains, making in all 62 in the "Franklin" company who died between Hamburg and Salt Lake City.  On Tuesday, June 10th, the emigrants pitched their tents a short distance north of Florence, and the necessary purchases of oxen, wagons, cows, etc. were attended to.

The Saints left Florence, Neb. with the Lewis Brunson Company on 17 June 1862.  There were 212 persons and 48 wagons.  To begin with, we traveled only a few miles each day, which was a good thing for us, who were unaccustomed to drive oxen.  We generally had good camp grounds and only occasionally we had to camp where we could not obtain water.  As a rule there was an abundance of grass for the oxen, and at times also sufficient fuel to be fond, but a great part of the way the sisters had to content themselves with cooking over fires made from sunflower stems and "buffalo chip".  Nearly all able-bodied men and woman had to walk most of the way; some of the women rode in the wagons only across the larger rivers, while they would wade across the smaller streams like the men.  Sometimes the women and children were carried across the streams by the men when it was feared the oxen could not pull the wagons with their heavy loads.  We did exactly what our leaders told us to do, and consequently everything went well with us, for we could not read in books how and what to do, either on the voyage across the ocean or on the journey across the Plains....  The company, consisting of 211 persons, arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on 29 August 1862.

Jens Christensen Cornum and wife
Ane Thomine Magrethe (Pederdatter) Laursen

       While in Florence Nebraska, Jens and Ane Thomine were married, on 17 Jun 1862.  So as the came across the Plains, they were husband and wife.  Along with them on this journey was mother, Ane Thomasen.  They finally arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, after a long journey of 136 days since sailing from Hamburg.  On the 1880 Census of Denmark, Peder Laursen was listed as living with his daughter, Maren, and her husband, Niels Christian Christensen in Brunvang, Voer, Hjorring, Denmark.  He was listed as 85 years old, a Widower, and a Lutheran.

Jens and Ane Thomine and mother Ane, went to Pleasant Grove, Utah, where her sisters, Ane Kirstine Reynolds and LaursSine Heiselt's families were already living.  Jens was a carpenter, he and Ane Thomine made their home in Pleasant Grove, from 1862 until after 1877.  They had six children, why living there, Ane Tomine "Annie T." born in 1863, Jens Christensen "Chris" born in 1865, Paul Heber born in 1868, Elsie Marie born 1871, Peter Elijah born in 1873, and Mary born in 1877.

Jens and Ane Thomine and their children all moved to Sanford, Colorado.  Sometime Ane's sisters LaursSine and family also moved to Sanford.  But her mother Ane, and other sisters, Ane Kirstine, Mette Marie, and Maren all stayed in Utah.  While living in Sanford, Annie T. died at the age of 27 years, she had never married.  Each of the other five children all married in Sanford and raised their families there.  Hilda Jefferson, the daughter of Peter Elijah, could remember her mother telling how Granddad Jens Cornum would love to come over to see Hilda.  He would set and rock his little granddaughter by the hours.

Cornum Brothers
Chris, Pete, and Heber (sitting)

Jens loved his family very much, and upon leaving Denmark, he brought with him a history of his family lineage.  It was written on parchment paper, and rolled up as a scroll.  Written on it is his family bible, in the form of a family tree.  It starts with Jens, 4 greats grandfather, Markvor... and wife, Sidsel..., it continues to list their descendants of seven generations.  Jens' father, Kristen and his brothers and sisters, are the last of Jens direct line, listed on the paper.  Although Jens has written his own name and information on it, as Kristen's son.  The original paper is in the possession of Sally Mortensen, a great granddaughter of Jens, of Sanford, Colorado.  Marilee Vannoy has a xerox copy of it and of all of Jens' personal kept records.

Jens did genealogy, and a lot of Temple work for his family.  After his wife Ane Thomine died in April of 1890.  He spent a lot of time with his daughter Elsie Marie Cornum Mickelsen, traveling to Manti, Utah, to do Temple work.  He kept a Temple Journal of his work and he and Elsie are listed as most of the proxies for them.  He did most of this work in 1890-1892.  Sally Mortensen also has the original book of his Temple Journal, which lists his mother's side of the family also.

Jens resided in Sanford, Colorado, until his death, November 25, 1906, at the age of 78 years.  He was buried by his wife Ane Thomine, and daughter Annie T. in the Sanford Cemetery, Conejos County, Colorado.  All six of the their children are buried there in the Sanford Cemetery.  He has left a great descendancy which he can be very proud of.  As we are so proud of him, to set the example of excepting the Gospel and joining the Church, and leaving his beloved homeland of Vester Kornum, which we are proud to carry the name of now.

The following are the 6 Children of Jens C. Cornum

Annie Tomine Cornum, 1863-1891

Jens Christian "Chris" Cornum, 1865-1948

Paul Heber Cornum, 1868-1928 (known as Heber)

Ellis Marie "Elsie" Cornum Mickelsen, 1871-1936

Peter Elijah Cornum, 1873-1942

Mary Cornum Poulson,  1877-1950

Closeup of Mary Cornum

Life Story of Ane Thomasen Laursen

LIFE STORY OF ANE THOMPSEN LAURSEN
Wife of Peter Laursen
Born 22 April 1796
to Thomas Andersen and Mette Marie Madsen
written by Eva W. Proctor,
second great granddaughter
17 November 1961
     In the little town of Albet, Hjorring, Denmark, a little girl was born to Thomas Andersen and Mette Marie Madsen.  She was the first child of this young couple, and to them, the 22nd of March, 1796, was the most beautiful spring day they were to know.
     Albet was also called Vester Hassing because of its vast fields of peet, and the shipping ports nearby.  From here, the peet was shipped out to other places, where it was used to burn, making power to run factories, and to be used as we do coal.  Peet is a substance that forms in the lowlands of the Scandinavian countries, and the Island of Hjorring, Denmark is one of the richest places for this high-grade peet.  The Thomas Andersen property was noted for it, and also for its good pasture grounds.
     Ane Thomina, as she was called by family and friends, grew up with the love of her two brothers, Anders and Soren.  They learned to be grateful for their lovely home, and to be faithful to God.  With their little sister, Ane Catrine, their parents taught them that idle hands were the devil’s workshop, so they were a happy, industrious family like all the people about them.
     In the early spring of 1819, Ane met Peter Laursen from Volstrup, a town not many miles away.  He was the son of Laurs Pedersen and Maren Madsen, very good friends of her parents.  He was, indeed, a very good farmer-owning land, cattle, sheep, and many geese.  It was a quick romance, and on the 17th of May, they were married in the Lutheran church of Volstrup, Hjorring, Denmark.  They built one of the finest houses in that location, and set about the business of home building, and raising a family of six daughters, and one son.  As was the custom in Denmark, the children would add “sen” to their father’s first name.  Thus the children of Ane and Peter Laursen would be known as the Petersen children throughout their lives.
     Their first child, a little daughter, was born on July 30, 1820, and christened Maren Catrine.  How sad they were when two months and 28 days later, she died.  It was a disappointment for Ane Thomina; but the next year, another little girl was born, and they named her Mette Marie.  They treasured her so, and Maren and Anna Margarette were born three years apart.  They were overjoyed!  Even more so four years later when the one and only son was born on the April 3, 1830. There was indeed, happiness in the Petersen home now that a son had been born.  They named him Laurs Petersen.  Their joy was to be dampened in the next April, just a year later.  The yellow fever, like a thief in the night, came and took its toll in the city of Volstrup; and the Petersen family were to taste of it also.  Night and day, loving care was given, but it was too much for Mette Marie, and she died on April 26, 1831, just a sweet little girl of not quite ten years of age.  Anna Margarette was also afflicted, and she never entirely recovered until another siege came back, and she passed away on December 7, 1833.
     Now they were back to Maren 10, and Laurs 3.  Then a dear little daughter, Ane Thomina came to fill the loss in their hearts on August 16, 1833.  She was, indeed, a welcome addition, and big sister, Maren, was overjoyed.  She would hardly let this little sister out of her sight.
     A little over eight years later in March, a terrible wind storm sent father away to the shipyards to help fight the terrible tidal wave that was destroying so many valuable cargo vessels loaded with peet and other products.  Mother was left home with her little brood.  Father had been gone four days, and it was up to 18-year-old Maren, to assist when baby sister was born on the 6th day of March.  Father was so proud of his little family, and as was the custom, he took his new little daughter to the church to have her christened and named.  They chose Ane Kirstine to be her name; and she was a very welcome addition to their family.
     Maren had grown into a very lovely young lady, and was now preparing herself for marriage.  When Niels Christian Christensen came from Agersted looking for property to buy, having been sent to the Peter Laursen place with knowledge that they had land for sale, he was made very welcome.  They were, indeed, happy to talk about selling land to him.  Laurs, the only boy, now seventeen, was a great deal of help, but there was still too much property for him and father to handle alone.  Maren was needed in the home with mother, and the other little girls were much too young to go out and help in the fields.  Peter and Ane felt that Niels had been guided to their door, and especially when Maren and he became such good friends.  Early in the spring of 1827, they were married.  Father gave them property, and along with what Niels had brought, they settled down close by to make their home.  It was a great deal of help to mother and father.
     Life seemed to be going pretty well.  Maren and Niel’s four children were in and out to visit their grandparents.  They were:  Ane Marie, Hans Christen, Mareia Christena, and Ane Margaretta-the parents were very proud of them.  In the early part of December, the father, Peter Laursen became very sick.  The fever was raging again, and hardly had he been taken to his bed than he passed away.
     This seemed the end for mother.  If it hadn’t been that Laurs was going on 29 years, and was able to handle the place by himself, she could never have changed her life so completely.  The newfound church and missionaries seemed to be a great comfort to her.  So, with Ane Thoma 26, and Kirstina 17, she joined the church, and planned to leave her native Denmark and go to America, where so many of her friends had already gone.  Even against the protest of her son, Laurs, and her son-in-law, Niels, her happiness was with the church and was the very thing she wanted.  So many things had happened, and she must have a new life in this new land.  Maren and her daughters, Mareina Christena, and Margaretta were happy for this dear mother, and wished them Godspeed.
     They were three of 750 Mormons to leave England for America on the 11th day of May in 1860 on the William Tapscott vessel.  312 Scandinavian saints and 85 saints from Switzerland were on board the ship.  They were one month and five days on the water.  A Swiss family by the name of Staheli were very good singers, and their son, John, was very good at playing the horn to accompany them; their music kept everyone entertained.
     They were very happy on the 16th day of June, when they landed in New York, but still happier when they boarded the train where they were to ride to Florence, Nebraska, and join the companies going to Utah and their destination.
     Ane and her daughters brought their spinning wheels, loom, and wool carders with them from Denmark without too much trouble; but now in Florence, Nebraska, it was another problem to get them over the plans to Zion. The company to which they were assigned was the tenth and last to cross the plains by handcarts.  The captain of the company was Oscar O. Stoddard, and the company was composed of 126 persons, 22 handcarts, and three provision wagons drawn by oxen.  It was out of the question to think they could bring the loom and spinning wheels in the handcarts.  The two copper soap kettles were a different ting-they could be used for cooking, but “where there is a will, there is a way”.  Their good friends, Niels Peter Larsen, and his good wife Karen Kristine Swensen and four children had planned to joint the party with some extra wagons, and they would bring the loom and spinning wheels with them.  Ane promised the Larsens that the first material and blankets she would weave would be theirs.
     The night before they were to leave, Niels and Karen’s baby became very sick, and they were to stay in Florence until it could recover.  The party went on without them.  But the dear little one became worse, and a week later, he died.  They were very sad at losing their little son, just one year old, but they were anxious to continue their journey to Zion.  So, as soon as more families and more wagons could be prepared, they were on their way, just an independent group of saints.
     Ten days of travel had passed since the handcart company had left.  The wagons could travel much faster, but still the handcart company was about half of the way when the wagons caught up with them.  Ane Thomasen Laursen and her daughters were indeed happy to see them, and also sad that the Larsens had lost their child  Ane reminded them that “the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away”, and that someday all would be well.  She believed strongly that the little ones, and her good husband she had lost in Denmark would be joined with her and their loved ones when she could prepare a way for them in this land of Zion.
     It was in August when the party entered Immigration Canyon.  The Swiss families were thrilled with the mountains, but it was hot and dry, and they were very tired and hungry.  The relief company from Salt Lake looked very good to them when they showed up about sundown with a good supper.  After a good night’s rest, they were overjoyed the next day when they entered the Salt Lake Valley, and were greeted by their many friends who had come to Zion before them.
     Ane and her two daughters, Ane Tomina, and Ane Kirstine, joined the Larsens and others to make their home in the Utah Valley.  They arrived in Pleasant Grove on the 1st of September.  Oh, what a beautiful valley with its lakes and mountains on the west and towering peaks on the east. To these tired and weary Scandinavian saints, this beautiful little town was indeed the answer to their prayers.  It seemed that all the hardships and sadness of leaving their native land were far behind them.
     Jens Christensen Cornum and his father helped them to build a two-room adobe house just north of the cemetery.  They all worked hard to finish it before winter set in, so they could set up their looms, and be about the business of making a living.  They set about gathering wool by promising to make yard and weaving it into blankets for people.  Of course, the first to receive their blankets and material was the Larsen family, as they had been promised.
     The spinning wheel was never idle, and by the next spring, they were all caught up with their weaving and carding.  Now mother felt she could spare Ane Kristine, and she went to help the William Fletcher Reynolds family.  The mother, Anna Hawley, had died and left six children:  Ellis 14, William 12, George Washington 10, Ann Eliza 8, James Cynis 5, and Sara Elizabeth who was only 2.  They all loved her very much, and after a few months, they convinced her that she should become their mother and wife.  It didn’t take much coaxing, as she loved them too, and on the 27th of October, 1861, William Fletcher Reynolds and Ane Kristine Petersen were married.
     Ane Kristine was happy when her own little daughter, Anna Elizabeth, was born the 23rd of August, 1862, but they were all sad again when two days later, she died.  The next fall, they moved to Mt. Pleasant, San Pete County.  There, another little girl, Laura Alice was born.  She lived just one year.  The other children were very good and understanding, and Kristine was grateful for them.  Ellis, who was studying to be a nurse and doctor, was especially helpful when their family was blessed with six more children:  Clara Cornelia, Lillian Elnora, Asa Fletcher, Carlos Marion, William Ervin, and Levi William.
     In 1862, Ane Thomina married Jens Christensen (Cornum).  They were a great help and comfort to mother Ane, especially when they settled in Pleasant Grove.  They raised six loving children:  Anne Tomina, Jens Christensen, Paul Heber, Elsie Marie, Peter Elija, and Mary.  They were always close by to care for their grandmother when she needed them.  In 18990, the family moved to Sanford, Colorado, where the father, Jens Christensen Cornum obtained work.
     It was a happy day in 1875 when Ane Thomasen Laursen welcomed her granddaughter, Mareia Christena to Zion.  She had joined the church against her father’s wishes, although her dear mother, Maren Laursen Petersen, was anxious to join her own mother, daughter, and two sisters in Zion.  This dear mother never lived to see this happen; she died in the spring of 1877, and was laid to rest in Pleasant Grove, the little town she loved.
     Her granddaughter, Mareia Christena and her husband, Morituze Peter Anderson, cared for her, and she left them her home, where their first son, Andrew Alma, was born.

History of Jens Christensen Cornum (1828-1906)

Compiled and typed by Marilee Cornum Vannoy, 22 March 1995.


  Jens Christensen Kornum, was born May 3, 1828, in Vester Bronderslev, Hjorring County, Denmark.  The County of Hjorring is in the North end of Denmark, which lied between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.  His parents, Kristen Jensen and Else Marie Poulsen, were both from Hjorring County.  In Denmark the place of birth is usually given as the Parish's name, which is Vester Bronderslev.  Jens was probably born at Vester Kornum, and then christened at Vester Bronderslev, which name he was given Jens Christensen.


  Jens grew up on a farm, named Vester Kornum, there is even a house there that it named Kornum.  Jens was the fifth generation of his father's line, to live at Vester Kornum.  His great great grandfather, Markvor Jensen, born 1673, of Tolstrup Parish, Hjorring, Denmark, married Johanne Kristensdatter, in 1701.  All there children were christened in the Tolstrup Parish, but it is record their fourth child, Kristen Markvorsen, was born at Vester Kornum.


  Jens was the fifth of six children, he was the first born son, and had a baby brother, Poul, born two years after him.  He had lost all of his sisters by the time he was 15 years old.  He had twin sister just 4 1/2 years older, one was stillborn, and the other, Ane died when she was 15 years old, Jens was 11 at the time.  Then his sister Mariane who was only 1/2 years older than him, died when he was 11 also, she had just turned 13.  His oldest sister Matte Kirstine, was eight years older than him, she married and she died at the age of 24.


  When Jens was 26 years old he lost his mother, Else Marie, she died in 1855, at 65 years old.  Just before his 30th birthday he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He was Baptized the 4th of March, 1858.  At the age of 34, Jens left his home of Vester Kornum, to join the rest of the Saints in Utah.  He left for America from Hamburg on the 15th of April 1862, on the ship "Franklin".  He left behind his father, Kristen, who later died in 1865, at the age of 70, and his brother Poul, neither ever joined the Church.


  Little did Jens know when leaving Hamburg, was also leaving with his future wife, Ane Thomine Magrethe Laursen, and her mother Ane Thomasen Laursen.  Who were also new members of the Church.  They left behind there home in Fourholt, Albaek, Hjorring County, and Ane Thomine's father, Peder Laursen, and two sisters Mette Marie and Maren, her other sisters LaursSine and Ane Kirstine had previously went to America.  Mette Marie followed in 1867, with her husband and small daughter.


  Earlier in Denmark a child's surname was his father's given name with "sen" added to the sons, or "datter" added to the daughter's name.  Therefore, Ane Thomine Magrethe Pedersdatter, was her name when christened.  But in 1850 Denmark passed a law of taking a fixed surname, which was the same as the father's surname.  So by the time Ane Thomine sailed for America, in 1862, she went by the name of Ane Thomine Magrethe Laursen.


     Jens Christensen, his Danish name, is the name listed on the 1862 "Franklin" ship manifest list.  Sometime while on the on the ship he took the name of Kornum.   We are not sure why he changed his name; but there were many Christensen's, and that being a common name.  Jens was from Vester Kornum, and made Kornum his fixed surname, being Jens Christensen Kornum.  When arriving in America, he Americanized the spelling to Cornum.  The following log is of the "Franklin" Company that departed from Hamburg, on 15 April 1862.  Source is FHL film #025696, Indexed Emigration Register of Scandinavian Mission #80:


"The number of Saints emigrating from Scandinavia in 1862 was greater than in any previous or subsequent year.  No less than 1,556 souls, in four different companies sailed from Hamburg on four chartered vessels destined for Utah.  On Tuesday, April 15th, the ship "Franklin" sailed from Hamburg with 413 emigrating Saints, nearly all from the Aalborg and Vendsyssel Conferences.  They were in charge of Christian A. Madsen, an Elder returning home.  He chose Jens C. A. Weibye and Lauritz Larsen as his Counselors.  On board ship the company was organized into eight districts with Jens Christensen Kornum as one of the presidents.  Elder Jens C.A. Weibye gives the following account of the voyage across the Atlantic:  We went on board the "Franklin" in the evening of Tuesday (Apr 8th) and I was appointed to locate the emigrants in their bunks below deck.  These bunks, 160 in number, were so wide that three persons easily could have room in one of them side by side.  After getting our baggage in order, we received our rations of provisions.  These consisted of beef, pork, peas, beans, potatoes, pearl barley, rice, prunes, syrup, vinegar, pepper, coffee, tea, sugar, butter, rye bread, sea biscuits, water, flour, salted herring, salt and oil (for the lamps).  We lighted 11 lanterns every night, 6 of which belonged to the ship and 5 to the emigrants.  We hired an extra cook in Hamburg for 90 rigsdaler, and besides him two of our brethren served as assistant cooks.  We thus had our dinners nicely cooked in about the following routine, viz, Sunday we had sweet soup, Monday pea soup; Tuesday and Wednesday, rice; Thursday, pea soup; Friday, barley mush, and Saturday herring and potatoes.


Some of the emigrants carried the measles with them from home, and the disease soon spread to all parts of the ship, so that no less than 40 persons, mostly children, were attacked at once.  Many of the emigrants were also suffering with diarrhea, which caused very much weakness of body.  We lost the appetite for sea biscuits, but learned to soak them in water or tea from 8 to 12 hours, which softened them so that they could become more palatable.  The sick were served twice a day with porridge made from barley, rice or sago, and almost every day pancakes could be had by the hundreds for the sick who could not eat the "hard tack" (sea biscuits).  Wheat bread was also baked for some of the old people.  We held a council meeting every night, and the sanitary conditions of the ship's apartments were attended with great care.  Three times a week the ship was thoroughly fumigated by burning tar.  A spirit of peace prevailed and very few difficulties occurred.  The captain and crew were good-natured and obliging, and so were the cooks, who even served the sick when they were not on duty.


Thursday, 19 May 1862, in the forenoon, the "Franklin" arrived at New York.  The emigrants were not allowed to go ashore, because of some cases of measles yet existing among them.  Finally the sick were taken to the hospital, and after two more nights and a day, they were allowed to go ashore.  They left New York 31 May at 9:00 p.m. by rail.  The company arrived at Florence Neb., on Monday, June 9th, at 10:00 p.m.  Among the 48 persons who died in the "Franklin" company during the voyage on the sea, was Brother Jens Anderson from Veddum, Denmark, who with his own means had assisted 60 or 70 poor Saints to emigrate.  He died on the North Sea on the 25th of April.  On the way from New York to Florence, two children died. Eleven person (4 adults and 7 children) died while staying at Florence and a young girl died on the Plains, making in all 62 in the "Franklin" company who died between Hamburg and Salt Lake City.  On Tuesday, June 10th, the emigrants pitched their tents a short distance north of Florence, and the necessary purchases of oxen, wagons, cows, etc. were attended to.


While in Florence, Nebraska, Jens and Ane Thomine were married, on 17 Jun 1862.  They then crossed the plains as husband and wife; along with them on this journey was mother, Ane Thomasen.  The Saints left Florence, Nebraska, with the Christian A. Madsen Company on 14 July 1862.  They were a Scandinavian Company with about 264 individuals and 40 wagons in the company when it began its journey from the outfitting post at Florence, Nebraska.   The company finally arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on 23 September 1862; after a long journey of 161 days since sailing from Hamburg.  


     On the 1880 Census of Denmark, Peder Laursen was listed as living with his daughter, Maren, and her husband, Niels Christian Christensen in Brunvang, Voer, Hjorring, Denmark.  He was listed as 85 years old, a Widower, and a Lutheran.


  Jens and Ane Thomine and mother Ane, went to Pleasant Grove, Utah, where her sisters, Ane Kirstine Reynolds and LaursSine Heiselt's families were already living.  Jens was a carpenter, he and Ane Thomine made their home in Pleasant Grove, from 1862 until after 1880.  They had six children, why living there, Annie Tomine born in 1863, Jens Christensen "Chris" born in 1865, Paul Heber born in 1868, Elsie Marie born 1871, Peter Elijah born in 1873, and Mary born in 1877.  They are all living in Sanford, Colorado, in 1885.


  Jens and Ane Thomine and their children all moved to Sanford, Colorado.  Sometime Ane's sisters LaursSine and family also moved to Sanford.  But her mother Ane, and other sisters, Ane Kirstine, Mette Marie, and Maren all stayed in Utah.  While living in Sanford, Annie T. died at the age of 27 years, she had never married.  Each of the other five children all married in Sanford and raised their families there.  Hilda Jefferson, the daughter of Peter Elijah, could remember her mother telling how Granddad Jens Cornum would love to come over to see Hilda.  He would set and rock his little granddaughter by the hours.


  Jens loved his family very much, and upon leaving Denmark, he brought with him a history of his family lineage.  It was written on parchment paper, and rolled up as a scroll.  Written on it is his family bible, in the form of a family tree.  It starts with Jens, 4 greats grandfather, Markvor... and wife, Sidsel..., it continues to list their descendants of seven generations.  Jens' father, Kristen and his brothers and sisters, are the last of Jens direct line, listed on the paper.  Although Jens has written his own name and information on it, as Kristen's son.  The original paper is in the possession of Sally Mortensen, a great granddaughter of Jens, of Sanford, Colorado.  Marilee Vannoy has a xerox copy of it and of all of Jens' personal kept records.


  Jens did genealogy, and a lot of Temple work for his family.  After his wife Ane Thomine died in April of 1890.  He spent a lot of time with his daughter Elsie Marie Cornum Mickelsen, traveling to Manti, Utah, to do Temple work.  He kept a Temple Journal of his work and he and Elsie are listed as most of the proxies for them.  He did most of this work in 1890-1892.  Sally Mortensen also has the original book of his Temple Journal, which lists his mother's side of the family also.


  Jens resided in Sanford, Colorado, until his death, November 25, 1906, at the age of 78 years.  He was buried by his wife Ane Thomine, and daughter Annie T. in the Sanford Cemetery, Conejos County, Colorado.  All six of the their children are buried there in the Sanford Cemetery.  He has left a great descendancy which he can be very proud of.  As we are so proud of him, to set the example of excepting the Gospel and joining the Church, and leaving his beloved homeland of Vester Kornum, which we are proud to carry the name of now.