Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 445.

J. P. THOMSEN

J.P. Thomsen is numbered among the energetic and progressive citizens of the
Hood River valley who, while successful in advancing their individual affairs,
have at the same time given of their loyal efforts to the promotion of the
community welfare, and he has well earned the high place which he holds in
public regard.

Mr. Thomsen was born in Denmark on the 3d of April, 1868, and is a son of
Frederick and Johanna Thomsen, both of whom are deceased. He was educated in the
public schools of his native country and when ten years of age, because of the
death of his father, it became necessary for him to go to work. In 1887 he came
to the United States and obtained employment in iron mines in New Jersey, where
he worked for one dollar a day. In 1889 he went to Watsonville, California,
where he apprenticed himself to learn the carpenter's trade, and for his labor
received five dollars a month and his board. He remained at Watsonville about
one year and then went to Spokane, Washington, where he helped to rebuild the
city after the big fire. In 1891 he went to Wallace, Idaho, where he worked at
his trade for six months, and in the fall of that year removed to The Dalles,
Oregon, which had just been practically destroyed by fire, and he assisted in
the rebuilding of that city. In 1898, in partnership with Hans Hansen, he
started a lumberyard and planing mill, their combined cash capital being
seventy-five dollars. They also did contracting and building and in 1892 erected
the first unit of The Dalles Hospital and also built fine homes for Judge
Bennett, George Blakeley and Dr. Rheinhart. The firm constructed the first big
building of Wasco county -- a warehouse at The Dalles, which they put up in
sixty days, this being a record at that time, and on this job they cleared two
thousand dollars. They continued in partnership until 1908, when Mr. Thomsen
removed to his ranch in the Hood River valley, where he has since lived and in
the operation of the place he has been highly successful. He has also done a
good business in the buying and selling of land and has handled a number of
valuable tracts. On his own ranch he has planted fifty-five acres to fruit. He
has one hundred and twenty acres of splendid land, near Pine Grove, which is
well improved, containing an attractive home, a large modern barn, silos and
other substantial buildings. He owns a fine herd of registered Jersey cattle,
which has taken prizes at the county fair, and he raises large crops of corn,
which he puts into the silos for winter feed. He also owns fifty-five acres of
good hay land in Duke's valley, which is leased.

In 1893, in Portland, Oregon, Mr. Thomsen was united in marriage to Miss Hansine
Andersen, who is also a native of Denmark and is a daughter of Anders and Karen
Hansen, both of whom died in that country. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomsen have been
born five children, namely: Alfred, who is married and has three children,
Helen, Earl and Caroline; Clara, who was graduated from the Lincoln high school
of Portland and spent three years at the University of Washington, and is now
at home; Fred, who is at home and assists in the operation of the farm; Victor,
who is married and lives on his own farm in Hood River valley; and Harriet, who
is in the high school. Alfred and Fred are both veterans of the World war,
having served in France, and Alfred was also with the army of occupation in
Germany.

Mr. Thomsen is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks in Hood
River. He is a firm believer in cooperation and in 1914 became one of the
organizers of the Hood River Cooperative Creamery, of which he was the first
president and has since served on its board of directors. This has been a very
successful organization and enjoys a wide reputation for the high quality of its
butter. Mr. Thomsen was also one of the prime movers in securing the erection of
the handsome new Pine Grove school building, conceded to be one of the finest,
if not the finest, country school buildings in Oregon. Mr. Thomsen supervised
the erection of this building and saved the district several thousand dollars
through his practical knowledge of building. Persistence, energy, good judgment
and right principles have been the elements which have contributed to his
success in life, and he has been true and loyal to every obligation of
citizenship, so that he has commanded the sincere respect of all who have been
in any way associated with him, while socially he is deservedly popular
throughout the community in which he lives.


 
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.