This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/BhB.2ACI/169.1 Message Board Post: Soren P. and Katherine Simonsen Soren Simonsen was born at Vilsbak Farm, Brovst, Denmark on November 12, 1895. He was the second son of Peter and Pedra Simonsen, who farmed at Vilsbak. There were five sons and one daughter in their family. Because of poverty, he left home at the age of ten and began working as an errand boy on a large farm nearby. He also went to school and in 1915, at the age of 19, he bought a ticket to America. He had been told there were other Danish immigrants living in Viborg, so he chose to go there. On the train, he met Marius Petersen, who was coming to Irene. The first job Soren had was working for Alex Johansen. He later worked for Ole Flint and Martin (Mudden) Christensen. Soren's brother Lars also came to Viborg. In 1921, Soren went back to Denmark and married Marie Katherine Pedersen. She was born to Garva Peter and Marie Pedersen on May 15, 1895. Her father was a farmer and walking mailman at Tranum, Denmark. Katherine was working for a tailor shop. They were married on Marc! h 2, 1922 at the Tranum Church. They came to South Dakota and farmed in the Viborg area. In 1959, they made the journey back to Denmark by boat for a visit. In 1975 the [sic] retired from farming at the age of 80 and moved to town. They both entered the nursing home in 1986. Soren died January 14, 1987 and Katherine died June 23, 1987. They had one daughter, Ruth, married to Wayne Peterson, one granddaughter, Norma Jean, married to Gordon Knudson, and two great grandchildren, Ross Knudson and Holly Relf. Soren and Katherine were married 66 years. They were faithful members of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Danish Brotherhood and Danish Sisterhood. -- Viborg South Dakota 1893-1993, The Viborg History Book Committee, pgs. 637-638. My mother works with Norma Jean ("Jeanie") Knudson. I will send you her contact information by e-mail.