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Person ID: I5856884695

Erik Sacharias Preetzmann Djernes Larsen

17 AUG 1855 – 07 JUL 1933

Male

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Events

Born
17 AUG 1855 — Hjardemêal Klit, Hillerslev, Thisted, Denmark
Died
07 JUL 1933 — Marquette, Hamilton, Nebraska, United States
Buried
AFT 07 JUL 1933 — Kronborg, Hamilton, Nebraska, United States

Parents

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Family

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Married: 1880 — Hamilton, Nebraska, United States

Notes

  • Erik's confirmation record, 8 May 1870 in the Lild Church, states he was born at Hjardemêal Klit 17 August 1855, and baptized 20 August. There was apparently another baptism 10 November 1866 by a Pastor Ulrich of Hundstrup. Erik was vaccinated 2 July 1861. Information on Erik comes from Cai Mygind's book on families from Hanherred and Hillerslev Herred, Denmark, pages 69-70. Erik was born at Madsb²l. He was baptized in Hjardemêal Church; among the witnesses were farmers Kasper Koldkjaer, Lars Klit, Jens Tidemannsen, Peder Ellidsb²l and Kasper ¢ddersb²l. In 1870 he was still at home in Lild with his mother and half-brother Lars Christian Caspersen, but left for Osl²s a few months later to become a farmhand. In 1871 Erik emigrated to the United States with his brother Casper. They spent four years working on a farm in Elgin, Illinois, then went to Nebraska in a covered wagon. They worked on a farm near Cordova for three years. On October 12, 1877, Erik came to Hamilton County, Nebraska, where he had heard he could buy railroad land cheaply. He purchased 80 acres near Marquette, and began to cultivate it. In 1880 he married Maren Rasmussen, with whom he had five children. The Djernes farm became a center for nieces and nephews who emigrated from Denmark to work for board and lodging while learning to read and write English. The Danish Emigration Archives Copenhagen Police Records show that Erik Zacharias Pretman Larsen, age 18, servant (Tyende), from ¢sl²s, Thisted, actually emigrated May 18, 1874 bound for Chicago, Illinois. His Contract Number was 1323M. So it appears that in fact he emigrated more than a year after his brother Casper. The 1893 Plat Book, South Platte Precinct, shows Sakarius Larson with 360 acres of land. His final nauralization papers in the Hamilton County Courthouse, Aurora, Nebraska, are dated February 9, 1888. They state that his initial intent was filed May 27, 1880 in District Court, Saline County, Nebraska. Erik was known as Zacharias Larsen in America. His grandchild, Vera, who, with her twin Vivian, stayed on the farm during the first year of high school , wrote about her grandfather, 'He would never tell us a thing. I guess the ending of his father's career and home was so bitter and sad that he did not want us to know anything about it . Grandfather lived a very stern and disciplined life. Mercenary to the point of sometimes making life uncomfortable for the family. But he was a very good Christian man and known as an honest good neighbor by all. Every night he read in his Bible, and he loved to tell us stories of Jesus. I was so proud how he overcame his unhappy experiences with his father losing his land by prospering himself and still be a good Christian man.' A 1936 history of Hamilton County, Nebraska by Gunnerson gives a different view of Zacharias: 'And their was Zacharias Larson....It made little difference where Zach was, he was always the life of the party. When he and Mary, his wife, came to retire from the farm and moved in to Marquette, he kept one horse to furnish transportation back and forth to the farm as the urge dictated. When this old horse was installed in the home in the city he refused to stay stalled. From pure lonesomeness he just about tore the barn down the first night. Zach had handled worse problems than this one and he didn't let this trouble him long. He installed mrrors in the barn, both fore and aft, and as soon as Old Dobbin saw himself surrounded by other of his kind, all the trouble was over. It was not long after this that the motor industry came out with rear vision mirrors in their cars. Whether they stole his idea or he collected royalty on it, I never learned.' Zacharias and wife Maren had five children, only two of whom survived to adulthood. Zach's obituary appeared in the Aurora News, Aurora, Nebraska, July 14, 1933: "Burial Rites for Marquette Pioneer Erik Zakarias Pritsman Larsen Djernes was born in Thy Denmark, August 17, 1885 [obviously an error]. He emigrated to this country in 1871 and came to Barington, Illinois [Barrington, Illinois is just north of Chicago in Cook and Lake counties]. In 1874 he drove to Nebraska in a covered wagon and stayed at Friend [Saline county] Nebraska. In 1879 he moved to Hamilton county and bought a farm. In 1882 he was united in marriage to Maren Rasmussen. To this union was born 5 children and 3 boys and 2 girls. Two girls and one boy died in infancy. This wife preceded hm in death February 17, 1907. In the spring of 1917 he retired from the home farm and bought a house in Marquette where he has lived until he passed away. On July 5th he suffered a stroke and passed away July 7th at the age of 77 years and 20 days. He was baptized and confirmed in the faith of the Lutheran church in Denmark. After coming to Hamilton county he joined the Lutheran church at Kronberg and was a faithful member. Those left to mourn his death are his two children, Lars Larsen on the home farm, Karen Line Larsen of Marquette, three grand children and a host of friends. The funeral service was held on Sunday at 2:00 P.M. from the home and then from the Kronberg church and the mortal remains were layed to rest at the family burial place."