Ole Hansen Jacobson Family Information and Photos

Hans Jakobsen and Maren Hansen

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Ole Hansen Jacobson and Rebecca Deseret Dutson

Ole was born 1 Jan. 1853, in Klovtofte, Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the son of Hans Jacobsen, born 27 Feb. 1814, in Svogerslev, Copenhagen, Denmark, and died 15 July 1866, in Klovtofte, Copenhagen, Denmark. His mother was Maren Hansen, born 12 Aug. 1818, in Rye, Sommerup, Denmark. She died in 1893, in Provo, Utah Co., Utah. At about the time of Hans Jacobsen's death, the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were preaching the gospel to the people of their city. Ole, his mother, his sister Christina and husband Soren Jensen became very much interested in the message the Elders had for them. They soon became converted to the truthfulness of the Gospel and started to make preparations to come to Zion. In 1867 at the age of 14, Ole and his family left their native land with many other converts to sail for America.

While crossing the ocean, the mountain fever broke out among the emigrants and some of them died and were buried in the ocean. Ole became very ill with the dreaded disease but his life was spared and he continued to overcome the disease after reaching the shores of America.

Ole's mother was quite well to do financially and also left her home land with many valuable possessions but due to dishonest handling of emigrant possessions while crossing the plains she lost many of her cherished, valuable things. While crossing the plains a man became friendly with her and learned she had money with her. He finally asked to borrow quite a sum from her. She trusted his pretended honesty and loaned him some. He promised to get work as soon as they reached Utah and would pay it all back to her. She never saw or heard of him after they reached Utah. This left her with not much to live on. The Jacobson family first settled in Bear River, a small town near Brigham City. They also lived in Brigham City for a while. Ole had learned some about carpenter work in Denmark so he worked as an apprentice for a cabinet maker in Brigham City to help meet their living expenses. Not being able to get much work in Provo at the time, he and his boy friend worked in the Tintic Mines.

When a railroad was being built through Leamington Canyon there was a call for men to work there, cutting down pinion pine trees, cutting them up and preparing them for burning to make coke to be used for the train engine. The men would be paid extra good wages. Ole built the coke kilns for burning the coke and they gave service for many years. They are still standing today (1961) in fairly good condition having defied the destructive elements of nature down through the last 75 years or so. They stand as a monument to a job well done.

Ole was a musician. He played violin some and played the accordion very well. While working in Leamington Canyon the boys from Leamington asked him if he would play for their dances. His music was appreciated so much he was asked to play for all the dances in the neighboring towns. While playing for dances in Oak City, he met a charming young lady who was considered queen of the ball, Rebecca Dutson. They became very close friends, entered into courtship and later were married in the Salt Lake Endowment House March 14, 1878. Rebecca's parents admired the handsome, talented young man and were happy to welcome him into their family.

Ole and Rebecca were blessed with eleven children, six daughters and five sons, all of whom are still living at this time (1961), except the oldest child, their daughter Mary, who died at the age of 80. She lived a very useful life.

Ole was a professional gardener in raising fruits and vegetables. He raised all kinds for market. As children became old enough to work they all helped to harvest the fruits and vegetables and prepare them for market. His products were of high quality and always in demand. Many people would come from neighboring towns to buy his products and what were not sold at home were taken to the towns to sell.

When the boys grew older, Ole decided to try some dry-land farming to raise hay and grain for their animals. He secured the land and they prepared it for planting. One of the townspeople thought he was crazy to try to raise crops without water. He promised to give Ole a dollar for every hat full of grain he could raise on his farm. They planted the grain and the first crop yielded 200 bushels of good hard turkey read wheat. He surprised the townspeople and soon there were dry-land farms taken up on all sides of town.

Ole raised many other products on his dry farm. Now [that] they were raising grain, he decided to raise poultry. He did well at that for a few years, He was getting advanced in years now and couldn't stand much heavy work any more so he turned the farming over to the boys and went into the general mercantile business, also had [the] Post Office in connection with his store. He had a very successful business for several years. His health began to fail and he was forced to sell out. None of his sons wanted to take the business over.

Ole's greatest concern in life was the welfare of his family. He wanted to give all his children every opportunity possible for an education that would develop and enrich their lives that they may be able to give service to their God and to their fellowmen. Five of his eleven children attended college. Two of the boys spent their life as teachers at High School, two were carpenters and builders and one a farmer. All the boys did some farming. One daughter took a course in home economics the Brigham Young University, specializing in dress making. She made dresses, suits and coats for her mother, all her sisters and for many of her relatives and friends for several years. She also studied piano music at the B. Y. U. and Utah Conservatory of Music in Salt Lake City. She taught piano to the young girls in Oak City and Leamington. The Jacobson girls were all industrious and good homemakers.

Ole and Rebecca were very fond of music in the home. Many evenings after a hard days work were spent in music and singing. As the children became old enough to play musical instruments they were purchased and a four-member orchestra was organized in the home. Their music was much enjoyed. Later three of the members joined with three other town members to form a public orchestra, and they played for all ward dances and soon were playing for many dances in the neighboring towns. Many happy occasions were enjoyed. Later three of the members joined with three other townspeople in visiting other towns.

Ole was very active in civic affairs in his home town. He was president of the school board for many years.

He held many other civic positions during his life. Ole , his wife and children were all very active in the church. The children were taught the importance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their every day living. The large family all attended church and all held positions in the auxiliaries of the Church. As soon as each child was old enough to hold a position, he/she was given a job to do. Obedience and punctuality were always stressed in the home. All the family attended all the different church meetings and had a record of never being late.

While Ole's children were growing up there were many cases of severe sickness and accidents in the family. All cases of sickness were conquered through faith and prayer, and administration through the Holy Priesthood. Consecrated oil was always in the home for use in case of sickness. There was never a doctor in the home. In case of broken bones through accidents, which happened several times, the patient was taken across the street to Brother Partridge who claimed he didn't know much about setting broken bones but was always able to do a successful job in setting three broken arms and a badly broken foot for members of the family.

The family made their own medicines from herbs of different kinds, also using some of the more simple forms of medicines they used in those days.

Ole was a great public worker. In the early days of Oak City he organized and led the Martial Band. They played for many of the ward entertainments. He also held many Church positions. The first Sunday School was organized in Oak City in 1871 with John Wm. Dutson as Superintendent and Ole Jacobson, 1st Assistant, Superintendent from 1878 to 1887. He also held position of 2nd assistant from 1888 to 1895. He was 1st counselor in the 1st Mutual Improvement Association organized in Oak City and held this position from 1878 to 1880. Edward L. Lyman was president. Ole was president of the Mutual from 1880 to 1883, and also was the editor of the Mutual paper, called the "Mutual Advance". He wrote several interesting articles for the Mutual paper and encouraged members of the Y.M.M.I.A to write and send in articles for their paper "Mutual Advance".

Will read an article entitled "Spare Moments" written by Ole for the "Mutual Advance" "An old adage says: Improve each moment as it flies. There is considerable time for the young to improve themselves and they should improve themselves in those spare moments, in studying good books and learning good manners and how to conduct themselves in society. Life is real and we should try to make the best of it in doing good to those we associate with and occupying our minds with good thoughts and trying to do good to others. We should try to make the best of it in doing good by conducting ourselves in a way that will be a good example for those who are younger than ourselves and benefiting others. There is a spirit of improvement among the young and rising generation of the Latter-day Saints and as young people we must qualify ourselves for future usefulness. Then let us be diligent in our studies and careful in conducting ourselves and improving to take part in life. There is no royal road to learning. Education is within the reach of all. Education is obtained by hard and careful study and Knowledge is Power. Then let us occupy our thoughts and spare moments to good advantage."

A few impressive thoughts given by Ole:

1. If you can't say something good about a person, don't say anything.

2. What you do, do your best so you will be proud of it.

3. Give your best to others.

4. Obedience is a principle that should be well understood by every young man and woman as we have need to practice it every day of our life.

5. Habits are not the growth of a day but the result of frequent repetition.

6. The human mind receives impressions from its surroundings.

7. Men while forming their character should avoid bad company.

8. Let us associate with the pure in heart whose character is unblemished and worthy of imitation. A good character is worth more than gold.

9. Let us ever be found in the path of self improvement, that our minds may become Fountains of Knowledge.

Ole and his wife Rebecca lived to see their eleven children all married in the Temple of God and all good Latter-day Saints. The parents and children of this large family have all given much service in the Church, the Wards and Stakes in which they have lived.

Ole was very proud of his family and his children are very proud of him and their mother and are thankful they were blessed with such wonderful parents who taught them the right way of life all through the years.

This history was written January 18, 1962 - M. Ann Jacobson Lewis, daughter

Ole Hansen Jacobson lived to be 77 years old. He died 10 Feb. 1930. His wife, Rebecca Deseret, lived to the age of 82 years, having died 2 Feb. 1937, at which time all eleven children were living.