Jan Sophus Jansen
Encyclopedia
Jan Sophus Jansen is believed to be the author and subject of the well known infinitely recursive folk song titled “My name is Jan Jansen” ' onMouseout='HidePop("12756")' href="/topics/Yon_yonson">Yon Yonson
”).
, Denmark
, the son of Ane Margrethe Jansen (nee Madsen) and Crilles Jansen. After serving in the Danish army, Jan found employment as a ship’s carpenter on a sea-going vessel. At the young age of 23, Jan left his job when the ship was docked in the United States
. He headed for Berlin, Wisconsin
(which he was told, had a large Scandinavian
population).
Jan worked in a lumberyard in his early years, later becoming a skilled carpenter, cabinet maker, and wood pattern maker. Jan was well known for the playing of his concertina
in the streets of Berlin
, Wisconsin
, while singing his namesake song. Jan claimed to have created the song so people would get to know him in his new hometown. Therefore, it is believed that the “Jan Jansen” song was created soon after Jan’s arrival in Wisconsin in 1893.
. Hannah was born in Skane
, Sweden
, and immigrated to Pine River in 1893, Wisconsin
. She is the daughter of Sissa and Swen Swenson. Together, they had six children. They bought a house in Appleton, Wisconsin
, and remained married until Hannah's death in 1933.
. He died at the age of 83 on March 18, 1953, of myocardial degeneration due to bronchial pneumonia and influenza
. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Appleton, Wisconsin
.
Jan eventually “Americanized” the pronunciation of his name, replacing the heavily Danish accented “Y” sounding “J” (i.e. Yon Yonson) with the typical American “J” sound in Jan Jansen.
Yon yonson
Yon Yonson is an infinitely recursive poem, nursery rhyme or song, perhaps best known from the novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, although Vonnegut did not create it.- Origins of the song :...
”).
Early life
Jan Jansen was born on February 2, 1870 in AmagerAmager
Amager is a Danish island in the Øresund. The Danish capital, Copenhagen, is partly situated on Amager, which is connected to the much larger island of Zealand by five bridges.-History:...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the son of Ane Margrethe Jansen (nee Madsen) and Crilles Jansen. After serving in the Danish army, Jan found employment as a ship’s carpenter on a sea-going vessel. At the young age of 23, Jan left his job when the ship was docked in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He headed for Berlin, Wisconsin
Berlin, Wisconsin
Berlin is a city in Green Lake and Waushara Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 5,305 at the 2000 census. The city is located mostly within the Town of Berlin in Green Lake County; only a small portion of the city extends into the Town of Aurora in Waushara...
(which he was told, had a large Scandinavian
Scandinavians
Scandinavians are a group of Germanic peoples, inhabiting Scandinavia and to a lesser extent countries associated with Scandinavia, and speaking Scandinavian languages. The group includes Danes, Norwegians and Swedes, and additionally the descendants of Scandinavian settlers such as the Icelandic...
population).
Jan worked in a lumberyard in his early years, later becoming a skilled carpenter, cabinet maker, and wood pattern maker. Jan was well known for the playing of his concertina
Concertina
A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It has a bellows and buttons typically on both ends of it. When pressed, the buttons travel in the same direction as the bellows, unlike accordion buttons which travel perpendicularly to it...
in the streets of Berlin
Berlin, Wisconsin
Berlin is a city in Green Lake and Waushara Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 5,305 at the 2000 census. The city is located mostly within the Town of Berlin in Green Lake County; only a small portion of the city extends into the Town of Aurora in Waushara...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, while singing his namesake song. Jan claimed to have created the song so people would get to know him in his new hometown. Therefore, it is believed that the “Jan Jansen” song was created soon after Jan’s arrival in Wisconsin in 1893.
Marriage
Jan married Hannah Jansen (nee Swenson) on December 2, 1899 in Berlin, WisconsinBerlin, Wisconsin
Berlin is a city in Green Lake and Waushara Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 5,305 at the 2000 census. The city is located mostly within the Town of Berlin in Green Lake County; only a small portion of the city extends into the Town of Aurora in Waushara...
. Hannah was born in Skane
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and immigrated to Pine River in 1893, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. She is the daughter of Sissa and Swen Swenson. Together, they had six children. They bought a house in Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
, and remained married until Hannah's death in 1933.
Sickness and death
When Jan was in his 70’s, he suffered from skin cancerSkin cancer
Skin neoplasms are skin growths with differing causes and varying degrees of malignancy. The three most common malignant skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises...
. He died at the age of 83 on March 18, 1953, of myocardial degeneration due to bronchial pneumonia and influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
.
Lyrics
- My name is Jan Jansen
- I come from Wisconsin
- I work in a lumberyard there
- When I walk down the street
- The folks that I meet
- Say “Hello there. What’s your name? And I say”
- My name is….. (repeat)
The Jan Jansen name
Due to Jan’s heavy Danish accent, there have been found to be many misspellings of his name in public records. Some of these include: Jan H. Jansen, John Johnson, Jan Johnson, and Yon Yonson.Jan eventually “Americanized” the pronunciation of his name, replacing the heavily Danish accented “Y” sounding “J” (i.e. Yon Yonson) with the typical American “J” sound in Jan Jansen.