The family of P.W. Madsen
Many details of P.W., his wife Elise Larsen and their large family are found in a book published in 1994 by Heritage Associates. See Madsen Family History Book
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| P.W. Madsen |
P.W. (Peter William), son of Hans and Louisa, was 23 years old when he emigrated with his parents from Denmark to Utah. (He had been christened in the town of Erritsø, just south of Fredericia.) He was already trained in the family business of furniture, so it was he, with his father, who founded one of Salt Lake's first furniture enterprises at a small shop at 50 S. Main St (the current site of Crossroads Mall). This shop was recently re-created in the Heritage Park at This is the Place (dedication in 2002). P.W. became a very successful businessman, providing assistance to many Danish emigrants and to the Church. With his children, they also founded the Standard and Sterling furniture companies, as well as Western Loan and Building Company and other businesses throughout the West.
See Instructions to Employees of the furniture store.
P.W. met Elise Larsen on the ship, Idaho, as they crossed the Atlantic from Copenhagen to New York City. Elise was from Rørup, a town in the western part of the Danish island of Fyn (north of the Madsen's village of Ørsbjerg). They were married shortly after their arrival in Salt Lake City, and they proceeded to raise a large family in a busy home at 615 East First South.
The Madsen Family History book speaks of all the children of P.W. and Elise, but it primarly traces the line of son Richard W. Madsen (Sr.), longtime president of ZCMI, his son Francis (Bill) Madsen, and Bill's descendants. Consequently, the family members of that line are most well-known to and represented at this site. (See the Extended Hans Madsen Family)
Only scant information has been made available to this site about these other family members and their descendants. It will be a challenge for the future to further identify these cousins and introduce ourselves.
Recently, we have contacted the Poulsons, grandchildren of Florence Camilla Madsen (the seventh child of P.W. and Elise Madsen, listed below). They have shared a number of photos from their family tree. Some of these will shortly be seen at this web site.
Children of
P.W. Madsen (1852-1922) and
Elise Larsen Madsen(1855-1927)
- Richard William Madsen (Sr.) (1877-1948)
- spouse: Mary Hannah Armstrong (1875-1932), Lareta Creer (1905-1988)
- William Emil Madsen (1878-1947)
- spouse: Eugenia Meyer (1879-1962)
- Louise Christine Madsen Lund (1880-1951)
- spouse: Sophus Lund (1879-1967)
- Laura Mirenda Madsen Hardy (1882-1943)
- spouse: Oscar Hardy (1878-?)
- Viggo Robert Madsen (1883-1948)
- spouse: Frances Ashment (1889-1974)
- Hans Harry Madsen (1885-1937)
- spouse: Dora Godfrey (1887-1952)
- Florence Camilla Madsen Meredith Evans (1887-1978)
- spouse: Oliver Meredith (1884-1938), Clarence Evans (1883-1949)
- Peter William Madsen, Jr. (1895-1918)
- spouse: Annie Ash (1896-1971)
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| Elise Larsen Madsen |