Erik Sacharias Preetzmann Djernes Larsen

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."

Erik married in 1880 in Hamilton, Nebraska, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]