While quite young he came to America, lived for awhile in Sparta or LaCrosse Wisconsin, and later came to Franklin County, Iowa. He worked first on the railroad, was latter Draenengsmester and had for many years many men working for him, and earned much money. He was physically a strong man, was very intelligent and had a real good Hukummele (personality?). He was from childhood of a religious interest, grew up in a strong Christian home. A year or two after he had come to Iowa he was greatly influenced by a Methodist Revivalist. LAter he was influenced by the Lutheran revivalist P.C. Frandberg from Barnhom, who later came to America, Chicago, Minneapolis. (Jens Dixen) was also much influenced by the writings of So/ren Kjerkegaard. For many years he was very critical of the organized Free Church Synod as we have it here in the USA. From J.L.J. Dixen letter to Hans Dixen.