Various business enterprises center in Laramie and contribute to the material development and progress of the city. Active as the head of one of these is Willis Jensen, who is now proprietor of the interests conducted under the name of the Laramie Furniture Company.
    He was born in Viborg, Denmark, November 17, 1863, a son of Annis and Mary (Madsen) Jensen both of whom were natives of Denmark, where they spent their entire lives. The father followed the occupation of farming and passed away in his native village in 1905 at the advanced age of eighty-six years, while his wife reached an even greater age, passing away December 1, 1916, after attaining the ninety-second milestone on life's journey. She was the mother of eleven children.
    Willis Jensen, who was the seventh in order of birth in that family, acquired his education in the public schools of Viborg and spent his early life to the age of fifteen years upon the home farm. He then started out in the world independently and was apprenticed for a term of three years to a black-and locksmith, thoroughly learning those trades. After his apprenticeship was completed he continued to work along those lines for two years and later spent one year in military service. He then determined to try his fortune in the new world and crossed the Atlantic to America, where he arrived on the 2^d of June, 1889. He at once made his way westward to Grand Island, Nebraska, and a few days later removed to Cheyenne, where he spent one month, being employed by the Union Pacific Railroad Company. He continued in the service of that company, however, for six months at Red Butte, Albany county, after which he removed to Rock Springs and there remained for three years, following his trade of blacksmithing in the employ of the Union Pacific Coal Company. From Rock Springs he returned to Cheyenne, where he was employed for two years in the shops of the Union Pacific, working at his trade, after which he came to Laramie and accepted a position in the Laramie rolling mills, where he continued until the plant was destroyed by fire. On the 1^st of January, 1896, he established a coal business, taking orders on the street. He had only a small space for his office in the store of the Laramie Grocery Company and he drove his own wagon. He continued in the coal trade for two years and then purchased the mercantile establishment of the Davis estate–a stock of second hand furniture. This stock was purchased under the firm name of Crawford & Jensen and the partnership continued for eighteen months, when Mr. Jensen bought out his partner's interest and organized his business under the present firm style of the Laramie Furniture Company. On the 11^th of January, 1903, the building which he occupied was destroyed by fire and it was covered with but little insurance, proving a most serious loss. In that year, however, Mr. Jensen purchased the site of his present building at No. 311 Second street, South, and in 1907 he purchased the adjoining lot and on the first lot erected his present building, in which he is now conducting his furniture store. He has built up a large trade in this connection and carries an attractive line of furniture of modern manufacture. His business methods are thoroughly reliable and his enterprise has brought to him a very gratifying trade.
    On the 1O^th of May, 1893, Mr. Jensen was married in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Miss Gina Christensen, a native of Denmark and a daughter of James Christensen. They have become the parents of four children, three of whom are living, Clarence A., Walter J. and Clarissa M.
    In politics Mr. Jensen maintains an independent course, giving his support to the men whom he deems best qualified for office. Fraternally he is connected with the Odd Fellows, the Elks and the Woodmen of the World and he belongs to the Evangelical Trinity Lutheran church, in which he served as a member of the council for fifteen years. He is identified with the Laramie Chamber of Commerce and does everything in his power to aid in the development and progress of his city. When he arrived in America his entire cash capital was eleven dollars. His success has been due entirely to his own efforts and the assistance and encouragement of his wife, who has indeed been a helpmate to him. He started in his present business with a cash capital of three hundred and twenty-five dollars and from that point has won pronounced success, being today one of the prosperous merchants and men of affluence in Laramie.