Karne Johanna Jorgensen Nielsen
This is my Great Grandmother. Her name is Karne Johanna Jorgensen Nielsen. She was born in Herlev, Denmark on November 15,1854. She married my Great Grandfather Frederik Ferdinand Nielsen, who was born in Ballerup a suburb of Kobenhavn (Copenhagen) Denmark on April 13, 1847. They were married in Ballerup on April 8,1873 and on the very next day they set sail for Canada. They were part of a group of Danes who had been enticed to Northern New Brunswick by the promise of 100 acres of farmland. They thought it was cleared and arrived only to find out they had to clear the land themselves.
My Great Grandparents had Nine children.Four of the nine died as infants due to scarlet fever and diptheria. One little girl was burned to death. One of the four who survived to adulthood was my Grandfather, Johannes Henry Nielsen born on Jan.4, 1885. Henry ( as he was called) helped his father farm the homestead for awhile then went to work in the pulp and paper mill newly opened in East Millinocket Maine. There he met my Grandmother Ruby Nancy Boynton, whose parents ran a boarding house where Henry stayed. He married my Grandmother July 22, 1908. My mother was born on January 1, 1909. If you do the numbers you can see there was a little hanky panky at Boynton's Room & Board. My Grandfather eventually returned to the farm with his wife and three daughters in tow.... My Grandmother was a bit of a "fancy lady" and did not connect too well with the no nonsense, hard working , straight laced Danes.
Frederik died Sept 1916. My Grandfather and Ruby Nancy took over the farm and raised their eight children.
My mother remembered her Grandmother Karne as a very kind and loving . Mom said she always had sweets in her pockets to give to children. As a child I often studied this photo carefully in hopes she might give me some of the treats hidden in her pockets. Mom also told me she had up and disappeared suddenly. Her husband didn't know where she was. She just showed up one day after having been gone for seven years . Word had it she had run away to New York City......
Karne died on Oct 14, 1936. A woman of mystery and adventure. I so wish I had known her.
posted by bluebird of paradise at 2:59 PM
7 Comments:
Love it ....tell us more . tell us more
Looks like you come from a long line of interesting women. I'm not surprised.
Oh yes, please tell us more. I love hearing these stories, there aren't enough!
Thanks for this Auntie M. I've never heard about KJ before.
Amazing post about an amazing woman. I loved hearing stories about her from Great Nana... Mazie told the best stories about everyone :)
Stef;
I am so glad you visited. I love your Great Nana, don't tell anyone but she was my favourite aunt. I'd love to hear the stories she told you. The last time I saw her Jacky and I took her out for lunch and drove around New Denmark. She told us the funniest story about her and my mother swimming in the creek. I'll write about it some day.
I'm so fortunate to have found this blog! Their daughter, Marie is my great grandmother, and I still remember her as a little girl as she lived to be 104 years old. I grew up in the house beside her, where she lived in her later years with my grandmother, Agnes Jensen. I have photos of her 100th birthday. I wish I had paid more attention to stories when I was younger. Thank you for sharing!
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