Nielsen, Niels Hansen

Niels Hansen Nielsen was born in Esbjerg, Jylland, Denmark, on August 25, 1890, to Christian P. Nielsen and Adriatte Marcersen. Raised and educated in Esbjerg, he learned the blacksmith trade at fourteen before immigrating to California and arriving in Fresno in May 1907. Over the next several years, he gained diverse work experience by laboring on ranches in Clovis and Burrel, working in Shaver lumber mills, and taking positions in Fresno and San Francisco.

While living in Fresno, Niels married Metha Jensen Holmsgaard, a native of Jylland, Denmark, who had relocated to California after finishing her education. In 1916, he became the manager of the 160-acre C. P. Hansen ranch west of Fresno, where he leveled raw land, installed a pumping plant, and successfully cultivated alfalfa. The couple established a home with their two children, May Catherine and Evelyn Anna, while Niels maintained his support for the Democratic party and expanded his agricultural operations.