Peter Jansen (1852–1923) was a Beatrice, Nebraska sheep rancher and Nebraska state representative and senator. Beatrice is a city in Gage County, Nebraska, 40 miles (64 km) south of Lincoln on the Big Blue River. ... The Nebraska Legislature is the U.S. state of Nebraskas legislative branch. ...

Russia

Jansen was born on 1852-03-21 in Berdiansk, a port city on the northern coast of the Sea of Azov in Tsarist Russia where his family had a grain exporting business. On a large ranch the family leased north of the city, Jansen learned cattle and sheep ranching skills. 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (81st in leap years). ... Berdiansk (Ukrainian: , Berdians’k; Russian: , Berdyansk) is a port city in southeastern Ukraine within the Zaporizhia Oblast (province). ... The shallow Sea of Azov is clearly distinguished from the deeper Black Sea. ... Росси́йская Импе́рия, (also Imperial Russia) covers the period of Russian history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great into the Russian Empire stretching from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, to...

The Jansen family was part of the Mennonite settlement in south Russia. When the government began withdrawing special privileges granted to colonists such as freedom from conscription, Jansen's father advised concerned Mennonites to emigrate to North America. Because of the elder Jansen's position as a prominent citizen and community leader, Russian officials ordered the family out of the country. The Russian Mennonites are a group of Mennonites descended from Dutch and mainly Germanic Prussian Anabaptists who established colonies in South Russia (present-day Ukraine) beginning in 1789. ...

Immigration

The family arrived in Quebec on 1873-08-28 and traveled on to Berlin, Ontario. From there Jansen and his father traveled to the United States, visiting New York and Philadelphia. Quaker contacts brought them to Washington, D.C. where Jansen had a chance meeting with George Armstrong Custer along with a delegation of "stoic aboriginies"^[1] and was introduced to President Grant^[2] who was interested in encouraging immigration of Mennonites from Russia. The contrast between the pomp and glitter of Russian officialdom and the practicality he found in Washington impressed Jansen. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... For other uses of the word Kitchener please see Kitchener (disambiguation) Map of Waterloo Regional Municipality, Ontario with Kitchener in red. ... George Armstrong Custer Custer redirects here. ... Ulysses S. Grant[2] (born Hiram Ulysses Grant, April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was an American general and the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877). ...

Together with another group of Mennonites who had just arrived in New York, the Jansens choose to settle on a 20,000 acre (81 km²) tract of land in Nebraska. Jansen purchased 1280 acres (5 km²) eighteen miles west of Beatrice where he begin building a merino sheep flock. Unshorn merino sheep. ...

Jansen married Gertrude Penner, a Mennonite from Prussia, on 1877-05-04. Together they had seven children, Helen, John, Anna, Katerine, Gertrude, Cornelius and Margaret.^[3] 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ...

Ranching

Jansen enlarged the ranch by purchasing nearby property, erecting and improving barns and homes for workers and planting trees for shelter and fruit. Besides sheep, Jansen raised wheat and corn. As more settlers filled the Nebraska prairie, Jansen shifted his sheep operation to feeding up to 30,000 western sheep in feedlots.

In 1886 the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad surveyed for a new line running west from Saint Joseph, Missouri near Jansen's property. Through his influence, the railroad town four miles west of the Jansen ranch was named Jansen, Nebraska. The ranch was now 20,000 acres (81 km²) and a show place with a well kept yard featuring an artificial lake. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting mark RI) was a Class I railroad in the United States. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Jansen is a village located in Jefferson County, Nebraska. ...

Political involvement

Jansen took an interest in politics and supported causes he felt would better his adopted country. He participated in county and state Republican conventions. Jansen did not seek political office for himself, but in 1880 his neighbors elected him justice of the peace. Later he served as Nebraska state representative and then state senator. He turned down nomination for Governor of Nebraska because of the position's requirement to enforce the death penalty.^[4] A Justice of the Peace (JP) is a puisne judicial officer appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. ... List of Nebraska Governors David Butler Republican 1867-1871 William H. James Republican 1871-1873 Robert Wilkinson Furnas Republican 1873-1875 Silas Garber Republican 1875-1879 Albinus Nance Republican 1879-1883 James W. Dawes Republican 1883-1887 John Milton Thayer Republican 1887-1892 James E. Boyd Democratic 1892-1893 Lorenzo...

Jansen was elected alternate delegate to the 1884 Republican National Convention and was a delegate-at-large to the 1896 convention that nominated William McKinley. In 1900 President McKinley appointed Jansen as one of twelve commissioners to the Paris World's Fair. In 1901 he represented Nebraska at the state funeral of McKinley. Presidential electoral votes by state. ... The 1896 Republican National Convention was held in Exposition Building, Saint Louis, Missouri, June 16-18, 1896. ... William McKinley, Jr. ... The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a worlds fair held in Paris, France, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Retirement

In 1909 Jansen sold his ranch and moved to Beatrice. He donated land and funds for construction of the Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital in Beatrice. He continued to be active in the community and General Conference Mennonite Church until his death on 1923-06-06. The General Conference Mennonite Church was an association of Mennonite congregations based in North America from 1860 to 2002. ... {{year nav|1939 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining // 1508 - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year truce and cede several territories to Venice 1513...

Notes

1. ^ Juhnke, James C., June 2006 Mennonite Life George Armstrong Custer and Samuel S. Haury
2. ^ Kaufman p. 94.
3. ^ Kaufman p. 95.
4. ^ Kaufman p. 96.

References

Further reading