Asa Madsen

Asa Madsen was born March 1, 1884, in Bloomington, Bear Lake, Idaho, to parents, Anton Peter Madsen and Elizabeth Mary Jane Nelson Madsen. In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Bloomington, Asa, 16, was living with his parents and siblings, Anton Peter Madsen, 48, Elizabeth Mary Jane Nelson Madsen, 46, Anton E., 18, Ezra, 14, Martha A., 11, Nigel L., 8, and Naomi L., 5. Asa's parents had been married for 30 years, and they had given birth to eleven children, nine of whom were still living. Anton and his parents were born in Denmark and Mary Jane in Utah, her father in Illinois and her mother in Iowa. In this census record Anton indicated he came to America in 1855 and was naturalized, however, I believe the Madsen family actually came to America from Denmark in 1857. Anton was working as a farmer, and all three of his older sons, Anton E., Ezra and Asa were working on the family farm as farm laborers. The family owned their own farm free from a mortgage.

Living next door was Anton Peter Madsen's younger brother, Jacob, 40, who was living with his wife, Mary Catherine Krogue Madsen, 34, and their children, Vera M., 10, Hilda, 7, and Jacob, 2. Jacob was the last child of his parents, Jacob and Dorothea Madsen, and he was the first born in America, in Utah, January of 1860. He and Mary had been married for thirteen years and had given birth to three children, all of whom were living. Jacob was also working as a farmer.

In 1910, Asa was still living with his parents and siblings, Anton, 58, Mary Jane, 55, Asa, 26, Martha A., 20, and Naomi L., 15, and the family was still living in Bloomington. Asa and Mary Jane had been married 40 years, and of their eleven children, seven were still living. Anton was still farming and Asa was working on the family farm as a laborer.

When Asa completed his U.S. World War I Draft Registration Card on September 12, 1918, he described himself as being of medium height and build with blue eyes and light color hair. He was 34 years old and living in Bloomington, Idaho, with his wife, Cynthia.

Asa Madsen married Mary Cynthia Hulme on October 10, 1911, in Logan, Cache Utah. She was the daughter of William Hulme and Anna Maria Briscoe Hulme. Asa and Mary Cynthia had three children, Louise, Ruth and Leone, and a son, Asa Madsen, Jr., on March 23, 1919, who lived just one day. And even more sad was the fact that Asa's wife, Cynthia, passed away just three days after the birth of her son on on March 26, 1919, and was buried in the Bloomington Cemetery, Plot: 29-2.

By the 1920 census, Asa was a 35-year old widower, raising his three daughters alone, Louise, 7, Ruth, 5, and Leona, 3 years, 5 months old. Asa was still working as a farmer on his father's farm. His father, Anton Peter Madsen, was a 68-year old widower, living next door alone. In this census record it indicates that Anton Peter Madsen came to America in 1857 which is the correct year.

On July 1, 1923, Asa married Letha Birdwell Dunford in Cache County, Utah. She was the daughter of Moroni Dunford and Sarah Jane Bridwell Dunford. By the 1930 census, they were still living in Bloomington, and were listed as: Asa, 46, Letha B., 38, Louise, 17, Ruth, 15, Leone, 13, (children with Cynthia), and Letha and Asa's children, Vance D., 4 years 4 months old, Virginia, 3, and Mark A., 2 years and 3 months old. Asa was still working as a farmer and he owned his own farm which was valued at $1,000.

In 1940, Asa, 55, and Letha, 48, were living in Bloomington with their children, Vance, 14, Virginia, 13, and Mark, 12. This census record shows that Asa had a 6th grade education. Letha had 3 years of college, and their children were still all in school. Asa was still working on the family farm which was still valued at $1,000.

I don't know what happened to Asa, Letha and their children from the 1940's, 50's and 60's, but Asa passed away on June 25, 1972, while living in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried in the Bloomington Cemetery, Bear Lake, Idaho, USA, Plot: 28-7. His wife Letha B. Dunford Madsen, passed away on January 30, 1975, and was buried with her husband in Plot: 28-8. Their daughter, Virginia, married Lash Hymas Laker, on March 30, 1945, the son of Joseph H. Laker and Bertha Susannah Hymas Laker. Virginia passed away January 4, 2007, and her husband December 9, 2012. Asa's son, Mark Alma Madsen first married Janice Stock but later married Wilda Hardy. They were married May 14, 1982. Mark passed away on June 11, 1998 in Bloomington, and was buried in the Bloomington Cemetery. His wife, Wilda, born August 2, 1940 survived her husband.

Ruth Madsen, Asa's daughter with Cynthia, born November 29, 1914, passed away on April 8, 1933, at the very young age of just 19 years old. Her sister, Leone, born January 26, 1917, married Frank LeRoy Tingey. She passed away July 2, 1970, in Hayward, Alameda County, California, but was buried in the Bloomington Cemetery.

Following is an obituary tribute for Asa Madsen, which was published in the Idaho State Journal in Pocatello, Idaho, on June 26, 1972: Asa Madsen of Bloomington, Idaho, 88, died Sunday, June 25, 1972, at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born March 1, 1884, to Anton Peter and Elizabeth Mary Jane Nelson Madsen in Bloomington, Idaho. He married Mary Cynthia Hulme October 10, 1911, in Logan, Cache County, Utah. She died in 1919. Madsen married Letha Birdwell Dunford August 1, 1923, in the Logan LDS Temple.

Madsen served on the Bloomington village board for 12 years and the Bloomington school board for 10 years, and on the Old Folks Committee. He was director of the Bloomington Irrigation Company for 20 years. Mr. Madsen served as President of the Elder's Quorum, Secretary of the High Priest's Quorum, and First Assistant in the Bloomington Ward Sunday School Superintendency.

He is survived by his widow, two sons and a daughter; Vance D. Madsen, Pocatello; Mark A. Madsen, Salt Lake City, and Mrs. Lash H. (Virginia) Laker, San Diego, California; 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Thursday at l p.m. at the Bloomington LDS chapel. Friends may call at the Matthews Mortuary at Montpelier Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and at the chapel one hour before service time. Burial will be in the Bloomington cemetery.

GEDCOM Source

FamilySearch Family Tree (http://www.familysearch.org) "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (http://www.familysearch.org) Y Y accessed 30 Jun 2017), entry for Asa Madsen, person ID KWCJ-F15. 3

GEDCOM Source

FamilySearch Family Tree (http://www.familysearch.org) "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (http://www.familysearch.org) Y Y accessed 30 Jun 2017), entry for Asa Madsen, person ID KWCJ-F15. 3

GEDCOM Source

FamilySearch Family Tree (http://www.familysearch.org) "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (http://www.familysearch.org) Y Y accessed 30 Jun 2017), entry for Asa Madsen, person ID KWCJ-F15. 3

GEDCOM Source

FamilySearch Family Tree (http://www.familysearch.org) "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (http://www.familysearch.org) Y Y accessed 30 Jun 2017), entry for Asa Madsen, person ID KWCJ-F15. 3

GEDCOM Source

FamilySearch Family Tree (http://www.familysearch.org) "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (http://www.familysearch.org) Y Y accessed 30 Jun 2017), entry for Asa Madsen, person ID KWCJ-F15. 3