BIOGRAPHIES: SURNAMES BEGINNING WITH "J "
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JENSEN, Peter L., son of Ole and Anna (Peterson) Jensen, was born in Norway, November 20, 1857, and at the age of about eleven years came to America in 1868 with his parents. His father, upon coming ot America, settled on a farm, section 27, Martell township, Pierce county, and engaged in agricultural pursuits many years, now making his home with his children, his wife having passed to her eternal reward April 29, 1906. Peter L. attended the common schools and resided on the home farm for some years, also working in the woods and on the river. He purchased a farm in Dodge County, Minnesota, and farmed it there five years. Later he purchased a farm of 160 acres of fine land on section 15, Martell Township, from his Uncle Peter Peterson, now deceased. Mr. Jensen has made many improvements, erected a good frame dwelling, fine barns and other buildings, being successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. Aside from his farm he owns one hundred acres of timber in Pierce county, Wisconsin. He is a Republican in politics, a member of the United Lutheran church, of which he is also a trustee, and a director in the Lawton creamery. Mr. Jensen was married November 5, 1885, to Caroline Goldberg, a native of Minnesota, living there until the time of her marriage. Like her husband, she is a prominent member of the United Lutheran church. They have five children. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

JENSON, Rasmus N. merchant of River Falls and a leading businessman of the place, was born in Norway, December 20, 1847. He immigrated to the United States in 1865 and is a son of Nils and Karren (Rasmussen) Jenson, both natives of Norway, who lived there until they came to America in 1867, two years after the subject of this sketch. Rasmus N. settled in Dodge county, Wisconsin and there engaged as a clerk in a store, continuing there until 1870. In the meantime his parents had settled in Dodge County and there for a few years the father followed the carpenters trade. He then moved to Ellsworth, the county seat of Pierce County, Wis., and purchased a farm of eighty acres, which he improved. Here he lived for some years, engaged in general farming and stock raising. He afterwards moved to River Falls, Wis., about 1876, here led a retired life and died at the home of his son at the age of seventy-three years. He was an active worker in the Norwegian Lutheran church. His wife died five years before at about the same age. She also was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church. She was the mother of three children. Jens died in Norway at the age of fifty-three years; Rasmus N., and Karren, widow of S. Hellner, late of St. Paul, Minn. Our subject remained in Dodge County until 1870, when he moved to Prescott, Wis. He clerked in a store here about three years. In 1873 he removed to River Falls and established his present business, in which he has been actively engaged ever since. His trade covers a wide territory and he carries a complete stock of first-class goods. Mr. Jenson is a director of the Farmers & Merchants State Bank and the First National Bank of River Falls, Wis., and the Bank of Ellsworth, Wis. He is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church. He served as alderman of the city of River Falls in an early day. Mr. Jenson was married in 1873 to Gurine Ruud, who was born in Norway and came to the United States about 1871. She was a daughter of Halgrim and Judeborg Ruud. Her father led a retired life after coming to America and died at Martell, Pierce County, Wis. Her mother also died there. Mrs. Jenson was educated in Norway. She is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church. She is the mother of five children, all living and all born in River Falls, Wis. Ida C. is now the wife of Dr. E. H. Parker, a practicing physician of St. Paul, Minn. Henry N. is a lieutenant in the United States navy and is now stationed on the pacific coast. He entered the navy as a cadet at the Annapolis academy. Emma, wife of W. T. Stall, of Spokane Falls, Wash., was teacher in the public schools of Hudson, Wis. She was educated at the State Normal at River Falls. Carl W. is associated with his father in the mercantile business as a partner. He is a graduate of the State University of Wisconsin. He married Maud Daniels, of River Falls, and they have one child, Carl D., born in 1907. Albert E. is also associated with his father and brother as a partner. He graduated from the River Falls High School. Mr. Jenson is a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family and is a highly respected citizen, whose excellencies of character have gained for him the confidence and esteem of all with whom he has been brought in contact. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909.

History of Pierce County "Jock, the Hunter", pp28.
JOCK, Xerxes, (Jacque/Jacques) A famous hunter was Xerxes Jock, one of four French-Canadians who located in the town of Martell before any other settlers came there. He was short and thick, incredibly strong, and he knew all the secrets of wood craft as well as any Indian.  Unable to read or write, speaking only the most simple English, Jock left no record of his early life. Some of the pioneers have recorded stories of his hunting exploits. Thos. Hurley, of Cave Creek, writes: "In the winter of 1857 Jock had dinnre with us one day, and that same afternoon he killed five elk; next day he killed two more."In 1858 he shot an old bear and three cubs, capturing the fourth cub alive; this was down Morton Corners way, four and one-half miles from his cabin. He carried all five bears home at once, the live cub inside the front of his jacket, and he told me the live cub made him more bother than the other four.” Once Jock almost met his finish from a bear. The story became a legend in the Martell country. A big bear was seen in Gilman and word was taken to Jock, who took his rifle (a muzzle-loader, as all guns were then) and his tomahawk and started out. He caught up with the bear on section 11, on what is now the Lewis Bredahl farm, and shot at it. He missed. The bear was after him in an instant, and when it reached him it knocked Jock’s tomahawk into the brush. It was bear against Frenchman in a desperate struggle, each armed with only his natural weapons, as Jock had no time to even draw his knife. The fight must have been terrible, as even after several days those who came to the place found bushes tramped down for rods around and blood freely spattered on the leaves. Finally Jock got a wrestler hold on the bear and threw it far enough so he had time to reach his hunting knife. As the bear came back and seized Jock’s right arm in his jaws, Jock with his left hand plunged the knife into the animal. Then the bear knocked the knife out of Jock’s hand. Jock never could remember how he recovered that knife and stabbed the bear to the heart, but he did. However, Jock’s right arm was still held in the bear’s death set teeth. Dragging the bear by his mangled arm, Jock reached a sapling, cut a branch and pried the jaws open. (Stories of the Pioneers pp29.) Even though free, Jock was in terrible condition. His breast was slit to ribbons, his right arm was a mass of chewed flesh, he was exhausted by the furious struggle, he was faint from loss of blood. However, he managed to get through the brush two and one-half miles to the nearest settler. He fell as he reached the clearing, but the neighbor saw him. Jock had blazed the trail (with blood mostly) so the neighbor went back, got the bear, verified Jock’s story. They took Jock and the bear home to Martell on a stone-boat, where Jock lay for several weeks between life and death. And the first thing after getting up he went bear-hunting. This Jock had been a mail carrier in the north before coming to Martell, his route about 200 miles from end to end; he made it on foot, averaging 30 miles a day while carrying a 60-pound pack, and killing and cooking his own meals on the way.

My mother Ada Grace Jock, was the the daughter of Nicholas Henry Jock, the son of the above, Exard Jock (Jacques/Jaque).  Ironically, Nicholas circa 1895 in the company of two others was attacked by a mountain lion.  The cat was killed and the three men took the cat to a photography studio in Wyoming and I have a set of 4 pictures where the episode was recreated.   During the latter part of 2002, I made a connection and received quite a few pictures of the Jock family and their descendants.   Exard Jock and his family are well recorded in Federal Census records for Martell.  I also have in my possession a "Pioneer Family Certificate" from the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society (I am a life member) having submitted documentation to establish my relationship to Exard Jock. Submitted by Cliff Watt, descendant of Exard Jock. (see also Family Stories page on this site).

Photo of 4 of 7 children of Exard and Serena Jock (nee Thompson). Standing L-R, Nicholas Henry Jock, born 1857, Martell, Pierce, WI. d. 26 July 1928, AB, Canada, Ellen Jock, born 31 December 1858, Martell, Pierce, WI, d. 11 June 1918, Topeka, KS. Seated L-R, Amanda Elvira Jock, born 10 June 1856, Martell, WI, d. 23 Feb 1929, Jacksonville, Morgan, IL, Richard H. Jock, born 15 November 1862, Martell, WI., d. 4 September 1888, Cedar Park, Albany, WY. (pictures furnished by Cliff Watt)

Amanda Jacques Bacon

Amanda Bacon, Permelia Huddleson, Ellen Monroe - Nick Jock's Sisters

JOHNSON, John M. son of Andrew and Martha Johnson, was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, January 9, 1856. His parents were natives of Norway and emigrated to the United States in 1854, settling in Dane county, Wisconsin. The father was a tailor and followed his trade until the time of his death in 1865. The mother afterward married Frederick Larson, who in 1868 located on a farm in El Paso, Pierce Township, where the subject of this sketch now lives. Mr. Larson conducted a sawmill on Rush River and in 1873 was drowned in that stream. His widow, mother of our subject, died February 20, 1900, in the faith of the Lutheran church, and is buried in the South Rush River Cemetery. John M. received his education in the common schools, coming to Pierce County with his mother in 1866. He remained at home and assisted his stepfather in his work and at the death of the mother came into possession of the home place, where he now resides. For thirty years he has been justice of the peace and has also held the office of chairman of El Paso township for ten years at various times, having also been township clerk and side supervisor for some time. He is a member of the Synod Lutheran church and affiliates with the Masonic order at Ellsworth. Mr. Johnson was united in marriage September 21, 1881, with Eliza Anderson, born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, daughter of Andrew and Karen Olsen, who settled in Pierce county in 1871 and after a few years returned to Dodge county. The father is now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been blessed with eight children, all of whom were born in El Paso Township. Rena is the wife of William Husting, a guard at the state prison in Stillwater, Minn.; Ada is a teacher in the district schools; Inga is a stenographer, now visiting in North Dakota; Fred, Lillian, Mildred and LeRoy are at home. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909).

JONES,William R. (Civil War) is a native of Prince Edward Island, Canada, born June 13, 1825, son of James and Ann (Richards) Jones, natives of England. They came to Prince Edward Island about 1810, where the mother died in 1831. The father came to Iowa county, this state, with his son in 1848, passing away in 1868 at the age of eighty four. William R. received his education in the schools of his native province and came to this country with his father, purchasing 120 acres in Iowa County. February 10, 1865, he enlisted from Madison, Wis., in Company A, Forty-ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, serving under Capt. Charles E. Hull and Colonel Fallows, receiving his discharge at Madison in November, 1865. Shortly afterward he returned to his farm at Ridgeway, Iowa County, and continued farming until 1867, when he homesteaded 160 acres in Lincoln Township, breaking the land and making general improvements. In 1893, after carrying on general farming for many years, he retired and turned the management of the farm over to his son, Harvey E. A Republican in politics, he served the township as supervisor for fourteen years and was a director on the school board three years. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church and belongs to the G. A. R. Mr. Jones has been a hard working, industrious man, and all the success that he has achieved has been due entirely to his own efforts. In 1908 a disastrous fire broke out, September 10, which destroyed a 24X100 barn, with fifty tons of hay, harnesses, tools, horses and other property. The barn will be rebuilt. Mr. Jones was married, December 23, 1850, at Blue Mound, Ill., to Mary, daughter of Thomas and Ann (McKinsey) Lanigan, natives of Prince Edward Island. This union was blessed with seven children: Bridget, born April 22, 1852, married J. J. Jones; Thomas J. was born October 26, 1857; George J. was born February 9, 1859; Ann was born August 7, 1860, and married James Preble; Andrew A. was born November 22, 1862; William was born September 23, 1865, and Harvey E. was born March 8, 1867. Mrs. Mary Jones passed away at the old homestead, December 13, 1893. Taken from The History of the St. Croix Valley.







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