Life History

Other facts

Notes

• Soren Peter Wilson
  Birth 4 Mar 1865 in Brønderslev, Nordjylland, Denmark
  Death 19 Feb 1944 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa
  Parents Peder Peter Willadsen 1828-1906, Mette Catrine Myrtue b 1833
  --  Willadsen Family,http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/20805464/person/1022268185
  
  Vocation and Romance
  Alan Kent Boucher, 18 Jan 2010
  
  Willads Pedersen lived out his life in Denmark.  Willads Willadsen andSoren Peter Wilson (brothers) came to America together.  WilladsWilladson changed the "e" to "o" in his name when he came to America.Willads Willadson was the middle child with Willads Pedersen being theoldest and Soren Peter being the youngest.
  --  Alan Kent Boucher,http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/14201731/person/157723457/comments?pg=32768&pgpl=pid
  
  Alan adds details about Soren Peter Wilson and Family.
  
  Soren Peter Wilson, Birth 03/04/1865 in Bronderslev, Denmark
  Death 02/19/1944 in Council Bluffs, Iowa
  Parents Peder (Peter) Willadsen 1828-1906
  Mette Catrine Myrtue b 1833
  Wife Kristina Sorenson
  Birth 04/25/1869 in Sennels, Viborg, Denmark
  Death 10/18/1937 in Council Bluffs, Iowa
  Children:
  Amanda Katherine Wilson 1895-1968
  Viola Olivia Wilson 1896-1961
  Hazel Marion Wilson 1898-1989
  Jacob Peter Wilson 1903-1985
  One additional Living Child
  --  Alan Kent Boucher,http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/14201731/person/74952726
  
  1910 Federal Census, Pottawatamie County, Iowa, 18 April, CouncilBluffs Ward 4, District 140, page 5B, 1701 So 9th St, Hse #102, Fam#103
  Wilson, Sorne [sic, =Soren]  Head M W 45 Married 16 yrs DenmarkDenmark Denmark immigrated 1887 Naturalized Coal Dealer Owns
  Wilson, Christina M Wife F W 40 Married 16 yrs 4 children/4 livingDenmark Denmark Denmark
  Wilson, Amanda K Dau F W 15 Single Iowa Denmark Denmark
  Wilson, Viola Dau F W 13 Single Iowa Denmark Denmark
  Wilson, Hazel M Dau F W 13 Single Iowa Denmark Denmark
  Wilson, Jacob P  Son M W 12 Single Iowa Denmark Denmark
  Sorenson, Marius  Boarder M W 25 Single Denmark Denmark DenmarkImmigrated in 1909 Not naturalized Carpenter
  
  The 1925 census provides a wealth of information about threegenerations of the family.
  
  1925 Iowa State Census, Pottawattamie County, Council Bluffs Ward 5,page 403,  919 6th Avenue
  Wilson, Soren Head M W 59 Owns Free $6000 value 43 yrs in US, 43 yrsin Iowa  naturalized 8th grade edu b Denmark;  Father Wilson Peter bDenmark [no age, deceased], mother Myrtue Mette K b Denmark [no age,deceased] married Denmark
  Wilson, Christiana Wife F W 55 35 yrs in US, 35 yrs in Iowanaturalized 8th grade b Denmark;  Father Christanson [sic] Soren bDenmark [no age, deceased], mother Petersen Anna b Denmark [no age,deceased], married Denmark
  Wilson, Hazel  Dau F W 27  27 yrs in US, 27 yrs in Iowa  12th grade bIowa b Iowa;  Father Wilson Soren b Denmark age 59 mother SorensonChristiana b Denmark age 55 married Iowa
  Wilson, Jacob P  Son M W 21  21 yrs in US, 21 yrs in Iowa  3yrscollege b Iowa b Iowa;  Father Wilson Soren b Denmark age 59 motherSorenson Christiana b Denmark age 55 married Iowa
  Wilson, Emmett S  Son M W 12  12 yrs in US, 12 yrs in Iowa  7th gradeb Iowa b Iowa;  Father Wilson Soren b Denmark age 59 mother SorensonChristiana b Denmark age 55 married Iowa
  
  In 1925, Soren and Christiana's daughter Amanda is living next door tothem.
  
  1925 Iowa State Census, Pottawattamie County, Council Bluffs Ward 5,page 403,  927 6th Avenue
  Jensen, Olaf Head M W 39 Rents $25/mo 39 yrs in US, 20 yrs in Iowa4th reader rural grade edu b Kansas;  Father Jensen Soren b Denmarkage 71 mother Christensen Christiana b Denmark age 69 married Denmark
  Jensen, Amanda  Wife F W 30  30 yrs in US, 30 yrs in Iowa  8th gradeedu b Iowa;  Father Wilson Soren b Denmark age 59 mother SorensonChristiana b Denmark age 56 married Iowa
  Jensen, Fern F W 9  9 yrs in US, 9 yrs in Iowa  4th grade edu b Iowa;Father Jensen Olaf b Kansas age 39 mother Jensen Amanda b Iowa age 30married Iowa
  Jensen, Russell  M W 6  6 yrs in US, 6 yrs in Iowa  1st grade edu
  
  1930 Federal Census, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, 8 April, CouncilBluffs, District 28, page 8A, 907 6th Ave, Hse #169, Fam #182
  Wilson, Soren P Head Owns, value $5500 M W 65 Married at age 29Denmark Denmark Denmark Immigrated to US 1881, Naturalized Coal Dealer
  Wilson, Christina M Wife F W 60 Married at age 24 Denmark DenmarkDenmark Immigrated to US 1889, Naturalized
  Wilson, Jacob Son M W 26 Single Iowa Denmark Denmark Driver, Coal Co
  Wilson, Emmett S Son M W 17 Single In School Iowa Denmark Denmark
  
  I expect that Emmet's middle name is Soren, like his father.
  
  Alan Boucher adds these notes.  Note that he refers to Soren as "myfather" and "Dad."  But in another place, discussing Amanda Wilson'shusband, Olaf Jensen, he refers to Olaf as "Uncle Olaf."  If Olaf washis uncle, Soren Wilson would be his grandfather.  The relationship isthus unclear to me.
  
  Council Bluffs
  Alan Kent Boucher, 2 Jan 2010
  
  I bring this in because my father Soren Peter Wilson and his brotherWillads Willadson took the contract to 'fill' the Rock Island Railroadyard. Dad told me of the equipment used -- contractor dump wagons --scrapers, etc. The teams of horses, mules, etc. Not saying they ownedit all. Dad told me of the number of men hired -- the number of teams-- I suppose some subcontracting. How I wish I had written it down orthat we had recorders, etc. We have to be proud of Dad and UncleWillis. They got money from owners and real estate developers to gradelots and open roads or streets or for taking the dirt out. They gotmoney for the fill in the yards (R.I.R.R.). Dad and Uncle Willis gotthe R.I.R.R. yards to grade fill.
  
  They tried every which way to get the Civil Engineering Dept. of theR.I.R.R. to approve the project for final payment. However, the CivilEngineering Dept. knew what they were doing and waited a month beforeinspecting the project. Meanwhile the 'fill' settled and Dad and UncleWillis had to put in another foot of 'fill'. Anyhow, Dad and UncleWillis made a fist full of money out of the project in a time when adollar was a dollar. My Dad was a coal dealer in Council Bluffs forover 50 years. For years he had a pair of mastodon bones dug from thehills in the project exhibited on his dock at the coal office. Dadfinally donated the bones to the Council Bluffs Public Library.
  
  Soren ran the Western Fuel Company located on South Main Street in the600 block.  The coal yard was on South 6th Street [Perhaps 6th Avenue? The 1930 census has the home address in the 900 block of 6th Avenue]in the 1000 block.  Both sites are on the west side of the street.
  
  Coming to America
  
  According to family testimony, Soren came to America circa 1881 whenhe was 16 years old. Aalborg and Sennels may have been only smallfarming communities with Brondersjar/slev and Thisted being "county"seats or the names of the railroad station. When either Soren orKristena was coming across the Atlantic Ocean, the rudder on the shipbecame disabled. The ship took longer to reach America than expected.Food and water supplies ran out, imperiling the health and wellbeingof those aboard. [Note:  According to the 1930 census above, Kristena(Christina) came to the US in 1889, while Soren had arrived in 1881.]
  --  Alan Kent Boucher,http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/14201731/person/74952726/comments?pg=32768&pgpl=pid

Sources

• 1. Ancestry Trees
  • Willadsen Family,
• 2. 1930 Federal Census, Pottawattamie County, Iowa
  • 8 April, Council Bluffs, District 28, page 8A, 907 6th Ave, Hse #169,
• 3. 1925 Iowa State Census, Pottawattamie County
  • Council Bluffs Ward 5, page 403, 919 6th Avenue
• 4. 1910 Federal Census, Pottawattamie County, Iowa
  • 18 April, Council Bluffs Ward 4, District 140, page 5B, 1701 So 9th
• 5. Ancestry Stories
  • Alan Kent Boucher,
• 6. Ancestry Trees
  • Alan Kent Boucher,
• 7. Ancestry Trees
  • Julie Ann Ryan,
• 8. 1925 Iowa State Census, Pottawattamie County
  • Council Bluffs Ward 5, page 403, 927 6th Avenue
• 9. 1910 Federal Census, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma
  • 18 April, Council Bluffs Ward 4, District 140, page 5B, 1701 So 9th
• 10. Carrigan Genealogy
  • http://www.carriganlane.com/w_dir/d0001/g0000015.html#I1230